About Manuel
Antonio Beach Campus
Classes are held in Manuel Antonio National Park
which has some of the best beaches on Costa Rica´s
Pacific coast for swimming and snorkeling.  The
park is also wonderful for short walks or full-day
hikes. In the Manuel Antonio National Park, there
is a rare natural land formation called a tombolo
which is the most perfect in the world. A tombolo
is a strip of land made of sand that joins a former
island to the shore. It takes thousands of years
for a tombolo to form.
This park is a combination
of rain forest, beautiful white sand beaches abounding
in flora and fauna and great views. You can see
howler, squirrel, and white-faced monkeys; two-toed
sloths, coatimundis, racoons, iguanas and over 350
species of birds and other animal species. In Manuel
Antonio, the mountains meet the ocean. It is paradise!
Our facilities have a great view of the ocean and
are just 2 miles from the beach.
About the School Program
Classes normally consist of two or three students.
It is rare that a class size reaches the maximum
of six students.
We offer mini group classes, private tutoring,
or a combination of mini group and private tutoring.
There are two ten-minute breaks between classes
in which students and teachers enjoy coffee, juice,
fruit and other snacks. Classes emphasize oral communication
to achieve specific goals. Teachers are rotated
to ensure that the student is exposed to a variety
of Spanish accents.
The pace of the class is set according to the student's
language skill development progress.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Mini group: 4 hours a day
Students meet for four hours from Monday through
Friday in mini groups of six students or less. These
classes take place in the morning from 8 AM to 12
noon or in the afternoon from 1 to 5 PM according
to the student's preference. Most of the students
prefer morning classes; nevertheless, during the
rainy season (May to November) it is usually sunny
in the morning and rainy in the afternoon. Thus,
it is more advisable to take afternoon classes.
Groups may be divided whenever a student demonstrates
a different pace of learning.
Private tutoring: 4 hours a day
One-on-one instruction is designed especially for
people who want to advance at their own pace, work
on specific vocabulary, have special needs or who
have limited time. We recommend this program for
students who are taking classes for only one week.
These classes take place according to the student's
preference, in the morning from 8 AM to 12 noon
or in the afternoon from 1 to 5 PM.
Mini group 4 hours + 2 hours private tutor
a day
This program is designed especially for people who
want to reinforce what is being learned in the group
classes or who want to work on specific vocabulary.
The schedule for this program is: mini group class
in the morning from 8 to 12 and private instruction
from 1:15 to 3:15 in the afternoon.
Prices
View Rates
Lodging Options
Host families in Manuel Antonio:
It is possible to live with a host family in Manuel
Antonio. For a luxurious stay, you may want to consider
staying in a hotel.
Hotel Accommodations:
There are many hotels to choose from in Manuel Antonio.
For those who want to stay in a hotel, we at SFS
and the school will help make all the arrangements
necessary at the best prices available. Please note
that the busy season is from December to April.
During this time, hotel reservations should be made
in advance. During the rest of the year, hotel prices
are usually 20-40% cheaper and reservations can
be made more easily.
School Activities
Cultural Programs:
Meringue and salsa dance lessons
are also offered once a week. There are visits to
museums, presentations of movies and other cultural
activities which change every week. Students can
also participate in cooking classes. Once a month,
students bring typical dishes from their country
to share.
Transportation:
Students travel to Manuel Antonio by public
bus. Buses leave San José every day at 6AM,
12:00 noon and 6 PM. It is a 3 and a half hour bus
ride. The school buys the bus tickets in advance
for your trip. If you choose to fly into Manuel
Antonio or to rent a car, we will be happy to assist
you in making any arrangements. It is recommended
that participants arrive in San José on or
before the Saturday prior to the start of classes,
stay the first night in San José, and travel
the following day to Manuel Antonio. SFS can arrange
for your stay in San José, either with a
host family or in a hotel.
Optional activities
at Manuel Antonio:
In Manuel Antonio, students can fish, snorkel, dive,
rent boogie and surf boards and go white water rafting.
They can also kayak, rent jet skis, go dolphin watching,
go on a sunset cruise, go horseback riding or go
on a canopy tour. It is also possible to rent a
car.
Services in Manuel Antonio:
In Manuel Antonio, there are many different
types of stores, hotels and restaurants. In addition,
communicative services such telephones, faxes and
internet access are available. Public transportation
is inexpensive with buses and taxis.
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