Guest Experience Stories: April – Bodysurfing, Birthdays, and Boogying

Here we are with the fifth edition of our Guest Experience Stories blog series!

We’ve thoroughly enjoyed writing these blogs. They allow us to take a moment to truly reflect on the month as a whole, and appreciate the unique way that each group makes each month so special.

And what’s most blown our mind is how different each month has been! Yes, of course there are the same common themes of surf, yoga, community engagement, and nature immersion – it just wouldn’t be the Bodhi Surf + Yoga experience without those key pillars.

But we’ve found that in each month we’ve had drastically varying themes, lessons, and breakthroughs across the five blogs that we’ve written. This is what makes this place so special – the fact that YOU as our guests get to leave your mark on our lives and carve memorable moments into the fabric of Bodhi Surf + Yoga.

Having said that, we’re stoked to walk you through the incredible month of April and how it panned out down here in our little corner of paradise. As you can see from the title, we’re reflecting on a month characterized by bodysurfing, birthdays, and boogying!

And we’ll let you in on one of our key insights from the month. We reflect on the fact that there’s a lot of “noise” out there in the world right now. We’re living in a loud, uncertain world – and we think we all feel it. This month, we noticed that every group, activity, and celebration became a beautiful lesson in stripping away that excess noise to find something deeper.

Happy campers in April

As we are in every month, we’re so grateful to our guests in April that took the time to leave us online reviews after their time with us. Not only is it important for us to get an idea of what we’re doing right and what we can improve on, it also helps others out there make an informed decision on if we’re the right fit for them.

We can say all of these things about valuing silence and the smaller things in life. But it’s your voice that truly educates and informs others about what we’ve got going on down here. We invite you to read some excerpts from some of our favorite reviews from April:

“A life changing experience”

“It’s hard to put into words how positive of an experience I’ve had both times I’ve visited Bodhi. There is an incredible energy that feels deeply rooted in community, relaxation, and fantastic surf. What the Bodhi team has built here goes well beyond your normal vacation.” – Read the full review here!

“Best surf + yoga experience in Costa Rica”

“Bodhi Surf & Yoga is THE perfect spot in Costa Rica! The Gratitude bungalow where I stayed was beautiful in the heart of the jungle. I felt at home thanks to the warm welcome of an exceptional team. And the food, OMG, I feasted on every meal. I’ve never done surfing or yoga before and I think it’s the best team to experience both. Real passionate, patient, present and happy every day. I recommend Bodhi Surf & Yoga to all! ❤️” – Read the full review here!

“Can’t wait to come back!”

“We had the most amazing time at Bodhi Surf & Yoga and will definitely be making another trip back! Travis, Pilar, and all of their staff were such wonderful hosts.

My husband and I found Bodhi as the perfect compromise—I wanted a yoga retreat, and he wanted to surf. I’ve never been a big fan of the open ocean, but was open to stepping out of my comfort zone. I’m so glad I did! Travis and Dennis were incredible teachers and did such a great job educating us on how to read the ocean, while also checking in on everyone’s comfort levels and fears. I even got up on a wave the first day!” – Read the full review here! 

“Our fav vacation”

“Hands down one of the best trips we’ve taken. We’re still in disbelief at how wonderful the experience was, and we’re an adventurous couple in our late 30s who have traveled quite a bit. The entire network of people involved in Bodhi (instructors, staff, tour guides, and community members) is special. Every person is warm, welcoming, and brings their own unique story.” – Read the full review here!

Smiley faces you might recognize

In the month of April we welcomed back someone we’re very fond of – and that’s none other than Darsi! 

You might recognize her name if you’ve been reading these blogs over the last few months. Darsi visited us for a week at the end of January and stayed for a second week, extending her stay into February.

Because of this, she appeared in both January and February’s Guest Experience Stories blogs. She actually inspired parts of the blog titles in both of them! Check the blogs out here:

• January: Friends, Football, & Impromptu Trip Extentensions
• February: Life Lessons, Letting Go, & Lots of Ice Cream

This time around, instead of booking just one week and extending her trip like last time, Darsi booked our Bodhi Sessions: 14 Day Surf + Yoga Camp straight off the bat. Excellent decision Darsi!

And to make it even better, Darsi for sure shared the love. We mentioned in our Guest Experience Stories for January that “your voice is a multiplier for good”. In other words – you going back home and sharing your positive experience with someone, only multiplies the power of that positive experience.

Darsi came for her first week with her father, Steve, who described his time as “A magical week at Bodhi Surf + Yoga”. Read his full five-star review here! We love when past guests return with friends and/or family members. It makes us feel even MORE like part of the family!

Speaking of friends and family – for her second week, Darsi’s best friend from pre-school joined her down here. We got to witness and be reminded of the power of pure friendship, and that although the years will roll on by – true friendship stands the test of time.

Just as she pledged to do in the photo above from her first visit – she’s certainly giving back to us and our community by using her voice as a multiplier for good and sharing this experience with those she loves.

April was the month of bodysurfing!

As the only surf + yoga lodge in all of Costa Rica that offers bodysurfing, we absolutely love it when guests join us for our Bodhi Slide 7 Day Bodysurf + Yoga Camp.

In April, we had a total of five guests opt for our bodysurfing package. It’s funny – we sometimes go weeks or even months without having someone join for bodysurfing. And all of a sudden we have five people at once!

But that just goes to show how the universe works. It aligns us at the right time, with the right people. These five guests enjoyed a week in the waves with lead surf and bodysurf instructor Dennis, where they experienced the true ocean connection that comes with bodysurfing.

What do we mean by this? Well, bodysurfing has an incredibly unique way of connecting us to the source: Mother Nature. Surfing does, too – but bodysurfing brings us even closer.

Connection in its purest form

With bodysurfing, there’s nothing separating us from the ocean.

There’s no board or any piece of equipment between us and the wave. So when you’re swimming for the wave, you can truly feel the moment that the wave allows you to latch onto it. 

You can feel the power and energy of the wave as you’re hydroplaning along it. And that energy isn’t just “between” you and the wave. That energy gets transferred through you and you carry it with you for a long, long time.

This may sound kinda’ “kumbaya”. We get it. But feeling this direct physical connection with the ocean genuinely is something insanely special. It’s something you’ll have to do and feel to truly ‘get it’ – and our guests this month definitely felt it.

Bodysurfing is also a great tool for learning to surf. By joining our Bodhi Awaken: 14 Day Bodysurfing, Surfing, + Yoga Camp, you’ll spend your first week bodysurfing and your second week board surfing. Two of the five bodysurf students this month opted for this option, while the other three did just the one week of bodysurfing.

We’re big on celebrating YOU!

For us here at Bodhi Surf + Yoga, April was a month no short of celebrations.

We celebrated a couple of birthdays here throughout the month. It always makes us so happy when guests join us on their special day – and we make it our mission to make them feel special!

On April 30th (just about making it into this blog 😝) our team and guests gathered at breakfast to sing happy birthday to Becky – one of the bodysurfers mentioned above!

We also presented her with a delicious carrot cake made by our favorite local baker, which was shared amongst the group after breakfast – the perfect pre-surf snack!

There are so many options and ways that you could choose to celebrate your special day. So we genuinely don’t take it lightly when guests decide to be here and share their special moment with us at Bodhi Surf + Yoga.

Participating in surfing and yoga is actually all about celebrating. It’s about celebrating your body and the incredible things that it allows us to do. It’s about celebrating the natural environment and the delicate ways in which it allows us to interact with it.

Dive deeper into this by checking out our YouTube video: Lessons from Surfing and Yoga.

Blame it on the Boogie

Another birthday that was celebrated here in the month of April… was mine!

Just to remind you – I am George, the Guest Experience Manager at Bodhi Surf + Yoga and the author of the Guest Experience Stories series.

I celebrated my 26th birthday on April 22nd, and our group that week went out of their way to make it beyond memorable for me. It’s my job to make people feel special – but it was so nice to have this amazing group do the same for me.

And how did they do this? They planned a karaoke night over at our neighbors Carlito’s restaurant! And we sang our hearts out all night long – well, until 9pm. 

In true Uvita style, even a karaoke birthday party doesn’t stop us from having an early night! From 6pm-9pm, we shared many laughs, sang many songs, and had some good ol’ fashion fun. 

We were joined by friends, members of our community, and members of the wider Bodhi family. Did we sing well? Absolutely not. Did we have fun? Absolutely.

An icon whale worth a visit

One of our groups in April was fascinated by an iconic ‘point of interest’ here in our local community – and we bet you’ve never seen anything like it.

The “Plastic Whale” is a large model of a humpback whale made entirely out of plastic bottles – and it’s on display for locals and visitors to our community to visit.

Not only is it a pretty impressive piece of art, but it serves as a massive testament to the togetherness and commitment of our community to put a stop to single-use plastics.

This plastic whale was constructed as part of the Bahia Ballena Libre de Plastico initiative. This was a campaign to get restaurants, hotels, and tour operators to reduce their usage of single use plastics. It serves to raise awareness among ALL stakeholders in the region about single-use plastics and how harmful they are to the environment.

Along with the construction of the whale, the campaign also included talks, audiovisual materials, educational programs to provide biodegradable and affordable alternatives to reduce consumption. Since then, the program has been adopted by many other districts and the Ministry of Tourism for implementation nationwide.

The whale is an incredible symbol of how much unnecessary plastic we consume and how fast it builds up. It’s a beautiful sight with a pretty ugly reminder. But it’s absolutely more than necessary.

We’re proud of this group for going and checking it out!

Wildlife sightings around town

When you think of Costa Rica, we’re sure that one of the first things you think of is the wildlife.

Our home of Bahia Ballena, Osa, Costa Rica certainly does not disappoint when it comes to exotic wildlife. Actually – you don’t even have to leave the Bodhi Surf + Yoga premises to spot some spectacular flora and fauna.

We’ve had everything here on-site from monkeys to sloths to toucans, and everything in between. Take a look at the photos below to see some wildlife our guests captured on camera during the month of April, both here on-site and around our local community.

Osa – the pinnacle of biodiversity

Did you know that during your Bodhi Sessions: 7 Day Surf + Yoga Camp, you’re surfing in one of the most biologically diverse regions in all of Central America?

We’re based in the canton of Osa, which is also home to the world renowned Osa Peninsula – often referred to as the most “biologically intense” place on the entire planet.

It contains roughly 2.5% of the world’s biodiversity. Although we are not geographically based in the peninsula, the canton of Osa is still home to an overwhelmingly large amount of wildlife – much of which can be found in our playground down the road: the Marino Ballena National Park.

Here, you aren’t just a spectator. You’re immersed in a vivid world of wildlife that’s thriving all around you. Check out our blog on the Osa Peninsula: A Masterclass in Environmental Stewardship to learn more.

Or better yet, come and join us – your dream vacation immersed in nature awaits!

Insights from April – the power of silence

The “yoga” section of this month’s Guest Experience blog comes in the form of a profound common theme that we’ve had over the course of the month.

We’ve been reflecting a lot recently on silence. What does this have to do with yoga? We’ll get there.

As I mentioned in the intro, we’re been reflecting on the fact that there’s a lot of “noise” out there in the world right now. This has caused us to think a lot about what we’re putting out there, and how we’re contributing to either the problem or the solution.

Are we just adding to the noise? Does metaphorically “opening our mouths” benefit anyone, or are we better off contributing with silence?

And this is exactly the conclusion that we’ve come to – that silence is indeed a great contribution.

Mauna – the yoga of silence

Mauna is the Ayurvedic principle of silence. Over the last few months, Bodhi Surf + Yoga co-owner and lead yoga instructor Pilar Salazar has been sharing her experience studying Ayurveda – the ancient science of longevity.

Yoga and Ayurveda are sister sciences, sharing roots and fundamental principles. At some point in your yoga journey you’re bound to hear mention of Ayurveda, and as you progress you may even start incorporating some of its daily rituals into your routine.

Pilar has been crafting some genuinely fascinating blogs that allow us to do exactly this – to explore this ancient science and how we can integrate its teachings in our daily lives.

One of her most recent blogs in the series is entitled Mauna: The Yoga of Silence – and this is what got the ball rolling for us with this month’s big reflection.

In her blog, Pilar invites us to reimagine what “silence” truly means. She encourages us to consider silence as wisdom, kindness, and strength – rather than weakness or something that we need to “break”.

She invites us to consider whether what we want to say in any given moment “improves upon the silence” or not; and to realize that contributing with silence is often more powerful, wise, and kinder than contributing with more “noise” that doesn’t actually improve upon anything.

Having said that – these reflections on silence inspired by Pilar and her fascinating blog, remind us of the importance of what we’ve worked so hard over the years to build down here. We value the small, quieter things in life. We value purpose, kindness, and community – and these values shine through in our surf + yoga experiences.

Frequently asked questions

I’ve never heard of a bodysurfing camp! How is it different from regular surfing?

Bodysurfing is the purest form of wave riding — it’s just you and the ocean! At Bodhi Surf + Yoga, we are the only lodge in Costa Rica offering a dedicated Bodhi Slide Bodysurfing Camp.

Unlike board surfing, there is no equipment between you and the water. You’ll learn to use your body as a hydroplane, feeling the wave’s energy move directly through you. It is an incredible way to build “ocean literacy” and confidence in the surf. Many of our guests choose the 14-day Bodhi Awaken package, spending the first week bodysurfing to understand the mechanics of the ocean before transitioning to a surfboard in week two!

Is Bodhi Surf + Yoga a good fit for solo travelers?

Absolutely! April was a perfect example of how our “community-first” atmosphere welcomes solo travelers. Whether you are coming alone to find silence and reflection (practicing Mauna) or looking to make lifelong friends, you’ll never truly be “alone” here.

Many of our guests, like Darsi, originally arrive solo and find such a deep connection with the Bodhi family that they return later with friends and family. From group dinners and birthday celebrations to karaoke nights at Carlito’s, you’ll be integrated into our local Uvita community from day one.

Bodhi pro tip: we think you’ll love Bungalow Espiritu 😉

Why should I book a two-week stay instead of just one?

As our guest Darsi discovered, one week often isn’t enough to fully soak in the “Bodhi Magic.” A 14-day stay allows you to move past the initial learning curve and truly settle into the rhythm of Pura Vida.

Benefits of a two-week stay include:

• Skill Progression: You can combine programs (like one week of bodysurfing followed by one week of surfing) to become a more well-rounded athlete.
• Deeper Immersion: You’ll have more time to explore the Osa region’s incredible biodiversity, visit local landmarks like the “Plastic Whale,” and spot more wildlife on-site.
• True Rest: It takes time for the “noise” of the outside world to fade. A second week gives you the space to practice the “Yoga of Silence” and return home feeling genuinely transformed, rather than just “vacationed.”

And that’s how April’s story unfolded…

We leave the karaoke birthday party behind in April, but the real party doesn’t end here!

As we’ve explored in this blog, we’re constantly celebrating health and our magnificent bodies that allow us to move and challenge ourselves.

We continuously celebrate Mother Nature and Her incredible beauty that shines through every single day.

And lastly, we (quietly) celebrate the value of silence and its power as a form of kindness.
Whether it’s your birthday or not, we’re celebrating life and all of its beauty 365 days a year down here at Bodhi Surf + Yoga. Please, join us to be part of the ‘party’ that comes with May, June, and July!