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Las Olas Travel

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4 reviews
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Why choose Las Olas Travel?

Las Olas Travel is a sustainable volunteer program designed to help global communities. We offer a responsible travel experience in which travelers have the chance to make a positive impact volunteering while exploring a new culture. We aim to combine the adventure of travel with the compassion of volunteering. Join our waves of change!

The first volunteer program organized by our Founders included a group of students that traveled through Costa Rica with an adventure & service-filled, two week program. These volunteers accumulated over 480 volunteer hours. They worked in reforestation and planted about 160 trees. They did a local beach clean up with local community members. They worked in marine animal rehabilitation and taught english to at-risk children. This was just the start of our waves of change. We have now expanded to Nicaragua and hope to expand to other countries in the future.

We are starting a movement of responsible travelers. Wanna join?

Website
www.lasolastravel.org
Founded
2015

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Reviews

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Ivy
Female
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Costa Rica Volunteer Program

Just the beginning

Mar 30, 2017

I traveled with Las Olas my senior year of college to Costa Rica. It was an amazing opportunity where I gained hands on experience, learned life history, diet and care for the wildlife at 'Costa Rica Animal Rescue Center'. Getting to learn about wildlife in a setting where we weren't exploiting or harming wildlife as many touristy spots do made it all that much better for this animal lover. I was also able to make friendships and have some extra fun traveling to other parts of the country while making a difference. This trip opened my eyes to the beauty of Costa Rica and the beauty of travel and has since inspired me to travel more. Couldn't ask for a better experience!

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Daisy
Female
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Costa Rica Volunteer Program

Costa Rica Animal Sanctuary

Feb 16, 2017

Out of the many places I have traveled to outside the United States, going to Costa Rica has hands down been the most memorable. Not only did I get to explore the fun and hip beach town on the coast and go snorkeling in the ocean while hunting for fresh local coconuts to drink from in a small island, but I also got to feel more connected to the local community/non tourist part of Costa Rica. Volunteering at the animal sanctuary/rehabilitation center filled my heart for the love of all the animals there and their unique stories of how they got to there and how much love and care they deserved from humans. Every day I looked forward to holding and cuddling with the sweet sloths, as well as meal prepping and feeding the baby howler monkey there. At the sanctuary, we were fed by the hosts with different combination preps of rice and beans, and lots of tasty fruit! I would absolutely love to go back!

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Emily
31
Female
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Costa Rica Volunteer Program

Las Olas Adventurin'

Feb 4, 2017

Got to hold sloths, experience the downtown scene of Costa Rica (totally different than Texas), and fully submerge ourselves in a different culture with wonderful people. Had an awesome time, even though I hardly spoke any spanish. Some tips include packing light and further appreciating/understanding how people live here. If you're alright with cold showers and hot days, as well as black beans and rice, then you'll do great. This was a volunteering experience, so don't be afraid to get your hands dirty. Solid time with Rachel and Lauren; great people!

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Nicole
29
Female
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Costa Rica Volunteer Program

Costa Rica volunteer

Jan 30, 2017

Experiencing the culture of Costa Rica was amazing and the people there are so friendly, but my favorite part of my trip would have to be the reforestation. I could tell we were really making a difference however big. I also loved the animal rehabilitation because I love animals and helping ones that need a little extra love was wonderful. Especially since they were exotic animals that you don't really see often in the states unless you frequent the zoo. The monkeys and sloths were my favorite.

Programs

Displaying 1 - 2 of 2

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Onycha Vandermeer

Program
Nicaragua Volunteer Program
Job Title
Digital Marketing Director
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What is your favorite travel memory?

It's so hard to choose just one, but I think I should go with a story from my first time backpacking since it obviously left an impression. Ultimately this story is what led me to continue traveling, to study ecotourism, and to have a career in the travel industry.

I finished high school a year early and I felt self conscious about heading straight to college and being younger than everyone else. Instead, I decided to enroll in a term at a Spanish language program in Costa Rica. It was wonderful, the program and other students were amazing and so was the homestay experience, I was in heaven.

A couple weeks into the program I decided to go to the beach for a weekend, and I stayed in a hostel for the first time. It blew me away, I couldn't believe people traveled like this for months at a time - basically I had no idea that backpackers existed. I loved the idea so much that I decided to become one - on the spot. I called my school to tell them I wouldn't be returning and I set out to see as much of Costa Rica as possible.

Turns out I had a pretty ambitious wanderlust and I ended up hitchhiking, busing, and walking through every country in Central America to return home over six months later, much to my parents relief.

That was eleven years ago (I feel so old saying that), and since that first impromptu backpacking adventure I've continued to travel (41 countries and counting!) and work in the tourism industry.

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

I'm the newest employee at Las Olas Travel as of July 2017 and I'm beyond excited to be a part of this team. I'm sure I'll soon have many stories about growth through my experiences at Las Olas.

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

ALL OF THEM! Because they are all to die for and I cannot choose between volunteering with animals, people, and parks.

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

Las Olas Travel is female owned and operated - and the funny thing is, that was not intentionally planned.

When I met our CEO and Co-Founder Rachel, she described how things fell into place and then started to take off for Las Olas. After the fact they realized that they have a professional team of passionate people who want to make a difference - who all happen to be women!

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

There are so many important factors! It really does come down to doing what we say we will. Las Olas Travel truly provides a unique experience that adheres to the principles of sustainable travel as well as providing a chance for travelers to leave a deeper positive impact on local communities.

All Las Olas trips give our travelers the opportunity to spend time volunteering in teaching English, reforestation, and/or exotic animal rehabilitation, as well as experience Spanish immersion, adventure excursions, and educational experiences.

It really is the best of everything, and it leaves our students with an experience they will remember for the rest of their lives - similar to my own favorite travel story. The one that started it all.