Wellness Guide To Nosara, Costa Rica
Nosara, Costa Rica is a small surf town (+ the “yoga capital” of Costa Rica) with sandy beaches, incredible cafes (many of them vegan!), + lush nature vibes everywhere. It truly feels like a tropical paradise! It’s a very laid back town + I absolutely loved it — my favorite image of Nosara is seeing so many people walk around barefoot with a surfboard in hand. Nosara has a very conscious, healthy living community.
The only downside: The roads literally smells like molases everywhere. At first the sweet smell didn’t bother me — but it can be quite pungent in areas. They use molasses on the roads to help with the dust.
Stay
We loved stayed at Nomadic Hotel! It was walking distance to the beach + they had a huge variety of surfboards to rent. Nomadic Hotel also had an amazing free breakfast everyday — the banana pancakes were so good! Highly recommend.
Coffee + Cafes
- Rolling Waves — Coffee shop with espresso, pour over, + cold brew!
- Go Juice — Juices + smoothies… + banana coffee (try it!)
- Naked Foods — Loved this vegan cafe. Amazing bowls + smoothies + raw treats. *Cash only
- El Jardin — Cafe inside a bus!
- Destiny Cafe — Popular brunch spot with a beautiful garden vibe that has vegan, paleo, + keto options.
Restaurants
- Coyol Restaurant — *MUST! This restaurant has an absolutely incredible view on a breathtaking plot of land… not to mention, awesome food! Make sure to make reservations! It’s super romantic. This is the only restaurant that’s a “drive” from the town (15 min) — but totally worth it.
- La Luna — Mediterranean restaurant on the water + the best sunset spot!
- Perozah — Vibey beach club restaurant with music + wellness events
- iO — Ceviche, coconut shrimp, + patacones! It’s also right next to a super cute clothing store called Bloom Nosara.
- Al Chile — Tacos, burritos, chalupas, + nachos!
- Howler’s Beach Lounge — Known for their carpaccio + margaritas 😉
- Harmony Hotel — Apparently the restaurant inside is amazing… I really wanted to go but we didn’t have time. Let me know how it is!
Wellness
#1] Go surfing. Surfing is a must if you are visiting Nosara — there are waves for every level! We surfed at Playa Guiones, + there were many surf rentals in town. We rented boards from our hotel!
#2] Spend the day at Bodhi Tree Yoga Resort. Go to a yoga class, get massages, grab a smoothie! You can even stay overnight here if you are desiring an immersive retreat experience. We loved Bodhi Tree!
#3] All the beach time! + of course, make sure to see the sunset at least once. I feel like that’s a must at any beach town 😉 This looks awesome… Kaya Nosara Boat Tours!
#4] Gym at Gilded Iguana. The Gilded Iguana had a beautiful gym where you can get a day pass! They also had yoga classes + various fitness classes.
#5] Visit a Wildlife Sanctuary. This is one thing I wish we would have done! The Sibu Wildlife Sanctuary is in Nosara… the monkeys are so cute!
Pro-Tips
- How long to stay? We stayed 4 days — but could have easily spent a 2–3 weeks here! Even though it was a very small town, we loved it!
- Grocery: Organico Deli + Market
- Farmer’s Market: Tuesdays!
- Check out the Facebook Community “Short Term Rentals Nosara” if you are looking to stay for longer + want a home! They have amazing spots.
- Explore all the local shops! One of the best things to do in Nosara is simply wander! There are so many cute local + sustainable brands in Nosara! There are only two main “areas” to walk + you’ll easily see them. Just walk around + pop into what suits you!
- Consider renting an ATV… or at least a 4 wheel drive lol. We literally had to drive through a RIVER to get to Nosara (see photo lol). I’m shocked our little car made it through. The roads are terrible lol.
Nosara has such a special place in my heart + I cannot wait to go back! I would hands down spend a month here. While it’s quite far from both major airports (3–5 hours), I think that’s what has made it a bit more “untouched.” I’m here for it 🥰
Love,
Elisabeth