San Jose Excursions

One of the benefits of studying abroad is the ability to venture outside your host city and explore the surrounding area. Excursions are offered for all semester, trimester, year, and summer programs. You will receive a calendar of the specific CEA excursions offered for your program during orientation. To give you an idea of the possibilities, we have collected typical experiences from some of the tours and trips we have offered to our students in the past.

Arenal Volcano

This is Costa Rica’s all-natural fireworks show. The Arenal Volcano is located next to La Fortuna, a small town in the northern part of the country built after the original town was destroyed by a huge eruption in 1969. CEA’s first stop on the way to La Fortuna is Sarchi, a town famous for its wood crafts, particularly one of the most notable Costa Rican symbols-- the oxcart-– named by UNESCO as cultural patrimony of humanity. These beautiful Costa Rican emblems are hand painted by talented artists of the area. A few kilometers down the road is Zarcero, where students will have the chance to take pictures of the town’s church and the Central Park, famous for its wildlife-inspired landscaping. Students may even meet the man who gives shape to the park’s trees; he will proudly tell the story of the offer he received from Disneyland to tend to their gardens. Once in La Fortuna, students will hike down to La Fortuna Waterfall, where they can swim in its cool waters hidden in the jungle. After the hike back up to the entrance, a visit to the Baldi Hot Springs gives students the opportunity to sit and relax in the many water pools naturally heated by the volcano. On clear nights and from any point in the town, a spectacular show of lava cascading down the side of the perfect cone-shaped volcano is visible for all to see.

Isla Tortuga

Students will enjoy live music on the boat trip to and from Isla Tortuga and the amazing scenery as they travel past the Nicoya coastline. Coconut palms and sunshine await them on the beach. Searching for treasures while snorkeling among the fish in the crystal clear waters makes for a fun adventure—after all, since pirates were once regular visitors to the island during the 17th Century.

Manuel Antonio National Park

Located on the Central Pacific Coast in the Province of Puntarenas, Manuel Antonio is one of Costa Rica’s most popular and beautiful national parks. One of its biggest attractions is the Humid Tropical Forest, home to many species of flora and fauna in danger of extinction, such as the Titi monkey. On the way to Manuel Antonio, students will have the Costa Rican experience of stopping at a small fruit producing town where they will be able to taste different fruits and local dishes. They will also stop at the Tarcoles River to watch huge crocodiles in their natural habitat. Once inside the National Park, monkeys, sloths and many species of birds and insects will be available for students to admire as they enjoy the pristine beaches and lush tropical forest. Trails throughout the forest lead to beautiful waterfalls and impressive lookout points. The colorful and plentiful crafts sold on the beach make this the perfect place to buy souvenirs and presents for loved ones back home. All in all, Manuel Antonio is a site students will surely enjoy.

Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve

Students can experience the rush of racing along the zip line through the lush tropics of Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. Flying high over and through the canopy is exhilarating. The waterfalls cascade with serene beauty, disturbed only by the calling of exotic birds. The trip is concluded with a visit to the butterfly garden, home of over 490 species.

Póas Volcano and La Paz Waterfall Gardens

Students will enjoy the beautiful views of Costa Rica’s mountain side and have the chance to savor a warm cup of coffee staring out at the ample coffee plantations of Alajuela. The volcanic soil that has fallen from the many eruptions of the Poas Volcano makes this land perfect for growing coffee, one of the country’s major export products. The short hike up to this active volcano leads right to the crater, which is one of the biggest in the world (2 kilometers in diameter). There the turquoise acid pool and fumaroles are visible coming out of the sides of the crater. After the visit to the volcano, students will be taken to La Paz Waterfall Gardens, a popular “resort” built with the conservation of nature in mind. After a buffet lunch, a hike will take students to several incredible spots, including the biggest butterfly farm in the world, where they will learn about all of Costa Rica’s native species of butterfly. A visit to the hummingbird garden, filled with hundreds of these little birds, is the perfect opportunity to practice one’s photography skills. There is also a snake farm and a frog and toad garden for those who want to learn about the many species of these animals in Costa Rica. Students can then hike down to the five majestic waterfalls around the property.

Puerto Viejo

This excursion is both fun and educational as students learn details of Costa Rica’s society and history. Puerto Viejo is a small town located on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, and is well-known for its laid-back atmosphere and Afro-Caribbean culture. In the 1880’s, 10,000 Jamaican laborers were transported to Costa Rica to build the Atlantic Railroad, which spanned from Limon to San Jose. Many of them stayed to work in the banana plantations, maintaining their Jamaican English language and rich traditions even today. The streets of Puerto Viejo buzz with music and sounds as the many street vendors sell colorful handmade jewelry. The warm, blue waters of the Caribbean Sea are only steps away. As part of the CEA excursion, students will hop on a small boat to be taken on a snorkeling tour where they will catch glimpses of many colorful fish and coral. After snorkeling, students can enjoy fruit and coconut water in the Cahuita National Park in the company of monkeys, sloths, snakes and even beautiful starfish as they walk along the shore. Bike riding to a nearby beach such as Cocles or Punta Uva is a popular mid-afternoon activity, and before the night is over they can head to the local dance club to enjoy some reggae music.