Location
Multiple Locations +4
  • Panama
  • Nicaragua
  • Guatemala
  • Costa Rica

Program Details

Language
English
Housing
Hotel

Pricing

Starting Price
2000
Price Details
Program fees are donations to a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and may be tax deductible as well as qualify for corporate matching programs. All expenses in-country are covered, including airport and project transfers, lodging, food, and volunteer activities. We encourage all volunteers to fundraise for their trip, and we have many resources available to help!
Dec 18, 2017
Jul 14, 2015
10 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

As a Surf For Life volunteer, you will work alongside local community members to build high impact projects, such as schools, community centers, and clean water initiatives in rural coastal towns throughout Central America. While here, you will spend your week with a group of 8-12 other volunteers in clean, safe, beachside accommodations.

Current Projects:

Punta Banco Pre/Primary School Project, Costa Rica
Punta Banco is a lush and tropical coastal community in a nearly untouched region of southwest Costa Rica. Nestled in the rainforest and adjacent to an indigenous tribe, the community is in desperate need of a new preschool and primary school for its 200 inhabitants. In November, Surf For Life volunteers will build a school structure to provide a safe educational space for the students of this surfers' paradise. Local cooking classes, beach soccer games with local youth, and language intercambio sessions are part of the volunteer experience in this beautiful coastal community

Program Reviews

5.00 Rating
based on 15 reviews
  • 5 rating 100%
  • 4 rating 0%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Impact 4.95
  • Support 5
  • Fun 5
  • Value 4.95
  • Safety 4.95
Showing 1 - 8 of 15 reviews
Default avatar
Ann
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Make An Impact With A Great Organization

Surf For Life is a great organization to complete a volunteer trip with. The week-long trip was well planned and executed, but there was enough free time to relax as well. If you want to explore another country but aren't fluent in the language or are nervous about the customs, SFL is a great way to experience the culture while having a support system for any need you might have while there.

What would you improve about this program?
Trip listings are not posted far enough in advance for some interested in participating.
93 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Justin
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Perspective

There's something magical about taking yourself away from the grind, disconnecting and doing meaningful work with extraordinary people and this trip delivers on this reality.

The trip offers everything:
-the opportunity to make a difference to folks who need and value our help
-time to connect with yourself by unplugging with your friends, with the volunteer staff, and on a surf board
-culture, culture, culture
-Fantastic people - the local community is so welcoming and friendly

98 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Stephen
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Can't wait for trip #2!

Can't say enough good things about my trip with Surf For Life to Guatemala in November 2014!

Here's a brief list of the highlights for me:

- Awesome accommodations in beach-side huts with surfing just steps away
- A meaningful project focused on bringing education to a developing village, with a tangible result for the village's residents
- Hard labor under the sun! Orrrrr the shade if you didn't want to get a good sweat on!!
- Engagement with the youth we were targeting with our project through daily events like painting, soccer and spanish lessons
- Being around such amazing and grateful people, from the Surf For Life staff, to the volunteers I was working with the to village residents

Add on to all this the fact that I got to experience a country that I might not have otherwise got to experience the way that I did and it all equals an experience I won't ever forget.

Thanks for the amazing laughs and memories and I can't wwit for the next adventure I will go on with Surf For Life!!

What would you improve about this program?
I think that have more than one surfing lesson would be a great addition for beginners. Other than that, I think the trip was a great success and liked all aspects of it.

Well, to be honest, I wouldn't have minded working more than just 3 hours a day, but I understand why we were limited to that amount.
98 people found this review helpful.
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Default avatar
Michelle
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing once in a lifetime experience!

Volunteering with Surf for Life in El Paredon, Guatemala was an all around amazing experience. The La Choza Chula crew made us feel right at home and gave us the opportunity to interact closely with the community. Helping to build the school was like nothing I had ever done before. Being able to interact with the children of the community was extremely rewarding. Our hosts integrated fun activities to interact with the kids and with the community. It was the perfect mix of volunteering and cultural immersion. This trip left me with a positive impression of Surf for Life and I would 100% be interested in doing another volunteer trip. I feel so lucky to have chosen this program and would recommend it to anyone!

109 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Kim
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Didn't want to leave!

I traveled to Guatemala with some fellow coworkers in February and I was extremely impressed with the organization at the worksite and I enjoyed various activities they planned for our group throughout the week. Our group leader did an excellent job providing background and history of the community. Some of my favorite memories of the trip are with the community members of El Paredon and working in the local school. Amazing journey and I had a blast! I would recommend this experience to anyone looking for a volunteer opportunity while being immersed in another culture.

100 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Sarah
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

El Paredon, Guatemala Secondary School Build

I traveled to El Paredon, Guatemala in February of 2015 to help contribute to the construction of a secondary school there, the trip and build both organized through Surf for Life. The experience was amazing, as we were not only able to assist with the project, but were also invited to participate in several programs spending some time with the local children within the community. The trip was both eye-opening and rewarding, and I would definitely consider participating in another Surf for Life project!

What would you improve about this program?
I would adjust the fundraising process so that volunteers are better informed and able to let their potential contributors know what percentage of the fundraising goal goes to the project and how much goes to the trip itself.
102 people found this review helpful.
Read my full story
Default avatar
Meaghan
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Execution and experience were amazing

The La Choza Chula crew took incredible care of our group, not only from a safety perspective but to also ensure we were having the best time possible while understanding the direct impact we were making on the community.

103 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Abbe
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Can't wait to do another trip with Surf for Life

I visited Guatemala with Surf for Life and it was one of the most amazing trips I've been on. I've never before been able to really get a sense of a community I would never otherwise encounter, see the benefit our time and donations are having, and interact directly with the people who are directly impacted. Everything was perfectly organized and executed. A perfect balance of work, aid, and fun in a beautiful location,

What would you improve about this program?
The name is a little bit of a misnomer - you do not need to be a surfer to enjoy their programs!
97 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers

Hello Jesse That's fantastic. Do you currently have any projects in Nicaragua so we could join in on a short time basis? My 14 year old son has some experience of helping in an orphanage in Kenya. I have a lot of experience in teaching English as a foreign language and working as a legal and health interpreter but we would be happy to do anything, ideally to help and support children. We would...