1. Meet a Sea Turtle in the Florida Keys Offered Daily 11:00 a.m. Ages 5+ must be at least 5 years of age 20 Minute Program feed and interact with an endangered sea turtle Includes General Admission to park and shows IMPORTANT INFORMATION Animal Interaction Program Comparison and Policies Private Animal Interactions Discounts BOOK ONLINE Less frequently seen are the leatherback, the loggerhead and the olive ridley. Leatherback sea turtles are the first to nest on our beachesduring the beginning of the sea turtle nesting season. Plastic waste can get caught around a turtles neck or flippers which can cause them to drown. We all love our long relaxing days on the stunning white beaches in Destin but let's make sure to leave them the way we found them! Tourists can expect to see a large number of turtles everyday; with a guide, seeing over a dozen or two dozen turtles in one session is not unusual. The Facebook site shows photos with sea turtles in July and August 2014, so at least sometimes during these months they are also there. Not only is it potentially dangerous, it is ILLEGAL. With every nesting cycle comes another window of opportunity for human interference. Let me know where you think is the best place to see sea turtles in Florida! Despite their name, they do not have a green shell; rather it is mostly shades of brown. As Florida gets warmer, female sea turtles crawl out of the water to build nests and lay eggs on the beach at night. It is estimated that out of one thousand hatchlings, only one will survive long enough to reach a breeding age. Keep a distance of at least 20 feet to avoid scaring them away. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Admission is free (although a $5 donation per person is appreciated) and you can see the turtle patients up close! Youll be delighted by manta rays, schools of tropical fish, nudibranchs, starfish, dolphins and whale sharks. Hatchlings often fall victim to holes on the beach as well. One of the largest of the eight species of sea turtles, the green turtle has been documented to grow to a maximum of about 4 feet and weigh 440 pounds. There is no better place for finding sea turtles in Florida than Melbourne Beach and I would know. Sea turtles are either endangered or threatened (the loggerhead is the only species that has a population high enough to be only threatened in Florida). I sure wish Okaloosa County would construct one of these to provide an alternative to snorkeling at the jetties. This applies particularly to condo lighting and visitors walking the beach at night with a bright headlamp. Over the years hundreds of sea turtles have been rehabilitated and released back into the wild by the Gulfarium. Keep it FLAT Fill in your holes. If you have dug holes for a sandcastle or beach gear, be sure to fill them in and flatten the sand before leaving. Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park makes every effort to make your visit a memorable one. Siesta Key. Visitors are only allowed to see the females lay their eggs if they are on a tour with an officially registered guide; tours take place at night after 8PM. Back in the day (like 20 years ago), you could bring a bucket of bait fish with you when renting a boat to go to Shell Island. At this private, all-inclusive day resort, a limited number of people are admitted per day to play on the beach and snorkel in the fish-filled waterways. feed and interact with an endangered sea turtle. Nestled in the heart of Destin, your family will discover a world of motors, mini golf, bumper cars, and more. Gulf World offers 2 types of dolphin swims and a dolphin encounter programs for individuals, families and large groups. SEA TURTLE SEASON- A UNIQUE TIME AT DESTIN WEST, The majority of nesting in Florida occurs between May 1st and October 31st. Sometimes nesting season can start earlier or later than usual, depending on the temperature. They can cause bruises, cuts, and even break bones. This is when a rehabilitated sea turtle gets released into the ocean. As the name suggests, you can find lots of sea turtles at Turtle Traffic. This is important since some sea turtle activities can only be witnessed at night. In the warm, clear waters of Belize you can find the Hawksbill, Loggerhead, and Green turtles. In fact, they spend about 96% of their lives at sea. Surfing Lessons. Florida's Best Sea Turtle Hatching Spots. Avoid excessive flash photography when photographing sea turtles. This includes permeant residents that are unable to return to the wild, often because of shell damage that results in the inability to dive. An adult female green sea turtle may lay up to nine nests in one season, which runs from June through September. Though seeing a turtle is not guaranteed, the success rate of groups seeing them is over 90%. I have only ever seen a few hatchlings emerge and it is usually in August. Sea Turtles are one of the most iconic animals in the ocean. Males have long tails, whereas females and juveniles have short tails that are often invisible. Annually, sea turtles annually make between 40,000 and 84,000 nests along the Florida coast. from. Babies hatch some 60 days later and crawl back into the sea. Loggerhead sea turtle George started surveying in 1994, both Santa. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. If you are visiting in the summer or a local, I highly recommend taking a sea turtle walk and experiencing this amazing sight. I've only been there in the fall each year, so I'm not sure how consistent they are other times of year. I think knowing a little about our sea turtles is necessary in order to truly appreciate todays story. Video of Guardians of the Night: Reducing Light Pollution on Sea Turtle Nesting Beaches. Learn to Surf - Navarre Beach. Then they must reach adulthood where they have few natural predators. They are fun to watch come to shore and also swim down the coast! The gender of a hatchling is influenced by the temperature during their gestation period, with warmer temperatures producing females and cooler temperatures males. Turtle Hospital has served the community with continued extensive research, treatment, and release of sea turtles within the area. You will have the opportunity to learn about and meet our resident loggerhead sea turtle, a variety of fresh water turtles, and African spurred tortoises. 2635 Old Okeechobee Rd. Just make sure to observe them from afar, because they may swim away if you try to get too close. The 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico(where the majority of Kemps Ridley sea turtles live) had a devastating impact on their population killing over 500 Kemps Ridley sea turtles in 2010 alone. Fortunately, there are several groups of experts that have founded associations that work to protect sea turtles through research, education, training, and habitat protection. This is a ninety-minute tour that goes in-depth into the threats to turtles, and how they are treated for different injuries or ailments. Sometimes it is possible to swim with olive ridley and green turtles. If you cant find a guided walk, you can walk along beaches like the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge and look for them yourself. These numbers are based on specificindexed beaches alone and the numbers do not account for many other beaches where the loggerhead nests are not includedin these records. During the green turtles nesting season more than 2,000 females come to the area. Call 850-243-9046 x 4 for assistance. These critically endangered sea turtle have just recently been sighted more frequently on our reefs in West Palm Beach. Before booking an animal interaction, please visit our Animal Interaction Program Comparison and Policies page. They are fun to watch come to shore and also swim down the coast! Check out the Sea Turtle Conservancy, Destin West Vacations1320 Miracle Strip Pkwy, SEFort Walton Beach, Florida 32548. My family could watch us from behind the glass so it was an awesome experience overall. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. If you are going between May through August, you have an excellent chance of seeing them here. Only an estimated one in 1,000 turtles survives to adulthood, according to the Sea Turtle Conservancy. Numerous shark species live naturally in the Gulf of Mexico, making Destin a top-rated shark-fishing destination. Hawksbill turtles are also frequent sightings within the park. The most popular are Mokuleia Bay, Honolua Bay, Napili Bay, Puu Kekaa (Black Rock), Olowalu, and Mala Wharf. The Maldives are made up of more than 1,000 coral islands divided into 26 ring-shaped atolls in the Indian Ocean. You can see them feeding on algae, lying on the ocean floor or coming up to the surface to breathe. Put yourself in the turtles position. However, these turtles rarely lay their eggs in the Maldives. All property owners or renters are encouraged to keep beachfront lights off or as dim as possible during this time of year at night. Considering Tortugas is literally turtle in Spanish, it is no surprise that this is a must-visit for sea turtle enthusiasts! It is home to marine species like sea lions, sharks, stingrays, and sea turtles. There are various places in the Philippines where you can find them, such as Apo Island, Pescador Island, Balicasag Island, Mantigue Island, Helicopter Island, and of course Turtle Bay.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'openwaterhq_com-leader-3','ezslot_16',123,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-openwaterhq_com-leader-3-0'); From the months of October to March, hordes of Hawksbill and Green sea turtles will arrive to nest at four locations within Turtle Bay. Though nesting turtles are amazing, there is nothing like seeing a sea turtle swim in the ocean! This costs $35 per person but includes night vision goggles to borrow for better viewing. When we were at Stinky's in Sept. we walked next door to the original building to buy a tee shirt. Sea turtles are animals that tend to be indifferent to our presence. I saw many turtles in Maui right off the beach. The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef system in the world. You can try to find them on your own, but using the expertise of a local expert will make things a lot smoother. Find a Dive Resort in Australia. August 17, 2022. Leave the beach as you found it or better! They are protected under the Federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973 and theFloridas Marine Turtle Protection Act (379.2431, Florida Statutes). Not to mention, they are some of the most photogenic animals in the sea! Hatchings will continue until late October along our beaches in Destin, FL. You can find sea turtles nesting all along the east coast of Florida. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Do not touch them, do not feed them, let them live and feed in their natural habitat while you observe at a distance. If youre not an experienced snorkeler or want to increase your chances of swimming and snorkeling with sea turtles, we recommend you go on a guided tour. This applies particularly to condo lighting and visitors walking the beach at night with a bright headlamp. Swimming withsea turtles and looking into those beautiful blue eyes touches our saltwater-logged hearts like fewother marine sea creature. That is why we want to arm you with the knowledge to keep both you and our shelled friends safe on your next snorkeling trip. I have seen sea turtles in the wild many times and it never gets old! Located between Playa del Carmen and Tulum, Akumal is a Mayan word meaning place of the turtle and is the best place in Mexico to swim with green and loggerhead sea turtles. The largest green sea turtle ever recorded was 5ft. Walton, although (as I've said before), it has to be a relatively calm day in the Gulf for people to use them. This Juno Beach facility rehabilitates injured sea turtles and hatchlings at their turtle hospital. Unless otherwise, noted, the encounter price does not include general admission. Groups of males chase after a female in a frenzy to see who can mate with her first. Enter your message or notes here to be included in the email. Check the show schedule to plan your day at the park. Sometimes they may even approach you if they are curious.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'openwaterhq_com-mobile-leaderboard-1','ezslot_18',128,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-openwaterhq_com-mobile-leaderboard-1-0'); There are many places in the world where you can snorkel and swim with sea turtles, and in this guide weve covered only some of them. Sea turtles can speed through the ocean waters at incredible speeds, contrary to what people believe about turtles being slow. Unlike tortoises and land turtles, sea turtles cannot fully retract their body into their shells. There is also a mile of coastal trails to peruse with all sorts of flowers, trees, and turtle statues. These extremely friendly sea turtles dont seem to be concerned about bubble-making divers approaching closely and will go about their business searching for some delicious sponge to eat. They can still sting you and lead to paralysis, and wearing some extra protection can prevent this from happening. However, the chances of encountering them while swimming are low. The biggest danger to sea turtles is man (and his activities). Whether you seek a Gulf-focused marine park or zoo experience, there are great options for family fun. SORT BY. Sea turtles are majestic creatures, from the lumbering Loggerhead to the smaller Hawksbill, each species is a sight to behold. Within ten to fifteen minutes of snorkeling, you can most likely encounter a few turtles. Animal interaction requirements, restrictions and policies. You can also swim with sea turtles at Derawan, Sangalaki and the three Gili islands: Gili Meno, Gili Air and Gili Trawangan. Guardians of the Night: Reducing Light Pollution on Sea Turtle Nesting Beaches So if you see while snorkeling, make sure you have your camera on hand so that you can take some nice underwater pictures to remember your vacation by. After adulthood is reached, the number of predators decreases dramatically. In the event that an encounter must be rescheduled within the 24-hour window prior to the encounter start time, or after a missed encounter, a rebooking fee of 25% of the encounter purchase price will be applied. To use our mobile site, please enable JavaScript. If you are taking a trip to the Florida Keys, I highly recommend a visit to The Turtle Hospital in Marathon. We arent sea turtle experts but we do know where they are. Not to mention, they are some of the most photogenic animals in the sea! We did Epcot DiveQuest where you get to scuba dive in the aquarium with turtles, sharks, rays, and more. The shirt was 25.00. The most abundant sea turtles in our area are the loggerheads. Hawkfish -Plans are in the works for 4 artificial reefs in Walton County - Miramar, Topsail, Grayton and Inlet. Keep all of this in mind the next time you snorkel in Hawaii. You can often find sea turtles nesting on the beach at night on your own here. Under NO circumstances should you ever disturb a sea turtle. more, You seem to have JavaScript disabled. Receive email notifications on special trips and discounts. The dry season is from November to April, but along the Caribbean coast you can experience a tropical rain all year round. These leatherback sea turtle hatchlings would certainly die under the hot Florida sun if left to their own accord. When visiting, you can see any turtle patients they have and learn about how the veterinarians are treating them. You can also swim with sea turtles at Derawan, Sangalaki and the three Gili islands: Gili Meno, Gili Air and Gili Trawangan. If you happen to swim by it, you can get stung by it and get paralyzed just the same as if a live jellyfish had stung you. Youve heard metell you before that scuba diving in West Palm Beach is one of the greatest places to go if you want to have thebest sea turtle encounters,solet me elaborate a little moreandshare with you the story and photographs from todays special tripto help make you a believer. Off the coast of Jamaica you can find the Hawksbill turtle and Green turtle in the waters. Visitors should keep their distance, staying behind any turtle they might see, and must not shine lights in nesting areas, including flashlights, cellphone lights or camera lights. The program has helped to rehabilitate and release various species of sea turtles found in the Gulf Coast, from the Loggerhead, Green, Kemp's ridley, to the Leatherback. See sea turtles in Florida every day. For more ways to experience the beauty of Florida nature, check out my guide to The Everglades and my post about the best Fresh Water Springs. Cook Island Marine Reserve is a small protected area not too far from the Gold Coast in southeast Queensland. What is the best month to see the sea turtles? There are two ways to volunteer with a sea turtle conservation project - either a short-term (3-5 days) stay as part of an organized tour or a longer-term (7 days to 2 months) volunteer. Sea turtles use the moon to guide them back to the water, so lights can often disorient them. This subspecies inhabits the subtropical and tropical waters of the Pacific Ocean, and it can be distinguished from other green sea turtles by its serrated lower jaw and the single pair of scales covering its eyes. Keep in mind that you shouldnt harass these turtles. 13. The best time of year to see wild sea turtles in Florida is during the summer, during sea turtle nesting season. Meet and interact with dolphin, sea lion, turtles, sharks, alligators & rays! Send this material plus the date and location of the sighting to one of the associations listed below. Our encounters with marine life turns us into passionate ambassadors for the preservation of our oceans. For the safety of the animals, remove jewelry and loose articles from pockets prior to the start of the encounter. Furthermore, the tour guide will have a license allowing them to do these you cant, such as use a flashlight. It is possible that they use navigation skills to find their way here for mating purposes, but we can't be sure. In addition, coastal development is destroying nesting grounds and climate change is believed to be causing females to birth more females. and FLAT. A Beginners Guide, Does Snorkeling Get Boring? Visitors can learn how these species . Copyright 2020 The Florida Travel Girl | All Rights Reserved. March 2, 2023, at 12:00 p.m. 27 Top Things to Do in Florida. The turtles can therefore be spotted all year round. In 2021, over 50,000 female sea turtles nested here, which is the highest amount of turtle nests for a county in the entire state! Along the many thousands of miles of coastline, turtles come to nest each season. Plans are for 2015. It can trap momma sea turtles coming to nest and hatchlings trying to navigate their way to the water. Though they are common, I wanted to share the best places to see sea turtles in Florida. Some types of sea turtles that nest along the beaches in Destin are actually endangered, these endangered species include green sea turtles, kemps ridley sea turtles, and loggerhead sea turtles. These bright flashes can be distracting to hatchlings and mislead them. I hope that you will share the information youve learned from todays blog and appreciate how very fortunate we all are to see these wonderful sea turtles on the reefs of West Palm Beach, Florida. Since Destin is located on Florida's Gulf Coast, many of these animals find their way into our waters. Do not reach out to grab them, do not try to chase them, and definitely do not try to ride one.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'openwaterhq_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_13',124,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-openwaterhq_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0'); Most of the time, the sea turtle will swim away. Is Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef Safe? It is there that visitors can hope to find the Hawksbill, Loggerhead, and Green turtles. They can emerge from their shell at any time. Sea turtles prefer to live in temperate and warm waters, and can migrate thousands of miles across oceans to warmer water. Then youll be able to meet our sea turtle patients we currently have and hear about their stories of how they ended up at the CARE Center. They can have over 100 eggs per nest. There are seven species of sea turtle world-wide: Below youll find a list of 11 amazing places in the world to dive and swim with these amazing creatures in their natural habitats. The months of March through October are officially sea turtle mating/nesting seasonalthough we encounter seaturtles year-round on our reefs and wrecks in West Palm Beach, Florida. In other words, if you want a hands-off, relaxing, and laid back experience, we recommend you hire a tour guide.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'openwaterhq_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_14',125,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-openwaterhq_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0'); Most species of sea turtles are endangered and that is why there are laws protecting them. Thank you for sharing this. This journey usually starts around October and ends in March or April when they head back north again. However, the best time to see nesting sea turtles is June and July. If some stranger came up to you and started touching you, youd be pretty angry and/or scared wouldnt you? if you see a sea turtle in the wild, stay far away, make no noises, dont shine any lights or flash cameras at them, and of course, do not touch them under any circumstances. Loggerhead sea turtle nesting numbers fluctuate from one year to the next (some like to take a year off and enjoy a nice vacation in the Caribbean we like to think), but in 2012 almost 60,000 loggerhead sea turtle nests were counted in Florida! Destin West, Destin West Vacations, destinwest.com and the Destin West Turtle logo are trademarks of Destin West Resort Management and should not be used without our prior express written consent. Akumal, Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Our Mission: The reefs will be a great addition to beach recreational activities in So. You may also get fined for not keeping a safe distance, so stay at least 5-10 feet away (if the turtles even allow you to get so close).if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'openwaterhq_com-leader-4','ezslot_17',129,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-openwaterhq_com-leader-4-0'); Lastly, consider wearing a full wetsuit if there are lots of jellyfish nearby. Hopefully these first few nests in Florida will continue as an increasing trend in the following years. Family and friends are welcome to take photos from general admission viewing areas. During this stage, baby turtles can be eaten by crabs, birds, dogs, foxes and other animals. Talk about a rough childhood. When doing this, you must take great care to avoid disturbing the turtles. Sea turtles are found all along Floridas coast, both swimming in the water and nesting on the shores. Then at the end, you get to see the sea turtle patients. Hatching season: January to May. Dont chase them, touch them, ride them, harass them, or harm them. But if they do, they will try to bite you, and it can be really painful.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'openwaterhq_com-leader-2','ezslot_15',126,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-openwaterhq_com-leader-2-0'); Sea turtles have powerful jaws and sharp beaks. It doesnt come as a surprise that both divers and snorkelers are always very happy to spot them and swim with them. Though they are common, I wanted to share the best places to see sea turtles in Florida. Should You Rent or Buy Your Own Snorkel Gear? Cameras/phones are not allowed into animal enclosures or on docks as participants hands must be free to interact with the animals. Entry tickets (General Admission Ticket): $29 for adults (12+) - $19 for children (5-11) - $24.99 for seniors (55) Gulf World Marine Park is an aquarium in Florida that offers an interactive and entertaining experience with dolphins. Unfortunately, these eggs are often eaten by predators or damaged by humans. The last to nest during sea turtle nesting season in West Palm Beach is the green sea turtle. Furthermore, you should also be wearing some kind of buoyancy aid, preferably a life vest, waterski belt or snorkel vest in case you do get stung. Especially during low tide, when the green turtles that like to munch on the seagrass beds visit the reef to lounge around. You can go on your own, but I prefer to take a charter with Jupiter Scuba Diving. At this stage, sharks and killer whales are the only other marine animals that are dangerous to sea turtles. Multiple organizations like the Sea Turtle Conservancy and the Sea Turtle Preservation Society host turtle walks at night. The two sea turtles that youll see the most are the Hawksbill turtle and the Green sea turtle. So you may have to copy these links to a new web page and paste the link in there to view each one. Sea Turtles Nesting in Destin, Florida! They dont mind divers, simply eating or coming up to the surface to breathe. When you interact with sea turtles, avoid touching them and keep a distance of 15 feet (4-5 meters). General admission must be purchased in addition to the encounter. The Yucatan Peninsula (Riviera Maya) in Mexico is home to six out of seven sea turtle species. Find a Liveaboard in the Great Barrier Reef. This page is about sea turtle conservation and education. This place is ideal for swimming with the green and hawksbill sea turtles that inhabit the reef all year round. Next, you can find Hawksbills along the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica from March to October. Located in Crestview, Floridaonly 45 min from Destinthis family owned zoo offers animal encounters where small groups can meet animals like ringtail lemurs, adorable primates from Madagascar. The emerald waters of the Gulf Coast are home to a variety of species of sea turtles. Marsa Alam is a town in the southeastern part of Egypt and is one of the most famous dive destinations in the Red Sea. Sign up to get the latest updates, offers and more. You will be surrounded by them (seeing 20 to 30 per dive). 5. 29 were here. 2023 Theater of the Sea, INC - All Rights Reserved, Before booking an animal interaction, please visit our, Animal Interaction Program Comparison and Policies, Online Waiver for Parents/Legal Guardians. Night Glow Kayak Paddle Session in Navarre Beach. On the south side of Maui, you should head to Maluaka Beach and Nahuna for the best chance of seeing Haiwaiian Green sea turtles. Special thanks to Mario Passoni for writing this article, as well as to Agnese Mancini from HEPCA, Christian Daz Chuquisengo from The Leatherback Trust, Alessandra Sulis and contributing editor Sarah Wormald. Sea turtle season is during hurricane season, which typically lasts from June 1st to November 30th. Participants with special needs including mobility, seeing, or hearing impairments must contact Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park prior to reserving the encounter. The majority of nesting in Florida occurs between May 1st and October 31st. They can only stay out of water for a short period of time. Photographs of the full-body are required to find out if is a female or a male. The first of the two areas you should keep in mind are the Riviera Maya-Cancun Coast where numerous nesting beaches can be found: Akumal Bay, Sian Ka-an Biosphere Reserve, and XCacel Beach. 2023 Destin West Vacations All rights reserved. Tours of the facility are offered daily, as well as lectures, labs, and marine feedings. The majority of sea turtle nesting in the United States occurs on Floridas beaches and you can see it happen for yourself! An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. If its a new individual, you might even get to name it! You could then entice the dolphins over to you and hop in and swim with them. You can even adopt one of the patients, visit them and get updates on their progress! The National Park services offer turtle walks every June and July for $14 per person, in both the Playalinda and Apollo Districts. The sea life exhibits are world-class, showcasing manatees, sea turtles, penguins, rays and more. These atolls are famous for their white coral sand and their incredible marine life. Even leatherback hatchlings are born at up to three times the size of the other sea turtle hatchlings. Encounter must be paid in full at the time of reservation. Typical nests have 80-120 eggs, with only 1 out 1,000 babies surviving to adulthood. Swimming with sea turtles is usually one of the fondest experiences scuba divers are lucky enough to have. My work with this greatgroup of volunteers involves marking new sea turtles nests on a section of Singer Island,keeping record of importantnesting data, and educating the public. The cute sea turtles with their big adorable eyes waddling towards the ocean after their birth. Destin-Fort Walton Beach is partnering with the Gulfarium to spread awareness and educate the public about sea turtle conservation. Theater of the Sea is home to many animals that have been rescued, rehabilitated, and deemed non-releasable for a variety of reasons. Bursting forth from the sand, the tiny two inch bodies make the journey alongside hundreds of brothers and sisters to the oceanfront. They can be found at the Similan Islands, Phi Phi Islands, and Surin Islands. Sea turtle nesting season begins in May on the Florida panhandle. If you are looking for hawksbill sea turtles, you should dive or snorkel along the reefs, where they can be easily spotted while feeding.