By Jenna Lebovits
Anyone who knows me knows I’m always looking to learn something new. Last year, in an effort to conquer my chronic seasonal blues once and for all, I picked up snowboarding and quickly became obsessed with the sport. This year, missing the feeling of being on the board and craving that sense of newness once more, I decided to try surfing.
There’s something about pushing yourself in unfamiliar ways that changes more than the body, and research backs this up. Neuroscience shows that trying new activities, especially as an adult, strengthens neuroplasticity, which can help us to better adapt, focus and find joy in new situations.
My search for the perfect pre-fall surf and wellness escape led me to Costa Dulce, a premier eco-lodge on Nicaragua’s southwest coast, just north of Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula, one of the world’s five blue zones. Located above Playa Escameca, a private, unspoiled stretch of Pacific shoreline, the fully solar-powered lodge attracted me with its eco-initiatives and strong sense of community: All staff are local and paid fair wages, and the property supports composting, eliminates single-use plastics, and invests in reforestation and wildlife conservation.
From the moment we arrived, we dove right in. Fatigued from a lengthy travel day with little sleep, we joined a group cacao ceremony, followed by a temazcal-inspired sweat lodge—something I hoped would scrub off any residual travel “sludge” and quell my nausea, to which my partner just giggled. Turns out, sweating in a pitch-black dome for an hour was exactly what we needed.
Our days quickly found a natural rhythm: Mornings began with a guided dip in the cold plunge tub, followed by a wet sauna session and a flow-based Vinyasa yoga class designed to energize the body. The visiting instructors—hailing from all over the world—were top notch. A wellness highlight was a self-myofascial release class in one of the open-air oceanside shalas, where we spent 90 minutes stimulating the fascia and smoothing out adhesions (which, we learned, could hold trapped emotions) using tennis balls. “Sometimes, although we release experiences from the mind, we need to release emotions from the body as well,” said Sam Lawrence, Costa Dulce’s resident wellness practitioner and lead yoga instructor. We left feeling lighter, looser and ready to take on the day.
Afternoons were devoted to surf lessons. Private instructors encouraged a beginner’s mindset and a healthy release of past fears, like those I’d held onto since a near-drowning nearly 15 years ago. By day two, I was in the lineup. As old triggers continued to surface, a return to mindfulness and guidance from my instructor, Miguel, kept me calm. By day three, I was catching my own waves, tapping into familiar feelings of bliss and thrill I’d been missing since the end of the ski season.
After each session, colorful, nutrient-dense meals awaited us. A healthy mix of local and globally inspired dishes made with organic whole foods, free of seed oils and cooked with coconut oil, were served four times per day. Each bite fueled our bodies and kept us feeling strong, from beach to mat to surfboard.
Evenings moved at a slower pace. Yin, restorative yoga or the occasional sound bath lulled us to sleep. Rest and slowness was encouraged, so much so one of the instructors earnestly invited us to take a short nap before walking back to our cabins for the night.
While we were in total yoga-surf heaven, perhaps the best part of Costa Dulce was the travelers it attracted: deeply curious, open-minded and eager to connect. “Do you believe in rebirth?” asked Dennis, a SUP surfer from Massachusetts and four-year Costa Dulce regular, one evening over dinner. These were the kinds of questions we began to expect, and no shortage of candid conversation flowed throughout the week, as we made friends with fellow travelers, aged 30 to 70. “This place is so unique because you just never know who’s going to show up,” Dennis later told me during a morning sauna session. I understood exactly what he meant.
Only a few days in, it quickly became clear to me that Costa Dulce offers more than a quiet nature escape; it’s a place with soul, kept alive by the guests and community alike. While opportunities to nourish the individual self abounded—1:1 energy healing sessions, indulgent massages and body wrap treatments—they were carefully balanced with community-focused programming, like salsa nights (which proved humbling), beach bonfires, group surf sessions and communal dining.
One highlight came on the final night, when we discovered Vital Actions, a grassroots nonprofit operating on the steps-away Playa Escameca. I spent hours speaking with founder Tim Rumisel, a fellow animal lover and activist identifiable by the bright green “VEGAN” letters tattooed across his neck. To say Rumisel is passionate about his work would be an understatement. We watched as he and his team carefully released a fresh nest of hatchlings into the ocean. “I call it collective well-being,” he told me, when I asked about his mission. Since 2012, Vital Actions has rescued more than 500,000 sea turtle eggs from illegal harvesting and trafficking. But its mission isn’t just about saving adorable baby turtles; the group also protects other wildlife, leads local reforestation projects and empowers the community through sustainable jobs.
Before I arrived, Costa Dulce’s slogan, “Nourish Your Nature,” had been playing on repeat in my mind, though I never felt like I fully grasped its meaning. Six days later, it made perfect sense. Costa Dulce is a place that nourishes on many levels. It nourishes nature itself through low-impact construction and conservation; nourishes body and mind through intentional movement, mindfulness and whole foods; and it nourishes human nature—our shared desire for connection—through the power of community. costadulcebeach.com