Essence of Bodysurfing: Costa Rica

February 15th - 22nd 2025

Join avid bodysurfers and expert instructors Hannah Walsh and Spencer Dunlap, as well as the Viva Adventures team Tara Tiedemann and Adrianne Chandra Huff (who are incidentally also "wave sliders") for an epic week of bodysurfing, relaxation, and fun in beautiful Playa Grande, Costa Rica.

Bodysurfing, or the art of catching waves with just your body, is an ancient and therapeutic pastime practiced by many distinctive civilizations for eons. It is an amazing way to connect with the ocean and yourself, great exercise, an exhilarating and innocent kind of joy that you will feel lucky to have experienced.

Outside of the bodysurfing, you can expect to eat amazing food, participate in a number of other included or optional activities in the area, watch the sun set over the Pacific every single evening if that tickles your fancy, wake up to the sound of birds and the scent of Costa Rican coffee on the breeze, and reconnect to nature and yourself.

The group size will be small (12 participants max.) to ensure an intimate experience. We will be staying at the beautiful and environmentally-conscious Sol Sanctuary in Playa Grande. All transportation in-country is included with our awesome driver.

We can't wait to catch some waves with you!

Book now!

Bodysurf instructor bios

Hannah Walsh

Hannah Walsh began bodysurfing as a kid growing up on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. She was a competitive swimmer as well as an Ocean Lifeguard, and would spend her free time wave sliding. She began teaching bodysurfing while working at a surf camp in Costa Rica, co-designing a teaching curriculum.

She began in-water photography and videography while she lived in Costa Rica, going on to study documentary filming in Canada. Her filmmaking is grounded in stories about water, often featuring swimming, surfing, or bodysurfing. She aims to utilize her voice to make actions sports more inclusive, and to bring awareness to the natural world and compel people to take care of it.

Spencer Dunlap

Spencer has been bodysurfing for fun since he was young, loving the connection he felt with the ocean and the exhilaration of catching waves with his body alone. He started coaching bodysurfing and surfing formally after moving to Costa Rica, co-designing a teaching curriculum. He was also an Ocean Lifeguard in San Diego, California.

As he got more into the sport, Spencer would always try to seek information about bodysurfing online, but learned it was not easy to find. After years of researching and collecting any information he could find about bodysurfing around the world, he began The Bodysurf Blog and now publishes these finds for the world to see.

What’s included

Lodging
7 nights of lodging (1 night at the Hampton Inn Liberia Airport & 6 at Sol Sanctuary in Playa Grande, Guanacaste, Costa Rica)
All meals
3 delicious, healthy, and locally-sourced meals per day at Sol Sanctuary, as well as several dinners and lunches out at some of our favorite restaurants on travel days
Transportation
Safe, private transportation and a driver available throughout the trip
Bodysurf classes
5 bodysurf classes with your expert instructors, who are also avid bodysurfers, highly competent waterwomen and men, and ocean lifeguards
Pool session
Swim technique session with bodysurf instructors in the pool at Sol Sanctuary
Bodysurf talk
History and culture of bodysurfing talk from instructors
Bodysurf movie night
Movie night at the lodge with snacks
Soundbath
A relaxing and meditative soundbath (think resonant "singing bowls") on the private yoga deck
Retreat leaders
Spanish/English-speaker guides will be available facilitating the activities and coordinating anything else you may need during your entire retreat
PM trip to Tamarindo
Visit to Tamarindo for wandering, souvenir shopping, sunset, and dinner
Free day
A day to explore the area on your own and do an optional add-on tours or activity
Conservation activity
An environmental activity alongside Sol Sanctuary's partner NGO
Use of private yoga deck
The space is ours to use, whether to stretch before bodysurf sessions, or to request a private or group yoga class as an add-on

What’s not included

International airfare
Flight to Liberia International Airport (LIR) on February 15, 2025, and departure from same airport (LIR) on February 22, 2025
Travel insurance
We recommend you purchase travel insurance in the event of cancellation or emergency as trip deposits and payments are unfortunately non-refundable
Optional activities
We can help coordinate any additional activities you may want to do (Surf lessons/rentals, estuary kayak tour, waterfall hike, hot springs tour, chocolate tasting & tour, cacao ceremony, snorkeling)
Alcoholic drinks
You are more than welcome to purchase on your own
Bodysurf fins
You will need to purchase your bodysurf fins ahead of the trip as they are more difficult to find in Costa Rica (we recommend Hydro Tech 2 and DaFin)

Itenerary

Day 1: Arrival

Arrive to Liberia International Airport

Arrive to Liberia International Airport (LIR) on February 15, 2025. There, the Viva Adventures team members will be waiting for you and you will together return to the Hampton Inn where we will be staying the first night. We will share dinner together and make introductions for the week!

Day 2: Head to the Beach

Travel to Sol Sanctuary in Playa Grande

Enjoy a nice breakfast and plenty of coffee at the hotel and then get ready to head out. After breakfast, travel the approximately 90-min drive and check into Sol Sanctuary where we will be staying for the next 6 nights.

After lunch and downtime, head to the pool for the first step in bodysurfing: perfecting your stroke with your helpful bodysurf instructors. You will also discuss fear in the ocean (a perfectly normal occurence), as well as strategies to stay calm and be confident.

Head down to the beach to watch the sun set over the Pacific Ocean and take a nice dip if you so choose. Finally, enjoy the bodysurf history and culture talk after a delicious dinner. Conclude it all with a wonderful first night of sleep!

Day 3: Get Your Feet Wet

Frolic and bodysurf the waves

After a delicious breakfast at the lodge (and of course, coffee), head down to the beach to put what you've learned so far about wave sliding into action with the week's first ocean bodysurfing class.

After frolicking the morning away, head back for some pool time and lunch at the lodge. The rest of the day is yours to head back to the beach, enjoy the pool, or take a nap!

We will enjoy dinner together and perhaps games, then head to bed for another delicious night of sleep.
Note: the order of affairs may change slightly due to weather and tides

Day 4: Bodysurf Immerse

Get into wave sliding

Wake up with the birds and enjoy some delicious Costa Rican coffee, fruit, and cuisine. Head down to the beach for your daily bodysurf class, where you will continue mastering this artful sport.

Enjoy lunch and free time in the afternoon, and then convene for the crew's favorite bodysurfing film(s) after dinner.
Note: the order of affairs may change slightly due to weather and tides

Day 5: Free Day

Enjoy — the world is your oyster

This is a nice mid-week break from bodysurfing to allow your body to rest and "recupe."

You still have breakfast, lunch, and dinner waiting for you at the lodge but you are also free to explore on your own, and do a tour or activity in the area. We are more than happy to help you arrange!

Day 6: Back to the Ocean

Get back to your now-familiar routine

By now, you know the drill: wake up, breakfast, amble down to the beach, launch yourself into some epic waves under the tutelage of the best bodysurf instructors around. Head back to home base, chill in the pool, eat a delicious lunch.

Today, we are throwing in another fun twist: we will be helping with a conservation project in the area we are staying in, as deemed important by the sister NGO to Sol Sanctuary, Respect the Wildlife.
After another nice dinner together, you will be excited to get to bed.
Note: the order of affairs may change slightly due to weather and tides

Day 7: Wave Slide Glory

Put all the pieces together

After another delightful breakfast, head to the bodysurf session in which you will see (and feel) it all come together — all these separate techniques and skills you have been learning over the course of the week will all come together on a liquid stage.

Enjoy some chill time and lunch at the lodge, and then we will head to Tamarindo for strolling, shopping, and a delicious last dinner (out) together.
Head home to the lodge for your last sleep of the trip.

Note: the order of affairs may change slightly due to weather and tides

Day 8: Departure

But not before one last bodysurf!

Rise early and head to the ocean before breakfast (but not before coffee). Enjoy your last bodysurf session with the gang and give your gratitude to the ocean for an epic week.

Have one last breakfast at the lodge before packing up and heading via our private transfer to Liberia once again for your departure flight.

Don't worry — we will have another retreat in a new location next year!