If the same old bus tours with droning tour guides leaves you snoring, a Costa Rica vacation at La Escuela del Sol is just the ticket. It banishes boring, combining adventure travel, learning and sports in one easily customizable package.

La Escuela del Sol has designed a different kind of Costa Rica vacation. Tourists become students, choosing from courses in Spanish, surfing, scuba diving, fire dancing and yoga. All courses are for English speakers.

Versatility is at the heart of La Escuela del Sol’s course offerings. Students can choose to stay from one to four weeks and can mix and match courses. Take classes in surfing and yoga, Spanish and fire dancing, or yoga and scuba, for example. Students make their own combination to suit their unique goals. Certification is available for scuba students who study at least two weeks. Some students can even receive college credit in Spanish. This is definitely not the kind of souvenir anyone gets from a normal vacation.

Accommodations are convenient and comfortable. Students stay right at the school, where they choose between private or shared rooms. An onsite restaurant serves meals for students who are just too tired to cook after a full day of learning and exploring. For those who want to try out the Costa Rican ingredients they bought in town, the school provides a full communal kitchen.

Although La Escuela del Sol is near a tropical rain forest, the Montezume town center is less than ten minutes away on foot. Restaurants and local artisans line the streets, and for Spanish students, the town doubles as a classroom.

But what is a Costa Rica vacation without touring some of the country? Take a zip-line tour and get a bird’s eye view of Costa Rica’s world-renowned rainforest and its wildlife. Horse ride tours take students through the Nicolas Wessberg Nature Reserve and on to El Chorro Falls. For those eager to practice their snorkeling or scuba diving skills, there’s a tour to Isla Tortuga, where students swim with local fish near the volcanic reef. ATV, motorcycle and bike rentals are also available. La Escuela del Sol’s website offers complete information on other tours.

At La Escuela del Sol, a Costa Rica vacation becomes an adventure. That last-minute purchase from the airport gift shop is hardly a souvenir. The learning and passion for life students take home from Costa Rica is another story altogether.