Surf and Service

While at the surf house, participants will be sleeping on comfortable beds in rooms with electricity a few meters from the beach. Girls and boys will stay in separate areas of the surf house and enjoy meals in a central kitchen area. There will be cold showers and flush toilets.

Each location has its own resident chef and team of cooking staff. Participants will eat a combination of local Costa Rican dishes and western-style dishes. Breakfasts typically include cereal, breads, eggs, crackers, rice and beans, and fruit. Lunches and dinners can range from casado (rice, beans, vegetables, green salad and different types of meat) to pastas, stir fries, potatoes and tacos.

Yes, this program can easily accommodate Vegetarian, vegan, gluten free and other common dietary needs. Please make sure to include this in your medical forms so that our staff can prepare and we always recommend bringing along some of your own favorite snacks!

Water from the tap is safe to drink. Don’t forget to bring along your own reusable water bottle, so we can minimize our plastic usage.

Students should be prepared for hot, humid weather in the 80s and 90s (Fahrenheit) during the day with occasional rain showers. Since the base is located beachfront, the temperature will remain warm everyday. The weather does not vary much between June and August. Synthetic fiber clothing is recommended, because it dries quickly.

This program does not have any internal flights.

We want to encourage students to disconnect in order to fully immerse themselves in the experience and get the most out of their program. That being said, students will have access to wifi twice during this itinerary while in the town of Tamarindo. Parents will have access to our 24/7 emergency number and will also receive updates from our staff once your student is in country.

All activities in this itinerary are included. Personal gifts, phone calls, and snacks are not.

Students will have the chance to visit markets during this itinerary, in addition to small snack shops and purchasing handicrafts from the local community. We recommend $250 per week to cover souvenirs and incidentals.

In general, Costa Ricans dress modestly and as polite visitors we will dress accordingly. While Santa Cruz town can be a little more relaxed, it is important that we show respect at all times, particularly in Playa Grande. The requirements are fairly straightforward and the same for both boys and girls:
Shorts: Basketball-style only; no running or soccer-style shorts. Rule of thumb is that the bottom of the shorts should be approaching the kneecap.
Leggings or yoga pants: Only if paired with a long T-shirt.
Loose-fitting pants, capris, and long skirts: Acceptable and preferred
Tops: Shoulders must be covered – No tank tops or spaghetti straps.
If you arrive and your clothing is deemed unacceptable by your program leaders, you’ll have to purchase appropriate clothing before service work begins in the village.

Unfortunately, laundry is not available on this program. Students should pack enough clothes for the week.

As we work closely with our local communities, this service project will be determined in late spring in conjunction with our local partners and based on current needs. Typically students will be involved in an infrastructure development project.

On this program, students will be able to practice their Spanish while interacting with the local community and our staff, but will have no formal instruction.