Just as some of the largest countries on earth contain vast expanses of empty, barren land, some of the smallest countries on earth contain what can only be considered an unfairly large and spectacular proportion of the world’s bio-diversity. You could easily miss Costa Rica on a map – it’s not even half the size of the U.S. state of Kentucky. Yet the “Rich Coast”of Central America is an adventure playground for nature lovers of tropical rainforests, active volcanoes, cascading rivers, deep blue lakes, exotic beaches, some of the most consistent surf in the World, millions of species of flora and fauna and much, much more.

San Joaquin de Flores is the ideal compromise for those who don't want the hustle and bustle of the capital, nor the hassle of travelling miles to a beach or forest location to learn Spanish. Located only 12 miles from San Jose, at just over 1000m, San Joaquin is a suburb of the university town of Heredia and is small-town Costa Rica at its best. It has the luxury of its own infrastructure and proximity to all major facilities, yet none of the traffic, pollution or stress of a big city.

It is a typical “tico” (Costa Rican) town and maintains an intimate, colonial air - with a great many buildings dating from the 18th century, and attractive surrounding countryside dotted with coffee plantations and palms. It is a great introduction to Costa Rican life, and so a fantastic location to take teenagers who may have no experience of Latin America.

The school is located in an attractive modern building, with large windows affording views of the distant mountains and volcanoes. There are 17 classrooms in all, and, when it gets very hot, lessons are sometimes also taken in the school’s tropical gardens. There is a common room with two computers for email access, and more computers in the library. In the garden there is a table tennis table, cafeteria and general administrative office. Next door to the building is a 5 a side grass soccer pitch.

The school has a capacity for 70 students per day, with most of these coming from Canada, the US, the Bahamas and Europe. Being part of a well-established chain of schools, with sister campuses in Monteverde and Playa Flamingo, the school at San Joaquin prides itself on a particularly high quality of tuition and an excellent team of teachers who have undergone comprehensive training in teaching Spanish as a foreign language.