These days, “relaxing” often means watching Netflix while answering three texts, liking your cousin’s vacation photos, and wondering why you’re not as relaxed as your cousin. The modern traveler is tired. Tired of notifications, of hustle, of the constant background buzz.
In a world built for acceleration, the greatest luxury might be stillness. At Nayara, we believe true stillness — and true holistic wellness — comes when your mind, body, and spirit are cared for in harmony. But wellness doesn’t stop with movement, silence, or hot springs. At Nayara, food is never just food — it’s a passport to place. What’s on your plate should tell you exactly where you are, introduce you to the people who made it, and let you meet the land (or sea) that provided it.
Our culinary story begins in the soil — sometimes volcanic, sometimes sandy, sometimes stubborn. From Costa Rica’s rainforest herb beds to volcanic islands in the Pacific, we grow and source as close to home as possible. This zero-kilometer philosophy keeps every bite sustainable, deeply flavourful, and perfectly in tune with its surroundings.
We’ve journeyed through immersive experiences, sustainability, and community impact. Now we bring together wellness and cuisine — because at Nayara, nourishment is never an afterthought. It’s the journey itself. And it’s one you can taste, feel, and carry long after you leave.
And here, wellness is shaped by the forest, the desert, and the sea. Nature is not part of the experience, it is the experience.
A Rainforest that Restores
After years of hyper-connectivity, the pendulum is swinging back. According to travel trend reports, over 70% of travelers are now seeking wellness-centered escapes. Guests are actively seeking vacations that prioritize rest and recovery over activity-packed itineraries—choosing silence over schedules, and presence over productivity.
Moreover, a growing body of research confirms what many cultures have long understood: spending time in nature has measurable effects on health and well-being. A study by the American Psycological Association demonstrates that it can reduce cortisol levels, improve sleep, strengthen immune function and enhance overall cognition.
Enter Costa Rica - global wellness hub, exemplified by the Nicoya Peninsula—one of only five official Blue Zones in the world. Here, people often live active, healthy lives well beyond 100 years. This longevity is linked to a lifestyle rich in movement, nutrient-dense foods, strong social ties, and daily connection to nature.
Inspired by our neighbor, wellness at Nayara in Arenal is rooted in rainforest rhythms and the steady gaze of the Arenal Volcano. Mineral-rich hot springs flow naturally, warmed deep underground by volcanic heat. Their minerals relax muscles, ease joint pain, and improve circulation—while the rainforest soundtrack provides the ultimate white noise.
Holistic wellness means instructor-led yoga in an open-air pavilion overlooking the rainforest canopy, where movement is slow, intentional, and synced to the sounds of nature. Sound healing sessions blend singing bowls with the natural acoustics of the forest, melting away stress in a way no meditaiton app can hope to match.
Overwater Wellness
At Nayara Bocas del Toro, wellness starts with the absence of distractions. The resort’s location—an island with no cars, no roads, and no background noise—immediately changes your pace.
Guests don’t need to walk to a treatment room—wellness comes to them. Spa treatments can place directly on your villa’s private deck, with the Caribbean stretching out beneath you.
But water isn’t just a view here—it’s an active part of your wellness journey. Guests can step from spa to sea right from the deck of their overwater villa for a gentle swim, kayak or snorkel among coral gardens alive with tropical fish.
And now our new Treehouse Spa will take the experience to new heights—literally. Suspended 50 feet above the forest canopy, its open-air treatment rooms offer both privacy and panoramic views across the treetops to the turquoise water beyond. Here, wellness is defined by presence, not performance; by quiet, not schedule.
Rainforest meets Relais Chateaux
Costa Rica’s volcanic soil and rainforest climate give us a constant abundance of fresh produce and aromatic herbs. At our newly expanded herb bed, chefs gather basil, mint, and lemongrass at their peak, carrying them straight to the kitchen—a true zero-kilometer approach.
Nayara Springs—the only Relais & Châteaux property in Costa Rica and in our portfolio—is recognized not just for luxury, but for a philosophy.
To belong to this association is to meet rigorous standards for cuisine, service, and a deep sense of place. It means every plate tells a story of its origin, prepared with technical mastery and genuine hospitality.
For our guests, it’s a guarantee that dining here is not simply excellent—it’s world-class, rare, and rooted in its surroundings.
A Culinary Oasis in the Atacama
When it comes to dining in the desert dining, food is an act of resilience and creativity. At Nayara Alto Atacama, our Andean garden proves that nourishment can thrive even in the most arid of landscapes. Alfalfa and native herbs flourish here, appearing as vibrant microgreens on plates and as delicate garnishes at Bar Puri.
Meals celebrate the desert’s terroir: quinoa and ancient grains paired with high-quality meats, light yet deeply tied to the Atacama’s rugged climate. Each dish reflects the same forces that shape the land — altitude, mineral-rich soil, and dramatic temperature shifts — creating flavours that are both unexpected and unmistakably local.
Wine, of course, is inseparable from dining here. Chile’s vineyards, nurtured by desert sun and Andean soil, produce bottles of remarkable character. Tasting them at Alto Atacama is more than a pairing; it’s an immersion in the story of the desert itself.
The story is markedly different in our Chilean sister property.
The Ocean of our Ancestors
For the ancient Rapa Nui, the sea was everything — pantry, pathway, and sacred space. Polynesian navigators crossed thousands of miles of open ocean to settle Easter Island, guided only by stars, waves, and the flight of birds. That same ocean still defines the island’s culture, shaping both tradition and the table.
At Nayara Hangaroa, cuisine honors this bond. From the sea come tuna, Ra Rape lobster, and reef fish; from the volcanic soil, sweet potatoes, taro, and plantains. Together they form the basis of Umu Rapa Nui, the ancestral earth-oven feast where food is wrapped in leaves and slow-cooked underground over volcanic stones — more than a meal, it is a celebration of community and continuity.
Each plate blends sea and soil, past and present, connecting guests to the resilience and reverence that have sustained the Rapa Nui for centuries.
A Taste of Place
From rainforest hot springs and treehouse spas to volcanic herb gardens, one truth runs through every Nayara experience: nature doesn’t just surround you — it sustains you.
It restores tired bodies, sets the rhythm of each day, and even appears on the plate. With our zero-kilometer philosophy, basil is picked as the water still clings to its leaves, lobster comes straight from the reef below, and every bite tastes unmistakably of place.
At Nayara, wellness is not a treatment and dining is not indulgence. Together, they are a way of life: living fully, in balance with the landscapes that host us.
This is the nature and flavor of wellness.
Plan your journey at nayararesorts.com — and discover what it means to be nourished, inside and out.
Explore the world of Nayara—one pillar, one story, one journey at a time
- Sunlit-Sustainability: Nature-Powered.
- Rooted in Community: Human Touch
- Nayara by Night: of Moon & Stars
- The Nature and Flavor of Wellness—you're here
- Sloth: Deadly Sin to Rainforest Royalty
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