Student life

Sightseeing & Culture

Walk from your EF classroom to Playa Grande beach and Las Baulas National Marine Park, where white sands brush against the thick forests of Costa Rica’s preserved coastline. Here you’ll find surfers carving Pacific swells in sight of one of the planet’s most important leatherback sea turtle nesting areas. Venture into the rainforest and stumble upon pristine waterfalls and a dizzying array of indigenous wildlife. Tour an organic coffee bean farm and learn the roasting process from a local farmer.

Shopping

Playa Tamarindo is one of Costa Rica’s top shopping destinations, especially for tourists. Most of the shops cater to vacationing surfers and you’ll be able to buy a board, wet suit and laid-back clothing just steps from our school.

Sports & Outdoors

Take daily surfing lessons on the picture-perfect swells of Playa Tamarindo. Spot sea turtles while snorkeling around the crystal clear waters. Ocean kayak down the coast, stopping for a swim on isolated beaches. Swing above the roof of the rainforest on an exhilarating zip line tour. Splash your way through the jungle on a whitewater rafting outing and ride through the Costa Rican hinterland on horseback.

Excursions

Get a taste of Costa Rican cowboy culture from the stands at a local rodeo. Hike around the Arenal Volcano, the country’s smoldering active peak. Explore the capital of San Juan and the protected cloud forests of Monteverde. You’ll also have the opportunity to travel to Panama’s Bocas del Toro archipelago and Nicaraguan colonial city of Granada.

Entertainment & Nightlife

The presence of so many surfers in town has shaped Tamarindo’s nightlife which is a blend of chilled-out lounges and rowdy beach bars. Take salsa lessons at EF to prepare for nights spent dancing to traditional music at local clubs.