The day has a clear shape. You start with movement and breath — a morning yoga practice in the open-air shala overlooking the ocean, with meditation and pranayama built in. Breakfast comes in two parts: a light bite before practice, then a full breakfast afterwards. Lunch and dinner are buffets built around produce from Playa Viva's organic farm, with a farm salad bar, vegetarian options at every meal, and fish and meat as well. Water, coffee and unlimited medicinal teas are included all day; alcohol is not.

Afternoons are unscheduled. You can swim, rest by the saltwater pool, book a massage (a 60-minute massage is US$150, paid separately) or head out on an excursion. The retreat lists snorkelling, fishing and seasonal whale watching as options for the free day. In the evening you come back to the mat for a slower practice — Yin, Yoga Nidra or free-form dance — before dinner.

The Ayurveda thread runs through the week rather than sitting off to one side. In short workshops Kayla Johnson covers how to read your own constitution, how to eat and live with the seasons, and which daily rituals are worth keeping. She is an Ayurveda Wellness Counselor, Panchakarma Therapist and Shakti School Ayurveda Health Coach, with yoga teacher training in Hatha, Ashtanga and Yin, a college background in nutrition and exercise science, and Ayurveda and Panchakarma training in South India. She has lived in Costa Rica for six years, where she runs her wellness practice and an off-grid permaculture farm.

What separates this from a generic beach yoga week is the setting and the group size. Playa Viva is a solar-powered, B-Corp-certified resort on a 200-acre nature reserve, with an organic farm and a turtle sanctuary on site. With no more than 12 guests, the workshops stay conversational and the teacher knows your name by day two.

The week also has two set-piece evenings: a traditional Mexican cacao ceremony and a bonfire night. Beyond that, the schedule leaves room to do very little, which is the point. Bring a swimsuit and an open mind; all levels are welcome.

What's included

- 6 nights accommodation in your chosen room type - 3 meals a day plus snacks - Drinking water, tea and coffee - Welcome drink - Daily yoga (2 sessions a day), meditation and pranayama - Ayurveda and specialised workshops - Mexican cacao ceremony and bonfire night - Round-trip airport pickup and drop-off at ZIH - Wifi, parking and luggage storage

What's not included

- Flights - Travel insurance - Visa fees (if applicable) - Additional treatments or massages (60-min massage US$150) - Excursions outside the itinerary (snorkelling, fishing, whale watching) - Extra nights - Alcohol - Laundry service