Costa Rica: top places to visit while learning Spanish
Tuesday February 16, 2021 - Posted by admin
If you are ready for a new trip this year, why not consider a Spanish Language course in Costa Rica? Costa Rica is now one of the best COVID-proof destinations in South America with four Spanish language schools and great travel opportunities. Unlike some of our other destinations in Latin American, where the situation is a bit more complicated, foreign travelers and language students are welcome in Costa Rica with open arms. Read: Costa Rica: top places to visit while learning Spanish.
Costa Rica is a unique destination for many reasons thanks to the country’s outstanding opportunities for sustainable tourism and its impressive array of biodiversity. Costa Rica is an excellent place to travel to for adventure travelers, wildlife fanatics, beach lovers, and offers something for everyone! Costa Rica is a great choice for Spanish Language Immersion programs or for a gap year in 2021.
Costa Rica has also been honored by National Geographic Traveller (UK), which included the country on its “Best of the World 2021” list. Life in Costa Rica all comes down to the well-known phrase “pura vida” (pure life).
Since November 1, 2020, Costa Rica has allowed all countries in the world to enter the country by air, without the need of RT-PCR tests for the detection of COVID-19 or the need to quarantine upon entry, as long as the passengers meet certain requirements. At the end of this article you can find more information about
Costa Rica: top places to visit while learning Spanish
1. Arenal Volcano National Park (Alajuela)
Arenal Volcano National Park, among one of the world’s best national parks, is probably one of the most attractive places in Costa Rica. The park is located northwest of the capital city San Jose. La Fortuna is the small town at the foot of the volcano, at about 10 kilometers from the volcano. TripAdvisor has actually named this destination among its Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best for 2021.
The park is rugged and varied, rich with wildlife and many amazing trails that meander over old lava fields. As you make your way through the forest make sure you look at the tufts of smoke in the background from the active Arenal Volcano. Enjoy breathtaking scenery, waterfalls (waterfall rappelling), tropical rainforest and hot springs, zip-ling, horseback riding, and much more. If you love wildlife and adventure don’t miss out on visiting this park!
2. Manuel Antonio National Park
Manuel Antonio National Park is located on the Pacific side of the country, right on the coast, close to the town of Quepos. The park is one of the best destinations in Costa Rica that offers a wide range of attractions for every adventurous traveler.
Manuel Antonio is known for its rugged rainforest, white-sand beaches and coral reefs. The park gives you access to endless trails and a vast diversity of tropical plants and wildlife, from three-toed sloths, to titi monkeys, crabs, and endangered white-faced capuchin monkeys to hundreds of tropical bird species.
3. Monteverde
If you love outdoor activities, fresh cuisine and attractions, Monteverde is a must for your bucket list! Monteverde is full of friendly beach-dwelling locals, farmers, artisans, naturalists and outdoor enthusiast. Hike across the suspension bridges or take photos from the sky tram in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, zip line, ride horses through the jungle, visit butterfly gardens, insect museums, orchid gardens and bungee jump to coffee plantations.
In Monteverde you will find tens of thousands of diverse insects, 2,500 species of plants (420 are strictly orchids), 400 varieties of birds and over 100 types of mammals.
4. Tortuguero
Tortuguero, located on the northern Caribbean Coast, is one of Costa Rica’s most incredible destinations. The National Park is made up of a network of canals, rivers, lagoons, beaches and dense rainforest. One of the best ways to see the park is by boat, kayak or canoe!
The Tortuguero black sand beach is home to thousands of nesting sea turtles (Green Sea Turtles, Leatherback, Loggerhead and Hawksbill). The nesting period starts from March to mid-October. Book a safe and professional night turtle watching tour with a licensed agency if you want to see this amazing phenomenon with your own eyes.
5. Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
Puerto Viejo can be found on the Caribbean coast in the southeastern part of Costa Rica in the province of Limon. Puerto Viejo is a melting pot of Afro-Caribbean, Latino and indigenous cultures. The small town is known for its colorful houses, reggae music, white sand beaches, yoga retreats, and chill atmosphere. With a wide range of surfing classes, snorkeling, diving, Puerto Viejo is a popular spot for backpackers and beach lovers.
Last but not least, Puerto Viejo is also a great spot for a Spanish language course in Puerto Viejo.
6. Playa Hermosa
The small village of Playa Hermosa in Puntarenas is a charming place, with an 8 km long black beach, very popular with surfers, thanks to the most incredible waves. Playa Hermosa is also a unique turtle-watching spot. Every night over 40 turtles come on to land to lay their eggs. It’s a great opportunity to see one of the most incredible creatures in the world.
In the village, you can experience the authentic local vibes.
A study abroad trip to Costa Rica means beautiful landscapes, endless beaches and PURA VIDA! Pura Vida (literally: pure life) is the popular life motto of Costa Rica. While learning Spanish in Costa Rica, you will feel this great vibe everywhere. You should definitely travel and see this country and the PURA VIDA lifestyle for yourself.
We offer four destinations to study Spanish in Costa Rica:
- Spanish in Puerto Viejo
- Spanish in Santo Domingo de Heredia
- Spanish in Playa Tamarindo
- Spanish in Turrialba
Current requirements to enter Costa Rica in the time of COVID-19:
- Complete the digital form called HEALTH PASS available at https://salud.go.cr
- This pass will be available 48 hours before boarding. It must be accessed in an updated browser (except for Internet Explorer). An individual form must be completed for every person, including minors.
- Purchase health insurance
- It is mandatory that tourists purchase travel insurance, covering their accommodations in case of quarantine and medical expenses due to COVID-19. An explanation of one’s travel insurance coverage, addressing Costa Rica’s requirements, must be uploaded or entered into the HEALTH PASS in order to be reviewed and approved by the Costa Rican authorities. If more information on international insurance is needed, the Costa Rican authorities will contact the passenger at the email address indicated in the HEALTH PASS.
- In the case of international insurance, the tourist must request from their insurer a certification issued in English or Spanish, noting at least the following three conditions, without forgetting to add it to the HEALTH PASS:
- Validity of the effective policy during the visit in Costa Rica.
- Guarantee of coverage for medical expenses in cases of pandemic disease COVID 19 in Costa Rica, for at least US $50,000 (fifty thousand dollars of the United States of America).
- Minimum coverage of US $2,000 for extended lodging expenses due to pandemic illness or trip interruption/cancellation due to illness, which covers the extra cost of the passenger due to quarantine.
- If you do not have international insurance, it is possible to opt for travel insurance from Costa Rican companies approved by SUGESE (General Superintendency of Insurance of Costa Rica), which offer their services at Juan Santamaría international airports (city of San José) and Daniel Oduber Quirós (city of Liberia).
- National insurances meet all the requirements to have coverage of medical expenses for illness, including COVID-19, for a minimum amount of $20,000 and coverage for extended lodging expenses or quarantine, due to pandemic illness, for a minimum amount of $2,000.
- Local insurance authorized for travelers can be valued at the following links. If you have doubts or queries about the requirements or conditions of the insurance, please email seguros@ict.go.cr
If these requirements are not met, the passenger will not be able to enter Costa Rica.
Source: visitcostarica.com
General information:
There is currently no curfew in place.
As of February 1, 2021, the majority of commercial businesses can remain open 7 days a week from 5:00am to 10:00pm.
- National Parks may operate at 100% capacity
- Bars and casinos can operate at 50% capacity
- Beaches will be open from 5:00am to 6:00pm
Leave a Reply