As you know, the entire world is battling the Corona Virus so many travel plans are up in the air, including our Yoga Retreats. Please know that we are actively planning to move forward with this retreat and will do so until we have a reason to believe otherwise.

Your deposits are completely and totally refundable and will remain that way until further notice. Don’t worry about having to cancel at a certain point right now, we’re all in limbo together, but we’ll keep you posted as soon as we have any further info.

If you have any questions, let us know! Sure hope to meet you all in Nosara!

As a reminder, we will send you an email request for your second payment around 01/01/21
(if you did not pay in full when you registered)

Please complete the Forms below as soon as possible

You will need to make arrangements (we can help!) for transportation to and from the airport to Nosara. Here are the basic options:

1) Take a Shared Private Shuttle to Nosara
Shared Private Shuttles will be scheduled for the best times based on multiple attendees arrival times. The shared shuttles cost around $150 and will be divided amongst the travelers. Typically we have a shuttle leaving LIR around 1:30 PM and another leaving LIR around 3:30 PM the day the retreat starts and we will have another set of shuttles the final day of the retreat that will leave Nosara around 7:30 am and 9:30 am.

2) Fly to Nosara from Liberia on a Sansa Flight
The LIR to Nosara Flights are typically around 3:00 pm – Once you arrive in Nosara, the ride to the Yoga Spa is around 5 minutes and will cost around $10 with local transportation.

3) Arrange your own transportation to Nosara
We are happy to provide names and information for our suggested local transportation options if you need to arrange transportation outside of our standard timeframes.

If you would like to be booked on one of the private shuttles to the retreat on Saturday the Travel Form above will ask about that information.

Please note that the shuttle driver will accept payment when they drop you in Nosara and they accept either USD or Colones (cash) and not credit cards. For a private shuttle, it is common to tip around $20 (total, not per person) to your driver, but this is optional.

If you are taking a private shuttle, you can also ask the driver to stop at a convenience store on the way to pick up some water, snacks, etc. They would be happy to make a quick stop for you.

The drive to Nosara from Liberia (LIR) will be between 2.5 and 3.5 hours depending on road conditions, weather, and traffic. It’s a beautiful drive and you are sure to enjoy it. If you arrive in San Jose (SJO) the drive to Nosara is around 4.5 to 5 hours.

Arriving From Other Locations

If you will be coming to Nosara from a different location or timeframe we can provide you with contact information and details on suggested transportation options. Just let us know if you need help with transportation options and we’re happy to send you information!

Travel Day Planning & Timing Information:

We know that not everyone can arrive and depart at the “perfect” time, so here is a quick schedule for the first and last day to help with your travel planning.

The first day will begin around 5:00 pm with an introduction to the yoga spa, then dinner at 6:30 pm and the first Yoga Class will be around 7:30 pm.

The final morning will start with a 7:00 am final Yoga Class and then 8:30 am Breakfast.

Many of our attendees fly into Liberia the day before due to flight schedules or pricing options and a number of our attendees fly out of Liberia a day or two after the retreat for the same reasons. If you are in need of a few suggestions for either pre or post retreat, these hotels are our top suggestions to consider.

The Hilton Garden Hotel at Liberia Airport

The Hilton Garden Hotel at the airport is a very convienient place to stay if you have a flight arriving in the evening or departing in the early morning. It’s just across the street from the airport. We can arange to have our shuttles pick you up or drop you off at the Hilton at no additional charge, so it’s very convienient as well. Note that the Hilton (and the airport) are not near the beach, so there is not a whole lot to do at this location as far as attractions & activities go.

CHECK AVAILABILITY AT THE HILTON GARDEN HOTEL HERE

The Mangrove Hotel in Papagayo

The Mangrove Hotel in Papagayo is one of our favorites and very popular with our attendees for a post-retreat treat before hopping on your plane. It is located about 20 minutes from the airport on a beautiful black sand beach with lush tropical gardens and jungles surrounding the property. They have fantastic food, tropical drinks and impressive service for their guests. They can arrange a quick shuttle for you to the airport the next day at the front desk. There is a small additional fee for the shared shuttle to be dropped off in Papagayo if you would like the group shuttle to bring you to this amazing hotel.

CHECK AVAILABILITY AT THE MANGROVE HOTEL HERE

All of these items are suggestions and ideas of what you might want to bring with you to Costa Rica for your retreat. We hope you will find this list helpful and please let us know if you have questions about any of this.

The Basic Needs

• Yoga Clothing of your choice
• General Clothing – expect weather between 75 and 85 degrees most days
• Light Jacket / Long Sleeve for a cool evening
• Rain Jacket (or other protection from rain)
• Swim Suit & Sandals (beachwear)
• Yoga Mat (optional, the Yoga Spa can provide if you would prefer)
• Shoes for walking/hiking/adventuring
• Small Bag or Pack to bring to the Beach
• Bug Spray (you’ll want this especially in the morning and sunset)
• Passport (with at least 90 days remaining before expiration)
• Visa/Paperwork if traveling from a Country requiring additional info
• Flashlight / Headlamp (here’s our favorite headlamp)
• Pen / Pencil for Journaling
• A Mala for chanting (if you have one)
• Hair Dryer (not provided if you need one)
• A Great Book
• Good Water Bottle (Hydro Flask is our Favorite)

We will provide you with:

• A Journal, so that you can participate in writing activities throughout the retreat. Please bring a pen/pencil.

• The Yoga Spa has yoga mats available to you if you do not want to bring a mat. And of course, your own mat is always welcome! They also have blocks, straps & blankets that you are welcome to use in your practice.

• The Yoga Spa will provide you with shower towels, pool towels and beach towels each day, you do not need to bring your own.

• Costa Rica uses the same plugs as the United States so adaptors are not needed if you are from the USA.

Financial & Monetary Items to Consider:

• Costa Rica accepts US Dollars or Colones (local currency) equally, so no need to exchange cash if you are bringing USD.
• If you are on a private shared shuttle to the Yoga Spa and/or back to the airport, you will need to pay your portion of the trip (divided equally) in cash to the driver upon arrival. The shuttle will cost $140 – $160 depending on number of people and will be divided between all riders.
• If you are booking your own transportation, more than likely you will need to pay your invoice in cash.
• You may need cash for our dinner out at La Luna Restaurant. We will pay for all meals and appetizers, but you will be responsible for paying for any alcohol, wine or beer purchases in cash (USD or Colones)
• We will have Five Parks Yoga shirts and tank tops available for purchase. These can be purchased with either cash, Venmo or Paypal. Shirts are $25 each.
• We suggest a tip of around $75 to $100 that is shared amongst the Costa Rica Yoga Spa Staff (kitchen, maids, grounds, etc) – this can be paid in cash or with a credit card at the end of the retreat when you check out. This tip is optional.
• We suggest a small tip ($5 or so) when you go on any adventure outings (zip line, turtle tours, surf trips, etc) that is paid directly to the guide/driver in cash. We suggest the same for any massage services you schedule. This is optional.
• Adventure outing fees (Surf Lessons, Zip Line, Turtle Tours, SUP), as well as Massage Services fees, and any wine or beer you purchase at meals will be paid directly to the Costa Rica Yoga Spa when you check out. These invoices can be paid in either cash or credit card. Most adventure trips run between $60 and $100 and most massage services are in the $100 range. The Turtle Tour is around $35. These prices are not completely accurate but will give you an idea of the range.
• Laundry Services are available at the Yoga Spa for a small fee.
• Beer & Wine are available in the evening and can be added to your Invoice at the end of the week. No need to bring cash to meals.

Every day will be a different adventure, but if you are curious about the basic structure of our days during the retreat, this should give you an idea of what you will experience.

7:00 am – Morning Yoga
8:30 am – Breakfast
9:30 am – Beach Trip / Free Time or Adventure Experience
12:30 pm – Lunch
2:00 pm – Spa / Free Time / Beach Trip
4:30 pm – Yoga
6:30 pm – Dinner
8:00 pm – Evening Program