Learn Spanish in Boquete, Panama
Nestled in the foothills of Volcan Baru, surrounded by lush, tropical rainforest, Boquete is an enchanting location for your Spanish course. The dramatic scenery attracts the adventurous, thanks to the possibility of such a vast array of activities, including kayaking, rock-climbing and rappelling. Recover from the adrenaline rush in one of the area’s hot springs, or touring one of the many coffee plantations.
There are many reasons to choose to learn Spanish in Boquete, not least the incredibly warm, friendly locals, the spectacular wildlife and the fresh mountain air! The most fertile area of the country, this is the bread basket of Panama and this, and the fact that Boquete has more restaurants per capita than any other city in the country means that you are certain to eat well during your time here!
Boquete is a great place to visit at any time of the year as temperatures remain pleasantly mild but fresh all year round. The rainy season is from May to November, but even this is a great time to visit, as the rain produces the best conditions for activities such as white-water rafting!
Our school in Boquete
The central location of the school means that almost everything you need will be within easy walking distance. On the main road into Boquete from the city of David, the school is difficult to miss! The school’s facilities include 17 fully-equipped classrooms, a cafeteria, student lounge and wireless Internet throughout.
Although Boquete is home to our largest and most established school in Panama, you may also like to spend some time on Panama’s stunning beaches! In which case you can divide your time between the rainforest clad mountains of Boquete and the Caribbean beaches of Bocas del Toro. This will allow you to see two very different sides of this fascinating country.
Courses in Boquete
You can be sure that whichever course you choose you will receive the highest quality tuition, as all teachers are fully qualified in teaching Spanish as a foreign language. Most students choose the ‘Intensive’ course of 20 group lessons per week, as this is the perfect choice for improving your overall level of Spanish! With four lessons per day from Monday to Friday, you will still have plenty of time to explore your surroundings and take part in the school’s activities programme! Although lessons are normally in the mornings at this school, it is more likely to rain in the afternoons during the rainy season, and so the school will, where possible, schedule lessons for the afternoon during this time. This is so that you can make the most of the drier conditions during the morning. Please note that your exact schedule will be confirmed to you on arrival at the school and cannot be guaranteed in advance.
We can also arrange private lessons in Boquete, which are an excellent option for students who have a specific aspect of the language on which they wish to focus during their time at the school. You can take a course of private lessons on their own or in conjunction with a group course!
Accommodation
If you want to make as much progress as possible during the time you have available, we would definitely recommend that you consider staying with a host family! The additional opportunities to speak Spanish with native speakers on an everyday basis will really help you to improve your confidence and you are sure to pick up plenty of words that you never thought you needed to know! Your hosts will be carefully selected by our colleagues at the school, who know them all very well and will be experienced in welcoming students into their home! You can choose to stay on a bed and breakfast, half or full board basis in this type of accommodation.
Alternatively, if you would like the freedom to prepare your own meals, then why not consider a traditional cabana? At just 5 minutes’ walk from the school and set in gorgeous, tropical gardens, this accommodation also offers wireless Internet access.
Activities
One of the main draws of this location is the sheer number of possible activities, such as hiking, zip-line canopy tours, horseback-riding, rappelling and rock-climbing! These are generally less expensive in Panama than in other countries in the region, such as Costa Rica, and often students at our school are also able to get a discounted rate! Our colleagues at the school will be pleased to give you all the necessary information on arrival.
The school also arranges cultural and social activities, such as typical Panamanian meals, Spanish film-screenings and parties! These activities are a great way of making new friends and will, of course, offer you further opportunities to practice your new language skills!
How to get there
Fly into David Airport, which is just 30 minutes’ drive from Boquete. If you are staying with a host family and arriving between 08.00 and 17.30 on the Sunday before your course starts, then an airport transfer can be arranged at no additional cost. If staying in a different type of accommodation, arriving out of these hours, or on a different day, we would still be able to arrange a transfer but this would be at a small additional cost.