The Unknown Ahead

Moms do a lot. A LOT. It’s time to find some “me time” ladies! What better way to find yourself than in the jungles of Costa Rica? If you’re thinking “oh, I could never leave for a week!” YES. YOU. CAN. The house will still be there. The chores (unfortunately) will still be there. The laundry will be where you left it. But YOU? You will be a more relaxed, better human than you were before. Go on the solo trip. You deserve it.

My husband travels a lot for work, and it’s a double edged sword. On the one hand, we get a lot of travel miles and points through United and Marriott. I love travel, and so this proves handy when getting free flights and hotel stays. However, if I’m being honest, it has also bred a lot of resentment in our relationship in the past, especially when the kids were little. I felt like he was “working” but also having amazing dinners, bringing clients out to events, and having fun while I was trapped at home doing homework, bath time, and bed on my own. The solution? Mom having a week on her own in Costa Rica.

Are you already feeling guilty? Don’t. Feeling nervous to cross international borders on your own? Don’t. Those kids of yours need to learn that they will survive without you. And YOU need to reconnect with YOU. Enter El Sabanero Yoga Retreat in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. This facility is gorgeous. It’s basically summer camp for adults. Everyone has their own cabin on the property with a bathroom, air conditioning, big bed, balcony and hammock. The retreat has a large pool, all-inclusive meals, a lovely yoga shala, and wildlife galore.

The Schedule

El Sabanero has so much to offer and so many options! Yoga is offered twice per day at 7:30AM and 5:00PM. Morning practice is led by Hector Moreno (you can find him on Instagram). These classes are suitable for all levels, so don’t be shy! The evening classes are led by a variety of visiting teachers from all over the world. These vary night to night and include vinyasa, hatha, restorative, meditation, and yin yang. There is something for everyone! Not in the mood? Skip it. This is your journey.

When I saw that there was coffee available at 6:30AM, I laughed out loud. But then I heard the donkeys…and roosters…and locals…and all of a sudden, that time didn’t seem too early to get out of bed! Honestly, there’s not a ton of nightlife here, so you are typically in bed pretty early. I was up and enjoying a morning walk and coffee by day two. And the morning walks are amazing because there are howler monkeys everywhere! If you want to enjoy some quiet time with your coffee and some monkeys, this is your place! And the local dogs enjoy accompanying you on walks as well.

The owners will give you a ride to Tamarindo every morning at 10AM. There are usually two pick-up options at 1PM or 4PM, but catching an Uber is easy if you want to make your own timeline. El Sabanero will also help you set up excursions like catamaran trips, hiking adventures, massages, and just about anything else you can think of locally. A lot of these trips require cash, so bring a lot of USD with you to Costa Rica. Although the local ATM did give out American dollars, the transaction fees were really high.

Local Beaches

The closest beach is Tamarindo. This is a great strip of bars, restaurants, beach spots, and surf lessons. Most of the restaurants will let you hang out on their beach loungers all day if you buy a drink or two. The ocean here has lovely rolling waves that are perfect for relaxing and getting some salt in your hair.

Hungry? Let me recommend Pico Bistro – amazing octopus! El Be is a great option if you’re in the mood for a tequila shot. The Ocho Beach Club has really comfy loungers and is on the southern most side of the beach. But really, there are a ton of options on the ocean that will make you happy. The best place for dinner and cocktails is Tropic Tamarindo. The steak with coconut chimichurri is beyond. They also had really good cocktails that were served in funny and ridiculous ways.

If you are looking for nightlife, it does exist. We did some pretty epic karaoke until 1AM one night. There is also a night market once per week that is a lot of fun. There are plenty of food options, jewelry stands, art, clothes, and lots of other fun stalls to shop. I visited Tamarindo in July, and felt nothing but safe roaming around on my own. There was a decent police presence in the evenings on the main strip which made you feel extra secure. Honestly, the police were probably there to keep tourists from getting too drunk and rowdy as opposed to managing any sort of local crime. I did roam around on my own quite a bit, but I also met a lot of amazing women at El Sabanero, and we quickly became friends. So usually, I was in little groups of two or four as we explored the local areas.

My favorite beach was a 40 minute Uber from El Sabanero. Conchal Beach is made entirely of crushed shells. It’s a lovely pink color and one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen. The water is a deep blue, there are minimal waves, and trees dot the coastline for shade. It was surprisingly not crowded at all. There is an all-inclusive Westin hotel near the beach, so it was mostly families lounging in the shallows. There’s a little town just north of the beach with plenty of seaside restaurants, little touristy shops, and treats.

The third beach we visited was a 30 minute drive south to Avellanas. This beach is really popular for surfing, so it’s a lot of fun to people watch. The waves are pretty rough, so this beach is less relaxing, but it’s fun to get tossed around a bit in the ocean too. It’s just a different vibe from Tamarindo and Conchal. There’s also a lovely restaurant here called Lola’s with great food, a beautiful ambiance, and every cocktail you can imagine. It was easy to spend the whole day here! There’s not much else near this beach though in terms of shops or points of interest. So bring your book and enjoy the waves!

Final Thoughts

If I’m honest, I was a little nervous to go on a solo trip. I was fully prepared to spend an entire week by myself, reading on a beach, recharging, stretching on a yoga mat, and soaking in some sunshine. But the truth is that I was rarely alone because I met so many other fierce, interesting, badass female travelers.

Leaving my life behind for a week and focusing on myself is exactly what every mom needs now and then. By stepping away, I was able to lean into who I wanted to be going forward and it made me more grateful for what I had in my life when I returned. I’ve decided to make it an annual “me” trip. Find some time for yourself, ladies! We definitely deserve it.