Shaka Costa Rica is an adults-only “surf & chill” retreat nestled in the lush jungle, steps from a positively paradisiac beach. But beyond our idyllic setting and top-tier surf and yoga instruction, what sets us apart is our unique hybrid accommodation, at once laid-back and grown-up. Cleverly blending the comforts of a boutique hotel, the sociability of a friendly hostel, and the familiarity of a cozy B&B, Shaka draws in a sophisticated and seasoned traveler looking for everything they need and nothing they don’t. 30-something professionals, typically ex-backpackers and lite adventurers seeking an active yet restorative escape, find out about Shaka through friends and family, many returning for our inclusive yet relaxed vibe, simple but considered amenities, and winning mix of consistency and flexibility.
Norte de Escuela 200 M Village of Playa Hermosa, Santa Teresa Costa Rica
Shaka Costa Rica
343 reviews
Getting there
Somewhat walkable
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
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I traveled solo to shaka during late January and early Febuary for 8 nights. It was probably the best setup I can ask for as someone who is a solo traveler and looking to get better at surfing.
The team at Shaka is very friendly and accomodating. The food is healthy (lots of fruits and veggies),tastes great and is filling (always options for seconds... or thirds). The rooms are very nice and clean. The retreat area is very well laid out. You can tell there was a lot of thought and effort put into how they wanted the place to look and feel. Also, it's just a short walk to a beautiful beach!
It was the first time I ever received surf lessons, but I could definitely tell that the lessons at shaka were a notch above the rest. In my opinion, it has to do with the instructors (knowledgeable and commited to teaching) and the ratio of students to instructors. I never had more than one other person in my "group" and often times I was getting one on one instruction. This is in stark contrast to a lot of other surf groups I saw while spending time at the beach where there were maybe 9 students to 1 instructor. During my stay at shaka, I cleaned up my pop up, increased my wave count, and got out back with an instructor that showed me what it takes to hunt waves rather than wait for them.
Finally, the other travelers I met in shaka were friendly and interesting.
Overall, I would definitely come back and will highly recommend this to my friends. Hopefully, it doesn't get so popular that I won't be able to grab a spot in the future ;)
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Mike B, Owner at Shaka Costa Rica
Responded Feb 7, 2020
Thank you so much. Such a pleasure to read your review. I appreciate you taking the time to create an account and share your experience with the Trip Advisor community. It truly does mean the world to us:) We enjoy the positive feedback and glowing review. Its always nice and keeps us all striving to get better at what we do. We loved having you and will be here with open arms to greet you again. Until the next. Lots of love from all of us at Shaka!
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I visited Shaka the end of November to beginning of December and completely loved it. My fiancé had been once before about 4 years prior, and could not stop raving about his experience, so we finally made the trip together - and I am so glad that we did. To be totally honest, I was a little hesitant to learn how to surf, but Mike, Matt, Danny, and Ale all made the experience completely enjoyable and made me feel right at home. They were beyond accommodating, even driving us personally to our horseback riding adventure (thank you Mike!). There is nothing to complain about, everything from the rooms to the food makes you feel like you are receiving personalized service at the highest level. I cannot wait to come back!
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Date of stay: December 2020
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Mike Bienz, Owner at Shaka Costa Rica
Responded Dec 9, 2020
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts! We are so happy to be accepting guests once again during these Covid times, and appreciate the fact that you'd put your trust in us. I'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed your first trip with us after hearing about it for four years:) We were so happy to share this magical piece of paradise with you. Thanks for all the great laughs! Hope to see you again in the near future. Lots of love from all of us
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My wife and I began our travels in Costa Rica with a visit to Shaka. From the moment we arrived, Mike, the owner gave us a personal tour of the property and we hit it off. He made us feel completely at ease and glad we chose Shaka. Our room was stunning with lots of little touches that made it incredibly comfortable and well apportioned. Our surf instructor, Danny, was by far the most impressive instructor my wife and I have worked with and both improved immensely over the course of the week. They have the best quiver in town, with great Torq boards to choose from to suit your level. The chef was brilliant and as with everything at Shaka, each detail of the meals was thought out, they catered immaculately for my wife and I’s slightly difficult dietary requirements! Matt and Fran worked really hard to ensure we had enough hot water for our tea, amongst other things but the most kind thing I can say about our week at Shaka was that we both feel we have met people we would be friends with after leaving. 🤙🏼
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Date of stay: January 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Mike Bienz, Owner at Shaka Costa Rica
Responded Jan 23, 2021
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience. Your kind words have been shared with everyone and we couldn't be happier that you enjoyed so many aspects of Shaka. You've definitely become family and we can't wait to visit you in your part of the world. Until the next time, enjoy your months of travel ahead! Many great memories will be had. Pura Vida
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Shaka uses email to book, rather than an automated reservation management system. I am an essential worker who has been grinding for the past 2 years like so many others. I finally had 2 weeks off and thought I would get to fulfill my lifelong dream of learning to surf. I did my research and reached out to Shaka. Frank responded that there was availability. As soon as I saw the email, I requested a link to pay for the reservation, booked my flight, and arranged my airport transfers.
Crickets.
I wondered if the lack of response was due to me not attaching my vaccination records to the email, so I sent my records. Nine hours later, I get an email saying that the room is now sold. This despite the fact that I requested to proceed with the booking and to pay as soon as I saw the email from Frank advising me of the availability (the same day he emailed me saying my dates were good to go).
I suspect one of two things: 1. Discrimination against single travellers. Why sell a room to 1 person when you can sell to 2, or package that room as part of a group package and earn more?
Either way, I’m out money (I was able to get a credit for future travel from the airline, however).
Long story short, for $2500 USD/week, Shaka can afford an automated booking system, create a level playing ground for single travellers with transparency around availability, and eliminate these type of human errors.
Frank’s solution was to offer alternative dates. In my field of work, that isn’t a possibility. Not all workers have flexibility. Don’t offer dates if there are other groups looking at them. You get people’s hopes up. At this point in the pandemic, I really should have known better.
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Date of stay: February 2022Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Frank Bauer, Owner at Shaka Costa Rica
Responded Mar 12, 2022
This is a difficult situation, as this reviewer did not read the emails that were sent to her, nor follow the procedures for booking a stay with us. Our emails clearly state that inquiring guests should put a spot on hold prior to booking flights. We had one spot available for her dates, due to a reservation that moved forward a few weeks, and my email to her could not have been clearer regarding our first come, first serve policy. We do the best we can to accommodate all requests however sometimes we have several potential guests interested in a single spot and in order to keep our booking process fair, we ask each potential guest to secure their spot with a deposit free hold request and confirmation prior to booking their travel. As for the lack of an automated booking system, we are proud of the fact that we maintain a personalized booking process. There are a lot of questions that need to be answered for a traveler to decide if Shaka or even Costa Rica is the right fit. We can address concerns regarding travel restrictions, testing requirements prior to arrival back home, dietary needs, health concerns, transfer options, CoVid preparedness, etc. Our reviews show a consistent appreciation for our booking process and the attention to detail we offer which goes above and beyond. As for the comment about single travelers, I have 2 responses: (1) Shaka's main demographic is solo travelers and has been for a long time. We love the fact that we have created a safe place for solo travelers to enjoy an amazing adventure while making new and sometimes long-term friendships with other guests and staff. (2) Shaka is hindered by a capacity restriction, not a room restriction. The Ministry of Health for Costa Rica has limited our total occupancy capacity in order to create stronger social distancing measures and unfortunately that restriction has not been lifted yet. Shaka is operating at a 3/4 occupancy since reopening last November. Due to this, we usually fill our occupancy with rooms to spare so there is no preference between single and double occupancy reservations. As for the comment on poor reading comprehension or not checking emails regularly, we do our best to check emails twice a day and respond to each email in the order it is received. Occasionally, I am only able to check emails once a day, however since we ask every guest to secure their spot prior to booking, this is in my opinion a non-issue. If this reviewed had read the email and followed the suggestions, she would not have been in a position where she booked flights prior to having a secured spot. Lastly, I would like to mention that we did offer other dates and offered a nice discount towards a future booking, not because we had done anything wrong but because we always want our guests, and potential guests for that matter, to feel that they are treated with care and compassion. This reviewer was also made aware that most all airlines will cancel bookings within 24 hours, and that she had plenty of time to cancel her flights since we did not have room for her on her requested dates. Although we already have, in two different areas, verbiage in our reservation information response email about placing a spot on hold prior to booking travel, we have now added even more verbiage in order to make sure this does not happen again. In over 12 years and thousands of guests, we have never had an issue like this before and we want to be sure we do our part to be sure if never happens again. We are terribly sorry this reviewer had a bad experience with us and all of us here at Shaka will continue to do the best we can to provide amazing adventures for our incredible guests.
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I spent 2 weeks at Shaka as a solo 40-something woman who has always wanted to learn how to surf. From the beginning to end, it was a great experience. Frank is so knowledgeable and responsive with the booking process, and he remained super helpful when I was worried about a hurricane in the area close to my arrival date. The on-site staff and volunteers were so warm, welcoming, and just fun to be around. On my 3rd day, my surfboard cut my chin and I had to get stitches in town, but all things considered, absolutely everyone was extremely helpful! I healed up in time to have 5 more full days of surfing, and I was able to take advantage of other local sites and activities while healing. The food, yoga, rooms, schedule, and location were all just super and perfect for someone who likes an active vacation balanced with beach time. Alvaro and Andres are terrific instructors and people. They made sure we had the knowledge and skills to progress each day, and I really appreciated their emphasis on teaching us how to really think like a surfer: assessing the conditions, safety, how to read waves, and more. Everyone, really, was so great. I hope to return before long! The website with all of the Q&As is really helpful.
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Date of stay: July 2022Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Shaka Beach Retreat is a beautiful little resort, with everything you need for a relaxing surf getaway.
Accommodations Shaka Beach Retreat is a charming off the beaten path surf resort. It's a 5 minute walk to Playa Hermosa, which is a picture-perfect beach. There isn't a lot by way of amenities in the immediate vicinity of Shaka (which I prefer), but since it's about 10 minutes by car to Santa Teresa it's easy enough to get anything you might need. The resort has a nice yoga studio, and a chill common area ideal for a post surf hammock session. I found my room to be bright, clean, and very comfortable.
Food As part of the “Stay and Surf Package” Shaka offers three meals a day: a morning snack, brunch, and dinner. All the food was fresh, delicious, and abundant. The dinners were especially fantastic. They are happy to bring you as many portions as you want, so don't be afraid to ask for seconds, or thirds. If you do happen to need an afternoon snack, there are a couple of spots within walking distance. There is also a fridge/freezer in the common area everyone can use, which is really handy.
Surf Stuff Shaka’s surf equipment is top notch. During my stay I had a choice from a full quiver of brand new Torq boards. We did all our surfing at Playa Hermosa, which is a beach break. The water is a mesmerizing crystal blue, and it's so clear that even out the back you can see right to the bottom. There is a fair stretch of ocean to play in, however it can get a touch crowded at peak times, but all-in-all not bad for Costa Rica. I had lessons from Danny, Alvero, and Mike, who are all excellent instructors. They help you get into tons of waves, and give you lots of good feedback without overwhelming you. I felt they truly wanted to see my surfing improve.
Summary Shaka is a wonderful spot with everything you need, and nothing you don’t. It’s no surprise they get so many repeat guests.
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Date of stay: March 2020
Rooms
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Mike Bienz, Owner at Shaka Costa Rica
Responded Jul 27, 2020
Aww wow, thank you for these kind words! It's truly a blessing to share this magical place with others, and especially rewarding for us to read such a review. Your information was clear and concise and will definitely help others who are curious about Shaka. We loved having you and hope to share more waves, laughs, and memories in the future! Pura Vida from all of us:)
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Private Chef, dedicated surf instructors, a quiver of quality torq surfboards, daily restorative yoga, immaculate well-appointed casitas, staff that genuinely cares about your experience: Shaka has it all.
Each meal was unique, fresh, and delicious with plenty of food for seconds and thirds depending on appetite. They effortlessly catered to our gluten-free diet.
Yoga was spiritual and restorative after hours of surfing.
Perhaps best of all was the staff led by Mike that tirelessly made every effort to accommodate our needs - quad rentals, recommendations, transportation, optimizing surf instruction.
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Date of stay: December 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Mike Bienz, Owner at Shaka Costa Rica
Responded Jan 23, 2021
We all thank you from the bottom of hearts for taking the time to share your experience. It's always a pleasure to hear that our guests (Shaka family) have enjoyed themselves so much. We take pride in offering the highest level of service and look forward to sharing more of this with you the next time around! Pura Vida from the whole team
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There are places you go and the people (staff and other guests) make it like you’re already part of the family. Shaka is one of those places.
My week was spent with a mix of solo, friends, and couples. What an awesome group. It was so nice to share this experience with people I wouldn’t hesitate to repeat the same trip with in the future.
One of the more unexpected delights of the structure they have is that you really don’t have to make any decisions, other than if you want seconds at meal time :). Meals, yoga, and surf are all scheduled around the tides and skill level, so all you need to do is show up.
Food was excellent. Surf coaches were great. Yoga was fantastic.
Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
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Date of stay: December 2020
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Mike Bienz, Owner at Shaka Costa Rica
Responded Jan 23, 2021
Many thanks for these kind words! Our guests are like family to us and we look forward to inviting each one through the front doors. We are so glad that you felt the same way about your stay and look forward to making other great memories in the future. All the best from the entire team!
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Once you finally reach Shaka - which is a little remote - you truly are in surf paradise. We had an amazing week learning to surf on the secluded Playa Hermosa Beach; surf lessons were great with max 3 students per teacher (sometimes just 2). Yoga lessons were a great complement to surfing as well. All meals were included and we were so happy with the quality of the food, i never expected it to be so good! All in all super happy with our vacation
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Date of stay: March 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Mike Bienz, Owner at Shaka Costa Rica
Responded Jul 27, 2020
Thank you so much! We couldn't be happier that you enjoyed your stay, and that you'd take the time to share your experience. We will continue to work towards offering the very best surf vacations, and hope to share more memories in the future:)
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I had a truly excellent experience at Shaka, and I'd recommend it to anyone who's looking to learn how to surf (and just relax for a week in the jungle). I booked the 7-day surf package at Shaka, as a solo traveler who had only surfed 3-4 times in the last 2 years. I learned so much from the surf instructors Alvaro and Andres, and after 6 lessons, I was confidently getting up on a hardtop board and working on turning and paddling and even turtle rolls — things that seemed so far away on the first day in the water. Shaka is an easy, short walk to Playa Hermosa, so I ended up going to the beach 2-3 times every day — for sunrise, surf lessons, sunset, even one walk to see the full moon.
I enjoyed yoga with Kate and Luna; it was really nice to deal with any muscle soreness. Frank was very helpful with booking and providing travel tips to get from San José to Santa Teresa. The room I stayed in was clean and comfortable, with an A/C. The meals were consistently delicious; the poké bowl for dinner and burrito for brunch were two standouts. Though I was traveling alone, I always felt welcome and comfortable at Shaka.
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Date of stay: January 2024
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica6 contributions3 helpful votes
Good morning. The only diving operation in town is called Iguana Divers. I would reach out to them with any questions. The Shaka schedule tends to be pretty full between meals, surf and yoga so you would probably need to plan ahead and expect to potentially miss certain activities to make diving fit. Feel free to message us at shakaservices@gmail to discuss this further! The best resource for all of our covid procedures can be found on our dedicated covid page on the Shaka Costa Rica website. Have a great day!
Thanks for the email, there are several options for transferring to Shaka from San Jose. Most guests choose the puddle jumper flight from San Jose to Tambor, then they choose a taxi ride from Tambor. Our website has a travel guide page, please have a look and let me know if you have any questions.
Frank
Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica6 contributions3 helpful votes
Thank you for your question and interest in Shaka. Conditions throughout the year are consistent, especially if you're a beginner. We also tend to experience more consistent swells during these months which can mean bigger waves, appealing to those surfers working "out the back". All in all, there really is no bad time to visit! Feel free to let us know what else we can help with.
Carylon,
Thanks for the email and for thinking of Shaka for your trip, unfortunately we do not have enough room for 20 guests. You should be able to find some amazing places to stay, best of luck and have a great night.
Thanks for the message and question. We do have yoga as part of our packages, we have a full time yoga instructor and a teak floored jungle yoga studio.
Yoga Daily Class Schedule
MONDAY
The Roots: 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
Gentle Flow: 04:00 pm – 05:00 pm
TUESDAY
Vinyasa
08:30 am – 9:30 am
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
WEDNESDAY
The Roots: 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
Gentle Flow: 04:00 pm – 05:00 pm
THURSDAY
Vinyasa
08:30 am – 9:30 am
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
FRIDAY
The Roots: 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
Gentle Flow: 04:00 pm – 05:00 pm
SATURDAY
Vinyasa
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
Yoga is included in our all inclusive packages described on our rates & packages page. Hope that helps, let me know if you have any questions and have a great day.
Frank
(970) 379-9811
There are more places to choose from in the Santa Teresa area.
ALSO KNOWN AS
shaka beach retreat hotel santa teresa, shaka surf camp hotel, shaka surf camp santa teresa
LOCATION
Costa RicaProvince of PuntarenasSanta Teresa
NUMBER OF ROOMS
8
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