Relax! It's Only a Matter of Life or Death.

A quick Google search on “the importance of relaxing” yields 49,100,000 results in 0.30 seconds. Apparently, a lot of people, everywhere, think it really is important. I know what you’re thinking, “I already know this.” The thing is we all do. And yet, most of us don’t heed the wisdom. We work, do, be in action, etc. often until we’re exhausted either physically, mentally or emotionally, or all three. There is always just “one more thing” to do, one more email to answer, one more task to finish. I’m as guilty of it as the next person. Amazingly enough, if you should ever happen to get sick or injured, you find very quickly that “the world goes on without you.” The planet does not stop revolving, civilization as we know it does not end, and countries do not collapse just because we take a day off – as in, don’t go to the office, don’t turn on the computer, don’t use our phone, don’t compulsively clean or fix one more thing at home, etc. 

There are whole institutes dedicated just to stress management. On the up side, stress is the body’s way of protecting you. When working properly, it helps you stay focused, energetic and alert; but beyond a certain point, stress stops being helpful and starts causing major damage to your health, your mood, productivity, relationships, and your quality of life, according to a study by experts Melinda Smith, M.A., Robert Segal, M.A., and Jeanne Segal, Ph.D. They say the most dangerous thing about stress is how easily it sneaks up on you. You get used to it. It becomes familiar or even seems normal. You don’t notice how much it’s affecting you, and the cost is high. So, what’s the price? Medical studies show that long-term exposure to stress can raise blood pressure and cholesterol levels, increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, contribute to infertility, create hypertension, cause digestive disorders, lower the immune system which leaves you more open to infections and viruses, and speed up the aging process.

If you don't do this, the prospect isn't pretty. So, what to do? Taken from many sources, the crucial elements are: get a good night’s sleep, eat healthy (filling your body with junk food doesn’t help the situation), exercise even 15-20 minutes every day (walk!), stretch, take breaks, breathe fresh air (combine with walking!), spend time in nature, laugh, and simply breathe deeply! There are many relaxation techniques out there like yoga, meditation, music, creative arts, and rhythmic and repetitive exercise like walking, running, swimming, kayaking, cycling, etc. where your mind can flow freely. One study even says that laughter, even deliberately induced laughter, provides emotional and mental release in addition to significant physiological benefits and relaxation on all levels. As clichéd as it sounds, vacation was created to give people time off to relax from work.




Convinced yet that you deserve – even your life depends on – that break and vacation? In Costa Rica, there’s a place that can help you relax your way back to health. Pranamar Oceanfront Villas & Yoga Retreat, set right on the shoreline at Santa Teresa Beach, is a gorgeous, intimate boutique hotel with luxury two-story villas, elaborate beachfront bungalows, abundant tropical gardens, an organic healthy-cuisine restaurant and a free-form saltwater pool. Santa Teresa Beach is located on the remote lower Nicoya Peninsula of the Pacific Coast – worlds away from stress; it was voted the #1 beach in Central America for 2012 by Trip Advisor. Pranamar Villas, also winner of the 2012 Trip Advisor Traveler’s Choice Award, offers you daily in-house yoga classes, regular yoga retreats and workshops, all-inclusive yoga vacations, and surfing and yoga holidays. As well, they offer an abundance of bodywork treatments (massage, etc.) to benefit your body, mind and spirit, and keep you healthy. Check out their selection here. Just tell your boss (or yourself!) that a vacation is the answer to a better, more productive you.

Sustainable Tourism is really important in Pranamar Villas

Ecotourism is top of the list as to why thousands of travelers from Many Countries  come to Costa Rica’s tropical paradise each year to see its  Beautiful landscapes and huge biodiversity. Tourism is the number one industry in the country, and with good reason. Though a small Central American nation, Costa Rica is a “wonderland” of volcanoes, beaches, rainforest jungles, picturesque rivers and lakes, and rolling savannas.

Fortunately , Costa Rica’s international reputation as “one of the most biologically diverse countries” has not only spurred ecotourism, but also has motivated the country’s government, local communities and private sectors to expand and better control the country’s protected areas, where logging, poaching and some agricultural activities were wreaking havoc on the environment.

At Pranamar Oceanfront Villas & Yoga Retreat, on Costa Rica’s stunning Santa Teresa Beach on the Nicoya Peninsula, sustainable tourism is a way of life. From the very beginning of creating Pranamar, owners Susan Money and Greg Mullins have been committed to “creating a special place that focuses on community, consciousness and honoring nature’s gifts.” They believe it is “important to consider the imprint we leave and the effects we have on our environment and planet.”

The luxury hotel uses a completely independent Pranamar's lush gardens irrigated with treated waste watert septic system that recycles treated water into the irrigation of its gardens. All waste water passes through a three-tank aerobic system using natural bacteria to clean the water, and then enters a drip irrigation system in the gardens which maximizes water usage. The local municipality is showing off Pranamar’s unique water system as an example for other tourism businesses and private property owners to implement.

On a greater scale, Pranamar staff work with the community on monthly beach clean-ups. Along with other hotels and businesses in the area, the beach communities of Santa Teresa, Mal Pais, Carmen and Hermosa all obtained for 2012 the highly-desired ecological Blue Flag award, which ensures the quality and sanitation of the water, beach clean-up projects, community informational signs, and environmental education.

The best Adventure at Playa Santa Teresa, Costa Rica

To start with, it’s an adventure getting there! Santa Teresa is on the outer edge on the Pacific just above the tip of the Nicoya Peninsula. The roads are not paved here, and you must either come by way of small plane or ferry and then by 4-wheel-drive vehicle. The beach itself is awash with possibilities – from first-class surfing to stand-up paddle boarding, in-shore and off-shore fishing, snorkeling, tide pool exploring, horseback riding on the sand, long walks and splendid sunsets.

There is the jungle – vibrantly green, splashed with color, buzzing with life. It pours down from the mountains along the coast, hugging the shoreline of white sand beaches and clear aquamarine sea. Hike its trails and you are in the heart of nature; fly through the treetops on a canopy zip line and you know what it is like to be a tropical bird. Two major landmarks are close by to visit – the famed Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve and the unforgettable Montezuma Waterfalls.

Playa Santa Teresa is a growing beach town that has been hailed as one of Costa Rica’s most spectacular beach destinations, Home of Pranamar Villas Hotel, The gorgeous, intimate boutique hotel features luxury two-story villas and elaborate beachfront bungalows in abundant tropical gardens. Take advantage of their all-inclusive yoga vacations or surfing and yoga holidays taught by certified, professional instructors.

Pranamar can easily arrange all of these adventure activities and more during your stay in our outstanding exquisite resort.

Yoga Retreats restore Your Mind, Body & Spirit

Yoga retreats, or “holidays” as they can be called, are incredibly popular nowadays as a way to have a healthy vacation. While traditional vacations often leave you feeling exhausted, yoga retreats actually energize and rejuvenate, the way a vacation is supposed to do. A yoga retreat is perfect if you are looking to deepen your practice, or try yoga for the first time. Connecting body, soul and mind At Pranamar you can get back to the basics ... simplicity at its finest while you reconnect with yourself and enjoy the pure joy of a Costa Rican paradise.

As committed students of Yoga, over the years of practicing we began to notice, with curiosity and awe, subtle yet profound awakenings in our daily lives. These shifts occurred on so many different levels, appearing spontaneously and increasing our connection to life and spirit, that we began to feel more happy and free. Stress  is one of the most common health disorders in the new world, people have to work everyday, go study, work at home,etc, Many doctors now recognize the benefits of yoga, and that by attending a yoga retreat (or many different retreats whenever possible) you can learn techniques that will lessen the likelihood of developing a stress-related illness. Short-term and long-term benefits of yoga include flexibility, physical strength and coordination, improved cardiovascular and neurological health through better breathing, and “staying younger longer” by maintaining a flexible and strong spine.

 

In front of beach, practice Yoga could be one of most relaxing experiences in the life,  travel to Santa Teresa Beach, Costa Rica, one of the most beautiful ones.We in Pranamar Villas will help you to forget all problems , preoccupations and obligations. Throughout the year we will be hosting Yoga retreats and workshops with international teachers and our resident Yoga teacher. We offer all-inclusive yoga vacations that may be arranged and created according to your desires and needs, or simply drop-in for our daily classes taught by certified, professional instructors.

We offer all-inclusive yoga vacations, surfing and yoga holidays, or simply drop-in during your stay for daily yoga classes taught by certified, professional instructors.

Rediscover your inherent connection with yourself and nature in the astounding beauty of Costa Rica with us!

This holiday season get your “sparkle” on at these festive Pranamar Villas celebrations.

Walking in a winter wonderland is just a tad different on Costa Rica’s Santa Teresa Beach. Rather than the traditional “white Christmas” and “snow glistening in the lane” scene, it is closer to Frosty the Snowman’s situation … “The sun was hot that day. So he said, let’s run and we'll have some fun now before I melt away."

Later this month, the big jolly guy with a beard and red suit will be taking his around-the-world whirl. If I were one of his helpful elves, I’d recommend stopping off last in Santa Teresa and bringing a surfboard and some shades. Known for its romantic tropical beaches, spectacular sunsets, epic surf breaks, and bohemian international town, Santa Teresa is your quintessential tropical paradise. Lying on the remote southwestern tip of Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula along the rugged Pacific Coast, Playa Santa Teresa was voted the #1 beach in Central America for 2012 by Trip Advisor.
Pranamar Oceanfront Villas and Yoga Retreat in Santa Teresa also believe in sharing their Christmas spirit with the local community. They invite all guests coming to Pranamar Villas and Playa Santa Teresa during this holiday season to toss a few notebooks, pencils, pens and other school supplies in your suitcase to donate to the local Malpais Elementary School. This year’s “Children’s Christmas Campaign” is themed the “Gift of Art.” The hotel administration will be collecting school and art supplies, and also financial donations, during December and January for the school. Pranamar’s goal is to bring joy to the schoolchildren with 10 art boxes filled with art supplies for the new academic year starting in February 2013. Pranamar Villas’ employees also will have a donation box, in lieu of exchanging gifts, at the hotel to give toys and/or money to purchase toys for disadvantaged children in town.


Get your groove on for the holidays with a unique and fantastic Live Music Yoga Class on Dec. 28^th at Pranamar Oceanfront Villas, led by renowned yoga instructors Nancy Goodfellow and Esteban Salazar. Be prepared to “let your spirit soar” says Nancy with “Pulsations in Nature” from 5:00-7:30 pm in the hotel’s Yoga Shala. All levels are invited. Contact Pranamar Oceanfront Villas at 2640-0852 for reservations and details. Say goodbye to 2012 and embrace 2013 on Pranamar’s wide almond tree-shaded section of Santa Teresa Beach, at the hotel’s New Year’s Eve beachfront BBQ bash with live entertainment on Dec. 31^st. Contact Pranamar Oceanfront Villas at 2640-0852 for reservations and details.

Pranamar Oceanfront Villas and Yoga Retreat sits right on the shoreline at Santa Teresa Beach, a gorgeous, intimate boutique hotel with luxury two-story villas, elaborate beachfront bungalows, extravagant tropical gardens, organic healthy-cuisine Buddha Eyes Restaurant, and the most lovely free-form saltwater pool. Winner of the 2012 Trip Advisor Traveler’s Choice award and Certificate of Excellence award, Pranamar Villas offers you daily in-house yoga classes, regular yoga retreats and workshops, all-inclusive yoga vacations, and surfing and yoga holidays.
 

Santa Teresa is the Best Honeymoon Destination in Costa Rica

The best part about all of the effort to make your wedding day the most memorable occasion is what comes next … the honeymoon, of course! There’s no better way to finish celebrating a lifetime commitment than with a trip of a lifetime.

Wishing for sand and surf, sunny days, palm trees, lounging in hammocks, relaxing dips in a cool pool, romantic couple’s massages, and candlelit dinners with tropical breezes? Think Santa Teresa Costa Rica. According to many travel experts, Santa Teresa Beach  is one of the most “up and coming honeymoon destinations.”
With its diverse landscape and dual-ocean coasts, Costa Rica is the place to be for couples seeking the thrill of adventure or a peaceful place on the sand. Off the beaten path on the Beautiful unspoiled Santa Teresa Beach southern tip of the Pacific’s Nicoya Peninsula are some of the country’s most beautiful beaches. Less developed with no crowds, fine accommodations and quaint fishing villages along palm-tree fringed shores create the perfect recipe for your romantic celebration of marital bliss.

Santa Teresa Beach is custom-built for fun. You have the perfect combination of relaxing beaches, exciting tropical rainforest and luxurious accommodations and spas. White sand beaches, lush vegetation and spectacular sunsets set an amazing stage for your romantic holiday.
Pranamar Ocean Front Villas and Yoga Retreat is an excellent choice for your tropical honeymoon scene.
We offer you a deluxe 4 night, 5 day honeymoon package that includes Spectacular sunsets at Santa Teresa Beach accommodation in a posh oceanfront villa or bungalow, a la carte breakfast, dinner for 4 nights, a complementary bottle of wine, flowers and aromatherapy in your room, one yoga lesson per day for each of you, plus two couple’s massages during your stay. Remember we are also specialized in beach weddings, having our own on-site coordinator to help you make your wedding the day you’ve always dreamed of having. You can combine your wedding, honeymoon and a vacation, as is the growing trend.

Pranamar Villas is a Top Hotel in Trip Advisor network

Pranamar Villas and Yoga Retreat is one of the most successful  hotels – the only hotel in Playa Santa Teresa to win the award this year. Pranamar has received an “Excellent” rating by 58 out of 69 reviewers on one of the internet’s most trafficked travel sites, Trip Advisor.

Pranamar family is very proud of this award gained through all the hard work during the past two years. Thanks to all our guests who have given us this recognition!  Think: Simple luxury and relaxation. Dream:  Yoga, first-class surfing, swaying hammocks, fruity cocktails, fresh seafood and organic cuisine. You’ll never want to leave!

Pranamar Ocean Front Villas and Yoga Retreat, an intimate, consciously designed oceanfront hotel recently built on the spectacular beach of Playa Santa Teresa, offers guests tropical beauty and nature in an exotic and friendly ambience. Along with world-class surfing and our top-quality Yoga classes, numerous activities and adventures await you.

Taste our Organic Cuisine at Buddha Eyes Restaurant -Pranamar Villas

One of the best things about living in a tropical country is all of the fresh fruits and vegetables. Even better is if you live near the ocean for fresh fish as well! In Costa Rica we enjoy year-round fresh produce thanks to the myriad of tropical micro-climates in our mountainous country. Organic produce and meats are the latest hot thing too – another plus.

Unique and magnificent open air restaurant at Santa Teresa Beach , our Buddha Eyes Restaurant  and tea Lounge is specialized in healthy, organic cuisine with fresh fruits and vegetables, just-out-of-the-ocean fish and shellfish, and organic meats. Our name is the combination of two words, "Prana" and "Mar" which means “breath” in Sanskrit, and “Mar” which is “sea” in Spanish.

Our international team of expert chefs is committed to creating dishes that nourish the body and enliven the senses, inventing delicious combinations in vegetarian and other dishes, and that day’s catch of tasty fresh seafood and fish caught by local fishermen.

One of our chefs is Rodrigo Soriano of Argentina, who specializes in fish, grilled tenderloin and local pork dishes. One of his trademarks is fresh grilled white fish with a tamarindo ginger sauce, served over quinoa cooked with star anise, laurel and keiffer leaves.Another chef is Claudio Mazzone from Italy, whose homemade eggplant parmesan from his grandmother’s secret recipe is a mouth-watering treasure worth traveling for.Finally , Jesus Zabala from Venezuela,  Guests adore Zabala’s breakfast arepas – homemade thick corn tortillas, grilled and stuffed with scrambled eggs, tomatoes, onions and cheese. One of his dinner specialties is cornmeal gnocchi’s (an Italian dumpling) served with either basil or sundried tomato pesto.

Our restaurant’s overall style merges Pacific Rim and Asian cuisine with native Costa Rican touches. Even vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dietary needs can be accommodated – not easy to find in Costa Rica. The casual yet intimately elegant dining ambience flows naturally from the hotel management’s passion for food, high standards of quality and friendly service.
Buddha Eyes restaurant is open to the public daily for breakfast (7:00-11:00 am), lunch (12:00-3:00 pm) and dinner (6:00-9:00 p.m.).

Say "I Do" in Santa Teresa Beach, Costa Rica

One of Costa Rica’s secluded gems for weddings and honeymoons is Santa Teresa Beach is perfect for weddings on the Pacific’s Nicoya Peninsula. Santa Teresa is the perfect backdrop for a romantic wedding. The wide, light sandy beaches, lush vegetation and spectacular sunsets set an amazing stage for your magical moment. The leisurely-paced town of surfers and fishermen offers many boutique hotels for your idyllic setting.A crimson sun slowly dips into the violet-blue sea. Streamers of pink and orange streak across the wide, deepening blue sky. Coconut palms bow lightly in the breeze. You and your beloved are there on the soft sand promising your love and commitment, exchanging rings and kisses.Santa Teresa is a  top wedding destination in Central America.

Santa Teresa us a  premiere locations for destination weddings in the world. This fabulously gorgeous beach, lush rainforest, friendly people and abundance of hotels, resorts and vacation homes ranging from over-the-top luxury to relaxed and informal all combine to make this tiny Central American nation the place to be wed. You’ve always wanted to travel there. Why not combine your wedding and honeymoon destination and make it one big party with your family and friends? Or go even simpler … just you and your sweetheart sharing the intimacy of a private “elopement” ceremony. Whatever your wedding wish, it can come true in Pranamar Villas & Yoga Retreat. A nice plus is that citizens from any other country can get legally married in Costa Rica and have it be valid in their home country.

Your best choice is Pranamar Oceanfront Villas & Yoga Retreat, winner of the 2012 Trip Advisor Traveler’s Choice Award. Pranamar Villas is a gorgeous, intimate oceanfront hotel with luxury two-story villas built around a free-form saltwater pool and tropical gardens, luxurious beachfront villas and tropical bungalows. Picture tropical Indonesian architecture designs with bamboo, hardwoods, stone, water and plenty of windows and doors to let in fresh sea breezes. Our hotel's name “Pranamar” is a combination of the word “Prana” which means “breath” in Sanskrit, and “Mar” which is “sea” in Spanish.

We are specialized in extraordinarily beautiful beach weddings, with our own on-site coordinator to help you make your wedding the day you’ve always dreamed of having. From abundant tropical flowers to catered unique food and drinks, they’ll take care of it all. The beautifully designed open-air restaurant and tea lounge specializes in healthy, delicious cuisine. In our hotel can sleep 30-35 guests; having the entire property for your party ensures complete privacy.

So if you’re thinking to combine your wedding, honeymoon and a vacation,Please contact us at info@pranamarvillas.com