Rhythma Retreats - Explore Your Passion in Paradise
We started our retreat program as a way to offer our teachers and students the opportunity to escape the cold weather and frantic pace of city life in winter. Our retreat packages offer the same perks and benefits as a travel club: an easy one-price payment plan and great group rate on hotels, shuttles, meals and excursions, full days of travel, activities and adventures, freedom to explore local culture and the safety and support of traveling with friends. All while providing intensive training in dance, fitness, music or movement.
We call it traveling with intention, and once you experience the magical fusion of physical training and cultural enrichment our retreats offer, we know you will never want to travel alone again. This info page should tell you everything you need to know about our retreat program, including travel tips, logistic details, an packing suggestions. Please feel free to contact us with any additional questions.
FAQs
Where is it happening?
We are hosting our retreats in Cahuita, a small Costa Rican village on the Caribbean coast. Less popular with many tourists, we fell in love with the Caribbean side of this rich tropical nation. The relaxed but lively Afro-Caribbean culture and Rastafarian influences make Cahuita a perfect match for our retreats. Located at the edge of one of Costa Rica's largest national parks, Parque Nacional Cahuita, and with only a single road leading in or out of the community, Cahuita is more insulated from tourism than many parts of Costa Rica, and has a rich local culture and a beautiful welcoming community.
We will be staying at a lovely, verdant resort just outside of town. Fresh pipas (drinking coconuts) line the paths between cabinas at this locally owned and operated Tico (native Costa Rican) establishment. With clean, simple rooms, rich garden walking paths, and the warm, black-sand beaches of the Caribbean just a few minuets from your door, it will be easy to forget civilization. But we won't spend all of our time in isolation. Cahuita's quiet Caribbean culture perks up in the evenings, with a beachside Reggae Bar on the beautiful Playa Negra (black beach) and lively night life at CoCo's Bar in the center of town - all within walking distance of our hotel.
We will also have a gorgeous private dance studio nestled in the middle of the jungle. You'll feel in touch with the natural world like never before when we whisk you away on this adventure of a lifetime.
Note: we will be on foot for the majority of our retreat. Almost everywhere we will go is a 5-10 minuet walk. Bicycles may be rented if desired for an additional $5 per day. For longer trips and excursions shuttle service will be provided.
How Will I Get There?
Our retreats include everything but airfare. You will need to book a flight to San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica. Depending on when you book, and the airline you choose, flights will range between $350-600. So book early!
After that we will take care of everything. Our shuttle driver will meet you at SJO International Airport and bring you directly to our resort in Cahuita. Since we are offering several retreats this season, we will provide a custom travel itinerary with the details of when and where to meet your shuttle driver, as well as our flight recommendations for your program. We will also provide a return shuttle to SJO on the final day of the retreat.
Note: Flight recommendations are provided for each program, and shuttle times are based on these flights. You are free to book a custom flight to extend your trip by arriving early or staying late. If you plan to do this, please let us know so we can plan our shuttle service accordingly. We will also send you recommendations for good deals on hotels, and our favorite spots in Costa Rica.
What Will I Need?
The Most Important thing to remember is: Pack Lightly!
Some Airlines charge per bag, and you will have to go through customs. Plus, we will be in close quarters.
Here's our recomended list of essentials:
- Hat
- Sunglasses
- Steel Water Bottle
- Bug Repellant / Sunscreen: Please be mindful, chemicals in commercial bug spray and sunscreen are very damaging to natural ecosystems. Try to limit use by taking breaks in the shade, and avoiding the sun between 11am-1pm. A selection of natural products made in Cahuita, including sunscreen and bug repellent, will be offered for purchase when you arrive.
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Swimsuit
- Light, comfortable clothes to wear while dancing and stretching
- A light raincoat (if you would like to stay dry during tropical rain)
- Extra cash for souvenirs, alcohol or bike rental
- Camera
What Else Do I Need to Know?
We began hosting retreats through Rhythma because we knew it was a way we could help people change their lives. We really believe that travel can change your perspective, and that experiencing new cultures is the clearest path to an open mind.
The lifestyle in Costa Rica is perfect for what we want to offer our friends and students. The unofficial national motto: "Pura Vida" (pure life) says it all. Our retreats are about connecting to an open-hearted and pure way of life. Join us and experience the Pura Vida personally.
In addition to your instructors, we have an excellent team of retreat staff who will be on-hand to help you make the most of your experience. We will provide all of your meals, most of which will be prepared by the loving hands of our staff in our retreat kitchen. While you are on our retreat, you will dine on delicious fresh, local foods, fusing traditional Caribbean cuisine with vegetarian, vegan, and raw food. (We are happy to accommodate any special dietary requests. Please provide advanced notice).
If you have any other questions about the retreat experience, traveling internationally, or want to know more about the people, culture or laws of Cahuita or Costa Rica, you are welcome to contact Meredith Hope, founder of Rhythma Studios, director of Rhythma's Retreat program, and international woman of wonder. You can reach her by email at RhythmaStudios@gmail.com