Ocean-View Yoga Escape in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua

A typical day starts with coffee on the bar at 7:00, then a vinyasa yoga class at 7:30 on a deck with an ocean view. Breakfast is at 9:00 and plant-based. From 11:00 the schedule is open: surf lessons with Eduardo, an ice bath session, a workshop or ceremony, a massage on the wellness deck, or just reading by the pool. Lunch is available from the Eden on the Chocolata health bar at 1:00. Afternoons are for exploring — the shuttle into San Juan del Sur is $2 per person, and the hike up to the Christ statue is a popular half-day. Yin yoga is at 5:00 and a three-course dinner at 6:30.

The classes are taught by a small rotating team; guests name LaToya and Katie in reviews, with LaToya leading sound baths and Katie leading somatic healing sessions. The owners, Remy and Kelly, run breathwork sessions and a Temazcal ceremony. According to one guest, breathwork was followed by an optional ice bath, and she went from 37 seconds on her first attempt to 1 minute 10 seconds on her second. That mix of scheduled sessions and add-ons is what separates this from a straightforward yoga holiday.

The flexible structure is the main difference from other Central American retreats. Instead of a packaged week, you choose your dates, your length of stay and which extras to add. That makes it work for a five-night stopover, a ten-day reset, or a longer working trip — several guests mention the fibre optic internet held up well enough for remote meetings.

Accommodation is in eco-luxury wooden bungalows. The shared option sleeps a maximum of three and is the newest cabin; the private options are a single bungalow or a double. All have high-quality beds, mosquito nets, a private bathroom with shower, and a balcony. The property has a swimming pool overlooking the ocean, a dedicated yoga deck, a wellness deck for massages, and an outdoor jungle gym.

San Juan del Sur is a surf town on a bay about two and a half hours from Managua. The area around the lodge is quiet and, by the owners' account, among the safer parts of a country they describe as one of the safest in Central America. Twenty metres off the property's back edge is jungle — which is why guests are told to bring bug spray, and why howler monkeys and birds start up well before sunrise.

What's included

- Eco-luxury bungalow accommodation (shared or private depending on rate) - Breakfast (plant-based) each morning - Three-course dinner each evening - 2 daily yoga sessions (morning vinyasa, evening yin) - Unlimited coffee, tea and filtered water - Swimming pool access - Free daily ice bath sessions - Free use of the outdoor jungle gym - Yoga deck and wellness deck access - Fibre optic internet - Daily room cleaning - $5 per weekly booking donated to the ELI-S charity foundation

What's not included

- International and domestic flights - Airport transfers - Lunch (available for purchase from the health bar) - Massages and spa treatments - Surf lessons and surfboard rental - Optional workshops and ceremonies beyond those scheduled - Premium Ocean View upgrade ($20 USD per night) - Shuttle into San Juan del Sur ($2 per person) - Travel insurance - Personal expenses and souvenirs