Volunteering in Costa Rica: Arrival Procedures

Volunteers joining Projects Abroad in Costa Rica on a Conservation or Medicine Project will be met in San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica and should therefore fly to San Jose International Airport. Volunteers joining most of our other projects (Teaching, Sports, Journalism, Physiotherapy or Spanish) will be met in Liberia and should fly into the International Airport in Liberia. Care volunteers may be based in Liberia or San Jose/Heredia, so the arrival airport will depend on which region you are working in, this will be confirmed with the Costa Rica staff after you apply.

Whichever location you fly into, after getting your passport stamped at immigration, you will collect your luggage and exit into an arrivals area. As long as you have arrived at the correct airport for your project, a member of Projects Abroad staff will meet you at the airport and will be easily visible, waiting for you behind the barrier with a Projects Abroad sign.

If you are doing the Conservation project you will probably arrive in San Jose in the afternoon or evening, and we'll take you to a hotel to get a good night's sleep, before returning to take you to get the bus to the Conservation Project at Barra Honda National Park the next day. The bus journey from San Jose to the park takes about four to five hours. If your flight does arrive earlier in the day, we may take you straight to the bus station.

Medicine or Care volunteers arriving into San Jose, will be taken straight to their host family.

If you fly directly into Liberia, one of our local staff will meet you at the airport. Depending on the time of your arrival, you may first visit our office, or be taken straight to meet your host family.

Please note that if you are arranging your own flights and choose to fly into the wrong airport for your project, if you would like us to meet you there and arrange your transfer to and from Liberia or San Jose you will be charged an extra US$185. This will include a night in a hostel on arrival and departure, if needed. Of course, you can also make your own way to Liberia or San Jose and arrange to meet us at the bus station for example.

Volunteering in Costa Rica: Orientation and Induction

All volunteers living in Liberia or Heredia/San Jose will receive a briefing from our local staff and a thorough orientation around the town, usually on your first or second day. You will also be taken to settle into your host family and meet some of the other volunteers living close by.

The orientation will include showing you the main sites and landmarks in the town and showing you how to get public transport to and from your family to our office. Our staff will also explain a bit about Costa Rican culture and traditions.

Usually on the following day, one of our staff will take you to be introduced formally to your place of work and to meet your placement supervisor. During this meeting your schedule and working hours will be arranged and you will have the chance to ask any questions you may have. Most volunteers then start work properly the following day and our staff will make sure that you are happy with the plans for this. Volunteers get to work by walking, cycling or sometimes by bus or taxi.

That afternoon or evening, you'll have the chance to relax and get to know your host family and perhaps meet up with some of the other volunteers living in your area. You may want to go to the internet café or call home, or simply take it easy and enjoy a typical Costa Rican dinner.

Volunteers on the Conservation Project will receive an induction to the park after you arrive and you’ll be introduced to all the other volunteers living there.