Quick Facts
Program code
CR-CS101
Category
Language travel, Spanish course
Country
Costa Rica
Location
Tamarindo
Program start
every Monday, all year round
Minimum duration
2 weeks
Minnimum age
17 years
Contact us
Happy to help you
+49 151 41300782
+56 9 7516 9816
8 am - 4 pm EST
info@southamerica-inside.com
WhatsApp
+49 151 41300782
+56 9 7516 9816
Spanish school
Our Spanish school in Tamarindo, Costa Rica has been offering high-quality Spanish courses since 1996. It is located right in the center of Playa Tamarindo, only about 150m from a dream beach. The school is in a pretty building with a large garden and has a total of ten spacious classrooms with large windows that provide plenty of natural light. The excellent climatic conditions all year round allow the use of the two terraces in the garden as "open-air classrooms".
There is another large terrace in the garden, which serves as a lounge or meeting point for the students. Here you can have lunch, do homework or relax in hammocks. There are lots of howler monkeys, which can be heard and seen in the trees. Iguanas, exotic birds and other small animals also live near the language school and can be observed. The Spanish school in Tamarindo offers the best conditions to learn Spanish in a wonderfully relaxed and beautiful environment!
A major advantage of this Spanish school are the special preparatory courses for the DELE exam ("Diploma de Español como Lengua Extranjera"). The DELE exams themselves are also taken at school.
Leisure activities
Are offered regularly (e.g. cooking classes, dancing classes, trips to national parks, sports, grammar workshops, conversation exercises, etc.). The activities can be subject to change and some require an additional payment on site.
Internet
WiFi is available in the school and can be used free of charge by the students. There are also school-owned computers with internet that are available to students a limited amount of time (15 minutes/student/day).
School location
Playa Tamarindo is located on the west coast of the Nicoya Peninsula in Guanacaste, on the Pacific Ocean and offers visitors some of the most beautiful beaches in the country. Fine white sand and crystal-clear water are waiting for you there! Although Tamarindo is relatively small, it attracts nature lovers, surfers, turtle watchers and sun worshipers all year round. Tamarindo offers a range of leisure activities for every taste: for the active people, who want to do sports (kayaking, surfing, sailing, snorkeling, diving, fishing, horse riding, playing golf, hiking and mountain biking); for the "loafers", who just want to lay back on the beautiful beaches; for culture enthusiasts, who want to visit art galleries or typical villages; and for nature lovers, who want to explore the tropical flora and fauna in the surrounding national parks and private protection reserves. Tamarindo´s nightlife (restaurants, bars, discos, live music, a casino) is pretty fun as well.
The northern Pacific coast has the least rain in the country, so the sun shines all year round in Tamarindo. The temperatures are very pleasant, between 22 ° and 34 °Celsius. Cool breezes from the north make the climate pleasantly fresh. There are no “real” seasons in Costa Rica, but the year is divided into a dry and a rainy season. The "winter", or rainy season begins in May and ends around August. During that time, it is usually very nice and fresh in the mornings. It doesn't rain for more than an hour or two in the afternoon, but it's also not uncommon to have a few rain-free days.
The province of Guanacaste in Costa Rica, to where Playa Tamarindo belongs, is located in the north of the country, about 140 kilometers from the capital, San Jose. The region has bays, peninsulas and white sandy beaches, some of which are the most beautiful, but less popular ones because of the difficult access. Well-known national parks such as Santa Rosa, Monteverde, Arenal or Rincon de la Vieja are part of this province.
No region in Costa Rica reflects the cultural heritage of the country (a mixture of the Spanish and the Chorotega culture) as well as Guanacaste. The everyday life on the countryside takes place on horse and cattle ranches. Tanned "Sabaneros" (Cowboys) on horses, with large white sombreros and lassos are part of the picture. For this reason, Guanacaste is also called the "Wild West" of Costa Rica.
Spanish classes
The learning success of every student should be optimized through a balance between personal, cultural and academic priorities. The language teachers have a lot of experience in teaching Spanish as a foreign language and combine conversation exercises with grammar in order to practice all aspects of the language intensively. The teachers hold debates, encourage conversations and use the exchange of ideas to practice critical thinking and pronunciation. Games, videos and music are also used to create a relaxed learning atmosphere.
Teacher
Native Spanish speakers
Class duration
55 minutes
Language diploma
At the end of the course, a certificate will be issued to confirm your language level.
Spanish levels
6 levels according to CEFR, Common European Framework of References (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2). On your first dayof class, you will do a placement test in order to determine your current language skills. You will then be assigned to a suitable group.
Group course
20 lessons / week. Maximum 6 students / group.
Private course
20 lessons / week.
The attention of your Spanish teacher is 100% yours. The Spanish course is completely adapted to your personal needs and interests.
Intensive course
25 lessons / week.
Group course as described above + 5 private lessons per week. This course is very suitable for students, who want to progress a little faster and more intensively with their Spanish. Specific topics or weak points can be reworked in the private lessons.
Spanish + Surf:
Group course + surf lessons. This combination course is an absolute highlight of the language school in Tamarindo! The waves off Tamarindo's coast are perfect for surfing and having some extra fun alongside the Spanish course. The surf course includes the rental of the surfboard. The board is also available to you throughout the whole duration of your Spanish course, which means you can also surf in your free time!
Accommodation
It is important to us, that you feel at home during your time in Costa Rica. Our students are accommodated either in a homestay or in one of the beautiful guest houses. Single or shared rooms are available. The common rooms, kitchen and bathroom are shared.
Homestay:
Living in a local homestay is a unique experience, which gives you the opportunity to quickly improve your language and learn a lot about the culture and people of Costa Rica. Our homestays are all carefully selected and are mostly located in villages 5 to 6 km from Playa Tamarindo. In the mornings, the school offers a daily school bus service. Homestay includes half board. The hosts prepare delicious local dishes, mainly traditional food. They can take it into account, if you are vegetarian or if you must follow a certain eating plan (e.g. due to food allergy).
Guest house:
This is a good option for students who would like to live a little more independently and would rather spend their time with other language students. There are three guest houses, all with free WiFi.
Casa El Mar:
This is a good option for students who would like to live a little more independently and would
Casa El Mar is only about 150m from the school and also 150m from the beautiful beach. This guest house offers a women's bedroom (three beds, bathroom), a men's bedroom (two beds), a smaller room, in which e.g. couples can be accommodated and a shared bathroom. It also offers a well-equipped communal kitchen, a large lounge, a dining area, a terrace with hammocks and a beautiful garden.
Casa Carolina:
Casa Carolina is also within walking distance of the school (approx. 200m) and the beach (approx. 400m). All rooms in the house are equipped with two beds and a private bathroom, as well as air conditioning and a fan. There is also a well-equipped kitchen, a dining room, a lounge with balcony, a pool in the garden and a terrace with hammocks to relax. In addition to the rooms in this house, an apartment in the garden with a bedroom, a bathroom and a small kitchen is also available.
School Residence:
The school residence is located directly on the school campus and has four bedrooms. One 3-bed room with private bathroom, one 2-bed room with private bathroom and two 2-bed rooms with shared bathroom. All rooms are equipped with air conditioning and there is also a fully equipped kitchen.
Costs & Services
Our Spanish courses in Tamarindo include:
- Personal support before and during the Spanish course
- On-going support via WhatsApp, phone or mail
- Quality Spanish course
- Placement test
- Drinks, tea, coffee during school breaks
- Extracurricular activities (some may have an extra cost)
- Country handbook Costa Rica
- Intercultural guideline
- English-speaking local contact person
- 24/7 emergency number
- Free internet access at school
- Language certificate after completing the course
- Information about suitable travel health insurance
Note: The teaching material costs US$ 40, or US$ 10 rental fee with a US$ 40 guarantee.
If booked, it also includes:
- Single room in homestay, incl. breakfast & dinner, weekly laundry service, daily transfer to the Spanish school
- Single or shared room in a guest house, incl housekeeping and kitchen use
Additionally, you can book:
Holidays 2026
Jan 1, Apr 11 + 12, May 01, Jul 25, Aug 15, Sept 15, Oct 12, Nov 01, Dec 25 + 26, 31.
Group course (20 lessons/week)
2 weeks
US$ 720
3
weeks
US$ 1,080
4
weeks
US$ 1,440
extra week
US$ 320
Intensive course (20+5 lessons/week)
2
weeks
US$ 1,020
3
weeks
US$ 1,530
4
weeks
US$ 2,040
extra week
US$ 470
Private course (20 lessons/week)
2
weeks
US$ 1,200
3
weeks
US$ 1,800
4
weeks
US$ 2,400
extra week
US$ 560
Homestay (single room, breakfast & dinner, weekly laundry service, daily transport to the school)
2
weeks
US$ 490
3
weeks
US$ 735
4
weeks
US$ 980
extra week
US$ 245
School Residence, shared room (single supplement US$ 150/week)
2
weeks
US$ 700
3
weeks
US$ 1,050
4
weeks
US$ 1,400
extra week
US$ 350
Casa El Mar, shared room (single supplement US$ 150/week)
2
weeks
US$ 540
3
weeks
US$ 810
4
weeks
US$ 1,080
extra week
US$ 270
Casa Carolina, shared room (single supplement US$ 150/week)
2
weeks
US$ 700
3
weeks
US$ 1,050
4
weeks
US$ 1,400
extra week
US$ 350
Surf course (only in combination with a Spanish course)
2
weeks
US$ 305 1)
3
weeks
US$ 740 2)
4
weeks
US$ 930 3)
extra week
--
1) 3 Surf lessons (group), incl. surf board rental + 10 photos
2) 6 Surf lessons (group), incl. surf board rental and 1 surf excursion to a nearby beach + photo-set. Or, 9 surf lessons (group), incl. surf board rental+ photo-set*
3) Surf lessons (group), incl. surf board rental and 1 surf excursion to a nearby beach + rash guard + 10 photos. Or, 11 surf lessons (group), incl. surf board rental + photo-set*.
*The photo set includes 10 photos and a video analysis of your surfing by an experienced instructor.
Language Travel Guide
Find valuable information about language travel in our program guides. Find out about all the benefits, destinations and possibilities. Read more about the great opportunities that South America Inside has at your disposal.
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