Retreat Centers
Samasati Nature Retreat
Samasati is a yoga and wellness retreat on 250 acres of rainforest above the southern Caribbean coast, about 20 minutes from Puerto Viejo. You can book a personal stay or join a retreat led by a visiting teacher, so it suits anyone who wants yoga, forest trails and vegetarian food with the Caribbean beaches close by.
Samasati is a yoga retreat and eco-lodge on a forested hillside above the southern Caribbean coast, between Cahuita and Puerto Viejo, in Limón province. It sits within about 250 acres of rainforest, most of it declared a private biological reserve in 1996, and several buildings look out over the trees to the sea. It has hosted yoga retreats for decades, and in November 2026 its website was live and taking bookings.
Ways to stay
- A personal retreat, any time of year, from 3 nights. You choose your dates, and Samasati shapes your days around yoga, meditation, breathwork, massage and guided walks.
- Retreats led by visiting teachers. Its calendar for 2027 included a 30-day, 200-hour yoga teacher training run by the Abhyasa School of Yoga in January and a week-long retreat in April. Check the school's Yoga Alliance listing yourself before you enroll in any training; our guide to yoga teacher training in Costa Rica shows how.
- Hosting your own group, with rooms, meals and the yoga space included.
Check their website for current dates and rates.
Rooms
There are 2 kinds of lodging. The Guest House has 5 simple private rooms with 2 shared bathrooms (one for men, one for women) and a terrace, which suits solo travelers on a budget. The casitas are wooden Caribbean-style cottages built from local reclaimed wood, each with a private bathroom and a veranda facing the rainforest or the sea; they range from couples' bungalows to loft bungalows that sleep 4 and a 2-level family bungalow. There's no air conditioning (the rooms are screened and catch the breeze) and no TVs. There's a pool and a hot tub.
Food
The kitchen is vegetarian and cooks with local recipes and ingredients. Vegan, gluten-free and other diets can be handled if you tell them before you arrive, and fish or chicken is available at extra cost.
The area
Trails through the reserve lead to waterfalls and a swimming hole, and birding is good. A shuttle takes guests down to Puerto Viejo, about 15 to 20 minutes away, for the beaches, cafés and markets; Cahuita National Park, with its reef and beach trail, is also close. The Caribbean has a different weather pattern from the Pacific, with drier spells in February to March and September to October, which makes it a good choice when the Pacific is at its wettest. Puerto Viejo's best-known wave, Salsa Brava, is for experienced surfers; our yoga and surf guide covers easier waves elsewhere.
Who it suits (and who it doesn't)
Samasati suits you if you want a quiet base in nature with yoga, good vegetarian food and the beach a short ride away, and it's a calm setting for a teacher training. It's less suited to anyone who needs air conditioning or wants to walk out of the door to the beach. For other centers on this coast, see the Caribbean section of our guide to where to do yoga in Costa Rica, and to compare retreat weeks, read how to choose a yoga retreat in Costa Rica.
Getting there
From San José airport (SJO) it's 4 to 6 hours by car, private taxi or shuttle, over the mountains and then south along the coast. You can also fly from San José to Limón in about 30 to 35 minutes, then take a 40 to 45 minute shuttle. A 4x4 shuttle takes guests up the steep road to the retreat, and there's secure parking at the bottom if you drive. Arrive in daylight if you can.
Website: Samasati
Frequently asked questions
Where is Samasati Nature Retreat?
On a rainforest hillside above the southern Caribbean coast, between Cahuita and Puerto Viejo, about 15 to 20 minutes from Puerto Viejo.
Can I stay at Samasati without joining a group retreat?
Yes. It offers personal retreats all year, with a 3-night minimum.
Is the food at Samasati vegetarian?
Yes. The kitchen is vegetarian and can cater for vegan and gluten-free diets, with fish or chicken available at extra cost.
Do I need a 4x4 to reach Samasati?
No. A 4x4 shuttle takes guests up the hill, and there's secure parking at the bottom.
Does Samasati host yoga teacher trainings?
Visiting schools run them there. Its calendar listed a 200-hour training by the Abhyasa School of Yoga for January 2027.
[Updated on: 4 November 2026]
