What it's like
The Yoga Farm sits on a hill above the quiet beaches of Punta Banco, the next village after the surf town of Pavones, near the Panama border. It's a long way from anywhere, which is the point. Around it are coastal rainforest, small farms and the Guaymí Indigenous Reserve. We first wrote about it in 2015, and when we checked in October 2026 its site was still taking reservation requests. It ran Jungle Residencies through its 2025 season.
The main house is a big two-story building with an open-air, wood-floored yoga deck looking out to sea. Guests sleep in shared and private rooms on the ground floor, and there are three private cabinas set apart for more quiet. Meals are made and eaten family-style in the separate kitchen.
The farm grows a long list of food: bananas, mangoes, papayas, cacao, coconuts, turmeric, ginger, vanilla, black pepper and more. Two springs supply drinking water, rainwater is collected, and power comes from a mix of solar and renewably sourced grid electricity.
How a stay works
The Yoga Farm runs each year from December to June. Its main offering is the month-long Jungle Residency, which mixes the old retreat, volunteer and trainee roles into one. A residency includes a bed, room or cabina, three mostly vegetarian meals a day and daily yoga from a rotating group of teachers.
In return, residents spend about 10 to 15 hours a week on farm life: harvesting, cooking, gardening, building and chores. There are hands-on permaculture workshops, and everyone is asked to share a skill with the group. Free time goes to surfing, swimming, rainforest hikes, rivers and waterfalls.
Groups of up to 12 can book the farm for workshops or trainings, from yoga teacher trainings to permaculture courses. The farm asks leaders to get in touch 9 to 12 months ahead.
Who it suits (and who it doesn't)
It suits people who like communal living and want to learn about sustainable life in the tropics while keeping up a daily practice. It doesn't suit anyone after a luxury retreat. The farm is clear about the basics: composting toilets, Wi-Fi only in the Yoga House, no phones on the yoga deck, and a steep 15-minute climb up a dirt road from the village that you'll do every day. Medical care is a long way off, with a hospital in Golfito.
For a more comfortable yoga stay in the south, see Blue Osa near Puerto Jiménez. For more on the area, read our Osa Peninsula guide and surfing guide, which covers Pavones.
Getting there
First get to Golfito, by domestic flight from San José or by the Tracopa bus. From Golfito, take a taxi (a 4x4 can drive you up the hill to the farm) or the afternoon bus toward Pavones. Stay on past Pavones to Punta Banco, then walk up the hill from the end of the road. There are no banks or ATMs nearby, so bring cash. Our guide to Costa Rica without a car has more on buses.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Yoga Farm?
On a hill above Punta Banco, the village just past Pavones on Costa Rica's southern Pacific coast.
When is it open?
The farm runs from December through June each year.
Is it a retreat or a volunteer program?
Both, in a way. Jungle Residents get room, meals and daily yoga, and help with about 10 to 15 hours of farm work a week.
How far is the beach?
About a 10-minute walk downhill.
Can I bring a group?
Yes. The farm hosts groups of up to 12 for workshops and trainings.
