Samasati Retreat, near Puerto Viejo

Samasati is a yoga and wellness retreat on a forested hillside above the South Caribbean coast, about 20 minutes by car from Puerto Viejo. Its wooden casitas sit inside a 250-acre rainforest property, most of which has been a legally declared private biological reserve since 1996. Come for quiet, forest walks, yoga and vegetarian food, with the beaches and Afro-Caribbean culture of Puerto Viejo close enough for a day out.

At a glance

Where it is

Samasati sits up a steep mountain road above the coast, and its FAQ puts the nearest beach about 15 minutes away by shuttle, in Puerto Viejo. You don’t need a 4×4: the retreat runs its own four-wheel-drive shuttle up and down the hill, and guests driving ordinary cars can leave them at a secure parking area at the base.

From Juan Santamaría airport in San José, the drive takes four to six hours through the mountains of Braulio Carrillo National Park, depending on traffic and stops. Shared shuttles run to Puerto Viejo, or you can fly about 30 minutes to Limón and continue by road for roughly 45 minutes. Check-in runs from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., and the entrance gate closes at 9 p.m., so plan arrival times carefully.

A reserve before a resort

According to Samasati’s About page, the retreat was built with simple hand tools and minimal clearing. Construction wood came from two sources: trees on the property that had fallen naturally, cut on the spot with a permit from the environment ministry and hauled out by oxen rather than machines, and young plantation timber from the Central Valley. The buildings follow Afro-Caribbean design principles, with roofs and openings shaped to catch breezes and shed rain, so there is no air conditioning anywhere.

Since 1996, 80% of the land has been declared a private biological reserve, and the retreat says no exotic plants or animals have been introduced. Other practices it reports:

• Rainwater captured from the roofs, filtered and used throughout the property
• A custom wastewater treatment system designed by a sanitation engineer
• Biodegradable cleaning and personal care products
• Chemical-free fruit and vegetables in the kitchen, with food scraps composted or sent to a neighboring farm
• Recycling of plastic and glass, and energy-efficient lighting
• Most staff, from guides to massage therapists, hired from the surrounding area

Where you’ll sleep

The lodging page describes two kinds of accommodation. The Guest House has five adjoining private rooms, each with two single beds or a double, sharing separate men’s and women’s bathrooms and a terrace with hammocks. It’s the budget option and a good fit for solo travelers.

The casitas are wooden cottages built from reclaimed local wood, 50 to 150 meters from the restaurant and reception, each with a private bathroom and a veranda looking over forest, sea or both. There are five loft bungalows sleeping up to four, couples bungalows with a king or queen bed and a futon, and a two-level family bungalow with two separate units. Rainforest-view casitas are more secluded; sea-view ones are closer to the pool and restaurant. There are no TVs, and Wi-Fi works only in the restaurant and lounge, where the hillside signal can be slow.

Days at Samasati

Most guests come to switch off. The retreat schedules yoga, breathwork and meditation sessions, and promotes forest bathing on its trails. There’s a pool with Caribbean views, a jacuzzi, a spa offering massages and scrubs made with coconut oil, local salt, aloe and Costa Rican cacao, and a waterfall with a swimming hole on the property. Samasati also hosts group retreats run by visiting teachers.

The retreat’s tours page lists a guided nature trek or night hike inside the reserve, a cacao ceremony led by the resident yoga teacher that touches on Bribri cosmology, and outside trips with local operators: a jungle adventure day with river canyoning, tree climbing and zip lines, a canopy tour that uses quieter carbon-fiber cables, and a visit to Bribri communities in the Talamanca indigenous territory with a stop at a waterfall and a chocolate tasting.

Cahuita National Park, with its coastal trail and coral reef, is a short drive north, and the beaches of Cocles and Punta Uva lie south of Puerto Viejo.

Food

The restaurant is vegetarian, using local recipes and regional produce. Fish or chicken can be added at any meal for an extra charge, and the kitchen can handle vegan, gluten-free and sugar-free diets if you let them know ahead of time. Guests can book all-inclusive packages or just a room and add meals, yoga, hikes and massages separately.

Wildlife

The retreat’s wildlife page says well over 200 bird species have been recorded on the property. Commonly reported sightings include two- and three-toed sloths, howler and capuchin monkeys, green-and-black poison dart frogs, iguanas, blue morpho butterflies, chestnut-mandibled toucans and red-legged honeycreepers, along with kinkajous and, more rarely, small wild cats such as margays and ocelots. A local naturalist leads walks on the trails. As with any rainforest stay, you’ll share space with insects, spiders and the occasional snake, and a flashlight is mandatory on the paths after 4 p.m.

Who it suits, and who might not enjoy it

Samasati suits people who want peace, nature and a wellness routine more than nightlife. The lodge says most of its guests come to de-stress or work through a life transition, and the atmosphere reflects that. Birders and anyone curious about Bribri culture will also find plenty to do.

It’s not ideal if you want to walk to the beach, need air conditioning, or rely on fast internet. Nonrefundable deposits are another thing to weigh before booking. If you’d rather stay closer to the sand, Geckoes Lodge and Finca Tierra in Cocles are good alternatives. See more options in our Caribbean guide, and read our guide to community and indigenous ecotourism before visiting Talamanca.