The Nicoya Peninsula has become a popular destination for yogis. With beautiful beaches and nature sanctuaries, the place is rife with yoga studios and retreats, which focus on specific types of yoga. What better way to go through one’s yoga journey than to be in an isolated location while being closer to nature?
An Isolated Haven For Yogis And Surfers
The Nicoya Peninsula is a dream destination for surfers, yoga practitioners, and nature lovers. Located at the northwest end of Costa Rica, this isolated place is one of the least crowded destinations in Costa Rica. The Nicoya Peninsula is blessed with year-long warm weather and is one of the places on earth with the cleanest air. It might be hard to get to, but totally worth it.
The Nicoya Peninsula has beautiful pristine beaches such as Montezuma, Mal Pais, Santa Teresa, Nosara, and Samara. In addition, it is known for its eco-tourism—tourists can go spelunking, birdwatching, and visit the nature reserves In the area.
Nicoya Peninsula, A Blue Zone
Certain parts of the world are known for having residents that have a long life expectancy—longer than usual. There are only four such places that have been identified as “Blue Zones” these are Icaria in Greece, Sardinia in Italy, Okinawa in Japan, and Nicoya in Costa Rica.
The combination of the environment and lifestyle have contributed to Nicoya’s reputation for being one of the best places to visit or even live in. Nicoya natives also have a strong family culture. So do not be surprised if you find neighbors happily interacting and engaging with each other as if they are part of one big family.
Nature Reserves And National Parks
The local community is very adamant about protecting and preserving the natural beauty of the peninsula.
Below are some of the best nature reserves and national parks that visitors can check out during their stay:
- Cabo Blanco Natural Reserve (national park)
- Ostional Wildlife Refuge
- Cameron
- Cueva Murcielago
- Curu
- La Ceiba
- Romelia
- Diria National Park
The Best Yoga Retreats And Yoga Centers
A lot of yoga centers have opened all around Nicoya. Some people sign up for classes a couple of times throughout their stay, while others go to Nicoya because of yoga. In fact, it has become one of the main reasons why people go to Nicoya—to spend some time in a relatively isolated place to unwind in a yoga retreat or to deepen one’s yoga practice by going through yoga teacher training. Places like Nosara, Mal Pais, and Santa Teresa, and Montezuma have a high concentration of yoga centers, studios, and programs.
Yoga Centers
- Nosara Yoga Institute
- Surf Simply, Nosara
- Bodhi Tree Yoga Resort
- Nicoya Yoga
- Montezuma Yoga
Yogis Who You Need To Know
There is no shortage of yoga teachers at the Nicoya Peninsula. Because it is one of the main activities on the island, many yogis and gurus post their schedules online on websites like YogaTrail and YogaFinder. On these websites, visitors will find that there are a lot of events and activities dedicated to yoga. The yogis listed below specialize in different types of yoga and may teach in other studios. A few of them offer private lessons. Whether a visitor is a beginner or is a dedicated practitioner, there is a class, retreat, or training program.
Doing yoga is an intimate experience. It requires practitioners to be in the present, to focus on breathing while allowing the body to move and execute various yoga movements and poses. While it’s tempting to practice on your own, it’s good to have a teacher or a companion.
Here are a few of the yogis you need to know:
- Vaya Talia Lia Nijuhis – Iyengar, Restorative, Alignment, Gentle, Yoga Therapy, Special Needs Meditation
- Benito Hill – Ashtanga
- Meriah Dharana – Ashtanga, Hatha, Hot, Restorative, Power, Yun
- Amba Stapleton – Hatha, Vinyasa, Restorative, Meditation
- Amy Schmidt – Core Strength, Flow, Pranayama
- Andreina Poletti – Flow, Hatha, Gentle, Vinyasa, Yin, Restorative
Yoga And Surf
Surfing and yoga are two of the main activities tourists go to Nicoya for, aside from the laidback lifestyle and the close-knit community. These two activities might seem like complete opposites—yoga focuses on taking deep breaths while flowing through a series of poses, while surfing is more active and physically demanding. However, yoga and surfing complement each other—yoga helps with flexibility and building lean muscle, while surfing helps with balance and core strength.
Both surfing and yoga can be meditative activities. Yoga, if practiced in the traditional way, involves chanting and deep breathing exercises while executing poses. Meanwhile, when surfers are out in the water, they are forced to be in the moment and block out distraction or else risk getting wiped out. Both activities are somehow inherently connected because both involve quite a bit of alone time.
Getting there
The Nicoya Peninsula can be accessed from two International airports: Daniel Oduber International Airport in Liberia (followed by a domestic flight to Tambor) and Juan Santamaria International Airport (San Jose, Costa Rica). Although it is possible to access the Nicoya Peninsula via land travel, the roads are quite bumpy and hard to navigate, especially for non-locals.
Pura Vida
Most of the people who have been to or reside at the Nicoya Peninsula live by the mantra of pura vida (pure life). But, of course, it has a different meaning to each person. Whether you’re on the lookout for a yoga retreat, a yoga teacher training program, or just some time to unwind and disconnect, then Nicoya is the best place to go. In this little piece of heaven, visitors will experience inner peace, balance, and wellness through the various yoga retreats and classes that are available on the island.