Why Choose Bodhi Family Surf Camp

There are many places that you and your family could travel to in this big world. There are many activities that you could focus on, or you could try a bit of everything!

So why do we think that your family should come do a family surf camp with us here in beautiful Bahia Ballena, Osa, Costa Rica?

We have compiled this blog which aims to break down the experience and what to expect if your family opts to do our Costa Rica family surf camp.

And if this doesn’t convince y’all, we encourage you to visit our TripAdvisor profile, where over 200 of our beloved guests from over the years have shared their firsthand experience or conversely, watch this video of Bodhi Family Surf Camp guest testimonials!

What is the Bodhi Family: 7 Day Family Surf Camp?

What exactly is our “Bodhi Family” vacation option? It is Bodhi Surf + Yoga’s signature Costa Rica family surf camp.

The goal of this week-long camp is to immerse you and your family in surfing; to encourage community engagement; and to provide all of you with ample opportunity to connect with one another, with nature, and with our quaint coastal Costa Rican community!

Here are a few fun facts about our Bodhi Family 7 day surf camps…

• Come when you can: we host these camps every week (Saturday-Saturday), closing only for a few weeks in October of every year, which makes it easy for your family to choose optimal dates.
• Small groups: we limit the number of guests who can join weekly to a maximum of 10 people to ensure that every person has an intimate learning experience.
• Tried and tested: we started our business in 2010, and have been improving and modifying the experiences that we offer every single year since then.
• Educational surf classes: the goal of our surf curriculum is to forge independent surfers, which is why our lessons feature verbal explanations, visual demonstrations, and plenty of practice time!
• Inclusive vacations: there are accomodation options for families as well as singles, couples, and groups of friends. We have designed the experiences that we offer to accommodate these different groupings.
• Responsible tourism: we offer you the opportunity to venture out into the community and experience it in a myriad of different ways, fostering connection and learning opportunities.
• Delicious food: food is one of the hidden gems of your stay — the food at Bodhi Surf + Yoga is impeccable (hearty, homemade, healthy), and the portions are heaping! Check out our Bodhi Cookbook to get an idea of how well you’ll be eating.

It feels like we made friends and could pull up there tomorrow to be welcomed with open arms. We were so comfortable (family of four, two teenage girls) that so looked forward to meals together and sharing humor and chats for hours. My teen was wishing we had dinner every night together

Lhp, July 2022

Is the Bodhi Surf + Yoga experience a good fit for your family?

We are a family-owned and operated business. The co-founders have young children of their own — in fact, the kids have grown up alongside the business. The vacation experience that we offer has been positively informed and affected by this, and has helped us understand how to meet the needs of families.

This family surf camp is a good choice if your family identifies with any of the following:

• Having an interest in learning: about surfing, about Costa Rican culture, about animals and nature, and so much more.
• Looking for a space to connect: with one another, with other people on-site (fellow guests, local staff, community members)
• Being open to immersing yourselves into the community of Bahia Ballena via the community walking tour, visiting local attractions and restaurants, and doing nature or culture tours
• Enjoying being physically active and in the great outdoors
• Wanting to improve your surfing, whether y’all fall anywhere between complete novice surfers to having some experience

In order to provide more specific information about why families often opt to join, we have consolidated these pertinent travel tidbits.

The Bodhi Family Surf Camp experience for families

1. The Bodhi Family surf camp is designed with your family in mind. As mentioned, we ourselves have a young family on the Bodhi Surf + Yoga co-ownership (and at the Bodhi Lodge. We have done our due diligence to create an unforgettable experience that your family will be able to share forever.
2. The family surf camp experience is, above all else, about learning. The five surf lessons themselves are designed with education in mind — and not just about surfing itself, but about the ocean, marine environment, and conservation. There is a community walking tour included which highlights information about the history, culture, and flora and fauna of Costa Rica and our community.
3. The Bodhi Lodge is a safe and homey place to relax and enjoy your vacation, worry-free. Each space is equipped with a safe, there is a gate that locks at night, and there are staff and owners who reside onsite.
4. Bodhi Surf + Yoga vacations are designed to facilitate connection to something greater, and awakening purpose! Check out the video entitled “This is Bodhi Surf + Yoga” to get a better idea of what this looks like.

Our family of four, two adults and two kids, visited Bodhi last month. All four of us came away exhilarated. It is a special place and there’s a lot of things that go into making it so – the people, the yoga, the food, the surf lessons, the amazing ocean, the general aesthetic of the space…but really, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Miraculously, the Bodhi team managed to enrich each of us, each with diverse interests – techie dad, yogini mom, sporty son and bookworm daughter.

Rashee R, March 2022

Why choose Bahia Ballena – Uvita

1. Bahia Ballena is a natural paradise. Visit this small, coastal community that is surrounded on all sides either by lush jungle, verdant mountains, or the Pacific Ocean. There truly aren’t many places left like this in the world! Check out this video to get a glimpse of the flora and fauna of the area.
2. Bahia Ballena is home to the stunning Marino Ballena National Park. The first marine park created in Central America, it’s main purpose is in the protection of the two visiting groups of humpback whales (lots of opportunity for whale watching) as well as the host of other marine flora and fauna. Bonus: if you learn to surf with Bodhi Surf + Yoga, it is within this very national park that you will be learning!
3. Proximity to high quality medical facilities. There are several high quality private clinics within a 5-minute drive from the Bodhi Surf + Yoga lodge, and several hospitals within a 30-45 minute drive.
4. The people here are just so friendly. Whether you are patronizing a local business, enjoying a tour, or simply strolling the streets, you will find that the people in our local community are kind souls who are happy to welcome you into their home.

Why visit Costa Rica

1. Costa Rica is safe, friendly, and a family-oriented country. Yes, there are risks here like anywhere else in the world, but we believe that if you prepare properly and practice good, old-fashioned common sense, the instances of any issues drop drastically. Read more about common travel risks and how to avoid them, here.
2. Costa Rica is very clean, and potable water in the majority of the country means fewer instances of getting sick. We’ve all heard of (or had personal experiences with!) getting sick in a tropical or developing country. Read more.
3. There are many outdoor activities to do in Costa Rica. It really is a playground for the adventurous family. As a surf and yoga camp, we always recommend our favorite activities to any prospective visitor to the country. Yet aside from those, there are a ton of activities and tours you can participate in. Read about the most popular ones in our area, here.
4. This country is a global leader in conservation of nature and biodiversity. There is something so refreshing about how ostensibly passionate “Ticos” are about protecting the natural resources of their beautiful country. It is refreshing to see such high value placed on something so simple yet fundamental.

Learn about our other vacation options aside from Bodhi Family Surf Camp, choose your dates based on our availability calendar, and book quickly as spaces are limited to a maximum of 10 special guests per week and fill up quickly!

What you can expect from your Bodhi Family Surf Camp

The Bodhi Family Surf Camp is the Costa Rica surf vacation option for families: week-long, set-date, semi-inclusive family surf vacations in beautiful Bahia Ballena, Osa, Costa Rica.

This Costa Rica family surf camp provides a great balance of fun and relaxation with experiential education.

You will create life-long memories together while learning to surf, experiencing the local culture and Costa Rican cuisine, and connecting to the local community.

There’s no way that your family won’t be talking about this vacation for years to come!

One of the main reasons that many Bodhi Surf + Yoga guests return again and again is that the trip is easy: Just give us your flight number, and our shuttle will be at the airport to pick you up.

Four hours later, you’ll be pulling into the Bodhi Lodge, in Bahia Ballena, Osa, Costa Rica. It is at this point that your adventure really gets going!

(FYI: Likewise, we provide a shuttle back to the airport so you don’t have to worry about the back and forth).

We are a family of four with boys ages 11 and 14. We discovered Bodhi while searching for family surf camps, and we are so incredibly glad we found them. They were a perfect fit for us and we had such a great experience that we have already booked our next vacation with them!

The grounds and accommodations are relaxing and comfortable. The staff are warm and welcoming, and we made friends with them almost immediately. We booked a family surf camp, but Bodhi was very flexible in having Anki do add-on yoga classes for the adults when we had enough energy.

Toby Ovod-Everett, December 2021

What’s included?

Our Bodhi Family Surf Camp runs Saturday to Saturday and each week includes the following:

• 5 night at the Bodhi Lodge
• 1 night in a San Jose hotel
• 5 surf lessons
• 5 breakfasts
• 3 dinners
• Snacks at surf lessons
• Walking tour of Bahia Ballena
• Waterfall visit
• Round trip transportation between San Jose and Bodhi Lodge
• Shuttle service from San Jose airport to San Jose hotel
• National Park entrance fees for surf lessons
• Travelers’ Philanthropy donation

Also, you get the benefit of staying at a quaint lodge with a group of passionate individuals, many of whom have lived in the community of Bahia Ballena for decades and who have lots of local knowledge to share.

Opportunities for independence

There is a great deal of flexibility in the Bodhi Family Surf Camp to allow you to do other activities while you’re in this amazing place.

Our ethos here at Bodhi Surf + Yoga is one of responsible travel. We have opted to be semi-inclusive so that our visiting guests get out into the community and visit its shops, supermarkets, and restaurants.

We have a ton of recommendations for meals to eat out and activities to participate in. Moreover, we are here (literally onsite) to help. All you need to do is ask!

There is no better way to experience connection with a place than by immersing yourself in it!

The community of Bahia Ballena – Uvita is mostly comprised of small, family-owned and operated businesses. Guests provide a big economic benefit to our community by patronizing these businesses.

Offsite meals and activities

For any meals that are not included, options abound. Bungalow Gratitud (our best family accommodation option), has a kitchenette, so you can purchase ingredients at any of the nearby supermarkets.

There are also a great many restaurants in our area. Some of these are within walking distance while others which are accessible by taxi.

If you’re interested in squeezing the juice out of your vacation, note that there is ample time to do activities outside of the surf schedule. As mentioned above, there is plenty to choose from!

We came home from our trip to Bodhi Surf and Yoga 2 months ago and I still think about it everyday. It is a perfect vacation with your family especially if you care about travelling responsibly. My partner and I travelled with our 9 year old and 5 year old and our friends with their 9 year old. Some of us usually vacation camping and some of us usually vacation in fancy resorts and we were all delighted by what Bodhi Surf and Yoga had to offer. The staff took such good care of us, was flexible with our schedules and plans and helped us to coordinate additional outings like a rainforest night hike.

Alexis J, November 2021

Bodhi Family daily schedule

The following breakdown is designed to give you an idea of what to expect!

Note that this is a sample schedule, as exact times of activities are subject to change. The surfing component of our schedule requires us to change it weekly, around the tides and wave conditions.

Saturday (Day 1)

Guests may arrive to Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) in San Jose, Costa Rica, at any time on the first Saturday of camp.

The first night of lodging (Saturday) is at a hotel near the airport, and is included in the camp. Transportation to the hotel is included, provided by the hotel itself.

Dinner on the first night is on your own. You can dine at the delicious hotel restaurant, or go to a nearby restaurant.

Sunday (Day 2)

You may your first breakfast in Costa Rica at the hotel restaurant whenever it opens. We recommend the traditional Tico or Costa Rican breakfast, called Gallo Pinto with a nice cup of coffee.

You and the other guests will be picked up by Bodhi Surf + Yoga’s private transportation service, Wali Rider, at 9am. Together, you will make the 4-4½ hour journey to Bahia Ballena – Uvita, Osa, Uvita, and the home of Bodhi Surf + Yoga.

You will arrive at Bodhi Surf + Yoga and be welcomed by members and receive a tour of the lodge and property, and see the schedule is for the week to come.

You may go out to a local restaurant for your first lunch, or go to the store to purchase some groceries to prepare food on your own.

Dinner the first night is included: guests and Bodhi staff will go out to a local restaurant and get further acquainted and chat with your fellow campers and staff about what you are most looking to get out of the week!

Monday (Day 3)

Mondays start with an early breakfast of locally sourced fresh fruit, coffee, banana bread, and eggs.

Following that, there will be a Community Walking Tour of Bahia Ballena with a trained local guide. This activity is a great way for guests to learn about the local community and get some insider perspectives, see some of the local flora and fauna, and learn the general “lay of the land”.

Expect to see some of the local flora (and maybe even fauna), and maybe even finish with a local snack or drink!

After returning to home base, you may want to continue strolling to the local supermarket to stock up on snacks and meal stuff or go out for lunch at a nearby restaurant.

After that, you will head down to the Marino Ballena National Park for your family’s first surf session. Once there, your instructors will provide you with some history and information about the park, including a brief discussion about where you are going to be spending the next few weeks! You will also learn about where you’re surfing, equipment, and do some preliminary drills from a prone position.

Monday is a free night, so guests often opt to enjoy a meal out at one of the local nearby restaurants.

Tuesday (Day 4)

Your second full day at the Bodhi Lodge is Tuesday, and hopefully you will be getting into the way of life in the tropics that they rise — bright and early, with the sun.

Perhaps you and your family will head out on a walk in town before the later-morning breakfast.

There, you will enjoy some local coffee or fruit juice, a delicious home-cooked breakfast, and conversation with fellow guests and staff.

After breakfast, everyone heads out for the second surf lesson of the week. Post learning and hopefully standing to your feet on the board, everyone heads back to the lodge for some chill time in the pool or hammocks.

You may choose to do an afternoon activity such as a cooking class at the lodge or a local cultural tour.

Tuesday night is group dinner number two at Bodhi Surf + Yoga, an experience that consists of delicious local fare and many moments of laughter. Bodhi Surf + Yoga team members may prompt reflections of the day or a “High, Low, Ha!”!

Wednesday (Day 5)

By mid-week, you and the fam will likely find yourselves rising early with the sun, as your bodies get in tune with their natural circadian rhythm.

After grabbing a light snack and some coffee or juice, you will return to the beach for your third surf lesson, where you will continue perfecting your wave-riding abilities.

Post surfing, another filling breakfast at Bodhi Surf + Yoga is in order. Have a nap, read a book, hang out in the pool. The world (and the afternoon) is your oyster.

Then you are free to do your own thing. Massages are an optional add-on for anyone who is feeling the burn of the last few days!

Thursday (Day 6)

Today, we start the day with a delicious breakfast first thing followed by the fourth surf lesson in which it is not uncommon for the instructor to cover techniques for paddling out into the “lineup”.

Guests may opt to spend more time at the beach later that day, perhaps even enjoying the beautiful sunset from a comfy position on the sand.

Thursday night is the last group dinner at the Bodhi Lodge, and perhaps even game night if the energy is high! On this last evening together we share an epic meal, reflect on some of the experiences we have had both together and apart.

Friday (Day 7)

On Friday morning, it’s not unlikely to have a final “dawn patrol” sunrise session where the aim is that on the fifth surf lesson, everything comes together. Following that, a delicious and filling breakfast (and perhaps a heft cup of coffee) is in order.

After some packing and pool time, guests will attend the “Bodhi grad”.

Finally, at 3:30pm, you are picked up at the Bodhi Lodge for your shuttle transfer to the Adventure Inn in San Jose. Friday night is not included in the program, so you are free to book your own hotel anywhere you’d like. Sometimes, guests even stay in the Uvita area.

A farewell, but not a goodbye. After all, you can always come see us again. We hope you do.

Saturday (Day 8)

Guests typically fly out of San Jose back to their homes on this day.

I just spent a week at bodhi with family and new friends. I’d do it again in a heartbeat. The staff at bodhi fully embody their philosophy of eco friendly adventure, and using surfing and yoga on the path to awakening. Our group had a wide range of ages, fitness levels, and goals, and the staff was aware and attentive to each of us as individuals and a group. Our family is closer together, and our new friends feel like family, and the bodhis feel like both.

GreggKaloust, December 2021

We hope you will come see us!

Bodhi Surf + Yoga is a small family-owned and operated business that was founded in 2010. We feel blessed to be able to offer our multitude of passions to visiting guests from around the world, and do it in a responsible and community-centered way.

We sincerely believe that business can and should be conducted in a way that uplifts its workers, protects the environment, enriches its patrons, and benefits the community.

In our 12+ years of being operational, here are a few of the accolades that we are most proud of:

• We have been awarded with TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Award multiple years running
• We’re a certified B Corporation, and a recipient of their “Best for the World” honor in 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022
• We have been a proud 1% for the Planet member since 2018
• We’re a Transformational Tourism Council partner and a proud Platinum Sponsor of the Center for Responsible Travel

If you have any questions that have not been answered in this blog post, please feel free to email us at [email protected]! We are happy to speak to you directly as well.