# The best yoga teacher training programs in Costa Rica

> Five Costa Rica retreat centers on our site run their own yoga teacher trainings. Blue Osa offers the most choice of formats, with 200 and 300-hour courses in 14 or 28 days, while Vida Asana suits people who want to study online first and spend 12 days in person. Bodhi Tree, Anamaya and Kindred Spirits each run a 200-hour course with a different feel, from a big Nosara resort to a horse farm on the Caribbean coast.

Source: https://www.retreatvacations.net/best-yoga-teacher-training-programs-in-costa-rica/
Last checked: 2026-10-20
Programs compared: 5, all checked in October 2026
Certification: All five say their 200-hour course is Yoga Alliance certified or registered
Best time to go: December to April is dry season; Blue Osa offers training dates every month

As recommended in:
- National Geographic, "Best of the World 2026: the best wellness experiences in the world" (2026-01-28) https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/best-of-the-world-2026/article/best-wellness-destinations

We first wrote this guide in 2015. For this update we went back to the Costa Rica retreats on our site and kept only the ones that run teacher trainings themselves, checked against their official sites in October 2026.

## How we chose

We read every Costa Rica profile on this site and kept a center only if it runs its own training, or runs one with a named partner school, on its own grounds. Several good venues host other schools' trainings from time to time. We've left those out, because the quality depends on whichever school happens to be visiting. We don't rank these five. The right one depends on how long you can be away, how you like to learn and what kind of place you want to spend three or four weeks in.

## The five trainings at a glance

| Center | Where | Trainings | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Osa | Osa Peninsula, beachfront | 200 and 300-hour | 14-day or 28-day residential, monthly dates |
| Vida Asana | Playa Hermosa, central Pacific | 200 and 300-hour | About 10 weeks online, then 12 days in person |
| Bodhi Tree | Nosara, Nicoya Peninsula | 200-hour with iLa Yoga | Residential, set dates in 2027 |
| Anamaya | Montezuma, Nicoya Peninsula | 200-hour | Three weeks residential, small groups |
| Kindred Spirits | Cocles, Caribbean coast | 200-hour plus equine yoga | On a horse farm |

## Blue Osa: the most flexible schedule

[Blue Osa](/blue-osa-yoga-sanctuary-and-spa/) runs 200-hour and 300-hour Yoga Alliance trainings in 14-day and 28-day formats, with dates offered monthly. That's more choice than anywhere else on this list, and the short intensive format suits people who can't take a month off. The curriculum goes beyond asana and anatomy into pranayama, meditation, yoga nidra, kundalini and Ayurvedic principles.

The setting matters on a training, and this one is quiet: a 13-room retreat on a private beach near Puerto Jiménez, mostly solar powered, with patchy phone signal. Meals are included and mostly plant-based, but the kitchen can't cater for special diets, so check before you book if that matters to you.

## Vida Asana: study first, then come to Costa Rica

[Vida Asana](/vida-asana/) near Playa Hermosa is a Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga School. Its 200-hour Awakenings training is split into three phases: about ten weeks of online study, 12 days in person in Costa Rica, then optional online mentoring after you graduate. If you'd rather not spend a full month away, or you like to absorb theory at your own pace, this structure helps.

The style draws on vinyasa, hatha, ashtanga, Iyengar and restorative yoga, and there's a 300-hour advanced training too. Trainees stay in shared or private rooms with air conditioning, and group airport transport runs at set times. The center has been running since 2002.

## Bodhi Tree: a training inside a busy resort

[Bodhi Tree Yoga Resort](/bodhi-tree-yoga-resort/) in Nosara runs a 200-hour Yoga Alliance certified training in partnership with iLa Yoga. Dates listed when we checked were 13 March to 3 April 2027 and 30 October to 20 November 2027.

This is the pick if you want facilities and community around you. The resort has more than 57 rooms, several shalas, a spa, gym and surf lessons, and Nosara is a well-known yoga and surf town. The flip side is that it's busy, with lots of other guests and groups.

## Anamaya: a small-group training with an ocean view

[Anamaya](/anamaya-yoga-retreat-yoga-teacher-training/) above Montezuma runs a three-week 200-hour training with small groups and Yoga Alliance certification on completion. Tuition, meals and accommodation are included, and trainees get a private shuttle on arrival day. Check-in and check-out are both on Saturdays.

It's a 14-room hillside property with organic meals that cover vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free diets. National Geographic picked Anamaya for its [Best of the World 2026](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/best-of-the-world-2026/article/best-wellness-destinations) wellness list. Anamaya shares an owner with this site; we've included it on the same terms as the other four.

## Kindred Spirits: yoga teacher training with horses

[Kindred Spirits](/kindred-spirits-equestrians-retreats/) is a family-run yoga and horse sanctuary on a permaculture farm in Cocles, on the southern Caribbean coast. It runs a 200-hour Yoga Alliance registered training and a separate equine yoga teacher program in equine yoga and aligned horsemanship.

It's a niche choice, and a good one if you'd like to bring horse-based work into your teaching. The website is light on details about lodging, so ask before you commit.

## How to choose

- **Short on time?** Blue Osa's 14-day format or Vida Asana's 12 days in person keep your time away short.
- **Want a calm, small group?** Blue Osa and Anamaya are both small properties.
- **Want lots going on?** Bodhi Tree has the most classes and facilities.
- **Going further?** Blue Osa and Vida Asana both offer 300-hour advanced trainings.
- **Love horses?** Kindred Spirits is the only one of its kind here.

## Frequently asked questions

### Are these trainings recognized by Yoga Alliance?
All five say their 200-hour trainings are Yoga Alliance certified or registered. Vida Asana says its graduates can register as RYT 200.

### How long does a yoga teacher training in Costa Rica take?
Between about 12 days and four weeks in person. Blue Osa offers 14 and 28-day formats, Anamaya runs three weeks, and Vida Asana combines online study with 12 days on site.

### Are meals and rooms included?
At Anamaya, tuition, meals and accommodation are included. Blue Osa includes meals with its stays. Check each center's current package, since what's included can change.

### Can I train in Costa Rica if I'm not an advanced yogi?
It depends on the school, so ask before you apply. Anamaya says you'll want a regular practice behind you before you start, and that's sensible advice for any training.