Panama Wellness and Surf Retreat at Sansara

Sansara is a beachfront resort in Cambutal, on Panama's Azuero Peninsula. The property has oceanfront suites and ocean-view and garden-view cabañas, a yoga shala that looks out over the Pacific, a spa, a Buddha Bar, a pool and direct access to the beach. The two wellness packages — Rejuvenate in Panama and Surf and Stay — both run for six nights and include three meals a day, daily yoga, and complimentary use of stand-up paddleboards, kayaks and bikes.

Rejuvenate in Panama is the slower of the two. Each guest gets a 105-minute Sansara Signature Massage and a facial, plus an intro to surf session with Surf Sansara. The rest of the time is yours: yoga in the shala, a paddle along the coast, or a book by the pool. Surf and Stay is the more active option. It includes the same daily yoga and meals, but replaces the spa treatments with three in-water surf lessons, each with up to three hours of coaching from Surf Sansara's instructors. Board rental, rash guard, transport to and from the break, and post-surf fruit and water are all part of it.

What separates Sansara from a generic wellness resort is that the surf operation is in-house. Surf Sansara takes guests to the breaks around Cambutal, which range from gentle beach break suitable for first-timers to faster waves for more experienced surfers. The coaches watch the conditions and pick the spot for the day, so a beginner and a returning surfer can be in the same group without either being short-changed.

The yoga is taught in an open shala overlooking the water, with mats and props provided, so you don't need to pack any. Classes run daily and are pitched at mixed levels. Between the yoga, the surf and the spa, the week has a rhythm: active mornings, quiet afternoons, dinner and an early night.

Cambutal itself is a small surf town at the end of the road on the Azuero Peninsula, about three hours' drive from Panama City. There are a handful of restaurants and bars, and the surrounding area has waterfalls, tide pools and horseback riding, all of which the resort can arrange. The beach at Sansara is dark sand and generally uncrowded, with warm water year-round.

What's included

- Six nights luxury accommodation - Daily yoga classes overlooking the Pacific Ocean - Yoga mats and props provided - Three healthy balanced meals each day - 1 x 105-minute Sansara Signature Massage (per person, Rejuvenate package) - 1 x Facial (per person, Rejuvenate package) - One intro to surf with Surf Sansara (per person) - 3 x in-water surf lessons with up to 3 hours of coaching (Surf and Stay package) - Board rental, rash guard, transport to/from the break, post-surf fruit and water (Surf and Stay package) - Complimentary use of SUP boards, kayaks and bikes - Organic bathroom products, high-quality linens and beach towels - Local coffee, tea and filtered water - Hypo-allergenic bedding and towels - Organic spa products in the cabaña

What's not included

- International and domestic flights - Airport transfers - Travel insurance - Additional spa treatments beyond those included - Optional excursions (waterfall hike, tide pool adventure, horseback riding, fishing, whale watching) - Alcoholic drinks and bar tabs - Personal expenses and tips