Yoga and Surf Escape in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica

The retreat is run from Akih Pods Hostel, a surf-focused hostel in Santa Teresa that partners with top local surf and yoga instructors. The surf lessons are the core of the week—seven three-hour sessions with Vladimir, a local instructor who teaches all levels and knows the beach breaks of the peninsula well. He covers everything from paddling and pop-ups for beginners to refining wave selection and maneuvers for more advanced surfers. The lesson times shift daily based on tides and conditions, which is how it should be in a place with this many different breaks.

The yoga program is four classes spread across the week, each one tailored to surfers. The flows work on balance, flexibility, and core strength, and they target the muscle groups that surfing overworks—shoulders, hips, and lower back. It's practical, physical yoga aimed at keeping you injury-free and improving your time in the water, not a spiritual retreat. That said, the sessions do help you wind down after a morning of paddling.

The schedule keeps mornings busy and afternoons free. Breakfast is served between 8:00 and 10:00 a.m., sometimes later if the tide dictates an early surf session. After your lesson, you can head to the yoga deck, lounge in the hammocks, use the communal kitchen, or take the hostel's snorkeling gear to the tide pools nearby. Staff can organize excursions off-site—boat surf trips, waterfall tours, sunset horseback riding, or an ATV rental for exploring the coast. The hostel is a social hub, and the communal spaces make it easy to find someone to share a meal or a sunset with.

What's included

- 7 nights accommodation in a shared pod dorm - Daily breakfast (organic smoothie bowl with granola and fruit) - Welcome smoothie on arrival - 4 surf lessons with certified local instructors - 3 yoga classes designed for surfers - Surfboard and leash during lesson hours - Snorkeling equipment for use during your stay - Access to hostel facilities: mini-gym, yoga deck, mats, communal kitchen, co-work space - Walking distance to beach and town center

What's not included

- Flights - Lunch and dinner - Visa fees if applicable - Additional activities not listed in the itinerary (boat trips, ATV rental, etc.) - Massage or spa treatments - Wetsuit rental, extra leashes, wax, and surfboard damage coverage - Airport transfers (available for €69 return)