Great Yoga Teacher Training Centers in Costa Rica

Update, November 2026: We've checked every school on this 2015 list again. Anamaya and Marianne Wells Yoga School still run trainings; Danyasa and Samasati are open but now mainly host retreats; the Nosara Yoga Institute was sold around 2016; and we found no sign that Pavones Yoga Center still operates. For the full, current picture of trainings across the country, see our guide to yoga teacher training in Costa Rica.

Costa Rica is a popular place to train as a yoga teacher: you live, eat and study in one place for 2 to 4 weeks, usually close to the beach or the forest. Most courses follow Yoga Alliance's 200-hour standard. Before you book, ask the school for its Yoga Alliance listing and check it yourself in the Yoga Alliance directory; it takes a couple of minutes. Here's what's happened to the six centers we listed in 2015.

Anamaya Resort, Montezuma

Still running trainings. Anamaya is a hillside yoga resort above the village of Montezuma, on the southern Nicoya Peninsula. It runs 200-hour trainings led by visiting teachers, which its site says last about 3 to 4 weeks and lead to Yoga Alliance certification. Lodging, three organic meals a day, excursions and course materials are included. See anamaya.com for upcoming dates.

Danyasa Eco-Retreat, Dominical

Open, but no longer a regular training school. Danyasa is an adults-only yoga center and eco-hotel near the surf beach at Dominical, on the south Pacific coast. It once ran its own Danyasa Yoga Arts trainings; today it mainly hosts retreats and trainings led by visiting teachers, so ask it what's scheduled. Website: danyasa.com.

Marianne Wells Yoga School, Nosara

Still a training school, but it has moved. When we first wrote this, its trainings were held in Cahuita on the Caribbean coast. Its Costa Rica courses are now held in Nosara, at Bodhi Tree Yoga Resort or Finca Austria, and the school describes itself as a registered Yoga Alliance school. It also splits a 300-hour course into three 100-hour modules. Check its calendar for Costa Rica dates, as some recent sessions have been in other countries. More in our Marianne Wells profile.

Nosara Yoga Institute, Nosara

Sold around 2016 and no longer runs as it did. It was founded by Don and Amba Stapleton and was one of the best-known training schools in the country for two decades. Our Nosara Yoga Institute profile keeps the history.

Pavones Yoga Center, Pavones

We found no sign that it still operates, and its old website address no longer belongs to it. See our Pavones Yoga Center profile for what it offered.

Samasati Nature Retreat, Caribbean coast

Open as a retreat. Samasati is a rainforest yoga retreat on a hillside about 20 minutes from Puerto Viejo, on the southern Caribbean coast. It used to host trainings by visiting schools, but its site lists none now. It still hosts yoga retreats led by visiting teachers and personal stays. Website: samasati.com.

Frequently asked questions

How long is a yoga teacher training in Costa Rica?

Most 200-hour residential trainings run 2 to 4 weeks, with long days of classes, practice and study. Some schools also offer 100 or 300-hour courses.

How do I check that a training is Yoga Alliance registered?

Ask the school for its listing, then search for it yourself in the Yoga Alliance directory at yogaalliance.org.

Which of these schools still run trainings?

As of November 2026, Anamaya runs 200-hour trainings in Montezuma and Marianne Wells Yoga School runs courses in Nosara. Danyasa and Samasati mainly host retreats now.

Is the Nosara Yoga Institute still open?

Not as it was. It was sold around 2016 and no longer runs the trainings it was known for.

[Updated on: 4 November 2026]