This eco-adventure will give REEF members a chance to experience many alluring facets of Costa Rica, including abundant marine life, vibrant tropical rainforests and active volancoes. The trip includes a unique itinerary featuring diving or snorkeling to conduct REEF surveys, as well as land tours in two diverse regions of the country - Guanacaste and Arenal. This weeklong family-friendly excursion also includes a wildlife boat tour, volcano hike, Hanging Bridges guided walk, and even a chocolate tour and tortilla making lesson! Divers and non-divers of all ages are welcome on this trip.
Trip Type: Fish Survey - click here to learn more! This trip will also feature a land-based ecotour component. Details and itinerary are below.
Pricing: $1,711 per diver. $1,531 per snorkeler or non-diver. All rates based on double occupancy. Single occupancy rates and child (age 9 and under) raates are also available; please contact REEF Trips for more information.
Accommodations: Participants will travel throughout Costa Rica during this week-long trip, from the coast to the mountains. Accommodations include 4 nights in a junior suite at Bosque Del Mar Hotel in Playa Hermosa, 2 nights at Hotel Arenal Manoa, and 1 night at Best Western Irazu in San Jose.
Diving: The trip package includes 2 days of 2 morning boat dives. Snorkelers may join the dive trips as well. The average water temperature in Costa Rica during the time of the trip is 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
Price Includes: The trip package includes 7 nights of accommodation, daily breakfast, 3 lunches, 1 dinner, 2 days of 2-tank boat dives, 2 days of snorkeling on dive boat for non-divers, transfer from Liberia Airport upon arrival, transfer to San Jose Airport for departures, guided transfers during trip, land-based excursions and activities (weather permitting) detailed in itinerary below.
REEF Program Fee: A REEF Program Fee of $300 per program participant will be added to each package to cover the cost of the group leader, seminar and REEF survey materials.
Additional Fees: The following costs are not included in the price paid to REEF - All flights, and meals other than those specifically mentioned in the itinerary below. Gratuities are not included and are at each individual's discretion. Insurance is not included, however REEF strongly recommends that each participant purchase adquate dive travel insurance to protect you from unforeseen circumstances. More information about dive travel insurance can be viewed here.
About the Trip Leader: Dr. Christy Pattengill-Semmens is REEF's Director of Science. Christy is an expert at Fish ID and has led dozens of REEF Field Surveys over the years to all of REEF's survey project regions. Brice Semmens, Ph.D., is a professor at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. He is the lead scientists on REEF's Grouper Moon Project and is an expert surveyor in all of REEF's project regions.
How to Sign Up: To reserve your space or find out more, e-mail us at trips@REEF.org, or call us at 305-588-5869. A $500 deposit will be collected at the time of booking. Visit our Trip Policies page for more information on deposit and payment schedules.
How to Get There: Because this trip includes a land-based component, participants must fly into Liberia and out of San Jose. Participants should make arrangements to fly into Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport in Libera (airport code LIR) arriving on July 14. Departure flights should be booked out of Juan Santamaría International Airport in San Jose (airport code SJO) departing on July 21. All participants are responsible for booking their own airfare. REEF is not able to book air travel.
Transfers: Round-trip airport transfers are included in the trip package. Participants will be picked up from the airport in Libera and transported by shuttle to Bosque del Mar in Playa Hermosa, approximately a 30 minute drive. It is recommended to arrive in Liberia between 12-3pm if possible. On July 21, the final day of the trip, participants will be transported to the airport in San Jose for departure flights.
Itinerary:
Saturday, July 14: Arrival day. Fly into Libera airport. Representative will meet all participants at the airport for transfer to Playa Hermosa. Check into Bosque del Mar hotel. Dinner not included.
Sunday, July 15: Breakfast at hotel. 2-tank morning dive trip. Lunch and dinner not included.
Monday, July 16: Breakfast at hotel. 2-tank morning dive trip. Lunch and dinner not included.
Tuesday, July 17: Breakfast at hotel. Wildlife boat tour at Palo Verde National Park. Lunch included. Dinner not included.
Wednesday, July 18: Breakfast at hotel. Check out of Boque del Mar and transfer to Arenal. Stop at Llanos de Cortez waterfall. Lunch included. Check into Hotel Arenal Manoa. Dinner not included.
Thursday, July 19: Breakfast at hotel. Morning guided walk at Arenal Hanging Bridges, afternoon volcano walk and volcanic hot springs. Lunch on own, not included. Dinner included.
Friday, July 20: Breakfast at hotel. Chocolate tour and tasting, La Fortuna waterfall visit and tortilla making lesson. Lunch included. Transfer to San Jose in the evening. Check into Best Western Irazu in San Jose. Dinner not included.
Saturday, July 21: Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to San Jose airport for departure flight.