Muay Thai Retreat in Costa Rica: 7-Night Jungle Training Camp with Twice-Daily Sessions

A typical day starts at 7:00 AM with a jog on the beach, or a surf lesson if you've signed up for one (about $90 per person, arranged through the resort). Breakfast is at 8:00 AM and includes fresh squeezed juice. The first Muay Thai session runs 10:00–11:30 AM, then lunch at noon. The second session is 1:30–3:00 PM. After that the day is yours — swim in the infinity pool, use the cold plunge, walk into Nosara town, or head to the beach, which is a 15–20 minute walk or a short tuk-tuk ride the hotel can arrange. Drinks and games around the fire pit happen at 5:30 PM on several evenings, and dinner is at 7:00 PM. The full sample schedule is laid out in the itinerary below.

What separates this from a generic tropical fitness week is the coaching. Kru Vivek Nakarmi has been teaching Muay Thai for decades and is the Mid-Atlantic Regional Director for WBC USA Muay Thai. His competitive record includes the 2014 Thai Championship Boxing 135 lb title, the 2015 Warrior's Cup 135 lb title, the 2017 USMTA 135 lb Professional Championship, a 2006 WKA National Championship, and WKA and IKF World Kickboxing Tournament medals between 2006 and 2010. He also holds a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu purple belt. In other words, you're being taught by someone who has fought at a high level and has spent years bringing beginners along — the reviews from his Arlington gym repeatedly mention that he makes newcomers feel welcome and pushes experienced students hard.

Nosara sits on Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula, one of the world's five recognised Blue Zones — places where people tend to live longer than average. It's a laid-back coastal town with surf beaches, international restaurants, local markets and good internet, so you're not roughing it. Jungle's Edge itself is set in lush jungle among banana trees, with howler monkeys audible most mornings and the beach a short walk away.

The retreat is deliberately built so you don't have to think about logistics. Meals, accommodation, airport shuttles, the waterfall tour, laundry (one load) and Wi-Fi are all handled. The only things you pay extra for are flights, alcohol, smoothies, specialty coffees, beach transfers if you don't want to walk, drop-in yoga at Bodhi Tree (about $20 per class), and add-ons like surf lessons and massages booked through the resort.

It's a small-group trip — the room types sell out, and several were already marked SOLD OUT on the listing when this was captured. That's a fair reflection of how it runs: a mix of solo travellers, couples and families, some coming with Pentagon teammates from DC, others joining from further afield. If you want a week where you train hard twice a day, eat well, sleep in the jungle and come home with noticeably sharper technique, this is built for exactly that.

What's included

- Twice-daily Muay Thai training led by Kru Vivek Nakarmi - 7 nights of accommodation at Jungle's Edge - Daily gourmet meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner - Dinner on arrival day - Breakfast on departure day - Fresh squeezed juice at breakfast - Roundtrip airport transportation (within stated arrival/departure windows) - Access to the infinity pool - Unlimited use of the gym - Unlimited use of the cold plunge - Waterfall tour (extra charge for children) - Wi-Fi internet access - One load of laundry

What's not included

- Airfare - Alcoholic drinks - Smoothies - Specialty coffees - Beach transfers (15–20 minute walk, or tuk-tuk arranged by the hotel) - Drop-in yoga classes at nearby Bodhi Tree - Surf lessons - Massages - Other activities bookable through the resort