There is no doubt you will hear the expression "Pura Vida," meaning "pure life," throughout your travels around Costa Rica, and it certainly reflects how you should experience your time there. Costa Rica is a perfect destination to unwind, rejuvenate and renew your spirit. Here are the best ways to do so.

Soak It Up

While volcanic explosions and extortionate heat from lava and ash may not sound ideal or peaceful, volcanoes do offer a sort of luxury experience. The volcanoes heat plenty of thermal pools and mud pots. Here you can simply relax in the warm liquid or take advantage of all-natural skin treatments and healing medicinal waters.

The most popular hot-spring destination is La Fortuna, the town at the base of Volcán Arena. In 2010, the volcano spat lava regularly, as if like fireworks, and it is an excellent place to go for the on-site thermal pools. Surrounded by tropical plants and waterfalls, you will get lost in this luxurious setting.

Immerse Into The Forest

One of Costa Rica's oldest traditions is "forest bathing." From the Japanese shinrin-yoku, or "forest bath," this refers to opening your senses to all the sights, sounds and scents of the earth. There are many places in Costa Rica to experience this from a choice of forests, beaches or mountains.

Immerse yourself even more by spending a night in the forest. Costa Rica offers plenty of opportunities where you need not set up camp or sleep on the ground. This eco-conscious country basically started the new trend of "glamping." Many eco-lodges offer spacious tents with raised platforms, comfy beds, private bathrooms, gourmet meals, and more. Some of these original tent-lodges are located on the outskirts of Corcovado National Park, one of the wildest corners of Costa Rica.

Namaste Experiences

Costa Rica is not only an excellent yoga destination but it is also known for being a perfect surf destination. Yoga and surfing actually go hand-in-hand extremely well, training the unfocused mind and strengthening the muscles. All the top surf spots also have great places for yoga and many resorts offer packages that combine surf lessons and equipment rental with yoga classes.

A popular destination if you are a yogi, surfer, or both is on the Nicoya Peninsula, Nosara, with a half a dozen different yoga retreat centers, great surf breaks, and a chilled-out beach-town vibe. Similarly, Mal País and Santa Teresa are fantastic side-by-side surf towns at the tip of the same peninsula, but slightly harder to reach.