Schools in Playa Hermosa & Playa del Coco Area

Costa Rica has many excellent private and public school options, especially here in the Playa del Coco/Hermosa area. Costa Rica has always put education first. The entire budget that was dedicated to the military was redirected towards education after the military's dissolution in 1949. Costa Rica is considered a country free of illiteracy by UNESCO standards. 

Here in Guanacaste, we have a multitude of great schools for parents to choose from. There are a variety of teaching styles and methods to accommodate every kind of student. We have many international schools with great bilingual programs. We also have many schools that offer International Baccalaureate Accreditation which is very highly regarded all over the world. 

Every child between the ages of 4 and 17 will be accepted at public preschool, public elementary, or public high school, regardless if they are Costa Rican or not. In Costa Rica, every child has the right to receive an education without cost to ensure equal opportunities for all. These public schools are a great way to immerse your child into the Costa Rican culture, make many friends, and learn spanish. 

No matter what school you end up sending your child to, they will receive a fulfilling education and plenty of new experiences. Most importantly, they will definitely learn spanish! Costa Rica takes a lot of pride in their educational system and truly believes that proper education will only make the country better. 

Private Schools

Dolphins Academy -  Dolphins Academy, founded in 1993, is a bilingual school located in the center of Playas del Coco. Dolphins Academy teaches its students using the Montessori method which is a method of education that is based on self-directed activity, hands-on learning and collaborative play. Dolphins Academy welcomes preschoolers, elementary students, and high school students. 

Sea Wonders Academy - Sea Wonders Academy, located in Sardinal, was founded in 2008 by a Costa Rican couple who believed in personalized bilingual education. Sea Wonders is a family-style educational community with academic programs tailored to different learning styles and needs. It seeks to achieve that each student develops their original potential, talents, and aptitudes. Sea Wonders Academy offers education from preschool through 6th grade. 

Lakeside International School - Lakeside International School was founded in 2009 and it is located 15 minutes from Playa del Coco, on the way to the Liberia Airport. Lakeside is on a beautiful 200 acre aquaculture farm. The campus includes a dry tropical forest teaming with birds, monkeys, lizards and other flora/fauna. Lining the edge of the farm are five different school buildings with a total of 28 classrooms. Lakeside International School is proud to offer quality programs using both English and Spanish as the primary language of instruction. Lakeside offers education from preschool through highschool.

La Paz Tempisque - La Paz Tempisque opened in 2021 and is located in the town of Comunidad, only 20 minutes from Playa del Coco. La Paz offers an educational model that uses experiential and hands-on curricular and extra-curricular initiatives. Children from Costa Rica and all over the world come together to learn how to be creative, multilingual, compassionate, and responsible global leaders. La Paz Community School’s core curriculum is based on International Baccalaureate, US and Costa Rican standards and benchmarks. La Paz offers education all the way from early childhood to 12th grade. (International Baccalaureate Accreditation)

Teocali Academy - Teocali Academy, founded in 1982, is located in Liberia on a 6-hectare property. There are four independent buildings that house administration, pre-school, elementary, middle and high school. The school has sports facilities consisting of a regulation-sized soccer field, an indoor gymnasium, and a semi-olympic size swimming pool. The pre-school section has its own mini-soccer field and independent playground. The school has two cafeterias, one in the elementary school and one in the high school, serving both breakfast and lunch. The menu is supervised by a nutritionist. Teocali offers an English program that assures every student the ability to master the language with equal fluency as Spanish. (International Baccalaureate Accreditation) 

Colegio Santa Ana - Colegio Santa Ana is an educational community located in Liberia directed by the Congregation of Sisters of Charity of Santa Ana. Colegio Santa Ana has been working since 1957 to provide an education based on values. As well as a transformative education from hospitality and charity. Governed by the Ministry of Public Education, they teach levels from kindergarten to 11th grade. Colegio Santa Ana offers comprehensive training supported by services such as orientation and psychology, as well as the spiritual, cultural and sports development of their students. Colegio Santa Ana does not offer a bilingual program, it is a spanish speaking school only. (International Baccalaureate Accreditation)

Colegio Bilingüe Ciudad Blanca - Colegio Bilingüe Ciudad Blanca was founded in 1977 and is located in Liberia. CBCB's mission is to provide students with Christian values and academic foundations that allow them to achieve their spiritual growth and intellectual development in a high-quality curriculum at the Costa Rica and International level. They have disciplinary and academic regulations governed by MEP guidelines and policies. CBCB is an academic institution with the highest quality indices; where students can become fully bilingual individuals. CBCB offers education from preschool through highschool. 

Public Schools

Escuela El Coco
2670-0491
Playa del Coco
Kindergarten through 6th Grade

Colegio Playas del Coco
Playas del Coco
High School

Escuela Playa Hermosa
8566-1512
Playa Hermosa
Kindergarten through 6th Grade

Escuela Bernardo Gutierrez
2697-0116
Sardinal
Kindergarten through 6th Grade

Colegio Técnico Profesional Sardinal
2697-0197
Sardinal
Technical High School

Escuela Artola v 2697-0238
Artola
Kindergarten through 6th Grade

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The price is based on current exchange rates but is only an approximation. Please contact us for a final price