You can learn Spanish with us, while you visit
The Machalilla National Park

Welcome to Clara Luna Spanish School; our school provides you with the opportunity not only to learn the Spanish language, but to do so in an environment that is unsurpassed in beauty and unique culture.

Our goal is to not only teach you Spanish but to help you have a great experience of Ecuador, from ancestral cultures more than 5000 years of history, dry and rain forest, making Ecuadorian coastal food, working on a organic farm, watching humpback whales and many more experiences.

Our School is localized on the south of the beach in Puerto Lopez. The school is in the quietest and most beautiful place just out side the town. From our terrace classroom you can watch different species of seabirds and endemic dry forest land birds and in the whale season whales too! All it while you learn Spanish.

 

About Machalilla National Park

Machalilla National Park is around 56000 Hectares of protected land and sea and is located in the south of Manabí, Ecuador in South America. You can have an amazing experience enjoying the culture, language and biodiversity here.

The Machalilla National Park is one of three protected areas of the coast region. It has an altitude rang of 0 meters to 850 meters above the sea level. The areas of the Machalilla National Park harbors important diversity and endemic life. Machalilla National Park works together with different foundations and organizations for the implementation of conservation management, sustainable tourism plans and along with long-term monitoring studies of the fauna and flora.

 

Our Methodology

n individual classes the teacher takes into consideration each student’s learning rhythm and personal preferences (more conversation or more grammar, certain topics to be treated) and will modify the program according to your requirements.

The aim of Clara Luna is to enable our students to think and express themselves in Spanish from the very beginning. All materials integrate Spanish language education in the four linguistic abilities: speaking, comprehension, reading and writing. These abilities are taught creatively, alternating short lectures, conversation, exercises, music listening, and games in a way which enhances the classroom experience and makes learning fun.

 

Our Team

Employs competent and experienced teachers. All teachers at Clara School Spanish School have obtained a Spanish teaching certification from IE Institute after undergoing several training courses. The teachers have at least three years of teaching experience and all are equipped with knowledge of English, which allows them to aid their students’ understanding when necessary.

Our teachers have been certified as Naturalist Guides from Machalilla National Park, which allows us to perform with professionalism environmental interpretation.

 

Our Programs

Our programs offer the most requested and chosen combinations of:
One to one Spanish lessons,
Spanish lessons, accommodation, and breakfast.
Spanish lessons and explorer.
Spanish lessons and adventures.
Spanish Lessons and Voluntary Work (2 options).
Note: We do not charge a registration fee!

Accommodation:
You will stay at Hospedería Punta Piedrero (In The Lonely Planet guide) that are located in front of the beach in Puerto López, close to the school (10 meters).

 

Lessons Package

 

 

Hours	Weeks	Prices
• 20 hours	1	USD $115.00
• 40 hours	2	USD $230.00
• 60 hours	3	USD $330.00
• 80 hours	4	USD $440.00

• You have 3 hours 40 minutes lessons per day with 20 minutes rest time each day.
• The weekend is free time.
•This package included Free Wireless Internet and some organic coffee or tea in the rest time.

Not included:

• Transportation to Puerto López. Arrangement of any excursions.
•Accommodation, breakfast and books.

 

Lessons, Accommodation and Breakfast Package

• 20 hours of one to one Spanish classes (Monday - Friday)
3 hours 40 minutes per day with 20 minutes rest time each day
• Accommodation in the Hospedería Punta Piedrero (fetched in the lonely planet). The accommodation is 7 days and 6 nights.
• Breakfast in our Restaurant Clara Luna (Monday - Friday).
• Included in this package one lesson of making Ecuadorian lunch on Friday.
• The weekend is free time.
•This package includes Free Wireless Internet and some organic coffee or tea in the rest time.

 Not included:

• Transportation to Puerto López. Arrangement of any excursions.

Here are some of the things we recommend you bring

• Passport
• Good shoes for trekking
• Light clothes
• Raincoat
• Sun block
• Sun hat
• Sunglasses
• Mosquito-repellent
• Swimming suit and sandals
• Torch
• Camera

Price:  USD $237.00

 

 Explorer Package

“La Plata Island”: On the island there are seabirds like Blue footed boobies, nazca boobies, wave’s albatross, red footed boobies, frigates birds, red billed tropic birds. In the courtship and breeding seasons here, you can watch the Chocolate sea lions, sharks, rays, dolphins and turtles. On the island you have two trails around three hours walking distance. Also it is possible to enjoy Snorkeling in the coral reefs next to the next to the impressive weather worn cliffs of the island. To travel to the island is around 2 hours during the whale season approximately 42 km from Puerto Lopez. Whale-watching season is from June to September off the coast to of Ecuador close to Puerto Lopez. You can watch the humpback whales from your boat. The humpback whales migrate around 7000 km, every year from the cold waters of the Antarctic. The humpback whales make this trip for breeding, courtship and mating.  You can see true love in all its gigantic glory in the warm waters off the coast of Ecuador. Here is whale watching at its purest!  The tour included whale watching (June to September), trip by boat from Puerto Lopez to the island, trekking on the island, lunch and snorkeling. This tour is with your personal tour guide that is your Spanish teacher. This tour is a full day.

 

 

"Los Frailes": beach is the natural paradise in Machalilla National Park; there are 3 different small beautiful beaches and dry forest that you can visit.

Agua Blanca: There is an in-situ museum about ancestral culture and different species of endemic land birds and Natural Sulphur Volcanic Pool. This tour is with your personal tour guide that is your Spanish teacher. The tour is around 4 hours.

Pomarrosa Organic Farm is a community family organic farm that practices an agriculture that respects nature, dedicated to ecotourism, agroturismo and environmental education, where they cultivate organic cocoa, coffee, fruits and vegetables, the guide on the farm will teach you to make organic coffee. The tour includes Ecuadorian lunch in the farm and your Spanish lessons too. The tour is around 4 hours.
Included In The Explorer Package:

• 20 hours of one to one Spanish classes (Monday - Friday)
3 hours 40 minutes per day with 20 minutes rest time each day
• Accommodation in the Hospedería Punta Piedrero (fetched in the lonely planet). The accommodation is 7 days and 6 nights.
• Breakfast in our Clara Luna Restaurant (Monday - Friday).
•This package includes Free Wireless Internet and some organic coffee or tea in the rest time.
• The weekend is free time.

Not included:

• Transportation to Puerto López

Here are some of the things we recommend you bring

• Passport
• Light clothes
• Raincoat
• Sun block
• Sun hat
• Sunglasses
• Mosquito-repellent
• Swimming suit and sandals
• Torch
• Camera
• Binoculars

We recommend for a Basic level of Spanish, you take one week of Spanish lessons before any excursions as most guides and people here don’t speak English.
Price:  USD $412.00

 

 Adventures Package

• Paragliding Tandem flight tour

Discover the feeling of free flying over the coast of the Ruta del Sol Ecuador. Paragliding on the beach in La Entrada or in Salango (depends of the wind conditions), the flying time is around 15 minutes. This Adventure is in the afternoon.

 

 

• Discover Scuba Diving
This course is to enable non-divers to experience scuba diving under supervision of an Instructor. The course starts with a short class session and ends with two open water dives the same day. Includes: pool session, private dive boat, full diving equipment, two tank dives, PADI instructor, and snack on aboard. This tour is on Saturday. This tour is a full day.

 

Pomarrosa Organic Farm is a community family organic farm that practices an agriculture that respects nature, dedicated to ecotourism, agroturismo and environmental education, where they cultivate organic cocoa, coffee, fruits and vegetables, the guide on the farm will teach you to make organic coffee. The tour includes Ecuadorian lunch in the farm and your Spanish lessons too. The tour is around 4 hours.

Included In The Adventure Package:

• 20 hours of one to one Spanish classes (Monday - Friday)
3 hours 40 minutes per day with 20 minutes rest time each day
• Accommodation in the Hospedería Punta Piedrero (fetched in the lonely planet). The accommodation is 7 days and 6 nights.
• Breakfast in our Restaurant Clara Luna (Monday - Friday).
•This package included Free Wireless Internet and some organic coffee or tea in the rest time.
• The weekend is free time.

Not included:

• Transportation to Puerto López.

Here are some of the things we recommend you bring

• Passport
• Good shoes for trekking
• Light clothes
• Raincoat
• Sun block
• Sun hat
• Sunglasses
• Mosquito-repellent
• Swimming suit and sandals
• Torch
• Camera

Price:  USD $497.00

  

Volunteers Programs (2 weeks)
Volunteer in Pomarrosa Organic Farm

 

The Volunteer can select the programs according to his abilities and dexterities.
The property has 5 Hectares 90% of coffee and 10% of Cocoa and vegetable gardens. We also give the support to the community garden.
The Climate around the Property is Humid Forest and with the presence of microclimates.
The volunteer can enjoy great tranquility and harmony with nature, sleeping and walking up with the sounds of the forest.
Included In Pomarrosa Organic Farm Package:

• 40 hours of one to one Spanish classes each week (Monday - Friday)
3 hours 40 minutes per day with 20 minutes rest time each day
• Accommodation in the Pomarrosa Organic Farm (Rain Forest) in the small town of Rio Chico (Monday to Sunday).
• Breakfast, lunch and dinner in the farm.
• 4 hours per day of Volunteers Work (Monday–Friday). If you would like to see the farm please visit the website www.pomarrosa.org

• Included transport from Puerto Lopez to the Pomarrosa Organic Farm.
• The weekend is free time.

Not included:

• Transportation to Puerto López
• Arrangement of any excursions.

Here are some of the things we recommend you bring

• Passport
• Good shoes and clothes for work.
• Binoculars
• Mosquito-repellent
• Torch
• Camera

Price:  USD $723.00

 

Volunteer for Disabled Children (2 Weeks)
Jose Eugenio Rivera Chonillo Foundation

 

Volunteer work in our school is with children mentally and physically disabled, focusing on enhancing their education. You will also have the opportunity to work with children at the crèche,
Included In Volunteer for Disabled Children Package:

• 40 hours of one to one Spanish classes each week (Monday - Friday)
3 hours 40 minutes per day with 20 minutes rest time each day
• 4 hours per day of Volunteers Work (Monday–Friday).
• Accommodation in the Hospedería Punta Piedrero (fetched in the lonely planet) the accommodation is 7 days and 6 nights.
• Breakfast in our Restaurant Clara Luna (Monday - Friday).
• Lunch in community family’s home (Monday - Friday).
•This package included Free Wireless internet and organic coffee or tea in the rest time.
• The weekend is free time.

Not included:

• Transportation to Puerto López
• Arrangement of any excursions.

Here are some of the things we recommend you bring

• Passport
• Clothes for work.
• Mosquito-repellent
• Camera

Price:  USD $562.00

Additional    Services	Prices
Salsa Lessons per hour	USD $6.00
Each extra accommodation day in Punta Piedrero	USD $9.00
Each extra accommodation day in Pomarrosa Includes breakfast, lunch and dinner.	USD $16.00
Spanish Books	Prices
Grammar book	USD $15.00
Exercises book	USD $15.00

 

From Arriving,to Puerto Lopez

FLIGHTS
There are domestic flights to and from 4 airports
Quito - Manta – Portoviejo - Guayaquil
Several times a day on the three national airlines (Icaro, Aerogal, Tame).
No flights come to Puerto Lopez.

FROM MANTA TO PUERTO LOPEZ
From Manta you can take a bus, taxi or we can arrange transport to the farm.

FROM GUAYAQUIL TO PUERTO LOPEZ
From Guayaquil you can take a bus, taxi or we can arrange transport to the farm.

BUSES
Buses are the most used type of travel in Ecuador there are buses direct from
Quito to Puerto Lopez.                     11 to 13  hours
Manta  to Puerto Lopez.                   2 to 3 hours
Guayaquil to Puerto Lopez.              4 to 5 hours
Portoviejo to Puerto Lopez.              2 to 3 hours
Jipijapa to Puerto Lopez.                  1 to 2 hours
Please check all times of buses in advance.

TAXIS OR ARRANGED TRANSPORT FROM  ANY DESTINATION
Are much quicker but more expensive

 

Study Program

There are two kinds of IE courses, all of which we run, each are designed to suit the different needs of our students:

If you would like, you can suit your studies to your personal circumstances.

 

Intensive Courses (20hrs / 40hrs / 60hrs)
These short courses are designed for the tourist learning Spanish for traveling purposes and have only a limited time to dedicate to their studies.
-They are suitable for those who have no, or very little, previous knowledge of Spanish.
-These courses are easy to comprehend and impart sufficient knowledge for tourists to communicate effectively in most Spanish speaking environments.
-The courses use the "Curso intensivo de Español" textbook which contains a study program specifically designed for 20, 40 and 60 tuition hours.
-There is no age limit for participation

 Intensive Course 20Hours

   1. The phrase
   2. The verbs Ser and Estar
   3. The sentence
   4. Question words
   5. The present
   6. The Indefinite Past
   7. The Immediate Future

Intensive Course 40 Hours

   1. The phrase
   2. The verbs Ser and Estar
   3. The sentence
   4. Question words
   5. The present: regular and irregular verbs
   6. Direct and Indirect complements
   7. The Indefinite Past: regular and irregular verbs
   8. The Immediate Future, The indefinite future

 Intensive Course 60 Hours

   1. The phrase
   2. The verbs Ser and Estar
   3. The sentence
   4. Question words
   5. The present: regular and irregular verbs
   6. Direct and Indirect complements
   7. The Imperative
   8. The Indefinite Past: regular and irregular verbs
   9. The Immediate Future
  10. The indefinite future
  11. The Conditional
  12. The Conditional perfect

 Regular Courses (40hrs - 120hrs)

These courses are directed at those who want to learn the language in an orderly and progressive manner.
These courses allow a student to learn basic grammatical structures for conversation, describe actions, narrate happenings; express opinions and preferences and establish discussions. A Regular Course will permit a student to reach an excellent level of communication with Spanish speakers in every situation where the language is required.
-They are suitable for people with no previous Spanish knowledge as well as those who wish to improve it.
-There are three levels (Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced), each of which involve 40hrs of tuition.
-A complete regular course will last for six weeks studying 4 hours each weekday (120 tuition hours in total), however it is possible to join a Regular course at any level, i.e. taking the Intermediate, then the Advanced course will be 80hrs of tuition in total.

 Beginner Level

 Intermediate Level

 Advanced Level