- Program
- Surf and Service, Costa Rica
- Traveled
- July 2025
- Hometown
- Cascais, Portugal
- Program Leaders
- Josh, Lauren, Isa and Manfred
In this first-person account, Alice Rocha of Cascais, Portugal, looks back on Rustic Pathways’ Surf and Service program in Costa Rica in July 2025, with photos from the trip.
Alice describes the kindness of the locals met along the way, service at a school and playing with the kids, and running from a tarantula outside the bungalow.
Alice’s Surf and Service Trip to Costa Rica
Hi! My name is Alice Rocha, and I went on the Surf and Service Costa Rica trip. It was truly unforgettable, and I’m so grateful I got to be a part of it.
What stood out most to me was how kind and genuine every local we met was; it felt like home from the start. Surfing every day was a dream, and the bungalow we stayed in was incredible!
Service at a School and Fun Days in Costa Rica
My favorite memory was doing service at the school and meeting the kids. Playing and talking with them was so heartwarming and something I’ll never forget.
We had so much fun surfing, swimming, relaxing, eating amazing food (I’m still thinking about the pancakes and smoothies at Lola’s!), and even running from a tarantula that showed up outside the bungalow!
What Alice Took Home: Leaders and Friends Like Family
Huge thank you to our amazing leaders Josh, Lauren, Isa, and Manfred—you made the trip so special. To anyone thinking about going on a Rustic trip: do it. You’ll come back with memories that last forever and friends that feel like family.
Alice describes the kindness of the people met and friends that feel like family. The memories concern the July 2025 session, and Alice first shared them on the Rustic Pathways Instagram account on July 30, 2025.
The program still runs as Costa Rica: Surf and Service. It runs 8 days for students ages 14–18, with five days of surf lessons on the Pacific coast and about 12 hours of beach and community service. See the program page for the current itinerary, dates and activities.
