I have found that since there are not many flights and most people are coming from the same area, coordinating travel makes the most sense. We will be sharing more as people begin to look at flights so you can choose the same ones into San Jose, from San Jose to Cobano, and then we will coordinate taxi pickup. 4 people can fit in a taxi and you can split the approximately $50 trip between you. 

You will be flying into San Jose (Juan Santamaría International Airport “SJO”). From there, you’ll take a smaller, domestic plane to Cobano airport:

Please visit Sansa Air or Green Airways to purchase tickets. Green Airways is my personal recommendation.  It is a 25 minute flight from San Jose International Airport (SJO) to Cobano Airport (ACO/MRAF). 

You can check their schedules and book your tickets online. If their schedule does not fit your itinerary, another good option is to charter a plane, which becomes monetarily convenient also when it is 4+ people. A private charter has more luggage allowance than the 30 pounds that are allowed per person by the local domestic airlines.

*When purchasing your tickets I recommend taking an early flight to San Jose, allowing at least 2 hours to go through customs before your short flight to Cobano, and then taking a taxi to our retreat site. You will need to book both flights ahead.

1. When you get to San Jose you will go through immigration with the forms they gave you on the plane. It will ask you where you are staying, you can write Sunrise Mountain, Mal Pais. (For ease, please bring a blue or black pen to fill out the form, plus you will need it for journaling 😊). The Immigration Officer may ask how long you are staying in CR and/or your occupation.

2. Next, you’ll go through baggage claim (if you checked bags) and then customs where they will scan your bags and collect your immigration form.

3. Once you are done with customs you will go outside through the doors in front of you. There are signs and it’s very clear. 

4. Out of the door you will go left. Ignore all of people trying to get you in a taxi. You don’t need one. Stay on the sidewalk on the left side of the road. When you hit the corner of the main road, make a left and continue down the sidewalk. You will see a brand new building for domestic flights. You can’t miss it.

7. Once they call you, you will walk up to the desk, hand in your pass, and walk out onto the runway. Enjoy your flight! 

8. When you land you will collect your bags and walk into the airport. From there you can find your taxi driver. The roads to the retreat center are now mainly paved which is a big difference from years ago! Enjoy your smooth ride and take in the sites of rural Costa Rica!

Upon your Arrival to Your Villa

Check-in time is 2pm. Once we all have our travel plans, we will talk about where to meet if some guest arrive earlier than that! The address to the retreat center in Mal Pais will be sent out closer to the retreat in a private email. 

Our first meal together will be dinner and we will have an opening circle and gentle  “de-planing” class following dinner.

Is the water safe to drink?

Our Villas offer filtered drinking water. If you bring a reusable water bottle you have unlimited access to great drinking water throughout the retreat.

What’s different about the toilets in Costa Rica?

Costa Rican plumbing is not as powerful as in the US. Instead of flushing your toilet paper, you dispose of it in the trashcans provided. You will see signs as reminders.

Is there WiFi?

Yes, there is WiFi throughout the property.

Can I place cellular calls to the States with my smart phone?

Because a strong WiFi signal is available at our villa, you can use WiFi calling to make phone calls back to the United States. All major cell phone carriers now support WiFi calling. For more information on the subject click here. If you have an iPhone, you can click here for specific info about your phone.

Do I need to bring an adapter to charge my phone?

No, you will not need to bring an outlet adapter in order to power or charge your devices such as cell phones or laptops. Costa Rica uses standard 110 volt outlets like we have in the U.S. Once in awhile there may be a short power surge where power is lost.

Do I need to pack my yoga mat?

No. The Yoga Shala provides wonderful yoga mats and props.

Do I need to bring shampoo and conditioner?

Each bathroom supplies organic shampoo, conditioner, and soap.

What if I don’t speak Spanish?

Most of the people you will meet speak English. Even so, a few simple Spanish phrases go a long way in creating relationships. There is an excellent app called SpanishDict available on iPhone or Android that you can use to translate phrases.

Current CDC Travel Guidelines

Click here to go to their website.

What’s the weather like in Costa Rica?

We are traveling at the end of the dry season. It can rain for about 1 hour each day in the afternoon but it is welcome and cools things off wonderfully. It will be in the 80’s all week getting only a little cooler at night.

Are the rooms air conditioned?

Yes. Air conditioning and fans are inside each room.

Are there safes in the rooms?

Each room has a safe for your valuables. Even though our property is a safe place, it is always recommended that you keep your valuables locked in the safe. There is security at night as well as cameras on the property.

Are meals & excursions included in the price of the retreat?

Our meals are covered for the week as well as the sunset dinner and all excursions listed on the site.

How does the tipping work?

At the end of the week you will have an opportunity to tip our chef as well as the housekeeping staff. All other tips and taxes are included in your stay.

• Passport

• Purse/handbag

• Books

• Camera

• Laptop

In case of limited space on the smaller plane, you may be required to check your luggage.

This allotment is less than usual, but don’t worry! We will be in a warm climate and  beach attire is lightweight!

Suitcases can be heavy. I purchased this backpack/ duffle from Patagonia. It weighs only 1 pound and fits the measurements allowed on the smaller plane. We are allowed 30 pounds, but I found I only packed 20 pounds and didn’t even use everything I brought.

Here is my recommended list and you can look HERE for another detailed list of what to pack and bring. Note: some of the things in this article you will not need because we will not be at high elevation.

• Yoga clothes
• Bathing suits
• Sarongs or beach/sun dresses
• Shorts
• T-shirts and/or tank tops
• A sarong can double as a towel, dress, and coverup so they are a staple for me.
• Sun hat
• Sunglasses. You may want something nicer to wear for dinners in the evening.
• A light rain jacket
• Flip Flops or Sandals
• Shoes for hiking
• Rash guard or long sleeve easy drying shirt for swimming and surfing
• Sunscreen (it is more expensive in Costa Rica and they have less choices)
• Bug spray
• Phone charger,
• Reusable water bottle
• Any supplements or medicines that you regularly take. I recommend Nutribiotic’s Defense Plus, a boost for your immune system while traveling.

• 8-9:30am Yoga and Meditation

• 9:30am Breakfast

• Excursion / Workshop / Beach / Downtime

• 1:30pm Lunch

• Excursion / Workshop / Beach / Downtime

• 5:45pm SUNSET

• 7pm Dinner