Guest Experience Stories: March – Family, Friends, & The Magic of Coming Back

March reminded us of so many of the small but important things in life. Actually, these things aren’t even small – as a matter of fact, they’re huge. We just forget their importance sometimes with all the craziness going on in the world.

These things – as you’ve likely guessed from the title of March’s edition of the Guest Experience blog, are family, friends, and the magic that these connections brings into our lives.

As we have done for the last few months now, we invite you to read along to our account of these special moments. Each month brings its own charm and personality, and we’re stoked to share with you the moments, realizations, and lessons that best characterized March.

In March, we welcomedseven families here for our Bodhi Family 7 Day Surf Camp. But when we talk of family – we don’t just mean these families that we brought together for the ultimate family vacation. We’re also referring to all of the ‘strangers’ that came here and left us as family, also leaving our welcoming community feeling a sense of belonging.

Just like with the previous blogs in our Guest Experience Series, this story is told through the eyes of George – the Guest Experience Manager here at Bodhi Surf + Yoga. So without further adieu, it’s my pleasure to walk you through the family and connection-filled month of March!

The magic of coming back: return visits are the best!

In March we welcomed back a family that visited us for the first time last year (check out some of their photos above). We get a lot of families that come back and visit us year after year – so what’s so special about this time?

Well, apart from the fact that we absolutely love this family and they’re such a pleasure to host here – the Castillo-Nelson fam had a pretty unique opportunity to see with their own eyes the positive impact that their visit from last year had on our community.

We always educate our guests on how impactful their visit is on us and our home. Your visit here does genuinely leave our community better off than it was before you came – that’s the power of intentional and responsible travel.

But being able to come back a year later and witness first-hand the positive impact that their trip had – is something truly special.

Ripples of action into waves of impact: Supporting Coral Restoration in Costa Rica

The Castillo-Nelson family’s first visit with us was a couple of months before our fourth Smile While You Paddle Surf-A-Thon. If you’re new here, the Surf-A-Thon is a fundraising event that we hold every couple of years to support local organizations within our community.

Last year, the funds went to Costa Rica’s one and only laboratory dedicated to coral reef restoration, which happens to be just down the road from us. We always encourage our guests to go and check out the lab, as it’s an educational experience that inspires us to do our part to give back to Mother Ocean.

The Castillo-Nelson family certainly left the lab inspired to give back. They very generously donated to the Surf-A-Thon after their visit with us, helping us reach our goal of USD $10,000 for the lab.

Costa Rica Coral Restoration used these funds to completely overhaul their lab – better allowing them to study, reproduce, and protect their coral fragments. This family was able to see the impact that their donations had on the lab, by going back and visiting for a second time! (photo of their second visit above).

Check out January’s edition of the Guest Experience blog to learn more about the lab’s overhaul using the funds that we raised for them!

Roman’s record-setting return!

We seem to have a super-power here at Bodhi Surf + Yoga. Many of our guests tell us that they ‘never go to the same place twice’, but somehow we keep seeing the same faces 😜

And we love it! One of the most rewarding things for us is having guests come back to visit us again. This is because for us, it’s like having family come visit. It doesn’t feel like having ‘guests’ per-say, it genuinely feels like having really good friends or close family coming to hang out with us for a week or two.

This has been a big theme for us here recently, and we’ve had a guest return in a way that we’ve never seen before… and we thought we had seen it all. We’ve seen guests turn their one-week surfing vacation into a month-long stay with us. We’ve had guests book their next stay with us while still here on their first stay. We’ve had guests come back to visit us upwards of 10 times.

But our now good friend Roman took coming back to a whole new level this month. This is the first time that we’ve ever had anyone come at the start of the month and be back for their second visit later that same month!

Roman joined us for our Bodhi Sessions: 14 Days Surf + Yoga Camp at the end of February and left us in the first week of March. He then swiftly booked another trip for the end of March. Like we said – we’ve seen a lot of things, but that’s by far the quickest return trip we’ve ever had!

Sold out lodge for the ultimate family vacation!

Carrying on with the theme of ‘family month’ – we had the lodge sold out for a week in March for two families that came together for a vacation that they’ll never forget.

Now this was a fun week. We had two families that are lifelong friends come and join us for our Bodhi Family 7 Surf Camp – and they had us to themselves! This group was made up of a family of three and a family of five that travel together yearly.

We think it’s fair to say that we all had a blast – they crushed it in the surf, and they made the time to schedule in some extra activities that took their experience to the next level, including:

• A visit to Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary
• A local cooking class
• Davíd’s famous coconut tour
• A visit to our local farmers market
• An educational and inspiring tour of the coral lab

These are just a few examples of the incredible activities that Uvita, Osa, Costa Rica has to offer. Check out our blog to find out what else you can dive into to enhance your visit!

The Bodhi Surf + Yoga team also thoroughly enjoyed having these families here. We say ‘families’ – but these guys were really just one big family.

They reminded us of how absolutely priceless it is to make time to enjoy life with those who matter – those who love us unconditionally. It’s the most heartwarming feeling knowing that we’ve created a place that allows people to do exactly this.

They described their stay with us as an “Outstanding family surf camp experience”. Read their full review here!

March’s surf report: bigger waves, even bigger smiles

Our phrase “Smile while you paddle” applies in any waves, anywhere. But it applies especially in bigger waves. Smiling – even if it’s forced, causes our brain to release ‘happy hormones’ like dopamine and oxytocin. This helps our bodies to relax – something extremely useful to help us when facing the waves. Read more about the fascinating science behind this!

March certainly brought some waves, and big ones at that! Since November we’ve been enjoying small, soft waves, catch-able for every experience level from complete beginners to advanced surfers.

Our local surf break – Playa Chaman, is known for boasting great conditions (average 2-3ft) waves all year. So for us, surfing in pristine conditions like these is nothing new.

However, it’s the ocean. It’s unpredictable and it’s uncontrollable. At the beginning of March, the entire southern Pacific coast of Costa Rica received a swell that brought in some pretty sizable waves. Don’t get us wrong – our surf instructors were absolutely loving it! Like we said, we’re used to waves on the more chill, smaller side here – so every now and again we don’t mind a bigger challenge.

Big waves teach us big lessons

Bigger waves keep us on our toes and they remind us that – just like life, not everything is in our control. Sometimes it’s nice and easy, and others we have to remind ourselves to smile while we paddle and that we’re more than capable of pushing through life’s bigger waves.

Either way, our guests this month smiled as much as their sun-kissed cheeks would allow them to and surfed fantastically in the bigger waves! Of course this month our beginner surfers didn’t all end up paddling out, but they did score some great waves, skills, and stoke surfing safely in the whitewater zone.

Life lessons from the little ones – approaching the waves like kids

While we’re on the topic of bigger waves and smiling while we paddle – we’ve been taught an invaluable lesson this month from our time out in the surf.

And this lesson isn’t coming from the surf instructors. It’s actually coming from the littlest members of the Bodhi family – the kids who visited us in March!

We’ve always admired how kids approach surfing and the ocean. They have an understanding, a respect, and an innocence towards it that us adults don’t have. It’s like they know something that we don’t – actually, we think there’s a lot that they know that we don’t. We’re humble enough here at Bodhi Surf + Yoga to know that there’s a lot that we could learn from kids.

And one of those things is to adapt what’s called a beginner’s mindset. Amidst the larger waves that we were dealt in March, the kiddos showed up unfazed, ready to rock-n-rol and give it their all. They got to the beach, they listened to instruction, they put their trust in us, they surfed, and they had a blast.

The thing is, kids haven’t been taught to ‘care’ yet. They don’t understand our embarrassment of falling over and ‘looking silly’. They haven’t been conditioned to feel the need to be amazing at what they’re doing right away. They understand that when they fall – it’s ok. You get back up, smile, and try again.

This lesson is useful not just in surfing, but in life. This is yet another reminder that there’s a lot we could learn from kids!

Insights from Pilar – the only constant, is change

I’m sure you’ve all been waiting for this part of the blog! Sitting down with Pilar to get her insights has easily become my favorite part of the month.

Pilar is an absolute fountain of wisdom. We’re so incredibly fortunate to have her in our daily lives – she listens with such empathy and compassion, and is always happy to offer her thoughtful advice.

This month, she shared with me that she’s been reminded that “the only constant thing in life is change”.

She shared that some changes are more radical and obvious, some are more subtle, but the reality in life is that nothing ever stays the same. Everything is always in a constant flow of change, even in our bodies and our minds – everything is in constant change.

And that’s completely healthy! Our physical bodies, our minds, our emotions, and our environment change constantly. It’s what we do innately to survive. It’s ironic because – again, as adults, we tend to reject change. We’re fearful of changing.

But in reality, there’s nothing more natural than change. From the second we’re born we changing and developing, as is the world around us. We might as well embrace it. We often forget this, but our bodies are conditioned and designed to accept change. Change is something we should embrace, not run away from.

Check out Pilar’s latest blog in her Ayurveda series – focused on letting go and accepting the beauty of change.

The review that made our month

In March, our good friend Albert left us a review that we feel perfectly sums up the Bodhi Surf + Yoga experience and the philosophy behind what we do.

This was Albert’s first time here with us, and he participated in our Bodhi Sessions: 7 Day Adult Surf + Yoga Camp. This is what he had to say about his “Intimate, intentional, and unforgettable” experience with us:

“Travis and Pilar have built something genuinely special in Uvita; an intentionally small operation (max 10 guests) where the intimacy isn’t a limitation, it’s the whole philosophy.
The disciplines here aren’t just two activities on a schedule. Yoga in the morning with Pilar genuinely prepares your body and mind for the surf adventure that awaits you with Travis. You feel that connection by day two. The open-air yoga shala, surrounded by bamboo and tropical greenery, sets the tone perfectly. It’s hard to be anywhere else mentally when your practice literally opens to nature.
The grounds themselves are worth mentioning: a lush meditation walking garden, a small plunge pool to recover in after surf sessions, and a communal dining area that naturally pulls the group together. The space was clearly designed with intention, not just convenience.
Pilar’s attentiveness as an instructor stood out in a personal way. When I arrived on day one with a travel related back injury, she didn’t just modify my practice.. she proactively flagged specific poses to skip and arranged a private, gentler session before the main class so I wouldn’t miss out entirely. That level of care isn’t something you get at scale. It’s what founder-run looks like in practice.
The small group size naturally creates real connection with fellow guests. I left with people I genuinely want to stay in touch with, the kind of conversations and friendships that just don’t happen at larger retreats.
Travis and Pilar are a great team. Their complementary styles, his energy in the water, her grounded presence on the mat, give the place its character. You can tell this isn’t a business venture dressed up as a passion project. It’s the other way around.
If you’re looking for something intimate, purposeful, and run by people who actually care, this is it.”

We’re beyond grateful to Albert for taking the time to write such a thoughtful review. Check out our other five-star reviews here!

Frequently Asked Questions

What time of year should I visit with my family for a surf camp?

We’re stoked to welcome families here all year-round. But we receive most of our families during the months that coincide with school vacations. We recommend looking ahead to June, July, and August now to ensure that you get your family’s space locked in for the upcoming summer vacations! Head over to our bookings page now, and here’s a Bodhi Fam pro tip: Bungalow Gratitud and rooms Armonia and Amistad are perfect for families!

What happens if the waves are “big” during my stay?

While our local break, Playa Chaman, is known for its gentle, beginner-friendly conditions, the ocean is unpredictable. In March, we saw some larger swells! Our ISA-certified instructors are experts at adapting; while more experienced surfers enjoyed the challenge out back, our beginners scored amazing waves and built foundational skills safely in the “whitewater” zone. We always prioritize safety and “smiling while you paddle,” no matter the swell size.

How does my surf camp stay actually help the Uvita community?

We practice intentional travel. A portion of your stay supports local initiatives, but many guests go further. As mentioned in this month’s blog, the Castillo-Nelson family’s donation to our Smile While You Paddle Surf-A-Thon helped raise $10,000 to overhaul the local Coral Restoration Lab. When you visit, we encourage you to tour the lab to see exactly how your “ripples of action” create waves of change.

March was memorable because of YOU

To our incredible guests that visited us in the month of March – thank you! You brought the energy, the vibes, and the positivity that made this month stand out to us.

We’re eternally grateful for your visits, and you know where to find us when you’re ready to come back home and be with your Bodhi Surf + Yoga family!

That’s a wrap for March’s story. We know that April is going to bring its own magic and personality – and we’d just love for YOU to be a part of it! Surf on over to our vacations page to secure your spot for April.

We hope to see you down here soon. If not, we’ll see you in April’s roundup!