With coasts on both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, thousands of acres of rainforests and national parks, and a warm, laid-back culture, Costa Rica is undoubtedly a tropical paradise.

The lifestyle in this Central American nation is known as "Pura Vida," or the pure life. The term reflects the country's limitless natural beauty and the famously positive attitude of its people. Costa Rica is known around the world for its immense tracts of protected rainforest, where you can see monkeys, opossums, tapirs, tropical birds, and hundreds of species of exotic plants. On the coasts, the country is blessed with long stretches of both black and white sand beaches and some of the most famous surfing spots in the world.

Why Volunteer in Costa Rica?
Costa Rica has managed to avoid political drama in recent history and the government has consistently protected the land's natural beauty. However, the nation has not been able to avoid environmental damage entirely. As a primarily agricultural country, much of its rainforest has been cleared for cattle ranching and farming, causing nearly irreparable soil erosion and the loss of vital plant species and wildlife. Illegal poaching and unregulated water pollution are also constant threats to marine life.

Our partner organizations in Costa Rica seek to curb the destruction of native wildlife. They have focused their efforts on local populations of endangered sea turtles. If you choose to volunteer in Costa Rica, you will be working to conserve and protect the sea turtle population along the remote Pacific Coast. Through the dedication of our partner organizations and the hard work of their volunteers, Costa Rica will be able to retain its natural treasures for years to come.

Project Location: San Miguel
Remotely located on the north-central Pacific Coast, the tiny town of San Miguel has a population of only 100 people. The community prides itself on protecting the 5km of shoreline in front of the village, making the area a perfect base for our Sea Turtle Project. The closest town is nearby San Francisco, where you can find Internet access and a public phone. San Miguel has a friendly atmosphere and residents who value volunteers as an important
part of the community.



Project Location: Punta Banco
This town of about 200 people is a secret treasure of the Pacific Coast. Situated between black sand beaches and untouched rainforest near the surf town of Pavones, Punta Banco is relatively unexplored by tourists.
Volunteers on our Sea Turtle Project here will be able to take advantage of the natural beauty of Costa Rica, including hiking trips to see indigenous plants and wildlife, surfing off nearby coasts, swimming in tide pools, and visiting natural waterfalls.


Project Location: Ostional
The pristine beach of Ostional on the northern Pacific coast is a popular haven for surfers, snorkelers, bird watchers, and nature lovers of all kinds. You can hike around the mangrove swamp at the mouth of the Rio Nosara and watch toucans interact with Howler monkeys. Or venture north to the scenic, rocky coast of Punta India and see starfish, shellfish and sea urchins float in the tide pools. Ostional is the site of one of our Costa Rica projects because it is also home to biological phenomenon—a 1-mile stretch of sand where the Olive Ridley sea turtles come en masse  every three to four weeks throughout the year to lay their eggs.