This half-day adventure is for the non-certified diver who wants to experience underwater life first hand. A highly trained scuba instructor will teach students the basic principles of scuba diving in a swimming pool and then take them on a shallow open water dive up to 40 feet/12 meters in the ocean.

Equipment included.

Signed waiver required.

Costa Rica has long been a popular destination for surfers worldwide. Famous Playa Grande on the Pacific Coast is one of the favoured beaches for wave riders of all levels. Located in Las Baulas National Park, Playa Grande is a long white-sand beach offering stunning views of the surrounding natural marine park, which has been carefully preserved as it is a nesting site for huge leatherback turtles. The quiet beach is also an ideal destination to learn surfing as it is rarely crowded and provides consistent, ride-able waves with perfect left and right peaks.

We will leave Playas del Coco early in the morning for a short ride through coastal towns before arriving at Playa Grande. There we will be greeted by our surf instructors, who will provide equipment and go over the basics and safety of surfing this famous beach. Each student will receive individual attention and instructions before having the opportunity to conquer the waves on his/her own. Hang ten, and look out for those swells!

After a fun day of surfing, we will have lunch (included) in a nearby beach café, stroll through the marine park, and return to Playas del Coco in the afternoon.

Love wildlife? This excursion will take you down the Tempisque River that borders the Palo Verde National Park. The park has wetlands and is very diverse with 12 different habitats including mangroves, swamps, saltwater and freshwater lagoons and marshes and is home to the “Palo Verde” (horse bean) trees. This excursion really showcases all that Costa Rica has to offer!

While travelling down the Tempisque River, you may see howler and white-faced monkeys, anteaters, crocodiles, giant green iguanas as well as many Costa Rican birds. The Park is internationally renowned by bird watchers as many migratory birds choose Costa Rica as their rest stop.

We will depart Playas del Coco in the morning. A snack will be provided, and we will return by lunch.

Community Service is an important aspect of giving back to the community. We try to instill a sense of global responsibility in all of our students as they explore the world. This optional excursion will allow students to engage in locally based community initiatives. Their time with local children, animals, or the natural environment of the area will earn them 4-5 community involvement hours which can go towards the student’s high school diploma.

Playa Conchal is widely considered to be Costa Rica’s most beautiful beach. Situated on the Northwest Pacific coast in a stunning protected bay, this spectacular kilometre-long beach fronts warm turquoise waters and offers magnificent views of the coastline. Its name, which literally means “Shell Beach,” refers to the millions of softened tiny crushed sea shells that construct the beach. This is a cherished national treasure which has been declared a Natural Reserve by the Costa Rican government, making the shells illegal to remove.

We will leave Playas del Coco in the morning for a brief journey through charming hamlets and coastal towns before arriving at Playa Conchal. Bring your towel and your sunscreen and get ready for some fun on the beach.

Our day will begin with Banana Boating! Climb onto the three-person yellow raft and get pulled at breath-taking speeds over the crystal-clear waters! Hang on!

After a light lunch (included), we will enjoy horseback riding! Atop the Costa Rican caballos, we will get a unique view of our surroundings.

This half day excursion will introduce students to a wide range of the underwater and reef life, much of which can be seen from the water’s surface. Water clarity often exceeds 75 feet at this time of year. Well preserved corals and vast quantities of fish of every shape, size and colour make this trip both memorable and instructive.

We will depart Playas del Coco by boat, motoring through the pristine waters. Once far from the main beach, our guide will lead us into the water, reviewing basic snorkelling techniques and ushering our attention to the diverse life forms of the water.

Equipment included.

Try your hand at this delicious cuisine! We will spend the afternoon making casado—the most traditional Costa Rican dish, which incorporates meat or chicken, rice, beans, vegetables and tasty fried plantains. We will start from the very beginning, learning the proper way to soak the beans before cooking, and see the dish to its completion! Once finished, we will enjoy the fruits of our labour. This is certainly a skill to take home!

Jacques Cousteau himself chose to film a “diving special” in Costa Rica, leaving little doubt as to the quality of this activity in the region. The same underwater wonders that attracted the great Captain Cousteau to Costa Rica continue to attract divers from all over the world. These qualities include pristine azure waters, hundreds of miles of unexplored coasts and islands, and an abundance of tropical marine life. While beginners may not yet be ready for a large school of hammerhead sharks gliding soundlessly overhead, Costa Rica has snorkel and dive sites for everybody, from the newcomer to the most experienced professional. Join us to complete your full PADI diving certification while on location in Costa Rica.

Course duration: approximately 4 afternoons.

Equipment: Participants may bring their own mask, fins, snorkel and wetsuit or borrow from the dive shop there.

Signed waiver required.