Blue Zone Family Learning Adventure

Planet Earth has five mini-biospheres distinguished by the remarkable quality that local residents live exceptionally long lives, many lifespans exceeding a century. Costa Rica’s Nicoya peninsula, where our program takes place, is one such Blue Zone. Locals credit their longevity with what they call La Pura Vida: the Pure Life. 

What are the secrets of the long and healthy lives of the area’s residents? Is it the weather, the food, the water, the air, the lifestyle? These questions, and the fascinating sources of local longevity, will be among the themes participants will ponder throughout their stay.

After a phenomenal pilot family program on the French Polynesian islands of Tahiti and Moorea, Working Without Borders turns its talents to crafting a comparable program for parents and their kids in closer-to-home Costa Rica. We’ve partnered with Horizontes, local specialists in culturally immersive and educational travel experiences since 1984, to create a combined learning and discovery program fine-tuned for families with young kids. 

Our Blue Zone adventure experience will enrich and expand the intellectual horizons of participants while strengthening emotional bonds of parents and children as well as creating connections with new friends and colleagues.

Working Without Borders is all about adaptation and flexibility. Parents needing to work will have an energizing and inspiring ecosystem to get things done, in comfortable and well-equipped facilities alongside other professionals. 

During days, kids will be thoroughly engaged and entertained by educational and cultural activities in a safe, supportive, professionally supervised framework. In the evenings, families are reunited, enjoying the tropical evenings and activities together.

If they wish, parents can opt to join the educational and cultural programs of their kids, or explore local folkways on their own and with others.

There’s plenty to do and learn in this remarkable ecosystem teeming with flora and fauna. With expert guidance from Horizontes, we’ve designed a program full of continuous fun, learning and adventure activities. Participants will explore the remarkable and richly biodiverse Nicoya peninsula. Here are just some of the activities awaiting trip participants:

• Visit school classes of local kids, learning and playing games together
• Yoga and fitness classes, plus health walks and jogs during the cooler hours
• In jungle and coastal hikes, experience and appreciate the biodiversity of this one-of-a-kind natural environment
• Volunteer to protect and preserve this unique and delicate ecosystem
• Visit out-of-the-way beaches where sea turtles come to lay their eggs 
• Learn about local volcanoes and discover the unique ecosystems of their fertile slopes
• Explore and protect sanctuaries for endangered red macaw and other rare, colorful, and talkative birds
• Learn about rainforests and how Costa Rica came to protect a majority of its land
• Visit an organic, free-trade coffee plantation and learn how forests are being transitioned for growing in a sustainable manner
• Hear from local conservationists about their efforts to guard abundant nature and promote sustainable development

Kids will be picked up from poolside villas at 9 in the morning and returned at approximately 4 in the afternoon.  

Costa Rica has a fascinating and diverse culture. Meet locals in the Nicoya Peninsula Blue Zone, listen to their stories, hear their music, witness their dancing traditions. Some dancers may be over a hundred years old!

This trip of exploration will be an eye-opening and consciousness-expanding encounter with peoples from different cultures. Kids will learn about local arts and crafts, such as pottery, scented candle-making, and jewelry-making. They’ll play games and sports together. Trip participants learn to cook a bit too. Local stews. Typical tamales. Delicious bocas.

Costa Rican kids will give young visitors a local perspective on their indigenous experience, while visiting children will give locals an opportunity to practice their English and make friends. It’s the kind of face-to-face encounter that happens all too rarely in our remote-controlled internet age. These shared human experiences are also bound to bring parents together with their kids.

Working Without Borders is collaborating with Horizontes, Costa Rica’s premier nature tour operator focused on sustainable, authentic, and culturally sensitive tourism, with an emphasis on programs for families. Horizontes is all about learning experiences which show the vibrant culture and natural blessings of the nearby Nicoya Blue Zone.  

Horizontes has a foundation that works with local people so they can benefit from tourism, so the program has a direct positive impact on the environment and the local population.

Working Without Borders carefully selected this beachside community as home base for our exploration. It’s close to the Liberia international airport, on the gorgeous Pacific seacoast, the closest jumping-off point to Costa Rica’s Blue Zone. 

Playas del Coco has the cultural and community infrastructure to provide optimal comfort and engagement for participants. This seaside town is bustling with plenty of shopping, food and drink, beaches and nightlife. Our resort will be a short distance from town, ensuring a sanctuary of peace and tranquility.

Myriad recreational activities abound, such as surfing, cycling, hiking, horseback riding, and aquatic wind sports. The area is famous for its abundant marine life, affording world-class opportunities for fishing and scuba diving. Divers can explore colorful corals sheltering schools of tropical fish and may experience close encounters with large open sea species including dolphins and giant manta rays. 

Families will be staying in two-bedroom, two-bathroom condos with views of the pool and jacuzzi, surrounded by tropical gardens full of palm trees and picnic areas. 

Located 2 miles from the beach and 1 mile from the center of Playas del Coco, residents will have easy access to restaurants, cafes, shops and supermarkets.

Each condo comes well-equipped with the following amenities:

• Queen bed and private bathroom in each bedroom (with a small extra bed available for one of the bedrooms, if desired, at no additional cost) 
• Air conditioning units in every bedroom, kitchen and living room
• WiFi internet access
• Cable TV
• Entry lock with smart technology and digital code
• Ceiling fans 
• 4-burner gas stove
• Microwave
• Toaster oven
• Fridge
• Rice cooker
• Coffee maker
• Blender
• Complete tableware

Alternative lodging options may be available. Contact us with any questions or requests. Space is limited, and demand is high, so act promptly.

We’ve arranged for a delightful private club nearby to host parents who wish to work remotely. The Cafe de Playa Resort has a spacious beachfront café that fits the bill: fast WiFi, great food and beverages with lots of shaded space for tapping away on your laptop while overlooking the Pacific and feeling the ocean breeze. 

Families benefit from being part of a congenial and supportive community. Prior to departure, video calls will be organized and a private Facebook Group will be set up so participants can get to know each other before the trip. Participants will also be connected via WhatsApp so they can easily coordinate meet-ups. A sense of camaraderie will be created through shared experiences like field trips, cooking classes, dinners, cocktails and, of course, salsa dancing!

Vanessa has lived in Guanacaste for most of her life and is an experienced naturalist tour guide and concierge. As a mother of three girls and one boy, she knows how to create stimulating youth learning activities that are fun and safe. She has cared for many groups of travelers and visitors over the past 8 years. She is bilingual, enjoys reading, dancing and the outdoors, passionate about sharing her knowledge of Costa Rica’s nature and culture. Becoming a tour guide has led Vanessa to further develop her skills, learning First Aid Response and yoga. She’s also involved with volunteer work in communities of the Nicoya peninsula, inspiring visitors and igniting lifelong cross-cultural friendships. Her warmth and energy will enrich the experience of parents and kids alike.

• Access to a full-time host in Playas del Coco to assist with inquiries and help you feel like a local 
• Transportation from Liberia airport to your accommodations
• Welcome celebration at the beach with dinner and dancing class
• 4 weeks of accommodations in a 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom poolside condo in Playas del Coco
• Weekly cleaning service for poolside condo
• Kids program for one child aged 6 to 12, including daily lunch
• Ability for parents to tag along on kids' outings and activities at no extra cost 
• Curated community of like-valued families with kids of similar ages 
• Three sunset cocktail events for the whole family 
• Fees and donations to non-profit organizations providing services for the program
• Farewell celebration with dinner at the beach
• Transportation to Liberia airport at the end of the program 
• Comprehensive guidance and attentive support from the WWB Team 
• Greenhouse gas mitigation for your roundtrip flight

• Flights
• Groceries
• Cafe De Playa workspace ($30 food & beverage requirement per day)
• Tips and gratuities
• Travel and medical insurance
• Rental car or golf cart

• Cafe De Playa workspace 
• Nannies, babysitters, cooks
• Additional cleaning services
• Laundry service

December and early January typically have more flexibility for taking time off for work and school. As the four-week stay coincides with winter holidays, the week between Christmas and New Year is unscheduled so families may wander as they wish. 

The base pricing is for a family consisting of 1 parent and 1 child, with the option to add additional adults and kids according to your needs. There is no charge for kids 5 and under, who are too young for the kids program but are welcome at the group events. Families requiring larger accommodations should contact us to receive assistance in finding suitable places nearby via AirBNB or VRBO. 

Applications are being reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis. 

The program is highly selective and participation is strictly limited. A maximum of twelve families will be accepted. As of October 20, one spot was available. The application process consists of submitting an online form with information about your family and then participating in a video interview.

CST 2148820-50