Train Muay Thai in Costa Rica: 7-Night Camp in Nosara & the Nicoya Blue Zone

Days follow a rhythm that's easy to settle into. You're up for a 7am beach jog (or yoga at Bodhi Tree nearby on the Thursday, roughly $20 drop-in), breakfast at 8am with fresh-squeezed juice, then the first Muay Thai block from 10:00 to 11:30 in the resort's studio. Lunch is at noon. The second session runs 1:30 to 3:00, and after that the afternoon is free — surf lessons run in the mornings if you want them, the waterfall tour is on the first full day, and the beach is a 15-20 minute walk or a short tuk-tuk ride. Dinner is at 7pm, and most nights people drift to the fire pit around 5:30 for drinks and games before eating.

The training itself is real Muay Thai, not cardio kickboxing in a resort car park. Vivek comes out of a traditional Thai boxing background — he's a BJJ purple belt as well, but the camp is built around stance, footwork, kicks, elbows and clinch work. Sessions run 90 minutes each, twice a day, which is enough volume that beginners will feel it by day three and experienced people will still get rounds in. Padding and equipment are handled at the gym; you bring your own gloves, wraps, shin guards and a mouthguard if you have them, though the pro shop at Pentagon can sort you out before you fly.

Jungle's Edge is the venue and the accommodation, and it's a proper eco-resort rather than a hostel with a heavy bag. It's set among banana trees and tropical plants, five minutes from the beach, with an on-site gym, infinity pool and cold plunge, plus high-speed internet if you need to answer emails. Rooms range from the budget Glamping Hut (one full bed, two singles, private bathroom, fans, no A/C or hot water) up to air-conditioned suites with queen beds and full kitchens in the Lotus and Bamboo units. The A/C rooms sold out first, which tells you something about how people book it.

What makes this different from other Muay Thai camps is the group. Because it's organised by a single gym in Arlington, most of the people on the mat are Pentagon members, which means a lot of familiar faces and a warm welcome for anyone travelling alone. Kids are welcome to train alongside their parents — children 5-12 are $650 each covering meals, the waterfall tour and airport transfers, and under-4s come free. It's one of the few fight camps you can genuinely bring the family to.

On the practical side: fly into Liberia's Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR), about 2.5 hours from the resort. Round-trip shared shuttles are included if you land between 11am and 3pm on arrival day and leave in the same window at the end. The package covers seven nights, all breakfasts, lunches and dinners (plus dinner on arrival day and breakfast on departure day), unlimited gym, pool and cold plunge use, a waterfall tour, one load of laundry and Wi-Fi. Flights, alcohol, smoothies, specialty coffees, beach transfers, surf lessons and massages are extra.

What's included

- Twice-daily Muay Thai training with Kru Vivek Nakarmi - 7 nights 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 - Round-trip airport transportation (within set 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 via the hotel) - Drop-in yoga classes at nearby Bodhi Tree - Optional activities bookable through the resort, such as surf lessons and massages