My DIY Costa Rica Wellness Retreat

my own mini manifesto on wellness travel amid trends

In a Mammoth Lakes cabin, a client was staying with me and marveled at the very real possibility of “feeling good every day!”

I wasn't living any differently than I would.

I guide people as a personal trainer, but her witnessing a few cool healthy habits away from home sparked my curiosity about the potential of wellness travel.

From guiding 1:1 Reverse Retreats to embarking on my own paradise retreat, I've seen the allure of wellness travel roar to life.

People are drawn to the promise of wellness (yay!) yet I see some barriers - namely hefty price tags and whether wellness comes home with them (I mean, are you bringing a detox cupping masseuse home with you?)

Some retreats may boast serene vibes but come with a price that's anything but zen.

In our search for wellness, we might fall into traps of overconsumption or escapism, missing the essence of year-round living.

If I were to design a wellness retreat today, here's my mini manifesto:

1. Bathing in nature

2. Tasting the land & culture

3. Awe-inspiring experiences

4. Continuous learning

5. Restorative rest

6. Embracing 'enough'

7. Movement in all its forms

   • Rigorous movement if possible / relevant to your goals (i.e. rucking)

   • Just moving (walking, hiking, swimming, kayaking, biking)

   • Playing sports (nordic skiing in mountains, surfing by the water) & taking lessons

8. Spontaneity & flexibility

Here’s how those values came to life in my own Costa Rica retreat:

La Fortuna, Alajuela Providence

I was drawn to an Airbnb labeled "MONKEY LADEN FARM." Maria led me to a wooden cabin nestled under towering green leaves, and I was immediately captivated.

Here, I went all in the simple things: sitting and watching hummingbirds, devouring Costa Rican dishes, and embracing the unexpected company of frogs in the outdoor jacuzzi which caused me to jump out and slip. #junglelife

I steer clear of overwhelming itineraries, and picked a few gems:

La Fortuna Waterfall [AWE]

Awe has this incredible knack for making us slow down, shed stress and snap back to the present. The thunderous waterfall was loud enough to tickle all of my working senses and a cold plunge was a visceral call to live unapologetically.

Bogarin Trail - Sloth & Bird Watching [LEARN | NATURE - ANIMALS]:

Mar, my guide, would mimic a sloth by flexing her arms, signaling we were about to see one. I was slow to register because “strong” and “sloth” didn’t make sense until she pointed out their hanging-on-trees endurance. OH YES.

During the tour, Mar turned me on the Merlin app, which is a must have if you are going to get in birdwatching. She also debunked a myth: the poisonous blue-jeans frog is harmless unless you like smear it on an open wound.

This was a big relief following my frog incident. (No idea what frog jumped in my tub).

Website: https://bogarintrail.com/

Tabacon Hot Springs [REST | AWE]

I thought the place was fake with its brilliant greens taking me by awe every turn and dip. A most surreal place where where you just have to surrender and rest.

(Tip: Booking in advance is wise, but if spontaneity strikes and it's full—sob sob—arrive early to beat the crowds and snag a spot like I did!)

Website: https://www.tabacon.com/

Breakfasts & Dinners at Maria’s Farm [TASTE THE LAND]

“Soursop? SOURSOP? Guanabana? I WANT ONE AGAIN.” My most common phase this trip other than “wow.”

Soursop is this magnificent mystery juice, made from a giant prickly pear lookalike, unique to Costa Rica.

When Maria made me one my first breakfast on the farm, I relentlessly searched for that drink for the rest of the trip. I had two wins. The hunt was almost as delightful as the taste.

Back to my point about eating what the land offers:

There are far fewer supermarkets around. You can gulp local juices that taste like pura vida and not pay a price that makes you want to walk in traffic.

Grocery shopping takes on a different vibe here. With smaller stores and fewer options, you find yourself wandering the produce section, embracing what's fresh and local.

There’s something calming about savoring simple meals like chicken and boiled carrots.

With every bite, you feel more alive, more energized, as if a rainbow courses through your veins. It’s not about diets—it’s about returning to the basics that have always nourish us.

Airbnb Slice of Heaven: Maria’s Cabin

Hot Bonuses:

• Metropoli Coffee Roasters: Stop here for thick, unbeatable drip coffee and free sightings of darling sloths. (Also known as Slofee)

• Chocolate Fusion: Passionfruit chocolate truffles are luscious.

Playa Conchal, Guanacaste Providence

Playa Conchal Beach [BATHING in NATURE | ANIMALS | MOVEMENT]

You can’t drive directly here. You must conquer a questionable grey/brown beach ruled by pelicans and maneuver horse poop to arrive.

But I was dead set on this location for two reasons: snorkeling and its unique appeal: MADE OUT OF SEASHELLS. Translation: sensory delight. My feet exfoliated with every step on the smooth seashells, turquoise waters, and playful fishes.

I even found a seashell large enough to serve as my new facial gua sha stone. And the beach walks and body booging with the waves? Underrated exercise and my calves can vouch for it.

Beach time meant bathing in nature, moving with it (snorkeling in waves & body boogie boarding), and reading that book I’ve been trying to finish (and I did)!

Hot Bonus:

• Mashed Potato Pizza by Gracia La Vid is one of the most mouthwatering pizzas I’ve ever had and that’s coming from a Chicago pizza snob. I dk, it had to be the cheese. Bless the chef.

Tierras Morenas, Guanacaste (near Arenal Lake)

Santos Skoolie [NATURE | SPONTANEITY | MOVE | EAT | AWE]

Here, I put rainbow chaser permanently on my resume.

The beach was hot, and I wanted to break up the drive back to San Jose with more vibrancy. As the universe would have it, this miracle school bus appeared as soon I opened the Airbnb app to plan my final two nights.

Magic. My cup done floweth over with serenity.

An interior designer transformed a school bus into an oasis featuring a plunge pool, a glass shower perched on top of valleys, and a fridge stocked with homemade yogurt, sourdough bagels, and farm-fresh eggs.

I would run on a quiet road, stretch on the deck, journal, and gasp at rainbows and sunsets daily.

A little spontaneity is soul-satisfying. Leaving one or two days empty at the trip’s end leaves room for unpredictable adventures and fulfills your needs (and for me, it was a manifesto WIN).

Bucket list worthy Airbnb: Santos Skoolie

On this last stop, I started to hug everything I had seen, felt, and understood. I reaffirmed what I value and need.

Bathing in nature for mental health.

Going after what I need like lightning-fast sucker hummingbirds that devour flower juice.

To command oneself like a majestic waterfall.

To hang in there and smile like the strong sloths.

How fresh yogurt and eggs are more satisfying than endless chip bags.

Whatever your wellness retreat is…

There’s a such thing as “enough.”

Don’t cram your itinerary.

Devour what the land offers.

Play on the land. Move, bird watch, forage.

Learn and rest.

Tickle ALL of your senses (at least the ones that work 😉).

Amazing wellness is just reclaiming the basics lost in a noisy and industrialized world. Perfection, like chasing the ultimate itinerary or habits, only brings stress.

Step outside for a sunset. Identify the bird you saw on the Merlin app. Eat something from the local farm or butcher.

Pursue wellness repeatedly: At home, on your travels (hopefully with me in tow sometime!), on your DIY retreat.

Wellness travel is a hot trend but how you live is timeless. 💥

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How would you plan your retreat if you had to book tonight!? Tell me in the comments!