The town of Monterrico is situated on the

Pacific The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...

coast of

Guatemala Guatemala ( ; ), officially the Republic of Guatemala ( es, República de Guatemala, links=no), is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico; to the northeast by Belize and the Caribbean; to the east by H ...

in the department of

Santa Rosa Santa Rosa is the Italian, Portuguese and Spanish name for Saint Rose. Santa Rosa may also refer to: Places Argentina *Santa Rosa, Mendoza, a city * Santa Rosa, Tinogasta, Catamarca * Santa Rosa, Valle Viejo, Catamarca *Santa Rosa, La Pampa * Sa ...

. Known for its volcanic black sand beaches and annual influx of

sea turtle Sea turtles (superfamily Chelonioidea), sometimes called marine turtles, are reptiles of the order Testudines and of the suborder Cryptodira. The seven existing species of sea turtles are the flatback, green, hawksbill, leatherback, loggerhead, ...

s, the town also serves as a major weekend beach resort for citizens of

Guatemala City Guatemala City ( es, Ciudad de Guatemala), known locally as Guatemala or Guate, is the capital and largest city of Guatemala, and the most populous urban area in Central America. The city is located in the south-central part of the country, nest ...

. The town is growing more popular with foreign tourists largely because of the local sea turtle conservation efforts as well as the laid-back atmosphere of the area.

Sea turtle conservation

A few turtle conservation organizations operate in the Monterrico area because the long stretch of beach serves as a breeding ground for four species of sea turtles. Although some locals who hunt for sea turtle eggs during the August–November season do donate a percentage of their catch to the "tortugarios" (sea turtle hatcheries), the majority of eggs laid on the beach are harvested and eaten.

References

External links

* Populated places in the Santa Rosa Department, Guatemala {{Guatemala-geo-stubhttps://www.guatemala.com/guias/pasatiempos/lugares-turisticos-de-monterrico-guatemala/