Retreat Centers

Encanta La Vida

Encanta La Vida is a small, solar-powered jungle lodge at Cabo Matapalo, on the tip of the Osa Peninsula, with a two-storey yoga shala and spa beside the beach. It suits you if you want yoga with wildlife, surf and no town nearby, either on your own or with a group retreat.

By Sara Zen · Published 27 June 2012 · Updated 4 November 2026

Status: open, checked 4 November 2026 on the lodge's own website
Where: Cabo Matapalo, at the southern tip of the Osa Peninsula, about 30 minutes by taxi from Puerto Jiménez
Rooms: 10, all with fans (no air conditioning), solar power and Starlink Wi-Fi
Yoga: free daily classes in a beachside shala; groups can book the lodge for their own retreat

Encanta La Vida is a jungle lodge on the beach at Cabo Matapalo, the southern tip of the Osa Peninsula, where the rainforest runs down to the Golfo Dulce and the open Pacific. It's off the grid, solar powered and family run, and it calls itself the only beachfront lodge in Matapalo. In November 2026 its website was live and taking bookings.

The beach and forest at Matapalo, with the lodge's logo in one corner

What it's like

Matapalo has no town, shops or restaurants, just a few houses, the forest and a run of beaches and right-hand point breaks. You'll see monkeys (the Osa has 4 kinds), sloths, toucans and scarlet macaws from the lodge, and the nearest beach, Pan Dulce, is a 2 minute walk away. The lodge runs on solar power, has hot water on demand and ceiling fans rather than air conditioning, and asks guests to leave their phones alone and slow down. It's humid and full of insects, so come ready for real jungle.

The lodge's pool lit up at night beside thatched buildings

The yoga

The yoga shala is a two-storey building right at the edge of the ocean, under the rainforest canopy, looking over Pan Dulce Bay. The lodge offers free daily yoga classes for guests, and you can use the deck for your own practice. The spa is on the ground floor of the same building, with massage and treatments.

For groups, Encanta La Vida hosts week-long retreats and immersions led by visiting teachers, and it runs its own themed weeks, including its Salty Goddess signature week. Check the lodge's retreats page for what's coming up.

A wooden yoga deck with a mat and blanket, looking out through trees to the water

Rooms

There are 10 rooms spread around the gardens: the Jungle HideAway bungalow, the octagonal Las Brisas cabin, the Mariposa room near the pool, 3 levels of the wooden Treehouse, 2 suites in Casa Sueños, and 2 floors of Casa Olas, the closest building to the beach. All have private bathrooms with hot water, a deck or terrace, fans, solar power and Starlink Wi-Fi. Check their website for current rates and what's included.

A dining table set with candles under a thatched roof

Food and activities

The lodge describes itself as all-inclusive, with 3 meals a day made from local produce, its own eggs and fresh fish, and a saltwater pool with a bar. Tours include guided hikes and a night walk, birding, a Corcovado National Park day trip, beginner surf lessons, kayaking, dolphin and whale trips, and sport fishing.

A round pool on sand in front of thatched lodge buildings and rainforest

Who it suits (and who it doesn't)

Encanta La Vida suits nature lovers, surfers and small groups who want a quiet base with daily yoga and a lot of wildlife. It suits you less if you want a busy yoga schedule, air conditioning or a town to walk to. For other places in the south, see the South Pacific section of where to do yoga in Costa Rica, and for help comparing retreats, read how to choose a yoga retreat in Costa Rica.

A bed under a white mosquito net in a bright room with a wooden floor

Getting there

The quickest way is a domestic flight of about 40 minutes from San José to Puerto Jiménez, then a taxi of about 30 minutes to the lodge on a gravel road. Driving from San José takes most of a day. The lodge's office in Puerto Jiménez can help arrange transfers.

A double bed under a mosquito net in a thatched cabin