8 Day Plant Based Yoga and Wellness Escape in Nicaragua

Eden Yoga and Wellness Resort runs this signature eight-day retreat almost year-round. The location is the first thing you notice: an open-air yoga deck set into the jungle hillside with views right across the Pacific coastline and Nacascolo Bay. Morning Vinyasa classes start the day around 7:30 am, with the sun coming up over the ocean. Evenings wind down with Yin yoga at 5 pm, and there is a genuine effort to make the middle of the day yours, whether that means an ice bath, a massage, a workshop, a trip to the beach or simply a hammock and a book.

What sets this retreat apart from other yoga holidays on the Pacific coast is the number of things actually included in the price. Three one-hour full-body massages, a sound healing session, a transformational breathwork class, an ice bath, a cacao ceremony, a temazcal sweat lodge, a manicure and pedicure, and a beach trip are all part of the package. You can join everything or dip in and out - nobody keeps track, and the schedule is deliberately flexible.

The food is 100% plant-based, made from scratch and mostly sourced locally, some from the garden on site. Breakfast, lunch and a three-course dinner are served daily at the on-site Chocolata health bar. The style is simple, well-balanced and surprisingly varied for the length of the stay - a three-week guest review specifically praised the food for staying interesting even over a long visit.

The team includes a rotating group of resident teachers and therapists rather than a single permanent instructor. LaToya Maria brings over 15 years of experience in therapeutics, ayurveda and sound therapy; Chrissy is a yoga and fitness instructor, SOMA breathwork facilitator and retreat guide. The owners, Lucas and Monica, are hands-on and frequently mentioned in reviews for making guests feel welcome.

The property itself is eco-luxury rather than bare-bones. The bungalows are called cabanas, each with a king-size bed, mosquito net, fan, private bathroom, balcony with a hammock and ocean or jungle views. There is a salt-water pool, an outdoor jungle gym, free wifi and a shared lounge where family-style dinners take place. The whole place runs on solar power, and for each booking the resort donates $5 to a local charity.

What's included

- 7 nights eco-luxury accommodation in a private or shared bungalow - 3 daily plant-based meals: breakfast, lunch and 3-course dinner - Welcome drink - Unlimited coffee, tea and filtered water - 2 daily yoga sessions (Vinyasa, Yin) - Transformational breathwork class - Sound healing session - Temazcal (sweat lodge) ceremony experience - Cacao ceremony with locally produced cacao - 3 x 1-hour full body massages - Manicure and pedicure - Ice bath sessions - Specialized workshop - Beach trip - Taxi from Managua airport on Saturdays at noon (other days $90 USD) - Taxi to Managua airport on departure Saturdays at 9am (other days $90 USD) - Pre and post retreat support from the team - Unlimited use of wifi, swimming pool, yoga space and outdoor gym - $5 per booking donated to a local charity

What's not included

- Flights - Travel insurance - 0 USD tourist visa on arrival - Extra massages or treatments beyond the included ones - Surf lessons - Optional excursions and taxis outside the included transfers