Restorative Rainforest Retreat in Scenic Costa Rica
The piping-hot steam of a turkish bath swirls in currents, resembling a thick milkshake and evoking the nearby Poás Volcano, a landmark in the rainforest-blanketed northern corridor of Costa Rica. A reliance on natural elements and organically derived treatments proves paramount to the mission at Asclepios Wellness & Healing Retreat, where guests from around the globe alight to ditch the stressors of daily life and indulge in some requisite R&R.
In rooms named for Greek gods and goddesses—any of whom would not seem out of place in the whitewashed, otherworldly ambiance of the brick-floored lodgings—guests repose on a queen-size bed or two twin-size beds to gaze out onto the resort’s 12,500-acre natural habitat. Asclepios encourages environmental appreciation and conversation by minimizing its impact on the surrounding acreage; buildings take their shape from sustainable materials such as bricks, siding, and tofu cubes, while thermal solar collectors, sustainably engineered ventilation, and natural lighting preserve wildlife of the area.
Days blur with a bevy of on-site wellness-replenishing options, from a dip in the ionized swimming pool to an introduction to the alternatively hot and cool hammam, vichy, or scottish showers. Four treatment rooms ensure ample space for the spa’s master technicians to unfurl stress sails, and a licensed naturopath dispenses take-home supplements to sustain holistic well-being. Between bouts of yoga and meditation, the resort’s organic restaurant dishes up vegetarian and non-vegetarian fare with ingredients plucked from the property’s own organic garden and transformed into dishes such as oven-baked eggplant stuffed with cheese and pesto and ginger-glazed tofu with mango dices ensconced in sautéed spinach.
Costa Rica: Elysian Latin American Sanctuary
A biological and cultural bridge between the Americas, Costa Rica boasts dense rainforests and quartet of mountain ranges that host more than 5% of the entire planet’s biodiversity. A whole quarter of the country’s land is actively preserved for safekeeping, which coincides with a 96% literacy rate and a peaceful outlook on life as epitomized by the popular local expression pura vida. About 16 miles (26km) from Asclepios, San Jose sprawls as the country’s capital, bustling with commercial enterprise, museums, and nightlife.
