Costa Rica Retreat

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Hi…it’s Wade…your paddleboard instructor. Krista and I are putting together a SUP retreat in Costa Rica this March and we want you to come!

Here’s the deal:

We are doing back-to-back trips at the end of March to the spectacular Villa Las Mareas
in Tamarindo, Costa Rica. March 20 through 26, 2016 will be a kid-friendly trip. March 27 through April 2, 2016 will be adults only. The trip will be SUP-tastic, but will also afford you the chance to soak up the Pura Vida spirit and see what Costa Rica has to offer –- don’t miss it!

Las Maresas dayroomLas Maresas exterior Las Maresas kitchen bedroom     bathroom

Why am I doing this?

I need to give you some back-story. When I was trying to teach myself how to ride waves, I discovered SUP-surfing. SUP-surfing has made such an incredible impact on about every aspect of my world, that I can speak ad-nauseum about how it has impacted about every aspect of my world.

My goal is to teach as many people as I can how to surf on a stand up paddleboard. This has been a challenge here in LA, as the water is cold, polluted…and filled with very angry people.

The surf in Costa Rica is damn near perfect…and the temperature is like bath water.

Think of this place like Honolulu…pre-Gidget…minus the traffic and people trying to sell you things you don’t need.

costa-rica-retreat-01

 

Why Tamarindo?

This Guanacaste beach town lies at the heart of Costa Rica’s Gold Coast Beaches. Famous for its unparalleled surf, Tamarindo has grown into a miniature metropolis – a thriving and culturally diverse community known for year-round warm weather and constant adventure and outdoor activities.

Tamarindo attracts thousands of visitors each year – a former fishing community transformed into a vibrant playground for surfers, beach goers, nature lovers and adrenaline junkies. This Pacific town is the ideal combination of city meets nature – catering to anyone who craves an authentic Costa Rican jungle and beach experience with the comfort of knowing modern amenities can be found just around the corner.

Over the years, Tamarindo has become an inviting destination filled with shops, restaurants and nightlife. It’s no surprise that an abundance of wellness, nature, beauty and organic living has dubbed the Tamarindo area a Blue Zone – where life expectancy is among the highest in the world.

On the northern end of Tamarindo Beach, Las Mareas is located in the ideal spot – with scenic views of golden sands to the front and the bustling town center as your backyard. This quiet northerly end of town boasts top-notch access to the area’s best right-hand break. Even if you’ve never picked up a surfboard before, Las Mareas is central to endless beach breaks in every direction suited to all skill levels. Continue north of the property and you will discover Las Baulas National Park, a nesting ground for the indigenous giant leatherback turtles. Rich in wildlife, the area is home to an abundance of exotic species such as monkeys, iguanas and tropical birds. The park is protected by law, so our residents can count on unspoiled nature and clean air from Las Mareas’ northern neighbors.

For more info, check out http://www.tamarindo.com/

 

What is included?

bucket-of-cervesas

Lodging

Round trip ground transportation to and from Liberia, Costa Rica, where you will be greeted with a frosty cervesa.

Breakfast daily

One group dinner

Two evening yoga sessions

One snorkel trip

Two excursions (details below, think zip-lining, waterfalls, snorkeling, etc.)

Maximum fun in the sun

SUP-surfing

SUP paddling

Access to a van(s) that we are renting for the entire week for transportation

As much child care as Krista can reasonably provide for the week with kids (she started baby-sitting when she was ten and nannied in law school, has CPR certification, etc., and LOVES kids, especially since they’re not her own. The kids can come on the front of the boards for the flat water excursions unless they are tiny. If there are too many kids or the ages are too much of a range, we will need adults to take turns staying behind to help out

 

  1. Unlimited SUP surf instruction when I’m not spearfishing…and if you want to spearfish, keep on reading.
    wade-sup-surfing
  2. Unlimited access to SUP boards for paddling with Krista in flat water if surfing isn’t your thing.

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Excursions

Your price will include two of the four excursions below, your choice (additional excursions can be added for an additional fee):

Monteverde – zipline through the cloud forest, take a nature hike, and cap it all off with a visit to a coffee plantation.

coffee tour

 

Arenal Volcano Adventure Excursion – a little bit of everything on this all-day journey to the volcano about an hour outside Tamarindo – horseback riding, white water tubing, zip-lining, waterfall jumping, and a visit to the hot springs to relax before you return home. Oh, and bulls. For some reason, bulls.

hot springs  Krista tubingBulls

 

Sunset Snorkel Cruise – don’t need quite so much adventure in your life? Slow down a bit and enjoy a sunset cocktail cruise with optional snorkeling, the best way to enjoy Tamarindo’s spectacular sunsets.

snorkel cruise sunset

 

Free Diving/Spearfishing – on our last trip to Costa Rica, we were lucky enough to meet Ghautier Ghilaen, one of the world’s top free divers. He offers freediving certification and spearfishing classes.   This guy is for real – he catches all of his own dinners, and they are spectacular.

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Schedule

snorkel

Sunday

You’ll fly in Sunday to Liberia airport, where Wade and/or Krista will pick you up, greet you with a local libation, and bring you to your quarters. Grab a board and have a paddle if you’re up for it, relax by the pool if you’re not.

Monday

Our guests will be split into Group A and Group B for maximum awesomeness. On Monday, Group A will do a flat water estuary excursion with Krista, while Group B chooses an excursion.

Tuesday – Group A hits an excursion while Group B SUP-surfs with Wade.

Wednesday – Group A SUP-surfs with Wade while Group B goes snorkeling; evening yoga session for everyone.

Thursday – Group A second excursion, Group B flat water estuary paddle

Friday – Group A snorkeling, Group B second excursion

Saturday – morning yoga, then pack our bags to dream of next year

 

Pricing

We need a minimum of ten adults to do the trip. If we have ten people, the price will be $1600/person for the week. Kids will be an additional $600/kid. The more people we have, the more the price goes down – so tell your friends and spread the word!

Want To Do This???

Right now we’re working on a preliminary interest list. There is no need to commit. Let us know if you’re interested and any questions you have. Do NOT purchase airfare until we have enough people to make the trip a definite GO. We will let you know as soon as that happens, with a decision being made no later than 1/15/16 in either direction.

Check out our website at http://dev.supwithwade.com/costa-rica for more info or e-mail wade@supwithwade.com with any questions, comments, ideas, or just to say hi! And always, always feel free to call or text at 310-968-0003, we want to hear from you!

 

What isn’t included?

  1. Airfare
  2. Lunch, Dinner, Incidentals, Other Activities – but see above, we will try to negotiate group rates for activities and there is access to a kitchen if you prefer to cook.