Waves & Wellness Surf Retreat in Jacó, Costa Rica

The Waves & Wellness Surf Retreat is a five-day wellness retreat in Jacó, Puntarenas, Costa Rica, that pairs daily surf lessons with yoga, Yoga Nidra, Tibetan singing bowl sound healing and a cacao ceremony. It is open to complete beginners and experienced surfers alike, and to anyone who wants a week of ocean, movement and rest in one place. Yoga teacher Marta Diaz of Om & Flow Yoga and surf coach Jefferson Tascón lead it, and the group stays at Villa Alma Dulce.

What to Expect

Days follow a steady rhythm of movement, water and stillness. Morning begins at 8:00 with yoga and meditation, shaped to support surfing through mobility, balance and body awareness. After breakfast comes the first surf session at 10:00. Lunch is at 13:00, and the second surf session starts at 15:00.

At 18:00 the evening practice changes from day to day: a cacao ceremony, a healing sound meditation or a mindfulness meditation. Dinner follows at 19:00, and the day closes at 20:00 with Yoga Nidra, the guided "yogic sleep" practice that brings the body into deep rest while the mind stays gently aware. This is a sample day, and the retreat as a whole runs four nights and five days.

The sound session uses Tibetan singing bowls, rooted in Tibetan and Himalayan traditions. The cacao ceremony draws on Mesoamerican practice, with ceremonial-grade cacao, meditation, reflection and intention-setting.

About Marta Diaz

Marta Diaz founded Om & Flow Yoga and has taught yoga for nine years across several styles. She is a Yoga Nidra facilitator, Reiki master and Tibetan singing bowl sound therapist. Originally from Estonia, she developed her teaching during extended stays in Japan and Thailand, and she is now based in Costa Rica. Her mentor Bettina Kahlert was a student of B.K.S. Iyengar and Pattabhi Jois. Marta leads the yoga, meditation, Yoga Nidra, sound and cacao sessions.

About Jefferson Tascón

Jefferson Tascón is a surf coach, competitive surfer and surfboard shaper based in Jacó. He has spent more than twenty years in the water, has lived in Costa Rica since childhood, and is the Costa Rican National Champion in the SUP Surf division. He founded JT Surfboards, where he handcrafts custom boards. His knowledge of the local breaks and conditions shapes the lessons, which are personalized and paced to each surfer, whether it is a first wave or a refinement of technique.

The Setting

Villa Alma Dulce sits between rainforest and the golden shores of Jacó, a private villa where mornings begin with birdsong. Rooms are offered as a private room, a private room for two guests, a shared twin room or a shared quadruple room. Three vegetarian meals are served each day, and vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free needs can usually be met with advance notice.

Guests fly into San José International Airport (SJO). Transfers to and from the airport are included, and pick-up times are coordinated with everyone's flights.

Before You Go

No surfing or yoga experience is needed. Lessons and classes are adapted to each person, with assistant instructors in the water. You do need basic swimming skills, though not strong swimming. Surfboards and all lesson equipment are provided, so there is no surf gear to bring.

Included are the four nights at the villa, daily yoga, daily meditation and Yoga Nidra, two guided surf sessions a day, the sound healing session, the cacao ceremony, all meals and the airport transfers. Groups are small, and many guests come on their own.