It’s no secret that the more time people spend in nature the better their wellbeing. There’s a lot of good research to support the role nature can play in protecting and supporting our mental health.
A special place
Where do I start with Golfo Dulce Retreat! It has to be one of the most special places I’ve ever stayed. I felt the call to visit Costa Rica about a year into my healing journey and we chose it as the destination to celebrate my 30th birthday. I had a feeling it was going to hold a special place in my heart and I wasn’t wrong. I’m already excited to go back and visit again!
Getting there
Golfo Dulce Retreat was the first stop on our itinerary. It’s located right in the South of Costa Rica in the Osa Peninsula, one of the less travelled parts of the country, but also one of the most biodiverse. And also my favourite spot that we visited (so if you’re going to Costa Rica and have time please don’t miss this area!). We jumped on a small internal plane from San Jose to Puerto Jimenez (the views from the plane are amazing if you’re lucky to enough to have a clear day) and the retreat then organised a pick up from the airport. Very easy!
The retreat is only accessible by boat, making it super secluded. And wow – the boat ride across was just the best start to a trip I’ve ever had. We saw so many dolphins (which we came to realise is not rare for this area!) and they were even doing tricks, jumping and spinning out of the water. What a welcome! I’m a bit of an emotional person anyway, but I’m pretty sure I had tears in my eyes.
The arrival
Then you arrive and it just keeps getting better. You walk through wild, lush rainforest and it’s hard to believe just how beautiful your surroundings really are – and this is home for the next few nights! The rainforest is so alive, there are so many sounds and so much going on when you look closely. You are literally just a visitor now, trying not to disturb this natural paradise.
The Retreat
Nestled further inland are the lodges, the kitchen/dining area and the jungle pool.
The design of this retreat has been so well done, each area so thoughtfully blended into its surroundings. I’ve never spent time at a pool like this one, where you have brightly coloured macaws flying above you as you sunbathe, and a million sounds from all the rainforest creatures. Normally I listen to music when I’m laying by the pool. Here you don’t need to, the rainforest is the music.
The food
The food at Golfo Dulce Retreat is so good! They don’t cook meat for sustainability and environmental reasons and only cook fish they catch themselves that day. It’s actually so nice to feel like I am eating healthy on holiday as normally I overindulge. You still get treats (like afternoon teas at 5 with cake ) but all the meals are so tasty and nutritious I don’t feel like I’m missing anything. Geronimo the semi-wild (but likes to think he’s a pet) parakeet also loves joining you at mealtimes. Be warned, he does love to sit on your shoulder, swoop in and land on your head and follow you around).
The rooms
The rooms are perfect. There are just 4 unique cabins, so you almost feel like you have the place to yourself which I think is so rare for travel these days. In our case we almost did as we visited at the end of high season when it was even quieter. We stayed in the master cabina suite with its own private plunge pool (ideal for a quick dip when it gets too humid), spacious bedroom and living area, outdoor shower and peaceful terrace with hammock. The hammock is the best place to chill when the afternoon storms come. Have a little nap to the soothing sound of the heavy rain around you.
The beach
The beach is just a few minutes walk from your cabin. Don’t go to the west coast of Costa Rica expecting white sands and clear waters like you find in the Caribbean. There’s something different about beaches here. They are wild and untouched. Where rainforest meets ocean. I thought maybe I’d be a bit disappointed to not find the types of beaches I’ve grown to love, but now I have a new found love. Every morning we went for a swim in the sea before breakfast (you wake up early here as the rainforest is so loud, especially when the howler monkeys are within close proximity to your cabin – now that was a surprising sound!). The water is calm and warm, the sun is rising above the trees illuminating the treetops and it’s just so stunning. The best way to start the day before a very generous breakfast!
There’s also a little beach cabana hidden amongst the trees on the beachfront. A lovely little spot to read, journal or do some yoga in the morning.
The activities
Paddle boarding here is dreamy. I took my paddle board quite far out and spent some time just meditating in the peace and quiet. I was also hoping to spot dolphins as I heard it’s not uncommon, but no such luck on this occasion. Whilst I was out there on my own my partner was paddleboarding next to a turtle, so perhaps I should have stuck with him closer to the shore.
There are several activities you can do during your stay at Golfo Dulce Retreat, so you don’t need to worry about getting bored. On our way to the mangrove tour (which I’d recommend!) we were so blessed to have a pod of dolphins swim right next to our boat, performing for us. Such a special wild encounter. Dolphins used to be my favourite animal when I was a little girl, now I remember why.
I would also urge you to do the bioluminescence tour as Golfo Dulce is one of a handful of places in the world where bioluminescent is always present. It’s so surreal touching the water and watching it light up. It’s an incredible natural phenomenon. We decided to actually jump in the water (a little scary as its pitch black) and it was like swimming in glitter. Unless you have an amazing camera it’s hard to get a good picture, but I have the best memories.
Make sure you also spend some time just walking through the rainforest. Breathe it in, you are surrounded by trees that are over 700 years old. Learn from the local guides, the rainforest is their home and they are so knowledgeable. I was so surprised when one of the guides says he walks 25km through thick rainforest to get to work, sometimes when it’s pitch black. For someone from the west this can be quite hard to comprehend, but this is their life, and they know this rainforest like the back of their hands. Being here made me want to learn more about plant power and medicine. I can’t wait to start reading and learning about just how powerful nature really is.
There is so much more I could talk about when it comes to this special nature retreat, but perhaps you just need to come and experience it for yourself. I think we all need reminding of how important the natural world is, and when you spend time here it’s hard not to fall in love and want to do everything you can to protect places like this. I read a book during my stay here called Untamed, and I couldn’t think of a better way to describe how you feel at this retreat. It’s time to return to the wild.
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