Aug 28, 2024 • 0 min read
30.08.2024 - 11:28 / lonelyplanet.com / Santa Teresa
Aug 29, 2024 • 6 min read
Wellness comes in all forms in Costa Rica, where you can visit world-class yoga retreats, relax in spas that mix modern methodologies with ancient traditions, and experience a spectacular surf scene.
All of this comes with a stunning backdrop of tropical rainforests, palm-fringed beaches, and volcanic national parks. No wonder the Ticos watchword is pura vida (literally, "pure life").
Take a cue from the long-living Blue Zone dwellers – disconnect from your devices, reconnect with nature, and nourish your mind, body and soul.
Whether you’ve got two days or two weeks, there’s a wellness retreat in Costa Rica for you. Here are our top picks.
Best for getting in the Blue Zone
Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula is one of the world’s five Blue Zones, famed for their healthiest, longest-living populations.
Now beachfront Nantipa, in Nicoya’s laid-back boho surf town of Santa Teresa, has tapped into the locals’ healthy habits and added concepts of Blue Mind – the therapeutic effects of being in and around water – to create Blue Wellness journeys.
What Blue Zones around the globe have in common are a predominantly plant-based diet (expect lots of beans), daily exercise, socializing, and spending time in nature.
At Nantipa, your personalized wellness journey could include yoga, volunteering at a turtle hatchery, and a rainforest hike or horseback-ride along the beach, before indulging in seasonal local produce. The Numu spa uses superfoods in its treatments, too – avocado wrap, anyone?
Best for going back to nature
Embrace the pura vida at Finca Luna Nueva. Close to La Fortuna – the gateway to Volcán Arenal – this sprawling biodynamic farm is a pioneer of regenerative agriculture, with rooms and suites handcrafted from fallen trees and bamboo, and a wellness program that mixes yoga retreats, holistic workshops and nature-based activities.
Explore the rainforest trails, discover the potential healing properties of herbs, and take the farm tour to see – and taste – the results of the biodynamic process.
Then head to the spa for some chocolate therapy, wallow in the solar-heated hot tub or ozonated pool, and salute the sun from the bamboo yoga platform before a farm-to-table feast.
Best for laid-back beach yogis
Yoga and surfing are a wellness match made in heaven, from boosting balance and core strength to lowering stress hormones.
And you can catch a wave year-round at certified B-Corp, Bodhi (meaning "awakening" in Sanskrit) in Bahia Ballena, close to the under-the-radar beach town of Uvita.
The seven- or 14-night surf-and-yoga camps are limited to 10 guests and, as well as improving your asanas and wave-riding skills (beginners welcome) it’s big on experiences.
Take a stroll to the Parque Nacional
Aug 28, 2024 • 0 min read
It has been a very eventful summer and we're all sad to see it go. As we soak up these final days in the sun, endless deals from some of our favorite travel-friendly brands are here to help you prepare for pumpkin spice season. Labor Day sales are in full swing and that means steep discounts on fall-ready clothing, new footwear, outdoor gear, beauty products, and more. We've rounded up all the top deals for travelers, whether you're looking to refresh your fall wardrobe, prep for autumn camping trips, or restock your skincare essentials. There are plenty of deals to shop now through the weekend—and some even running through mid-September. Below, find the best Labor Day sales from Brooklinen, Calpak, Cozy Earth, Monos, and more.
Aug 27, 2024 • 8 min read
We spend a lot of time discussing the best credit cards for various earning categories. We have entire articles dedicated to the best credit cards for gas, supermarkets, cruises and more. We also have a guide to the best credit cards for dining.
While we love earning travel rewards here at TPG, there's also some real value in using a cash-back credit card to earn cold, hard cash back in your pocket. There are several cards that will give you a solid 2% cash back on every single purchase you make — with hardly any effort.
Aug 23, 2024 • 7 min read
Aug 23, 2024 • 0 min read
Aug 23, 2024 • 7 min read
I've been invited to more bachelorette parties than I can count.
Aug 21, 2024 • 10 min read
I've taken all sorts of Amtrak train rides in various classes. In 2021, I finally booked the top option.
As interest in visiting Porto only grows stronger, visitors are finding even more things to do in the city. What was once seen for many as a short trip is becoming a longer break, with exploration outside of the city centre and into neighboring areas. Porto may be Portugal’s second largest city—after Lisbon—but it did give the country its name from the Roman Portus Cale. Centuries later, the city became famous for port, its “divine nectar of the Gods,” tastings of which are highly recommended in any of the port lodges lining the riverside in Vila Nova de Gaia. From there, look across the Douro at Porto’s colorful jumble of medieval houses, soaring church towers, and glossy blue-and-white tiled façades. Here, our selection of the best things to do in Porto can help you weave your way through the city, dipping into its sights, sounds, tastes, and smells to better get under its skin. To be sure, Porto will get under yours too.