Bodhi Tree Yoga Resort
To arrive at Bodhi Tree Yoga Resort is to feel like you're stepping into an eastern paradise. The resort is located on Costa Rica's northwest coast in the almost mystical village of Nosara, in Guanacaste Province. Here residents exist in harmony with nature and frequently live past 100 years old. Bodhi Tree seeks to promote this level of harmony, which is why you'll find everything in the resort revolves around the life-giving element of water—from the millennium pool and fountains on the property to the world-class surfing beaches and waterfalls nearby.
Bodhi Tree offers a number of yoga experiences for all skill levels. There are community classes, private yoga sessions, yoga workshops, training sessions, and more. On top of this, Bodhi Tree is as green as green can get. Solar panels provide electricity and hot water, they're plastic-free, and they support Costas Verdes, a non-profit dedicated to coastal restoration. Despite the focus on getting back to nature, all bungalows at Bodhi Tree are outfitted with modern conveniences like wifi and air conditioning.
Doce Lunas Hotel
The Doce Lunas Hotel is a great option for those who don 't want to travel far from San José to their yoga retreat (it's only about an hour and a half from Costa Rica's capital). Located on the Pacific coast in the town of Jaco, Doce Lunas is a full-service four-star luxury hotel. It's got a number of features and amenities, including wifi, air-conditioning, and even an international fusion restaurant. That's to say nothing of their expansive pool complete with waterfall.
They offer a yoga adventure package that includes twice daily classes in their large studio nestled amid rainforest jungle. Between classes, guests are treated to the sounds of the waterfalls outside, as well as the calls of toucans and macaws. Also nearby, monkeys hop from tree to tree looking for mangos and palm nuts. The yoga package includes all food, as well as excursions to nearby Manuel Antonio National Park. Horseback riding and canopy tours are also on offer. They even have special yoga retreats with guest instructors.
Want to see more of Costa Rica's national parks? Check out this epic 14-day national parks adventure.
Luna Lodge
Our next retreat takes you all the way to the southern Pacific edge of Costa Rica, near the border with Panama. It's here you'll find one of the most sought-after ecotourism destinations in the country: the Osa Peninsula. The peninsula is home to Corcovado National Park, as well as the Luna Lodge, an eco-retreat sitting on 60 acres of unspoiled rainforest high in the hills.
Featuring impressive views all the way out to the Pacific Ocean, the lodge has a capacity for 34 guests and focuses on tranquility and solitude to facilitate meditation. It offers a number of different styles of yoga retreats throughout the year—everything from evolutionary yoga to a "Five Koshas" exploration. Of course, all yoga equipment and meals (including vegan and gluten-free options) are provided. Nature hikes and spa services are also available at Luna Lodge.
Playa Cativo Lodge
Heading down from the rainforest to the coast, the Playa Cativo Lodge is also located on the Osa Peninsula. Situated on a beach of the same name, you can find it in an inlet on the Golfo Dulce, a gulf on the inside of the peninsula. It's a first-class resort that offers a number of all-inclusive packages focusing heavily on nature tours and excursions. One of these, the Wellness Signature, is a package to feed both body and soul.
The package involves a four-night stay that includes riverwalks, rainforest expeditions, meditation, and yoga classes (an hour each day). All the food provided is organic and comes from the lodge's own farm. Once you're done with your meditation and yoga you can head to the beach for some dolphin and whale sightings. And if you aren't interested in bundled packages, you can book yoga classes separately. Also, Playa Cativo is a perfect spot to bring that significant other—the Oso Peninsula has been ranked as one of National Geographic's most romantic destinations in the world.
If you're looking to spend some extra time on the coast, be sure to read more about Costa Rica's best beaches.
Pranamar Villas and Yoga Retreat
Just down from Bodhi Tree on the Pacific coast, near the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, you'll find Pranamar Villas. It's a relatively new hotel, located on the stunning shores of windswept Playa Santa Teresa. The intimate bungalows and villas here are fashioned from local bamboo and decorated with imported Indonesian furniture. This all compliments the lush gardens and pools around the lodging areas. That makes it a perfect spot for a yoga retreat.
Pranamar has their own spacious yoga shala and they offer classes and retreats year round, available to all skill levels. There's also a wellness spa on the property offering bodywork treatments like detoxification, reflexology, soft tissue bodywork, and even massages on the beach. Santa Teresa is famous for its waves, so many guests like to combine their yoga with surf excursions. And for more surf and yoga ideas on the Nicoya Peninsula, see this article.
Samasati Yoga & Wellness Retreat
Journeying now to the Caribbean coast, the Samasati Yoga & Wellness Retreat lies on 270 acres of rainforest jungle in the postcard-perfect seaside village of Puerto Viejo, at the border with Panama. Samasati has been racking up the awards, including honors for sustainable tourism as well as a nod by Travel & Leisure Magazine as one of their "Top 5 yoga retreats" in 2014. This ecolodge is located 1400-feet above sea level, a short drive from some world-class surfing beaches.
Their Private Yoga Retreat package includes twice-daily yoga classes with a teacher skilled in different traditions as taught by Krishnamacharya, including Viniyoga and Ashtanga. The package also includes guided nature treks, a Thai yoga massage, and vegetarian meals or those prepared with sustainable fish and chicken. They also offer combined yoga and surf packages, and the private rooms here have double beds and rainforest views (but no air-con, it's worth noting).
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