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The benefits of travel for wellbeing are well documented. So are the effects of nature-rich, wellness-focused environments on stress, sleep, and mood. When you combine the two, travel and place-based wellness, the impact becomes far more powerful than either one alone.
At Nayara Resorts, that combination is our starting point. Across Costa Rica, Chile, and Panama, we design stays where architecture, daily rhythm, and nature work together to support how you feel, not only what you see.
One of the clearest examples is Nayara Hangaroa on Easter Island. Here, wellness is not built around gym schedules or long spa menus. It grows out of Rapa Nui heritage, the island’s volcanic landscape, and a way of living that has long valued purpose, movement, and community – the same ingredients that define the world’s so-called “Blue Zones,” like Nicoya in Costa Rica.
This article looks at how indigenous wisdom, Blue Zone insights, and modern hospitality come together at Hangaroa, and how those same principles quietly shape the rest of the Nayara portfolio.
Why Indigenous Communities Matter for Modern Wellness
Traditional communities around Nayara’s destinations share a simple starting point: daily life is still closely tied to land and sea. Food, work, and social life happen mostly outdoors, in small groups, and at a human pace.
Near our Costa Rica properties, the Nicoya Peninsula is known globally as one of the original longevity “Blue Zones,” where many residents live active, independent lives well into their 90s and beyond. Researchers highlight consistent patterns: whole-food diets, regular physical activity built into daily tasks, strong social ties, and a clear sense of life purpose.
On Rapa Nui, culture has always been physical, communal, and outdoors. From ancestral farming in manavai stone circles to the athletic competitions of the Tapati festival, movement, ritual, and landscape remain tightly linked. Wellness here is not an add-on; it is embedded in how people gather, celebrate, and remember.
At Nayara, we draw on these patterns in pragmatic ways. Instead of importing a generic spa template, we ask what already keeps nearby communities grounded and healthy – and how our architecture and programming can echo those habits for guests in an honest, respectful way.
For a broader look at how we translate ecosystems into nature-based wellness across the portfolio, see our companion piece on Nature-Based Wellness by Colors: Brown, Black, Green, and Blue.
Blue Zones, Nicoya, and the Everyday Habits Behind Longevity
The idea of “Blue Zones” has brought global attention to regions where people frequently reach very old age. In Nicoya, on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, studies point to a cluster of simple, reinforcing factors: plant-forward diets based on corn, beans, and squash; regular outdoor work; tight-knit families; and strong community belonging.
These findings align with what many indigenous and traditional cultures have practiced for generations:
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Food is mostly local and minimally processed.
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Walking, carrying, paddling, and working the land provide natural movement.
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Social life is face to face, not screen based.
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Time in nature is daily, not occasional.
Our Costa Rica properties in Arenal – Nayara Gardens, Nayara Springs, and Nayara Tented Camp – sit inside this cultural and geographic context. While they are not in Nicoya itself, they share the same national emphasis on time outdoors, social connection, and access to fresh, local food. Guests often find that after a week of walking forest paths, soaking in hot springs, and eating simply prepared meals, their energy feels closer to that “everyday wellness” Blue Zones describe rather than a short-term spa reset.
Rapa Nui: Culture as a Form of Wellness
Easter Island, or Rapa Nui, brings a different layer to the wellness conversation. Here, the landscape is volcanic and ocean facing, but the strongest force is cultural memory.
For centuries, Rapa Nui communities have maintained rituals, dances, songs, and athletic competitions that demand stamina, coordination, and teamwork. Modern celebrations such as the Tapati Rapa Nui festival still center on activities that combine physical challenge with story and ceremony – from hill descents on traditional sleds to endurance swimming and paddling events. These practices keep movement, identity, and community tightly bound.
Spiritual and emotional life are equally rooted in place. Stone platforms, ancient villages, and coastal viewpoints are not only archaeological sites. They are locations where people still go to reflect, gather, and mark transitions. Time spent in these spaces tends to feel slower and more deliberate, which is exactly the kind of pacing many guests say they miss in their day-to-day lives.
At Nayara Hangaroa, we view this cultural landscape as a wellness resource in its own right. Guided experiences focus on walking, learning, and listening rather than ticking off sights. The goal is not to recreate rituals that belong to Rapa Nui people, but to give guests enough context and time that the island’s way of relating to land and history can act as a gentle counterweight to more hurried routines at home.
How Nayara Hangaroa Turns Heritage Into Everyday Wellness
The architecture and daily rhythm at Nayara Hangaroa are built to translate these ideas into concrete, guest-facing details.
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Earth and grass as natural insulation
Rooms are partially earth-sheltered, with curved green roofs and thick stone walls that help regulate temperature and soften sound. Instead of relying only on mechanical systems, the buildings use mass and vegetation to create a calm indoor climate that feels grounded and quiet. -
Manavai-inspired spa spaces
The spa takes its cue from the traditional manavai, circular stone structures once used to protect crops from wind and conserve moisture. Here, that geometry becomes a sheltered wellness space where guests can experience treatments in an environment that feels close to the earth rather than perched above it. -
Views that favor horizon over screens
Public areas and rooms are oriented toward ocean, cliffs, and open sky. The design makes it easy to spend long stretches of time outdoors or near large windows, which supports the well-researched benefits of green and blue-space exposure for stress reduction, attention, and mood. -
Pacing that leaves room to breathe
Activities are scheduled to leave space for unstructured time – walking the coastline, sitting near the cliffs, or simply watching light change over the Pacific. Many guests find that these unscripted hours are where they feel the deepest reset.
In combination, these choices mean that you do not need a tightly programmed “retreat” to feel different on Easter Island. The architecture, light, air, and cultural context do a large part of the work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nayara Hangaroa a Blue Zone?
No. The Nicoya Peninsula on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast is recognized as one of the world’s original Blue Zones. Easter Island is not, but it shares some underlying habits – outdoor movement, strong social ties, and a clear sense of place and purpose – that are consistent with what longevity research highlights.
Do I need to join a structured wellness retreat to benefit from Hangaroa?
You do not. Most guests feel a strong shift simply by spending several days walking the coastline, visiting cultural sites, resting in earth-sheltered rooms, and using the spa. The design of the resort and the island’s slower pace do much of the work without a strict schedule.
How does Nayara respect Rapa Nui culture while offering wellness experiences?
Our role is to host and support, not to appropriate. We partner with local guides and cultural experts, focus on accurate storytelling, and avoid reenacting rituals that belong to the community. Architecture and programming are designed to echo underlying principles – connection to land, time outdoors, communal gathering – rather than copying specific ceremonies.
Further Reading and Sources
The Science
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American Psychological Association overview on nature and mental health: “Nurtured by nature”
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Peer-reviewed work on longevity patterns in the Nicoya region of Costa Rica
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Summary of research on how vacations and anticipation of travel affect happiness
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