Family Spanish Immersion Programs | Family Spanish Vacations

Boquete is a charming mountain town with a wonderful sense of community. Known as Panama's Eco-Adventure Capital, Boquete is famous for its coffee and fresh mountain climate with pleasant year round temperatures. Its immense variety of outdoor adventures make Boquete a superb place to study Spanish surrounded by nature.

The valley of Boquete is located in the western highlands of Panama at 1,200 meters above the sea level in the lush province of Chiriqui near the Costa Rican border. Boquete is easily accessed from David (DAV), Panama's second largest city (only 38 km away from Boquete), which can be reached by 35 minute flights from Panama City, 1 hour flights from San José, Costa Rica or a 3 hour drive plus a 30 minute boat ride from Bocas del Toro.

The islands of Bocas del Toro are famous for their emerald Caribbean waters, secluded golden and white sand beaches, uncrowded waves, colorful coral reefs and abundant marine life. Its funky-vibrant nightlife, and friendly, chilled-back locals also add to the mix which make Bocas Panama's coolest beach destination.

Bocas del Toro is Panama's #1 beach town and its magic will certainly enchant you: you won't want to leave! Without any doubt Bocas del Toro is the perfect town to learn Spanish by the beach.

The Archipelago of Bocas del Toro (BOC), is located in Panama's northwest Caribbean Sea, very near the border with Costa Rica, only a 45 minute flight from Panama City, a 1 hour flight from San José, Costa Rica, or a 3 hour journey by road plus a 30 minute boat ride from Boquete.

Cosmopolitan and trendy are the words that always come to mind when thinking about Panama City. With people from every single part of the world, the vibe in Panama City is one of rich diversity and mixture of cultures, which certainly makes for a unique experience when visiting Central America's most modern city.

With all the amenities and conveniences of an international city, Panama City's main attractions take the form of colonial neighborhoods tastefully renovated, its modern skyline bordered by the Panama Canal, the Pacific Ocean and dense tropical rainforest, Central America's trendiest restaurants and most sophisticated nightlife, world class shopping with brands from all over the globe, and as a doorway to the country's top eco-adventure destinations: Boquete and Bocas del Toro.

You can reach Panama City (PTY) through direct flights from over 15 cities in the USA, 7 in Canada, 6 European cities and almost every single major city in Latin America.

Being able to communicate in Spanish will open many doors for your children. And learning it with an experienced native Spanish teacher makes it a lot easier and enjoyable!

For children 12 and under we offer both group and private Spanish lessons: it's your choice! When placed in a group, your son or daughter will only have classmates of a similar age and Spanish level (maximum 6 students per class but the average is around 3 to 4). In private lessons, your child with have his or her own private Spanish tutor.

Groups are mostly available during the summer holidays (June, July, August) and during Panama's high season (January, February and March), when many families come to our Spanish Schools in Bocas del Toro, Boquete and Panama City, Panama. During other times of the year, the group option is only offered when siblings can be placed together with the same Spanish teacher or when other children of a similar age and level are joining us for the same dates. Feel free to contact us about group enquiries for your child.

For more information about our Spanish Classes for Children, please click here...

For teens from 13 to 17 years of age we also offer Spanish language lessons, either privately or in a small group of no more than 6 students per class.

If your teenager would like to have group lessons, this can be arranged during Panama's high season (January, February and March) or during summer holidays (June, July or August). Your son or daughter's classmates will be of a similar age and Spanish level to him or her. Teens that are 16 and 17 years of age can also be placed in a group with young adults if they are mature enough.

Many families also ask for a Total Spanish Immersion for their teen and have them placed with a local host family, while parents and younger siblings stay at one of our other lodging options.

For more information about our Spanish lessons for teens please click here...

At Habla Ya Spanish Schools we firmly believe that every student should choose the Spanish Course that best meets their own personal needs. We offer the following courses for adults:

• Group 4 Spanish Course: comprised of 20 hours of lessons per week in a small group of no more than 6 students. Groups are arranged according to students' Spanish levels ensuring that classmates will have a very similar degree of communicative proficiency.
• One to One Private Spanish Classes: 2 to 6 hours of private Spanish lessons per day. The contents and schedule of these private Spanish lessons are arranged to suit each student's individual needs.
• Group 4 PLUS Course: Group 4 PLUS adds 1 or 2 extra hours of private lessons on top of the standard 4 hours of group classes that students would normally have each day in our Group 4 Course.
• DELE Exam Preparation Course: DELE is the Official Test for Spanish as a foreign language. At our schools, candidates are prepared by having 20 - 30 hours of private Spanish lessons per week.
• Specialized Spanish Courses: sometimes a student may require something particularly specific and needs to focus on a topic of a very specialized nature. It could be Medical Spanish, Legal Spanish, Business Spanish, Spanish for Teachers, or simply vocabulary or a Spanish language skill related to a specific field.
• Other Personalized Spanish Solutions: Intensive Spanish Course, Spanish for couples or friends traveling together, Spanish at your Home, etc.

The cost for Spanish lessons in Bocas del Toro, Boquete and Panama City, Panama goes from $175 - $575 USD per person per week (it costs the same at all of our Spanish schools). It all depends on the type of Spanish classes you decide to have (group lessons, mini-group lessons or private lessons) and on the amount of hours of lessons each of you decide to have each week (10 to 30 hours).

The total cost for your Family's Spanish Language Vacation also depends on which type of accommodation you decide to have.

Feel free to contact us and tell us about your family, what you're looking for and we'll get back to you with our recommendations and a precise quote for your Family Spanish Learning Vacation.

If you would like to get your family truly immersed in the Latin American culture, experience our way of life and expose your kids as much as possible to the Spanish language, then a family home stay is the way to go.

You'll get a unique perspective about the way of life in Central America and everyone will easily be able to practice their Spanish after class.

We currently collaborate with more than 70 host families in Boquete, 15 in Panama City, and with about 20 in Bocas del Toro, that make our Total Spanish Immersion Program a reality. A good deal of those families also have young children and teenagers, and homes suitable to accommodate a couple with several children (either in the same or in separate bedrooms). In order to ensure that we select the most appropriate host family for your family, please submit your Home Stay Interview with as much as anticipation as possible. In this way, we will know your specific needs and have more host families to choose from.

If your family is on a budget then we've selected the best hostels in each location.

At Habla Ya we work with several highly rated budget hostels that offer private rooms and beds in a dorm, where you'll be able to enjoy your stay without breaking the bank.

In Boquete, Panama we recommend:

• Hostal Refugio del Rio
• Pension Topas
• Gaia Hostel

In Bocas del Toro, Panama we recommend:

• 421 Guest House
• Bocas Surf School & Hostel
• Hostel Heike

In Panama City, Panama we recommend:

• Panama House Bed & Breakfast
• Baru Lodge

All of them are located in town really close to our Spanish Schools, within a 15 minute walk. If you're looking for a bit more peace and quiet, then you can't go wrong with Pension Topas, Hostal Refugio del Rio or Hostal Gaia in Boquete. In Bocas del Toro on the other hand, Hostel Heike and Tungara are just across the central park, about a 8 minute walk from the school, where everything is happening. In Panama City, Panama House B&B is literally just across the road and Baru Lodge is on the street behind us.

There are several places that we recommend for families looking for a cabin, a midrange b&b, a suite or an apartment to rent during their Family Spanish Program in Panama.

• In Boquete, Panama
  • Roundhouse at Isla Verde
  • Room at Casa de Montaña
  • Suite at Boquete Garden Inn
• In Bocas del Toro, Panama
  • Room at Hotel Tierra Verde
  • Room at Hotel Cala Luna
  • Bocas Island Condos
  • A Bocas Vacation Rental

• In Panama City, Panama
  • TRYP by Wyndham Panama Centro
  • Las Vegas Hotel Suites
  • Hotel Milan

The above are tremendously convenient and appropriate for families with children, and are very reasonably priced for short to mid term stays (4 - 12 weeks). Each of the above have their own unique features that make them suitable for families with different desires and needs. Click on the above links for more details about each option.

There are also other types of properties available for rent in Panama City, Boquete and Bocas del Toro, Panama. If you're considering studying Spanish for four weeks or more, you might benefit from having your own vacation rental. Within our website we provide links to several sites that list vacation rentals in Panama, and we also provide links to different real estate agents in Boquete and in Bocas del Toro (as we are not real estate agents ourselves). For more information about vacation rentals please click here...

Our preferred luxury hotels in Panama City are The Bristol and Hotel El Panama.

In Bocas del Toro our favorite upscale hotels are Tropical Suites and Palma Royale. Tropical Suites is built directly over turquoise Caribbean waters, with 16 guest suites, a three bedroom Presidential Penthouse, and a Luxury Studio Apartment. Simply put Tropical Suites is Bocas del Toro's premier upscale boutique hotel. Palma Royale, Bocas del Toro's latest upscale boutique hotel, is located at the end of main street, only 20 meters from the Caribbean Sea and has 15 suites with marble and bamboo flooring, handcrafted cedar doors and beds with pillowtop mattresses.

There are also other types of properties available for rent in Bocas del Toro, Panama. If you're considering studying Spanish with us for 4 weeks or more, you might benefit from having your very own vacation rental. Please contact us for more information about rentals in Bocas.

In Boquete, the Valle Escondido Resort, Golf & Spa is the perfect place if you would like to have access to certain amenities during your medical Spanish program. With a full service spa, a 9 hole executive golf course, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, tennis and racquetball courts, and first class restaurants, Valle Escondido will certainly keep you entertained after your daily Spanish classes, eco-adventure tours and/or volunteer projects. Valle Escondido is situated at the edge of town, about a 15 minute walk from our Spanish School, in a hidden valley, on the banks of a rushing river, with enough natural beauty and peace to make you not want to leave.

For Spanish students staying in Boquete for up to 3 weeks of Spanish we recommend staying at a suite or bungalow at the Valle Escondido Resort.

For longer stays or even more independence, a rental of Valle Escondido's vacation villas or condos can also be arranged.

Whether you're staying at the Valle Escondido Resort or at one of vacation villas or condos, you'll be able to enjoy:

• 9 Hole Golf Course
• Outdoor Tennis Court and Indoor Racquetball Court
• Country Club, complete with
  • Spa and Age Management Program
  • State-of-the-art Life Fitness Equipped Gym
  • Indoor Swimming Pool
  • Sauna, Steam Baths and Jacuzzis

• 1 Outdoor Pools
• A Spanish Colonial Village with
  • 1 Fantastic Restaurants
  • Bar
  • Chapel
  • 500 seat amphitheater
• Meeting Space for Groups of 75 - 400 people

Besides staying at Valle Escondido you can also consider The Haven Spa & Hotel or Valle del Rio.

Boquete, Panama's eco-adventure capital is the perfect place for a Spanish learning vacation:

• Whitewater River Rafting
• Ziplining in the Cloudforest
• Island Hopping & Beach Trips
• Rock Climbing
• Coffee Tours
• Hot Springs
• Horseback Riding
• First Class Hiking Trails

In Bocas del Toro, Panama's top beach destination in the Caribbean, there are plenty of outdoor opportunities:

• Surfing
• Scuba Diving & Snorkeling
• Ziplining in the Rainforest
• Boat Tours
• Catamaran Sailing Tours
• Island Cycling
• Horseback Riding
• Cacao Plantation Tours
• Caving Tours
• Turtle Nesting/Hatching Tours
• Bird Watching Tours
• Beach & Island Hopping

And Panama City, Latin America's trendiest capital, is much more than a Canal:

• Central America's most sophisticated nightlife scene
• First class restaurants
• Colonial & Historical Tours
• Museums
• Jungle Tours
• Shopping
• Casinos

Habla Ya Spanish students have access to special discounts off many eco-adventure tours. For more information about tours in Panama, and complete pricing info click here.

At Habla Ya Spanish Schools we simply love to have fun! We start off the week with several family friendly activities and then we move on to more grown-up entertainment:

• Tuesdays - Panamanian Traditional Dinner
• Wednesdays - Movie Nights
• Thursdays - Dinner Parties
• Fridays - Nights Out & Get-Togethers (only adults)
• Saturdays - Salsa Lessons & Conversational Sessions
• Daily - Yoga Classes

Several extra activities are free of charge, such as our movie nights, salsa lessons and conversational sessions (children are welcome). Panamanian dinners cost $5 - $7 USD per person (open to children as well). Yoga classes in Boquete cost $6 - $10 USD per person. Yoga classes in Bocas del Toro cost $5 - $10 USD per class. Yoga classes in Panama City cost from $10 - $15 USD per class and they also have monthly packages of unlimited classes. Eco-Adventure Tours have their own fees and students pay what they consume at bars, Dinner Parties and Get-Togethers. For more information about our extra activities please click here.

If Mom and Dad would like to have some free time for themselves or a night out, childcare is provided by our host families.

The normal rates is $5 USD per hour but also depends on the amount of children and age of each child (infants can also be take care of).

More convenient rates for childcare and babysitting can be agreed when families require extended childcare services.

There are also local nurseries that can take care of your children (as long as they have availability), while parents are enjoying Panama City's, Boquete's and Bocas del Toro's eco-adventure tours or during their Spanish lessons if kids are too young for Spanish classes.

Families looking to volunteer with their children can collaborate with several local organizations such as:

• Casa Esperanza Day Care Center
• REAL Boquete Recycling Center
• Boquete Handicap Foundation

By volunteering and helping our children or our community's projects you'll not only be able to make the difference but your own family's life will gain a new meaning and each and one of you'll be even more grateful for all of the opportunities and means that you have access to.

Children who volunteer under the supervision of their parents volunteer for free. There is a $75 USD setup fee per adult to volunteer, and a $5 USD daily fee ($15 USD for non Spanish students). 100% of your daily volunteering fee goes as a direct donation to the local Non Profit Organization where you'll be volunteering at (75% of non students daily fee is donated as well).

If you would like your family to volunteer, please submit your volunteering interview. For even more info about volunteering and about what is included in the volunteer fees please click here.

The cost for Spanish lessons depends on the type of class (private, mini-group or group lessons) and on the length of your family's study. The more weeks and hours a family signs up for, the better the rate they'll have access to.

Depending on their length of stay and on the amount of hours purchased, families may also have access to additional discounts.

Considering 20 hours of lessons per week, rates per person are as follows:

• Spanish Lessons in Small Group, $175 - $275 USD per week
• Mini Group Lessons, $235 - $305 USD per week
• Private Spanish Lessons, $295 - $395 USD per week

Specific rates for Spanish lessons can be found by clicking here.

Rates for accommodation depend on your choice of accommodation and on the length of your stay.

• Home Stays with Local Families cost $225 USD per week (breakfast and dinner included). Please add supplement of $50 per week in Bocas del Toro and $75 per week in Panama City.
• Budget Hostels go from $10 USD per night for a bed in a shared dorm up to $75 USD per night for a private room with a private bathroom (more affordable private options are also available).
• Midrange Hotels and Bed & Breakfasts go from $495 to $950 USD per week for a furnished Suite or Cabin.
• Upscale Boutique Hotels and Resorts go from $540 to $3000 USD per week.

Please click here to checkout specific rates for all of our lodging options...

Habla Ya Spanish students have access to special discounts off many eco-adventure tours. Children 12 and under have access to 50% discounts off several tours when they join their parents for a tour during their Family Spanish Vacation. For a complete price list of tours in Boquete, Bocas del Toro, and Panama City, Panama please click here.

Children who volunteer under the supervision of their parents volunteer for free. There is a $75 USD setup fee per adult to volunteer, and a $5 USD daily fee ($15 USD for non Spanish students). For more information about volunteer projects and fees involved please click here.