Community Engaged Experience

A noticeable trend with surf resorts and yoga retreats is that they tend to isolate themselves from their local community. While to some this may be appealing, the true Bodhi Surf + Yoga experience is about being immersed into life in Bahia Ballena, Costa Rica, even if it's just for a week. For that reason, we strive to bridge the gap between our community and our guests. One way our surf and yoga vacations bridge that gap is through our Community Walking Tour, a fun jaunt around Bahia Ballena with trained guides who discuss the local history, culture, economy, and environment. We also do not provide an "all-inclusive" environment for our guests as we want them to go out and explore, allowing all their senses to be engaged by our coastal community.

Find Yourself in the Small, Coastal Community of Bahia Ballena

Everyone travels for a different reason, but doesn't it feel neat when you find a place that is a true gem: one that is a little off the beaten path, one that feels palpable rather than pretentious, one that somehow manages to be humble, quaint, and worldly all at once? The small, coastal Costa Rican town of Bahia Ballena is, for lack of a better a word, special. This is something that both visitors and residents alike recognize, and after spending any amount of time here, it's not hard to see why. First of all, it is a natural paradise, from its stunning beaches to staggering mountains, lush green jungles to abundant wildlife. More importantly, it has not been exploited in the way that many other [naturally rich] places have, because its residents have been so concerned with preserving the very characteristics that make it unique.

It has also maintained its cultural Costa Rican roots. While it is not a town with a long history, it is still primarily a "Tico" town - it's not one of those places where the locals have been driven out by tourists, expats, or large-scale development. While there are indeed many foreigners from around the world who now call Bahia Ballena home, the fusion has been more gradual and natural, creating a dynamic that feels more harmonious than impositional.

We "Opt in" to Community Engagement

At Bodhi Surf + Yoga, we are practitioners of responsible tourism, striving to bridge the gap between our community and you the visitor. We want our surf and yoga camp attendees to engage with the community of Bahia Ballena as much as possible. We are stoked to be located right in the heart of the community! We also include a Community Walking Tour in each week-long camp, which is designed to teach you a little bit about our town's history, culture, and environment. There is ample opportunity to engage in the community - shop at the local supermarket, try the local fare at a typical Costa Rican restaurant, rent a bike to cruise to the beach, join the afternoon soccer scrimmage, and swim in the local waterfall. Rouse your senses with the sights, sounds, and smells of our small coastal community, and create a deeper connection and memorable experience.

Share the Good!

We encourage that our guests "give back" by donating above and beyond to our Travelers' Philanthropy Program. Bodhi Surf + Yoga donates $20 on behalf of each full paying surf and yoga vacation guest, which supports local non-profit organizations. It is the vast beauty of our environment and the cultural richness of our community that attract visitors in the first place, which is why it's nice if we can all work together to preserve them.

Bodhi Surf + Yoga is dependent on the well-being of our community, including our terrestrial and marine ecosystems. We work to share the economic benefits with our fellow businesses, and encourage cultural exchange by having guests patronize local markets, restaurants, and tour operators. One way that we do that is through our Social and Environmental Responsibility, which we are excited to share with you.