Costa Rica Travel Resources

	Spanish Schools		Teen Study Abroad
	Volunteer & Intern		Medical Spanish
	Business & Profes.		Educator Programs
	College Study Abroad		Spanish & Fun

• Overview
• Schools
• Programs
• Resources

These Costa Rica travel resources include information about traveling, living and studying in Costa Rica. Our Costa Rica resources include links to travel articles. general information, getting to Costa Rica, traveling around the country, weather information, hotels, restuarants, news and Costa Rica culture.

Staff Picks

• Educator Program in Alajuela, Costa Rica - See our school in Alajuela, where a Spanish for Teachers and Educators program takes place.
• Spanish School in Alajuela, Costa Rica (video) - A short video about studying Spanish in Alajuela, Costa Rica.
• Spanish School in Heredia Video - Watch a video of our Spanish school in Heredia, Costa Rica.
• Spanish School in Manuel Antonio Video - A short video of our Spanish school in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica.
• Spanish School in Samara Beach Video - Watch a video of our Spanish school in Samara Beach, Costa Rica.
• Spanish School in San Jose Video - A short video of our school in San Jose, Cosa Rica.
• Top 5 Medical Spanish Programs - Here are our Top 5 Medical Spanish based on popularity and feedback.

Travel articles

• On Turtle Patrol in Costa Rica - Jennie Morrris shares her turtle volunteer work experince
• El Alquimista - AmeriSpan's Suzanne Keller gives us her two cents on Paulo Coelho's El Alquimista (The Alchemist).
• Favorite Place On Earth #1 - AmeriSpan's staff list some of their favorite places on earth
• America's ignorance of the world is now a national liability - Washington Post article discussing the relationship between national security and study abroad.
• Volunteering Abroad - The Next Step in Helping - In light of recent events, a new focus has been placed on helping others in need. While it is a wonderful opportunity to help out in your home country, the rewards of volunteering in countries overseas are limitless.
• Eco-Tourism: Rethinking the Benefits - Eco-Travel The Benefits vs The Costs
• Bridging the Achievement Gap - Marlo Goldstein, Director of Academic Programs at AmeriSpan, recently attended two conferences focusing Latino issues in North Carolina, the state facing the highest percentage of growth in the latino community. She left the conferences informed and inspired.
• Is there a Witchdoctor in the house? - Article about how many Latinamericans prefer traditional medicine to the science of today.
• El Ciberspanglish - Article in Spanish about how Spanish is adopting English words, especially related to technology.
• José Donoso y su historia personal del - Article in Spanish
• Berenjena Gisada - A vegetable dish.
• La Eva de las plantas - Article in Spanish
• Gazpacho - Cold tomato-cucumber soup popular in Mexico & Spain.
• Interview: Ecuador Volunteer Placement - Sue Lavene, from our Volunteer Department, interviewed one of our past volunteers, Gabriel Gonzales, who participated in our 8-week Volunteer Program in Quito, Ecuador.
• Spanish Tortilla - For a little taste of Spain in your own kitchen, try this delicious dish.
• The Food and Wines of Spain (A cookbook) - AmeriSpan's Beth Klemick reviews this great cookbook.
• The Art of Flamenco Dance -
• One Hundred Years of Solitude - AmeriSpan's Beth Klemick reviews this classic.
• SAP on the news- How do they do it? -
• Before Night Falls - AmeriSpan's Suzanne Keller reviews Before Night Falls.
• The Feast of the Goat - Karli Goldman reviews "The Feast of the Goat"
• La Oreja de Van Gogh - AmeriSpan's Suzanne Keller reviews La Oreja de Van Gogh.
• The Adventures of Don Quixote - AmeriSpan's Suzanne Keller gives us her two cents on Cervante's Don Quixote
• Paella - A typical Spanish dish.
• Flan de Queso - A yummy, creamy dessert.
• Historia del tenis - Article in Spanish on the history of tennis
• Isabelle Allende (An interview) - AmeriSpan's Jim Kane interviews Isabel Allende
• Jugo Especial - Lara Naaman Cooks up a Peruvian Recipe for Revenge
• To abuela's house we go... - Ricardo Gonzales, Founder and CEO of Bilingual America, writes a heartfelt tribute to his grandmother
• Shakira en el mercado inglés - Article in Spanish about Shakira, one of the most popular female pop stars.
• Los oficios de Nueva York - Article in Spanish
• Nasdaq: una historia de altibajos - Article in Spanish
• Tres Leches - Tres Leches means 3 milks and gets its name from the 3 different kinds of milk added to make the cake. It is a popular dessert in many Latin American countries.
• Empanadas Cordobesas - Empanadas Cordobesas (from the Marianacci Kitchen in Córdoba, Argentina)
• Churros - Churros (traditional snack)
• Peep, peep, peep - Set within the fabric of a personal cultural experience, this article is a provocative and thoughtful reminder of the fragility of life; both in Latin America and in the United States. A must read for thoughtful people!
• Hunger of Memory - AmeriSpan's Liz Cleveland reviews Richard Rodriguez’s autobiography.
• Plato Pescado Carribiano - A traditional Caribbean dish.
• The Obnoxious Tourist - Are You One? - Helpful hints to avoid this being labeled as obnoxious.
• ¡Yo! - Liz Cleveland of AmeriSpan reviews this book.
• Arroz con Leche - A typical dessert of Spain
• Aterciopelados - AmeriSpan's Carol LaMastra reviews Pipa de la Paz, an album by Aterciopelados
• Ricky Martin - AmeriSpan's Suzanne Keller reviews Vuelve, an album by Ricky Martin
• Noticia de un secuestro - AmeriSpan's Liz Cleveland reviews this book.
• Maria, Full of Grace - AmeriSpan's Sue Lavene reviews this movie.
• Hispanics and Terrorism -
• Demographics, Hispanics and…YOUR Life! - Find out how the recent BOOM! in the Hispanic population affects you and your life on a practical level. Get the facts and what they really mean to you.
• ¿Cuánto debemos saber? - Article in Spanish.
• ¿Los españoles descubrieron Brasil? - Article in Spanish asking did the Spanish discover Brazil?
• Ozomatli - AmeriSpan's Suzanne Keller reviews Ozomatli
• Ceviche - A traditional fish dish.
• Spanish at Home - Bilingual America is the best option for those who can't study abroad to learn Spanish
• Top 5 Medical Spanish Programs - Looking for a medical Spanish course. Too many to choose from. Here are AmeriSpan's Top 5 SALUD Medical Spanish programs based on popularity and past participants' comments.
• El Amor En Los Tiempos de Cólera - AmeriSpan's Suzanne Keller gives us her two cents on El Amor En Los Tiempos de Cólera by Gabriel García Marquez
• Spanish...The NEW Language of Commerce - Spanish has become the NEW Language of Commerce and I’ll show you how and why in this article.
• Cesaria Evora - AmeriSpan's Carol LaMastra reviews Cesaria Evora: Café Atlantico and lists a couple of runner-ups.
• The Changing Face of Latin America - Latin America is changing…well, let me rephrase that…Latin America is changing too fast!
• Before You Go, You Need To Know - Before traveling to a Spanish-speaking country, Ricardo González, Founder and CEO of Bilingual America offers a list of what you need to know.
• The Fruit and the Root - Is the life of a tree in the fruit or in the root? What does this have to do with learning Spanish? A LOT! If you want to understand "the root" of the issue, this article is a must read.
• The Power of Patterns - Forget about "tenses" and "conjugations!" - Ricardo González, Founder and CEO of Bilingual America tells us about a better way.
• The Four Secrets to Long Term Retention... - What you learn here has the potential to completely change your life! I have specifically applied these four secrets to the development of all Bilingual America Learning Courses. and have found over and over that students who follow these "Four Secrets To Long Term Retention" achieve outstanding results.
• Are Language Skills Enough? - Article on the importance of cross-cultural communication
• Tips for Traveling Inexpensively - These days, from the weak dollar to the outrageous airfares, traveling abroad may seem out of the question. We beg to differ! There are many ways you can travel that are budget-friendly. We’ve gathered together some of our favorite cheap travel tips to help you make your trip a reality!
• Save Money by Volunteering Abroad - Volunteer abroad to save money over traditional language programs and get an incredible immersion experience.
• Get an Edge in the Job Market - AmeriSpan's Business and Professional language programs can give you an edge in the job market and make your resume stand out.
• Learning a Language? Add Some Fun! -
• Discount: Get Into College or Graduate School - Save $150 if a college or graduate application resulted in a rejection or "wait listed" letter
• Discount: Save 10% on any AmeriSpan Spain program - AmeriSpan announced a 10% discount
• La Manzanilla Junior Immersion Homestay Movie - Watch a movie of a teen participant in La Manzanilla with his homestay family.
• Language Travel Magazine Star Awards - AmeriSpan Study Abroad was voted BEST AGENCY in NORTH AMERICA by language schools throughout the world.
• Don't Forget about Departure Tax when Studying Abroad! - When your study abroad trip is over, be prepared to pay a departure tax at the airport in certain countries.
• Study Abroad Money: How Much Cash to Carry - Our expert tips on how much cash to carry with you on your study abroad trip.
• Don't Forget Passports When Studying Abroad - Locating your birth certificate and getting your passport in order is a very important step in preparing to study abroad.
• Money Matters for Teenager Study Abroad - AmeriSpan's tips on what type of money your child should bring on their teenager study abroad trip.

General Information

• Weather Guide - Offers daily high and lows for popular destinations in the country....just click scroll down on the left hand side and click on "Costa Rica."

• Complete Costa Rica - Exchange Rate Report - This helpful site includes the current exchange rate of US dollars to Costan Rican currency.

• Passport Info. - A helpful "how to" site for American citizens interested in applying for a passport.

• CIA Fact Book - The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency's Fact Book on Costa Rica.

• Association of Residents of Costa Rica - This Non-profit organization offers many services to foreigners who live in (or wish to live in), or obtain residency in Costa Rica.

• The Costa Rica Internet Directory - A limited listing of arts, business, education, health, news & tourism related websites.

Getting There & Around

• eXito Latin America Travel Specialists - eXito (800-655-4053) has secured special deals to most of Latin America and their knowledgeable staff can give you advice on the cheapest way to arrive, the most direct way to get there and which airlines have the best service. They excel in mixing and matching different cities and countries for a low price.

• Grupo Taca - A consortium of several Latin American airlines including Taca (Honduras & El Salvador), Aviateca (Guatemala) and Nica (Nicaragua).

• Sanborn's Insurance - The authorities on getting you from the USA/Canada to México and Central America via car. Auto insurance, excellent road maps, tips and other must-have resources for those who prefer to leave the flying to the birds.

Hotels & Restaurants

• Tuanis Hostel (San Pedro) - New hostel in San Pedro, offering budget accommodations to students and tourists.

• Costa Rica Hostels - From the Internet Guide to Hostelling. A brief listing of hostels in Costa Rica.

• Gay & Lesbian Friendly Accomodations - This helpful site offers a listing of hotels noted for their awareness and respect of alternative lifestyles.

Language Related

• AmeriSpan Unlimited - AmeriSpan specializes in Spanish Immersion, Volunteer & Internship programs in Latin America and Spain for travelers and businesspeople. Currently, there are 40 programs available in 15 different countries.

• Languages of Costa Rica - From the Ethnologue Database. Includes entries on Costa Rica's many indigenous languages, plus Spanish.

• Ahora Hablo! Medical Edition - This medical Spanish book is pocket-sized and includes vocabulary for dental and vision care as well as many specialized areas such as obstetrics and cardiology.

News & Culture

• La Nación - Edicion Electronica Especial - Special Electronic Edition (Español)

• Tico Times - Costa Rica's English language newspaper of features, travel stories and news.

• La Prensa Libre - General daily newspaper covering Costa Rica

Travel & Tourism

• Rivers Wild -- Canoe Costa Rica - a travel article about canoeing in Costa Rica, brought to you by High on Adventure, the online magazine devoted to the adventurous traveler.

• TravelNet - Costa Rica's TravelNet is one of the country's largest tourism sites on the World Wide Web. It includes details about renting cars, hotels, and sports activities and more!

• Moon Travel Handbooks - This award-winning guide provides the necessary practicalities for a weeklong beach stay or an extended outdoor adventure vacation to Costa Rica.