Do you usually need a vacation from your vacation when you get home? Maybe it’s time for a holiday where you really relax. Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge in Costa Rica is just the place.
Article by Shannon Farley
There’s a tendency sometimes when we go on vacation to pack in so much activity that when we get home, we need a vacation from our vacation.
Really relaxing – as in, doing nearly nothing – is underrated but quite often what we need most.
If you’re ready for a really relaxing vacation, where you slow way down and even digitally detox, Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge in Costa Rica is the place for you. It’s located an hour’s small plane flight from the capital city of San Jose in the southern end of the country by the famously beautiful Osa Peninsula.
Reachable only by boat along the gentle gulf of Golfo Dulce, Nicuesa Lodge rests on an emerald coast with jade-blue water where dolphins and turtles swim freely. It is breathtaking and remote. The completely sustainable ecolodge has been described as “luxury glamping with all the amenities” and is a very comfortable repose in the jungle. There’s limited Wi-Fi – free in the main lodge area – and no televisions on the property, so guests are encouraged to completely unplug, relax and enjoy the richness of the world around them.
While there certainly are plenty of activities and adventures at Nicuesa Lodge – hiking trails in the private 165-acre rainforest reserve, wildlife spotting, bird watching, swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, fishing, boat tours, mangrove river tours, waterfall swimming, chocolate making, and more – there are just as many ways to have a relaxing vacation. Take advantage of the Green Season special offer of one free night with a minimum stay of three or more nights, through Sept. 30.
Enjoy a yoga class in front of the beach
Playa Nicuesa Lodge hosts year-round resident yoga instructors who offer daily morning and afternoon yoga sessions, in a group or privately, on the covered yoga platform fronting the ocean.
Get a massage by the sea
Yoga instructors are also certified massage therapists trained to give a variety of therapeutic massages. You can get a massage in the privacy of your cabin or on the yoga platform while being soothed by the sounds of waves and the rainforest.
For information about the current yoga instructor and massage therapist, click here.
Relax at the beach
Lose yourself in a good book or simply enjoy the sights and sounds of the rainforest while gazing at the peaceful gulf. By the water’s edge, Nicuesa Lodge has loungers and other seating on a large wooden deck shaded by trees where Scarlet Macaws like to frequent. Other loungers front the narrow lagoon bordering the pebble and sand beach. Or, take in the sun while sitting on the dock of the bay, swinging your legs and feet off the end like a kid. If you get hot, just jump into the cool water.
World-class hammock relaxing
At the beach under a palm or almond tree, or in the main lodge surrounded by rainforest, you can indulge in some world-class hammock relaxing at Nicuesa.
Take an afternoon siesta
Especially during the rainy season, the afternoons are a perfect time for a nap in your private cabin or guest room. Let the staccato beat of the tropical rain lull you to sleep.
Peacefully Meditate
Be mindful and silent in peaceful meditation on your room’s private deck or balcony, or at the yoga platform by the beach. Or, go for a quick and energetic hike up to the treetop lookout platform in the forest where you can meditate surrounded by powerful rainforest energy.
