How To Experience The True Culture of Costa Rica

Planning a school trip to Costa Rica isn’t just about the volcanoes, rainforests, and wildlife it’s also about giving your students the opportunity to connect with the people, stories, and traditions that make the country so unique.

Costa Rica’s culture is deeply rooted in community, simplicity, and nature. With a little intentional planning, your educational travel program can become a living classroom, bringing lessons in language, geography, environmental science, and global citizenship to life.

Here are 10 experiences that offer meaningful cultural immersion for students traveling to Costa Rica

1. Visit a Local Coffee or Cacao Farm

Let your students learn the full bean-to-bar or bean-to-brew process. From harvesting and fermentation to roasting and tasting, these experiences link directly to science, economics, and sustainability. Many of these farms are cooperatively run, adding insight into community economics and food systems.

2. Share a Meal at a Neighborhood Soda

Sodas - small, family-run restaurants - are a staple of daily life in Costa Rica. Eating at a soda isn’t just about food (though the gallo pinto and casados are a hit). It’s about connecting with local people, trying new flavors, and building cross-cultural comfort.

3. Join a Traditional Cooking Workshop

Take your group beyond the restaurant and into the kitchen. Students can participate in preparing dishes like tortillas, picadillo, or empanadas, learning culinary traditions passed down through generations - and gaining a window into Costa Rican family life.

4. Participate in a Cacao Ceremony

This isn’t your average chocolate tasting. A traditional cacao ceremony introduces students to the spiritual and communal significance of cacao in Indigenous cultures. It's a powerful way to explore history, ritual, and respect for the natural world.

5. Explore Rural and Indigenous Communities

Take students off the tourist track and into communities where local guides and artisans share their stories, crafts, and perspectives. This experience fosters empathy, social awareness, and a deeper understanding of Costa Rica’s cultural diversity.

6. Learn with Students at a Local School

Arrange a visit or exchange with a Costa Rican school. Even a simple shared activity or classroom visit gives students a firsthand look at educational systems, youth culture, and what life is like for their peers in another country.

7. Visit a Local Market

Markets are perfect for real-world learning: practicing Spanish, understanding currency and bargaining, exploring local produce, and seeing how food systems and small economies function. Assign a scavenger hunt or budget challenge to make it interactive.

8. Engage in a Community Service Project

From reforestation to beach clean-ups to assisting at a wildlife refuge, service-learning is a direct way to instill values of global citizenship, responsibility, and teamwork. It also connects beautifully to curriculum goals around environmental science and ethics.

9. Participate in Dance, Music, or Art Workshops

Whether it’s trying folkloric dance, playing marimba, or making traditional crafts, hands-on arts sessions allow students to express themselves and gain appreciation for Costa Rican cultural traditions in a joyful, personal way.

10. Slow Down and Practice Pura Vida

Costa Rica’s famous phrase, pura vida, is more than just a saying - it’s a way of life. It means living simply, appreciating the moment, and embracing gratitude. Build in moments of reflection or journaling where students can absorb this mindset and reflect on their experience.

Why It Matters

A school trip to Costa Rica offers far more than sightseeing - it’s a chance to cultivate curiosity, empathy, and cultural awareness in your students. Through these immersive experiences, your group won’t just see Costa Rica - they’ll understand it, and bring that understanding home with them. Let us help you design a culturally rich itinerary that brings these elements to life.
Visit Evolve Tours or book a discovery call to start planning your custom Costa Rica school trip.

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Email: info@evolvetours.com
Phone: 1-888-222-5066
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