Yoga, Running & Surf Escape on Costa Rica's Caribbean Coast

The retreat runs January 18-23, 2027 at Casa Firefly in Cahuita, on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica. It's a 5-night, 6-day programme and the group is capped at 10 people. Accommodation is in air-conditioned rooms at the hotel, which has six guest rooms total, a pool, tropical gardens, and a private outdoor yoga shala.

A typical day starts with yoga or pranayama in the shala, then breakfast. Mornings often include a run or a fitness session, or on some days the group heads out for an activity. Lunch is back at the property. Afternoons tend to be free — pool time, a walk to the beach (about 150 metres), or riding a rented bike into town. There's a second yoga session most evenings, followed by dinner. The schedule shifts on days with excursions: the Cahuita National Park hike and the surf lesson slot into the mornings or afternoons depending on conditions.

Cassie Paul has been running retreats for years and has over 20 years in hospitality and tourism. She completed her CYT200 with Karma Teachers in Vancouver in 2016 and holds certifications in Vinyasa, Yin, Fitness, Fusion, Mindfulness, CPR, and Foodsafe. She's also a Run Leader in Vancouver for the Nike Injury Prevention Study and leads a run clinic at Fit First, so the running component isn't an afterthought — it's led by someone who coaches it regularly.

The food is vegetarian and plant-based, prepared by a private chef who buys vegetables from the market in town the same day. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included, and the kitchen can handle dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan, diabetic-friendly, low-fat, nut-allergy-friendly, organic and sugar-conscious requests if you flag them in advance.

What makes this different from a standard yoga retreat is the balance of movement and actual activity. You're not just doing asana twice a day — you're running, surfing, hiking through a national park, and swimming in the ocean. It's also different in that the group is deliberately tiny (10 max), and the whole thing is hosted by one person rather than a rotating team of teachers. Cassie is with the group the entire time and handles pre-trip planning personally, including helping with flight timing and suggesting where to stay if you arrive a day early.

What's included

- Round-trip shuttle transfer from San José airport (SJO) to Casa Firefly, Cahuita - 5 nights / 6 days accommodation in air-conditioned rooms - Three vegetarian meals daily, prepared by a private chef - Twice daily yoga in the open-air shala - Daily meditation and pranayama classes - Guided hike through Cahuita National Park - Guided run with ocean swim - Surf lesson with a local instructor - Two workshops: goal setting and mindfulness - Mala making and tie-dye shirt activities - Water, tea and coffee served throughout the day - WiFi connection - Pre- and post-retreat support from Cassie

What's not included

- Flights - Travel insurance - Personal expenses - Optional bike rental (approx. $20/day) - Additional nights in San José before the retreat (small fee if arranged with Cassie)