Anamaya Resort is a clifftop yoga and wellness retreat above the beach town of Montezuma, at the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, with 14 named rooms and cabinas looking over the jungle to the Pacific. Formerly known as Anamaya Yoga Retreat, it runs week-long retreats, yoga teacher trainings and stays with daily classes, organic meals and a saltwater infinity pool. Stay here if a retreat week with ocean views, waterfalls nearby and food grown partly on its own farm is what you have in mind.
At a glance
| Location | Hillside above Montezuma, southern Nicoya Peninsula, Puntarenas |
|---|---|
| Style | Yoga and wellness retreat center with 14 rooms and cabinas |
| Setting | Jungle-covered cliff with wide Pacific views |
| Best for | Yoga students, retreat groups, teacher trainees and wellness-minded couples |
| Getting there | Short flight to Tambor or Cobano, then a brief drive; or road and ferry from San José |
| CST status | Not in the official CST directory on 2026-Oct-21 |
Where it is
Montezuma is a small, laid-back beach village on the southern Nicoya coast, known for its waterfalls and for the Cabo Blanco nature reserve a short drive west. Anamaya sits on the hill above the village, so the town, beaches and the Montezuma waterfall trail are all close by while the property itself stays quiet. The resort says Santa Teresa and Mal País are about 25 minutes away.
The usual route in is a flight from San José or Liberia to the Cobano or Tambor airstrip, about 25 minutes in the air according to the resort, followed by a short drive. Road travelers from San José take the ferry across the Gulf of Nicoya. The Nicoya Peninsula is one of the world’s five Blue Zones identified by author Dan Buettner, places where people commonly live into their nineties and beyond, and Anamaya leans into that story in its food and wellness programs.
How it started
The resort’s own account, in a February 2026 article by co-founder Kelsey, says it opened in 2009, started by three near-strangers with no hotel experience. It began with a handful of rooms and grew slowly: what is now the gift shop was once the office, and the current reception was once a parking area. The name, from Sanskrit, is usually translated as “free from disease”.
Rooms and cabinas
The accommodations page lists 14 named rooms, from the Ganesh, Shiva and Dharma rooms near the main lodge to private cabinas such as the Jungle, Bali, Gaia and Ananda cabinas and the Garuda Tower. The resort says most have ocean views. All have air conditioning, ceiling fans and organic cotton or bamboo sheets, and the resort describes using non-toxic building materials, organic fabrics and work by local artisans throughout. A property map on the page shows how the rooms spread down the hillside, so ask for one close to the main deck if stairs are a concern.
Food
According to the cuisine page, meals are included on retreats, the food is fully gluten-free and made without white sugar, and dairy is kept to a minimum. Fish and chicken are served but no red meat, and vegetarian dishes are cooked separately. Fish is caught in the waters in front of the resort, and almost everything else is local and organic. Much of the produce, especially greens, comes from Anamaya’s farm, Rancho Delicioso, and some herbs and vegetables grow on the property itself. Chefs plate meals in an open kitchen where guests can watch, and weekly cooking classes are part of the program.
Yoga, retreats and wellness
Daily practice happens in an open-air shala looking out to sea, with morning classes and restorative sessions in the evening. Most guests come for a scheduled retreat; the retreats page lists week-long programs run Saturday to Saturday by visiting teachers, on themes from somatic work and breathwork to general wellness, as well as Yoga Alliance 200-hour teacher trainings. Outside teachers can also bring their own groups.
Beyond yoga, there’s a spa offering massage and natural skin treatments, the saltwater infinity pool, an infrared sauna and a cold plunge. The resort also sells a menu of health testing and therapies, from heart rate variability readings to red light and oxygen sessions. Evenings sometimes bring fire dancing, aerial silks or live music. Excursions booked at reception include surfing, waterfall hikes, canopy tours, horseback riding, snorkeling, diving and sea kayaking.
National Geographic named Anamaya one of its Best of the World wellness experiences for 2026, praising a staff-to-guest ratio of about 1 to 1.5, according to the resort.
Nature around Montezuma
The Montezuma waterfalls are a short walk from town, and Cabo Blanco, one of Costa Rica’s oldest protected areas, lies at the tip of the peninsula a short drive away. Howler monkeys, white-faced capuchins and coastal birds are common in the area, though no sighting is ever certain.
Sustainability
Anamaya doesn’t publish a formal sustainability program or energy and water figures, and it isn’t in the official CST directory. Its environmental case rests on what it serves and how it built: a largely local, organic menu, its own farm supplying produce, fish caught locally, non-toxic materials and organic linens. That’s a real commitment in the kitchen, but travelers looking for a certified eco-lodge with documented conservation work should know the difference.
Who it suits
Anamaya is built for people who want a structured retreat week, a yoga teacher training, or a calm base with daily classes, healthy food and ocean views. Couples on a wellness trip and solo travelers joining a group both do well here.
It’s less suited to travelers who want a full-service beach resort, a big nature reserve on the doorstep, or children’s facilities. Anyone avoiding stairs should ask about room placement. For other stays nearby, compare Luz en el Cielo in Montezuma, see all our Southern Nicoya eco-lodges, or read our roundup of yoga retreats in Costa Rica. The official website is anamaya.com.
Frequently asked questions
What wellness options are there besides yoga?
The resort has a spa for massage and skin treatments, an infrared sauna, a cold plunge and a saltwater infinity pool. It also offers paid health testing and therapies, such as heart rate variability readings and red light sessions.
What food does Anamaya serve?
Meals are gluten-free, made without white sugar and low in dairy. Fish and chicken are served, red meat isn't, and vegetarian and vegan diets are catered for. Much of the produce comes from the resort's own farm.
Do I have to join a retreat to stay at Anamaya?
Retreats are the core of the calendar, and most weeks run Saturday to Saturday with a visiting teacher. Check the retreat calendar for the week you want, or ask the resort about stays outside a set program.
How do I get to Anamaya from San José?
The quickest way is a domestic flight to the Cobano or Tambor airstrip, about 25 minutes, then a short drive to Montezuma. By road, allow most of a day including the ferry across the Gulf of Nicoya.
