Highly recommend for first time solo travelers- Maximo offers the perfect amount of support, ensuring you are happy and comfortable with your homestay and project.

My host family is amazing and my initial nerves soon went away after meeting them. My roommates and everyone else I have met through Maximo has made my experience wonderful!

Also my volunteer project in childcare has been so great- both the children and teachers are so welcoming and fun. The work at each project feels meaningful and well-organized.

I have been here two months now and I love it! I spend my mornings helping at a daycare where I’ve connected really well with the kids, especially the special needs students. I then have Spanish classes in the afternoon and all of my teachers have been amazing! Marlon and all the other workers have been super accommodating and flexible with all my requests. Have I mentioned my host family? They’re super kind and supportive and I’ve gone on a few excursions with them along with extended family!!!

I just retired and experienced Christmas holiday volunteer project in Costa Rica with IVHQ local partner Maximo Nivel. The project guide Melisa and Oscar lead us to senior house, child day care and special care residence, with full of their passion and love to those people. And it inspired me so much and I was easily influenced and open minded to help people in need. This is the most meaningful Christmas I ever experienced. It’s 100% worthy to go for any age, teens or adults or senior retired. That’s remind you meanings of life.

I loved the activities provided, from the salsa to the cooking classes! I also thought the staff were lovely, and I had a very good time spending time in the city. The volunteering was wonderful, and I had a lovely time hanging out with the other volunteers. In the evenings, I really enjoyed going out with the others, and it was always super super easy to find new people to hang out with. I would recommend the experience to a mate for sure - I had a very good time, and will miss everyone at Maximo very much

My experience has been incredibly enriching, meaningful, and a lot of fun! The volunteering work through the “Construction and Renovation Program” exceeded my expectations. Proyecto Abraham is an inspiring and ambitious initiative, and I feel truly proud and grateful to have contributed to its mission. The people I’ve met—both volunteers and locals—have been absolutely amazing, making it incredibly hard to say goodbye after just two weeks. I’ve learned so much, created unforgettable memories, and formed real connections. Costa Rica has definitely captured my heart, and I already know I’ll be coming back very soon!

The site was great! The kids were welcoming and eager to learn and the teachers were helpful, we had a great time 😊 the baby room was a bit overwhelmingly. Don’t be afraid to talk to the kids and jump in to help if you think you can help with something. The home stay was comfortable and the family was welcoming and accommodating. At least a basic level of Spanish is helpful. There are some great Italian restaurants in town, try el ancor. If you’re looking for souvenirs, eñe is a nice shop near el parque national.

It is pretty pricey, not gonna lie. However, if you can afford it, then you can have a very fun time. If you are already very confident abroad, then it may not be worth it for you. However, if you are a solo, new, student, or uncertain traveler, then I would recommend you look into this organization. The Máximo support staff are excellent, welcoming, and understanding. Liam and Andres are the GOATS. There are many volunteer programs here, so you can generally find one that fits your interests and goals.

I thought that this was great experience because i was able to learn to a lot about my students and connect with them as well. I also thought that they were able to learn a lot of english specifically working with pronunciation in vowels and sounds. Many of the students felt comfortable enough to ask me ask me questions about different topics when they were confused and come up to me after and talk to me too. I thought that getting to connect with the teachers was also really special because they really connected me as well.