Language Schools
CPI FLAMINGO
Spanish SCHOOL ON THE GUANACASTE COAST
CPI Flamingo is your best beach option. It was established in 2000. The Guanacaste coastal area, replete with pristine beaches and scattered mangroves, is known as the golden coast of Costa Rica. With its white sand and crystal blue water, Flamingo is perfect for swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing, sailing, and just relaxing on the beach.
There is a considerable North American community in the town of Flamingo itself; however, the nearby rural towns of Brasilito and Potrero are primarily Costa Rican, and this is where our homestay families are located. Flamingo is a 5-hour bus ride from San José, with public buses leaving the capital daily at 8:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., and 3:00 p.m. The private shuttle service that CPI uses, leaves San José for Flamingo every Sunday around 10:00 a.m.
The average daily temperature is 32° C (90° F). The climate is hot with fairly high humidity; we recommend shorts and summer clothing.
In Flamingo, students have the opportunity for serious Spanish study in a vacation environment.
Why CPI Flamingo?
Flamingo Beach is one of the top beach destinations on Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula. The CPI Spanish immersion school is nestled in the center of this quaint oceanside community, which, in addition to its beautiful beaches, is known for its peaceful small-town environment and friendly local people. Despite its small size, Flamingo offers visitors a vast array of activities, including parasailing, canoeing, out rigging, surfing, swimming, horseback riding, kayaking, scuba diving, snorkeling, and checking out the anim
als at nearby wildlife refuges! For those students who would like even more cultural experience, the towns of Potrero and Brasilito, just north and south of Flamingo, have an authentic Costa Rican feel.
Flamingo is often compared to the neighboring town of Tamarindo, a beach town slightly more populated than Flamingo with its own attractive beach front. Tamarindo has a wealth of bars, restaurants, and fast food chains to satisfy any taste along with various souvenir shops, clothing stores, coffee shops, and internet cafes. However, as pleasant as it is to visit, Tamarindo is not the ideal place fo
r learning Spanish; in fact, even hearing Spanish spoken in the streets is becoming increasingly rare due to the constant influx of tourists. Based on our experience, in order to learn as much Spanish as possible during their time in Costa Rica, we suggest that our students enjoy the attractions of Tamarindo for fun day trips (CPI arranges weekly transportation), but take advantage to fully immerse themselves in Spanish by living in the Flamingo area. While Tamarindo is undoubtedly a popular and recommended destination for daytime visits, it does not offer the comparable safety or cleanliness found in Flamingo.
