In addition to its Heredia campus,
Intercultura offers classes year-round at its brand
new, beachfront campus in Sámara, Guanacaste.
All students have the option to study at the beach:
when you register, simply state the dates of the weeks
you will be in Heredia and those you will be in Sámara.
We highly recommend the beach campus,
as it offers a glimpse of rural life in Costa Rica
very different from that in the cities. Due to the
town's small size, students quickly come to know the
local population and to feel at home in this warm
and welcoming 'pueblo'. Apart from the beautiful beach
itself, students may visit nearby Nicoya, the colonial
capital of the region, or the indigenous areas where
traditional ceramics and art still flourish. For those
students who wish to stay longer, volunteer opportunities
are available.
THE
BEACH:
Samara is located on the northern Pacific coast in
the Guanacaste region. It is 5km long, lined with
palm trees, and enjoys a calm, clear water ocean in
a protected coral reef bay. You can swim, dive, snorkel,
kayak and surf/ boogie board. Offshore, an island
with a deserted beach is accessible by kayak or boat.
Samara has also won Costa Rica's prestigious 'Blue Flag' award, given only to the beaches and communities with the cleanest waters and proven environmentally-sound practices
THE
CAMPUS:
Classes are held in our custom-built campus right
on the beach, close to the town center and services.
It offers tropical gardens leading to the sand, ranchos,
hammocks, social areas, TV lounge, kitchen, and study
rooms. We also offer tour planning services (domestic
flights, horse-riding, bike or car rental, ultralight
gliding, deep-sea fishing, dolphin tours, waterfall
visits, etc) *these involve an additional cost*
THE
PROGRAM:
Classes are given in fully equipped classrooms with
AC. Courses follow the Heredia program (see www.interculturacostarica.com/si.html),
with emphasis on conversational skills and didactic
activities. Every Friday, workshops are offered on
political, social and cultural themes; students attend
according to preference and Spanish level.
ACTIVITIES:
Extra-curricular activities offered include Latin
dance and cooking classes (once a week), conversational
interchanges with Tico students, optional tours, and
a graduation activity at the beachside rancho. In their
free time students enjoy mountain-biking to nearby
beaches or forests, playing pool and darts, trying
out the local "bocas" (typical dishes),
spending time with friends at a beachside bar or restaurant,
surfing one of the area's many beaches, or enjoying
the sunset while riding horses down the beach.
ACCOMMODATIONS:
HOMESTAYS:
Homestays with local families include breakfast, dinner and laundry, for 7 nights per week, and are a wonderful introduction to rural Costa Rican customs and lifestyles. Families live within walking distance of the school and beach (bikes may also be rented for easy coming and going).
HOTEL:
We offer several hotel options for those interested. Hotels include different amenities, based on rates and availability. Most have AC and/or swimming pool. Prices are based on double occupancy; singles will have a surcharge applied. Hotel rooms all have private bathrooms with hot water.
Note: The hotel option is based on a 5-night occupancy: Sunday through Thursday nights, leaving Friday. We also offer a 7-night option for a higher price, which includes weekend nights.
Please see our price list for more details www.samaralanguageschool.com/prices.html
In both the homestays and the hotel, no visitors are allowed, particularly overnight!
In the hotels, only registered guests are allowed beyond the hotel lobby.
For more details on beach accommodations,
please see : http://www.samaralanguageschool.com/accomodations.html
THE TOWN OF SAMARA:
Sámara is a hidden tropical paradise on Guanacaste's Pacific coast, boasting a superb coral reef and kilometers of unspoiled sandy beaches. Sámara provides an ideal location for surfing, kayaking and safe swimming. Though small, this typical "Tico" town has everything you need -- supermarkets, pharmacies, many restaurants, stores, hotels, nightlife, bank, post office, medical clinic, gym, internet, local art gallery etc. For more information on the town and beach, go to Revista Del Sol Travel Guide to Samara, Nosara and Carrillo Beach or www.samarabeach.com
GETTING THERE:
You have several options for your transportation to Playa Sámara, which we can help you arrange.
1. Liberia
International Airport arrivals:
a) Standard taxi option will take you directly to your homestay in Sámara (1.5 hour drive).
b) Car rentals are available at the airport, and are available for approx. $60-$100 for a one-day rental with drop off in Sámara.
2. Juan Santamaría
International Airport arrivals (San José):
a) Standard taxi option (please enquire for current prices) will take you directly to your homestay in Sámara (4+ hour drive).
b) Car rentals are available at the airport, and are available for $60-$100 for a one day rental with drop off in Sámara.
3. Stopover
in Heredia/ San José:
c) If you prefer to stay overnight in the Central Valley, you can do one night of homestay with airport pick. The family will call you a taxi the next day to catch the local bus to Sámara from San José, or the private bus service Interbus, or if there is a shuttle leaving the school, you may catch that (inquire for different prices).
d) Alternately, we can provide a pre-arranged one night homestay including airport pickup, pre-paid public bus ticket, and taxi to the bus station the next day.
e) You may stay overnight at a local hotel in Heredia or near the airport and catch a bus the next day (see above for bus options).
f) If you prefer not to take the bus, you may fly from San José to Sámara-Carrillo local airport, 7 kms from Sámara Centro.
BEACH WEEK
START DATES:
The Beach campus is open year-round, except for Christmas
(closed for 3 weeks) and Easter (closed for one).
Please contact us for specific dates.
IMPORTANT
AIRPORT PICK UP INFORMATION (LIBERIA INT'L AIRPORT):
If you chose to have the school pre-arrange transportation with a provider from Sámara, they will be at the airport at the time and day you indicate. If you do not arrive on this time/day, for whatever reason, you will be charged the full amount of the pickup, to be paid directly to the taxi, as he will have already made the journey to the airport. NOTE: If you prefer not to be potentially responsible for this charge, you should NOT choose to have airport pickup, but rather take an airport taxi directly, which will cost approximately $15-20 more, but has no cancellation penalty.
HOTEL INFORMATION (PLAYA SÁMARA):
If you have chosen hotel accommodations, to guarantee your reservation you will need to send us your credit card number and expiration date. If you do not cancel at least 3 days before arrival, you will be charged a penalty fee of $45.
For more information on our beach campus, see the
page www.samaralanguageschool.com