Beached: Nude

La Playita (Little Beach) - A nude beach and favorite surfing spot, Playita is located in Manuel Antonio National Park. Every shade of turquoise and azure one can imagine is captured in the sparkling waters here. The"clothing optional" area is located across the rocks at the right end of La Playita Beach. Some consider it the "only gay & lesbian beach in Central America".

Communities: Raw & Living Food

Dr Graham's property will soon house a raw food community. If you have any questions, please contact Dr Graham via the Contact Us page.

Events

Raw World - Feb 8-19, 2006. Tel.:. Enjoy world-renowned speakers, authors, culinary experts, and wellness professionals: Viktoras Kulvinskas, Dr. Doug Graham, Professor Roz Gruben, Cherie Soria, Juliano, Loren Lockman, Chad Sarno, Elaine Love, Matt Samuelson. Morning yoga on the beach or by the pool. Daily fun exercise classes with athletic trainer, Doug Graham. Improvisational music, vocal, and percussion classes. Tribal music jams with Jas. Massage/bodywork classes. Community building and networking with other Raw Food Enthusiasts. Nature and beach walks, swimming, sunshine, snorkeling, hiking, kayaking, horseback riding, and relaxation.

Tantra-Yoga Retreat: Mindfulness & Renewal - Pacha Mama, Costa Rica, February 18-25, 2006. During this retreat we'll explore how to be in integrity with ourselves and others through various practices: moving with awareness, following the breath, conscious touch, attentive listening, authentic communication, and eating mindfully. Activities include: beach and river visits, evening Silent Sitting & Meditation, massage & bodywork (for additional fee), chanting & singing, group discussions, evenings at a hilltop tea and coffee-house, horseback riding, chatting at the jungle cafe and juice bar, plus plenty of time to rest or walk at your leisure, read, write, meet new people, reconnect with yourself. Morning classes will focus on becoming aware of and increasing the energy flow of our bodies; evening classes will be soothing and restorative. We'll live in harmony with a beautiful natural environment in Pacha Mama, a unique, eco-friendly community that celebrates life by embracing a peaceful lifestyle committed to honoring nature, body, mind, and spirit.

Farms & Farmer's Markets: Organic

Punta Mona: Center for Sustainable Living & Education - The Punta Mona Center for Sustainable Living and Education is an 85-acre organic farm and educational retreat center located on the southern Caribbean coast of Costa Rica (see Punta Mona on a map). We are dedicated to teaching environmental awareness and consciousness and welcome individuals and groups for short or long term visits. Promoting a sustainable way of living through example and education, we grow our own food organically, use eco-technologies, and create a sense of community. In Punta Mona our houses are built from local, fallen trees, solar panels provide our electricity and the majority of our food is grown in our extensive gardens. The farm has an incredible variety of tropical fruits, nuts, spices, medicinals and many other useful plants from around the world. Activities include: organic gardening, permaculture education, Spanish lessons, snorkeling, kayaking, hiking, dolphin tours, turtle nesting (in season) and much more.

Finca Ipe - Postal address: Finca Ipe, Apdo. 804-8000, San Isidro del General, P.Z. Costa Rica. Email: info@fincaipe.com. A 12 hectares working, Certified Biodynamic® and organic farm and retreat center seeking volunteers and interns, nestled in the scenic coastal mountains that rise above the beautiful Pacific coast of Costa Rica. Its natural springs attract an abundance of wildlife and colorful birds. Cool ocean breezes provide a comfortable temperature for plants and animals alike. The surrounding area is a haven for all nature-lovers with stunning waterfalls, exotic rainforests, deserted beaches and gorgeous sunsets. With easy bus access from the bustling town of San Isidro del General (approx. 45 minutes by car), and only 15 minutes' drive down the hill to Playa Dominical, Ipe offers the best of worlds - peace and convenience. Throughout the year, though more so during the summer months, we grow a variety of salads, vegetables and fruit and so everyone living on the farm can enjoy a tasty variety of fresh, Biodynamic® organic produce. We like to combine retreat or workshop activity with general farm activity, so there's also an opportunity to work with the land and enjoy the outdoors.

Fasting Retreats & Centers

Fasting in Costa Rica with Dr. Doug and Prof. Rozi - Approx. Jan. 1 - Feb. 12, 2006, TBD. After over 30 visits to Costa Rica, and 20 years of supervising fasts, I have chosen this year's fasting site with your best interests in mind. We will stay in a secluded spot, a small retreat with only three cabins. The cabins are clean, have tile floors, and give an overall plush feeling. There will be a maximum of 5 persons per cabin, 10 fasters in total, as the third, smaller cabin will house staff. About 1 mile from one of Costa Rica's most luxurious beaches, our cabinas are also located just a few minute's walk from deep jungle. Become well rested, learn more about health through private daily consultations, have your personal health and fitness questions answered, and fast in a pleasant warm environment that is immersed in natural surroundings. Hummingbirds, toucans, and dozens of other beautiful birds are with us all day. Temperatures in January tend to be in the 80's all day and 70's all night. There is little chance of rain. Each fast will be custom designed, as will realimentation and recovery from the fast. There is no set length that one must fast, we are simply allowing 43 days for the entire experience, including travel. The length of your fast will be up to you, with Dr. Graham's guidance. Prof. Rozi will provide the psycho-emotional counselling that has made her world famous. The experience begins the moment you set foot in Costa Rica. We will meet you at the airport and take you to our location, via private transport. At the end of your visit, we will provide private transport back to San Jose and the airport. All expenses other than your airfare (tourist gifts, phone cards, postage, and tips, etc. are your responsibility) are covered in the one low cost. Fasting in the US is usually considerably more expensive than this. Nowhere can you get the quality of fruit, comfort, or climate that we will provide. If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact Dr Graham via the 'Contact Us' page.

Natural Hygiene

Dr. Doug Graham, D.C. & Prof. Rozalind Gruben - See 'Communities: Raw & Living Food', 'Fasting Retreats & Centers' and 'Sports & Fitness'

Spiritual Centers

PachaMama */**/*** - The phrase Pacha Mama comes from the Incan language Quechua. It means Mother Earth. Here, in this Costa Rican village, PachaMama resonates the vibration of its namesake. It is a community inspired by meditation, music, dance, and the creation of an ecologically sustainable existance with mother earth. It is a community that is active in exploring the heights of consciousness through diet-raw food, cleansing and fasting, silent retreats, therapy groups, body work, gardening, dance and musical festivals. There is no specific doctrine, philosophy, dogma or belief system practiced in PachaMama, merely the gathering of individuals from different parts of the world inspired by conscious alternatives to living. Experience Satsang meetings with Tyohar. In these meetings Tyohar responds to people's questions and sharings, supporting the inner growth of each one. It is the foundation of PachaMama, the very heart of Tyohar1s work. A silent retreat is a unique gathering --- there are two daily Satsangs with Tyohar, as well as a variety of meditations, designed to support the participants in their journey from the world of words. Every evening PachaMama takes an inner shower by being in silence for one hour.

Sports & Fitness

The Walking Tour of Costa Rica: with Dr. Doug Graham, D.C. & Prof. Rozalind Gruben - Feb 18-March 5, 2006 (approx. dates, see website). Have you always wanted to go to Costa Rica, but with a guide to show you around, provide you with top quality raw foods, and generally make certain that your needs were met? Oh, you wanted an educational experience, too? You wanted to stay in comfortable surroundings, and spend time with other raw fooders? Well, we have the event custom made for you. 10 people will stay with Dr. Doug Graham and Prof. Rozalind Gruben in Uvita de Osa, in Costa Rica, at a very private retreat. All food, and all expenses are included. Each day we will offer two walks; one easy and one more challenging, so you have your choice of effort. Both groups will visit the nearby national park beach, Ballena, as well as take trips to the jungle, the mountains, waterfalls with exquisite swimming holes, and other nearby scenic hotspots. Dr Graham's property, which will soon house a raw food community, is within walking distance of the retreat, and we will all get to visit this marvellous property as well. Three meals per day will be offered, catered to meet Dr Graham's brilliant 8/1/1 "Simply Delicous" cuisine. There will also be an educational presentation every afternoon and various fun raw learning experiences each evening. Space is extremely limited for this event, and many people have already expressed interest.

Vacations & Retreats (*=Vegetarian, **=Vegan, ***=raw foods)

El Sano Banano Beach Hotel and Ylang-Ylang Beach Resort */**/***- Montezuma Village. Puntarenas, Costa Rica. 506-642-0638. Your choice of double rooms, suites, or private bungalows on the beach front. Vegetarian, vegan and live foods options as well as other distinct culinary practices are available upon request. They use organic produce whenever available. Yoga sessions are available every morning with personalized yoga instructor/author "Devaya". All guests have complimentary use of the swimming pool. A variety of massages, spa treatments and horseback riding on the beach, snorkeling near Turtle Island and other tours are also available. Enjoy the sunrise/moonrise over the ocean 2 steps from your living quarters. The rejuvenation of a walk thru the tropical gardens or lounging in a hand-made hammock will ensure your tranquility. Their reception bureau can take charge of any transfers to and from the Airports (local or International) and anywhere else your voyage might take you in Costa Rica.

Note: see the 'Events' category above, and our sister site, The Vegetarian Travel Guide: Vacation chapter for vegetarian vacation choices, request that they offer a raw food menu!

Yoga

YOGA Rejuvenation Retreat in Costa Rica - January 11-18, 2006. Inspiring Kundalini, Vinyasa, & Naad Yoga Experience at the Pacha Mama Spiritual & Ecological Village in Costa Rica. Learn the foundations of Yoga practice and deepen your existing practice. Join Zemach Zohar, Devi Michal, and Dages for a highly transformational, rejuvenating adventure retreat in the magical forest jungle retreat. In this retreat we will immerse in various ancient teachings of Yoga: Vinyasa (Hatha Flow), Kundalini, and Naad (sound) Yoga. We will support and enhance the energetic changes and profound consciousness expansion the daily practice of Yoga and Meditation catalyzes with High Vibration Raw and Living Foods. Delicious and Nutritious Raw and Living Foods Cuisine, 3 meals per day including an abundance of tropical fruit and delicious vegetable creations (raw and cooked options). We will enjoy: Trips to white sand beaches and black volcanic sand beach, nature hikes and river dips, horseback riding through the jungle and to the ocean, beautiful accommodations in charming wooden Casitas, a glimpse at communal living, learning tour of the magical Pacha Mama vegetable garden, dance and Drum/live music Celebrations, and meeting beautiful new friends from around the world.