Yoga in Samara, Costa Rica: Classes, Teachers, and Training (2026 Local Guide)

Samara's yoga scene doesn't try to be Nosara. It doesn't have the big-name studios or the Instagram-famous shalas. What it has is better for most people: a handful of dedicated teachers who've built their lives here, small classes where you're seen rather than counted, and a pace that lets yoga be what it's supposed to be — not a performance, but a practice.

I've lived here and practised alongside these teachers. Here's an honest guide to what's available, who's teaching, and where to show up.

The Teachers

Kelly Jones — Chillasana Yoga Surf

Kelly has been in Costa Rica for over twenty years.

Her classes are intelligently sequenced, physically challenging when you want them to be, and grounded in yoga philosophy rather than just fitness. She checks in with every class about energy levels and what people need that day — which means no two classes feel the same.

Classes are held at the Chillasana Yoga Shala in Playa Samara, located above the Musmanni Bakery in the Super Olas Plaza. It's a beautiful private space with air conditioning — a genuine relief in the heat. Drop-ins welcome. Cash preferred. Check their Instagram (@chillasanayogasurf) or WhatsApp for the current schedule.

Laura Waite

Laura has been teaching for over fifteen years and practising for more than two decades. She's one of Samara's most established wellness practitioners — deeply rooted in the community and known for classes that balance physical engagement with genuine depth.

Her mixed-level vinyasa classes run Monday through Friday at 8:30am. She also offers bodywork and energy healing sessions (her signature blend of deep tissue, Swedish techniques, and lightwork), and is part of the teaching team for Amāya Yoga Institute's teacher trainings.

Laura's schedule and booking info are at laurawaite.com.

Lisa — Lunita Yoga

Lisa teaches vinyasa and aerial yoga. Her morning surfer's yoga at Tico Surf School (7-8am) is designed as a pre-surf warm-up but works beautifully for anyone wanting an early, movement-focused practice. She also teaches Yoga x Pilates on Wednesday evenings at Chaki Café. Fun, energetic, and accessible to all levels.

Sunset Beach Yoga

Several teachers offer sunset sessions directly on the sand — the schedule rotates seasonally. These are drop-in, informal, and exactly as magical as practising yoga on a beach at golden hour sounds. Check community boards around town, the SearchSamara events page, or ask your accommodation for who's teaching this week.

The Spaces

Chillasana Yoga Shala

The dedicated yoga studio in town — above Musmanni Bakery in Super Olas Plaza. Air-conditioned, well-equipped with mats, blocks, bolsters, and straps. This is where Kelly teaches her weekday classes and where Amāya Yoga Institute runs its teacher trainings.

Intercultura — Oceanfront Rancho

Intercultura is primarily a Spanish language school, but its beachfront campus has become one of Samara's best yoga locations. The open-air rancho sits right on the sand — literally thirty steps from the ocean. Laura teaches her daily morning vinyasa here. The setting is hard to beat: tropical gardens, ocean breeze, waves crashing while you practise. Even if you're not studying Spanish, this is where to be at 8:30am.

Chaki Café

Chaki has become Samara's unofficial community living room. It's a café, boutique, and gathering space all in one — and it regularly hosts yoga classes, workshops, rituals, and wellness events. Yin yoga, Pilates, kids yoga, and various pop-up offerings all happen here. The vibe is relaxed and welcoming. Even if you don't make it to a class, it's a great spot for coffee and you'll see what's coming up on their events board. Follow them on Instagram for the weekly schedule.

Tico Surf School

Lisa's morning surfer's yoga takes place here — right by the beach. An open-air setting that connects the practice to the ocean and the elements in a way that studio practice can't.

The Beach

Honestly, one of the best places to practise in Samara needs no booking. Bring a towel, find a quiet stretch of sand (the northern end is usually emptier), and practise on your own at sunrise. The warm air means your body opens easily, and the sound of waves is better than any playlist.

Yoga Teacher Training

Amāya Yoga Institute

Founded by Kelly Jones, Amāya offers Yoga Alliance-accredited 200-hour teacher trainings in Playa Samara. The programme runs as an immersive 23-day training at the Chillasana Yoga Shala and integrates functional anatomy, trauma-informed teaching, restorative practices, yoga philosophy, and personal development.

What sets it apart from factory-style trainings is the intimacy — small group sizes, personal mentorship, and a team of experienced teachers rather than a single lead trainer. Kelly leads alongside Laura Waite and other guest educators, each bringing a different dimension to the curriculum. The Costa Rica setting isn't just a backdrop — the pace of life here, the natural environment, and the tight-knit community become part of the training itself.

Details and application at chillasanayogasurf.com.

Samara Yoga Teacher Trainings

Co-founded by Kenneth Graham and Kelly Jones, Samara Yoga offers 200-hour foundations training with both in-person and online options. Kenny and Kelly bring decades of combined experience in multiple forms of yoga, philosophy, breathwork, and meditation. The programme emphasises a functional approach to teaching — honouring individual differences rather than imposing a single "correct" alignment.

More at samarayoga.com.

Beyond the Mat

Yoga often opens doors to deeper work. If your practice has been surfacing emotions — tears in savasana, unexpected feelings during hip openers, a growing sense that there's something beneath the physical that wants attention — Samara has options for that next step.

Somatic Release and Kundalini Activation

At Holisoma, my practice picks up where the yoga mat leaves off. Somatic bodywork works directly with the nervous system and the emotional patterns that yoga can reveal but may not fully resolve on its own. Kundalini activation awakens dormant energy through a surrender-based process quite different from the active practice of kundalini yoga.

Many of my clients are dedicated yogis. The yoga builds awareness and opens the body. The somatic and energy work goes into the layers that awareness has uncovered. If you're curious about how these might integrate, my Signature session is designed for that exploration.

Breathwork and Sound Healing

Standalone breathwork sessions and group sound healing circles happen periodically in Samara. Chaki Café often hosts these — check their events. Pairing yoga with breathwork or sound healing in the same day creates a depth of experience that's hard to match.

Surf

This deserves a mention because so many people discover yoga through surfing here (and vice versa). Samara's gentle waves are perfect for beginners, and the body awareness you develop through yoga translates directly to the water. Kelly and John at Chillasana offer both yoga and surf — combining the two is one of Samara's signature experiences.

Planning Your Yoga Time in Samara

If you have a day: Drop into a morning class with Kelly at Chillasana or Laura's vinyasa. Grab a coffee at Chaki and check what else is happening that week.

If you have a week: Attend daily classes — rotate between teachers and styles to find what resonates. Try a sunset beach session. Add a bodywork or breathwork experience to complement the practice.

If you have a month or more: Settle into a daily rhythm. Buy a class pass from Chillasana or Laura. Let a home practice develop alongside studio classes. Consider the deeper modalities. Samara rewards you for staying.

If you're considering teacher training: Both Amāya and Samara Yoga offer rigorous, intimate programmes. Reach out to Kelly or check their sites — these trainings fill based on small group sizes, so early inquiry is wise.

How to Stay Current

Samara's yoga schedule shifts with the seasons and the teachers' own rhythms. The most reliable sources for what's happening right now: the SearchSamara events page (searchsamara.com), Chaki Café's Instagram, Chillasana's Instagram (@chillasanayogasurf), and simply asking around when you arrive. This is a small town — word of mouth still works better than any app.

Samara's yoga community is small enough to know everyone by name and deep enough to keep transforming you for years. Come see what I mean.

Badria is the founder of Holisoma, offering somatic bodywork, breathwork, and kundalini activation in Samara, Costa Rica.