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Costa Rica Surf & Service 10 Days
Travel to Costa Rica this summer for an unforgettable 10-days of surf lessons, adventure, and community service with a group of new friends! You’ll spend your mornings supporting infrastructure projects and giving back to the local community of Flamingo Beach with our long-standing service partner Siempre Amigos. On most afternoons, you’ll be out on the water learning the fundamentals of surfing from professionals who grew up riding the waves. On other days, you’ll be ziplining through the treetops, enjoying a catamaran snorkel cruise, and getting a taste of Costa Rican culture. It won’t be long until you fall in love with the Pura Vida lifestyle!
The perfect balance of meaningful service projects, cultural immersion and unforgettable adventures.
This program requires an open mind to experience a different culture, new foods and new surroundings.
A letter of completion detailing the program's service hours and projects will be issued after the program.
Your service hours are eligible toward the President's Volunteer Service Award.
Everybody participates together in each project. Specific projects are confirmed in late spring and are similar to those described.
A professional guide accompanies the group to assist, educate and immerse the students into the local culture.
Hotels.
Includes breakfast, lunch and dinner daily.
Includes all recreation & activities listed.
Chartered, air conditioned motor coach with a professional driver.
Up to 24 participants.
We can accommodate most dietary preferences and allergies.
Flamingo is the quintessential beach community. The impact of tourism and development has created economic and environmental challenges for the locals. Our groups have helped in beach preservation, painting and building local homes for underprivileged residents, sprucing up the soccer facility, and renovating a local classroom – which has all contributed to improving this community’s quality of life.
About Siempre Amigos
Founded in 2011, Siempre Amigos is an NGO partner organization that focuses on social responsibility with the mission to assist low-income families in the rural areas of Guanacaste, specifically in the improvement of living conditions. Siempre Amigos facilitates short-term projects with both local and international volunteers.
Get excited to catch some waves during professional surf lessons at Tamarindo Beach!
Explore four distinct surf breaks right on the beach, perfectly tailored to cater to beginners and advanced surfers alike. With our small group lessons, you’ll receive personalized attention and expert guidance in Costa Rica’s premier surf destination.
Our comprehensive four-lesson program is designed to cater to all skill levels. Regardless of your level of experience, this program is an ideal starting point for improving your abilities, gaining confidence, and taking your surfing to the next level.
Lesson 1 - Dive into the fundamentals with an initial assessment, crucial safety tips, wave-reading techniques, and hands-on practice on the beach. Then, take your newfound skills into the ocean for an unforgettable experience.
Lesson 2 - Hone your abilities in separate skill-level groups. We’ll focus on perfecting chest positioning, mastering the art of catching waves, and refining paddle techniques to prepare you for any swell that comes your way.
Lesson 3 - Build on the foundation laid in earlier sessions as you focus on advanced techniques and maneuvers specific to your skill level. Our experienced instructors will provide tailored guidance, helping you master more challenging waves and take your surfing to new heights.
Lesson 4 - This session is all about fine-tuning your abilities and perfecting your form. With individual attention from our skilled instructors, you’ll have the opportunity to tackle even more complex waves and gain the confidence to navigate the ocean like a pro. By the end of this lesson, you’ll be cruising the waves with skill, style, and a newfound sense of accomplishment.
Explore Rincon de la Vieja National Park overhead by zipline and on land during a hike near the volcano crater. Cover yourself at the natural mud baths at the foot of a waterfall. Immerse yourself in Costa Rican culture with a Latin Dance lesson. Kick back and relax by an evening bonfire on the beach. Enjoy a sunset catamaran and snorkel adventure with your new found ‘familia”.
Flamingo Beach, Costa Rica
Our group will be staying at one of the following carefully selected hotels near Flamingo Beach: Hotel Casas del Toro Hacienda or Hotel Isolina. Amenities at all hotels include air conditioning, internet access and a swimming pool to enjoy.
Flight to Liberia, Costa Rica
We offer a chaperoned flight to Costa Rica from South Florida. Based on enrollment, participants from the New York area may also have a chaperoned flight. Final flight details are determined in the spring. For our many travellers from outside these areas, you can choose to connect to the chaperoned flight, or reserve a flight arriving & departing within our flight parameters. Our staff will greet you as you come through customs and immigration.
Return Flight Home from Liberia, Costa Rica
We offer a chaperoned flight back to South Florida. Depending on the geographic group makeup, the chaperoned flight will return to South Florida, New York, or both. For our many travelers from outside these areas, you may choose to join the chaperoned flight and arrange transfers (if required) at suitable times after the group has cleared customs and immigration in the USA; or you may fly from Liberia to your home city and our leaders help you to check-in and remain in the airport until flights in designated times have departed.
Where We Stay
We carefully select clean and comfortable accommodations with the needs of our students in mind. While our volunteer programs do not stay at luxury resorts, we do know that a good night’s rest, in your own bed, is key to performing your service hours well and having enough energy to enjoy the day’s activities. For this reason, and also to maintain the close group bond and to uphold the quality of this program, we do not offer any homestays.
Meals & New Cuisines
Eating well while away from home is an important part of a summer’s success. We understand how it helps our travellers feel secure, happy and looking forward to their day. Part of your travel experience will be immersing yourself in the local cuisine and culture, so please bring with you an open mind and a willingness to try new things. For example, Costa Rican traditional cuisine offers plenty of rice, beans, meat dishes and tons of fresh fruit, but don’t worry, they also have North American style options on the menu.
We have satisfied the choosiest of eaters and gladly accommodate most special dietary requests including vegetarian, food allergies, lactose intolerance, celiac disease, and kosher style. We welcome discussing your individual requirements with you and have extensive experience in this area.
Drinking Water
It’s generally okay to drink tap water in Costa Rica, except for a few select areas. As a precaution, we will provide purified drinking water in large containers so that travelers can fill up their reusable water bottles as needed.
Vaccinations
We recommend you follow the advice of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and consult with your physician for current immunizations and medication required for travelers to Costa Rica. These recommendations may change from time to time. We will send you detailed information in March (or upon enrollment if later) regarding the current recommendations for this itinerary.
Laundry
You will only need one week’s worth of clothing as outlined in the packing list that will be sent to you prior to departure. Every week you will drop off your laundry at a local wash and fold service and then pick it up clean, folded and ready to go.
What’s Included
Included in your program tuition is all lodging, breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, recreation & entertainment listed, airport transfers in designated times, gratuities & taxes.
Not included is transportation to and from the program and personal spending money for snacks, souvenirs, and laundry. We also make available optional travel insurance that is not included, but highly recommended.
Please contact us with any questions. We are happy to hear from you!
What if I need to contact my teen during the program?
Participants may bring their cell phones so parents may call and message their kids directly. You may also contact our Communication Centers which serve as the official link between programs on the road and parents. We are staffed every day during the summer and have somebody on call for after hours emergencies ready to assist you 24/7.
Who are the staff and what are their qualifications?
Our staff are educators, guidance counselors, coaches, college and university students, former camp counselors, residence life coordinators, community volunteers, world travelers, and other leaders with diverse backgrounds. Many are former participants themselves who couldn’t get enough of the Westcoast experience! Learn more about our summer leaders.
How are roommates assigned?
Giving everyone a chance to make new friends creates a cohesive group and the warmest and most welcoming social environments in our industry!
On our Active Teen Tours, Global Adventures and Community Service programs, rooming rotation is as follows:
To promote this we’ve found the best system is for the Program Director to assign the rooms for the first and second stops. For the first stop, independent travelers room with other independent travelers and any friends who enrolled can room together. All participants will be assigned a different roommate for the second stop. After the first two stops, choice of roommates is always up to you!
On our Pre-College Enrichment programs & Career Experiences, rooming is as follows:
We assign independent travelers with another independent traveler for the duration of your stay. Any friends who enrolled together can room together.
Important notes:
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