Finding Serenity: The Best Wellness Retreats in Costa Rica

I didn’t go to Costa Rica to find myself. I went because I couldn’t find my phone charger for two days and decided maybe it was time to stop recharging my devices and recharge me instead.

What followed was a week of jungle mornings, downward dogs to howler monkey soundtracks, and a lot of sweating in places I didn’t know could sweat. But somewhere between the salt scrubs and the silent sunsets, I stumbled into something resembling peace.

Here’s the story of my wellness journey through Costa Rica — and how even a stressed-out, coffee-fueled city dweller like me found serenity under the canopy.

First Stop: The Peaceful Powerhouse – The Retreat Costa Rica

As soon as I arrived at The Retreat, just 40 minutes from San José Airport, I was handed a chilled hibiscus tea and a cold eucalyptus towel. I almost cried from the combination.

This award-winning wellness resort, created by a celebrity chef and wellness author, sits on a crystal mountain in Atenas. Every view was green. Every sound was gentle. And every guest looked like they had either just meditated or were about to.

The mornings began with yoga in an open-air pavilion. At sunrise, the light poured in through the mist and made everything — including my messy hair and bad posture — look ethereal.

Afternoons were filled with optional spa treatments, sound healing, and workshops like chakra balancing for beginners. I was skeptical until someone waved a Tibetan singing bowl around my head and I actually felt… lighter. Or maybe it was just the gluten-free lunch. Either way, it worked.

Cost: Packages start around $400 per night (includes organic meals, yoga, and wellness consultations).

Funny moment: I tried “forest bathing” and misunderstood it as an actual bath. I brought a towel. A guide gently corrected me while I stood confused in my flip-flops beside a tree.

Into the Jungle: Blue Osa, Osa Peninsula

From serene mountains to the raw rainforest — my next stop was Blue Osa, a beachfront eco-retreat in the remote Osa Peninsula. Getting there was a journey: one tiny plane, a bumpy dirt road, and a boat ride where a crab hitched a ride on my backpack.

Blue Osa is the kind of place where nature isn’t just outside — it’s in your room. Literally. I shared my shower with a gecko named Sergio. We came to an understanding.

The days started with early morning silence and sunrise yoga. We practiced with sand between our toes, sometimes pausing class to watch scarlet macaws fly overhead. The food was fresh, locally grown, and served communally — a mix of veggie curries, tropical fruits, and conversations that turned strangers into friends.

Cost: Around $1,500–$2,000 for a 7-day retreat, including meals, accommodation, and 2 yoga classes daily.

Fun surprise: One night, our “deep meditation session” was interrupted by a curious raccoon who clearly had no interest in achieving inner peace. He just wanted a banana.

Cloud Forest Calm: Rio Chirripó Lodge & Retreat

High up in the Talamanca Mountains, far from cell signals and street noise, I found Rio Chirripó, a hidden gem near the tallest peak in Costa Rica.

This retreat felt less like a resort and more like visiting a friend’s very luxurious mountain home. There were hammocks hanging from every angle, the river ran beside the rooms, and I finally finished a book I’d been pretending to read for six months.

Each day was unstructured and slow. You could hike to waterfalls, sit in the hot tub surrounded by hummingbirds, or take part in yoga and breathwork classes led by visiting instructors.

The real treat here was the temazcal, a traditional sweat lodge ceremony led by a local healer. Let’s just say I walked in skeptical and walked out feeling like I had shed not just toxins but a few emotional cobwebs too.

Cost: $150–$250 per night, depending on the season and room type.

Unexpected moment: I fell asleep in a hammock and woke up to a sloth watching me. We shared a long, slow blink and I swear he nodded.

Beach Bliss: Bodhi Tree Yoga Resort, Nosara

By the time I reached Bodhi Tree in Nosara, I was practically glowing with wellness — or maybe it was the coconut oil facial I’d just had.

Nosara is a surfing and yoga haven on the Nicoya Peninsula, one of the world’s Blue Zones. People here live long and well, and after one day of green juice, surf lessons, and candlelit vinyasa, I understood why.

Bodhi Tree was the most polished of all my stops. Think Bali-style bungalows, saltwater pools, and smoothies that cost more than my phone charger (but were worth every colón).

I tried aerial yoga, got stuck upside down, and giggled so much the instructor had to pause class. She said, “Laughter is healing too.” I liked her.

Cost: $2,500–$3,000 per week retreat package (includes accommodation, 3 meals a day, and 3–4 classes daily).

Fun moment: I learned to surf… badly. After falling five times, I finally stood up. For one glorious second. Then I ate sand. A lot of it.

Reflections from the Mat (and the Massage Table)

I came to Costa Rica thinking I needed to “fix” myself — to cleanse and detox and do whatever else wellness marketing says we should do. But I left with a different understanding.

Serenity isn’t something you reach by perfecting your breathwork or buying the best yoga pants. It’s in the little moments: a cool breeze through the trees, belly-laughing during meditation, fresh pineapple after a long hike, or realizing your phone has been off for three days and you didn’t even notice.

Final Thought

You don’t have to be a yoga guru or a smoothie addict to find peace in Costa Rica. You just have to show up, unplug, and maybe laugh at yourself along the way.

Because sometimes the path to serenity begins with a hammock, a gecko, and a mango falling on your head.