5 events in March not to be missed in Latin America!

COSTA RICA

From March – Turtle nesting – Pacific Coast

The season of mass arrivals of the olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) takes place during this month of March. Although the nesting season extends over several months, the nights of March are perfect for witnessing this natural spectacle. If we refer to the lunar calendar, it is precisely the nights of the waning quarter that concentrate the most turtles.

The simultaneous nesting of thousands of olive ridley turtles takes place in the Ostional (Pacific) National Wildlife Refuge, located in “Playa de Ostional” (Santa Cruz canton). This refuge prevents the uncontrolled entry of tourists and keeps the beaches of this turtle sanctuary in good condition.

Advice if you wish to attend:

• Visits should always be made with an authorised guide.

• Although arrivals take place at night, the most massive ones start at 2pm.

• It is only permitted to observe them with a red light, as white light can disorientate them.

BOLIVIA

19/03 – Pujllay de Tarabuco

MEXICO

21/03 – Spring Equinox – Chichén Itzá

At sunset, on March 21, 2023, the northern staircase of the pyramid of Chichén Itzá will be the scene of a unique spectacle, marking the beginning of the spring equinox, the phenomenon of the meandering solar projection is observed. These are seven triangles of light, inverted, resulting from the shadows cast by the nine platforms of this building, at the moment of sunset, forming the body of the feathered serpent. Little by little, the shadow advances towards the snake-shaped head…

During this magical moment, the Kukulcan serpent descends the stairs of the pyramid of Chichen Itza in Mexico. Shortly afterwards, the figure of Kukulcan begins to dissipate, ending a process that lasts about 45 minutes from start to finish.

Thousands of people attend the event as the snake descends the steps. This is a place to visit at least once in a lifetime.

Tip: This phenomenon can also be seen on 19, 20 and 22 March 2023. Although they are not the “official day”, they are less crowded.

COLOMBIA

from 22/03 to 27/03 – International Film Festival of Cartagena de Indias (FICCI)

Every year in March, the International Film Festival of Cartagena de Indias takes place, specialising in the Spanish-American seventh art. This festival, created in 1960 when it was inaugurated at the Cartagena Theatre, has seen the participation of productions from almost 60 countries, and thanks to it, great artists from the big screen such as Rita Hayworth, Jack Nicholson and Bernardo Bertolucci have come to Cartagena…

In addition to the Ibero-American fiction, documentary and Colombian feature film competitions, the FICCI is one of the few events in Latin America that gives short films the opportunity to qualify for Oscar nominations. This year’s festival will feature 27 world premieres, 40 Latin American premieres, 32 national premieres and the screening of over 140 films…

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from 23/03 to 26/03 – Estéreo Picnic – Bogota

13th edition of the open-air festival “Estereo Picnic” in Bogotá, Colombia. Following the philosophy of previous years, spectators will be able to enjoy three days of the best live music. A luxury line-up with great national and international artists such as Blondie, Drake, The Chemical Brothers… in total almost 90 artists will take turns during the three days of this atypical festival.

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