We welcome individual and group volunteers. Volunteers can stay in homestays, hotels, cabinas, or camping areas. For groups, we recommend the group package (see below).

Homestays are a wonderful opportunity to be immersed in a new culture, become part of the community, and to develop Spanish language skills. All homestay packages include your room, three meals a day (vegetarian available), and laundry service. Each house has safe drinking water, locks on the rooms, electricity, and fans and mosquito nets in the rooms. If you do not speak any Spanish, we try to arrange a homestay where a family member speaks English, but please keep in mind that there are only a few of those homes available.

Hotels and Cabinas are available ?some with meals included, others that offer cooking options. There is also a camping facility that has a communal kitchen. There are cafes and restaurants for meals and stores to buy groceries.

 FEES

Registration/Placement Fee - $30 (non refundable)

Homestay Fees:
    $27 a day per person for the first 10 days
    $22 a day per person for the next 20 days
    $17 a day per person after one month

If you are staying in other accommodations:
    *$10 a day per person for the first 10 days
    *$5 a day per person for the next 20 days
      No fee after one month
(*These fees are necessary for the maintenance of the project, and are included in the homestay prices.)

 GROUPS

We offer special group packages. These offer the unique opportunity to play an important role in sea turtle conservation, get involved with the community of Parismina, and discover the culture and natural environment in fun, interactive, and diverse ways.

The package includes the following:

  • Round trip from Cano Blanco to Parismina
  • roup accommodations and Caribbean home-cooked meals
  • Turtle training program
  • Village and project orientation
  • Nocturnal turtle-nesting patrols with local guide
  • Natural and cultural history boat tour through surrounding tropical rainforest rivers
  • Local artisan craft fair
  • Day activities such as: beach clean ups with locals, playing soccer, community recycling center work, village tour, student-to-student intercultural exchange, and outing to nearby swimming hole.

    Accommodations:
    1. Our field station is great for groups. It is a large, comfortable bungalow, 50 m from the beach, and a two-minute walk from the center of the village. Being right in the village, this option provides a great opportunity to incorporate with the local community.
    2. There are various family-run hotel options for eco, up-scale, and budget travelers.
    3. Homestays are also possible, although we do not recommend them for groups, as activity coordination is difficult. Please inquire if interested.

    Prices:
    *When the group consists of 10 or more, two adults are free.
    1-3 nights, at least 8 people: $70 per person
    4 plus nights: $65 per person

    We can arrange a private van service to pick up your group at the airport or at a hotel. Prices are about $150 one way. We can also arrange for a member of the association to meet your group in San Jose and accompany you to the village. E-mail or call to ask for price. See for more information on transportation.