The Magic of Rio Perdido

 

After a week-long stay at Rio Perdido, many of you commonly report a feeling of peacefulness and calm — but so how, you can’t quite place exactly why that feeling lingers for so long.

The secret?  It is a concept we like to call Passive Wellness. Rio Perdido’s Passive Wellness

Gabriel Saragovia, founder of Rio Perdido, noticed a trend in travel: families on a mad-dash to check-off everything on their itinerary. On-the-go travelers filling up their social media feeds, but spending little time soaking up what they just experienced.  Solo travelers returning home satiated, but even more exhausted than when they left.

Gabriel understood that the desire for adrenaline and adventure experiences were important for many travelers, but what if he could combine this with a feeling of calm and relaxation, all in the same place — and without guests even realizing it?

This is how the concept of Passive Wellness was born, right here, at Rio Perdido.

So– Passive Wellness is an effortless approach to wellness. 

It’s about designing or enhancing a comprehensive environment that naturally improves your physical, mental, and emotional states — without having to put a significant effort into your actions.

“It isn’t just about getting a massage, or going for a walk, or taking a yoga class,” says Gabriel.  Although these wellness activities are always available at Rio Perdido, “it really has to be comprehensive — from the water you bathe in, to the environment where you sleep, to the food you eat.”

“Even if you’re not asking for it, we want to give you wellness”, says Gabriel, “so that you can experience a healthy, centered self.”

Here are a few key ways you’ll experience wellness at Rio Perdido, with very little effort.

What An Effortless Approach to Wellness Looks Like at Rio Perdido

Experience Rio Perdido’s Thermal Canyon & Springs

This stunning, natural setting is your invitation to wander and swim in the soothing waters. 

The Rio Perdido — which means “lost river” — is the heart of our now 1,500-acre private canyon reserve. Over thousands of years, the force of its waters carved the 160 ft. deep gorge through this landscape. 

Originating from volcanic activity, hot water flows from the springs and into the Rio Perdido, creating a completely natural, hot mineral river. 

The river is blessed with dozens of natural pools of varying temperatures — perfect for prolonged, life-infusing soaks.

And the waters contain unusually high levels of magnesium and potassium to promote the regulation of blood circulation and, in general, improved function, at the cellular level.

You can easily spend the day exploring, from one pool to the next.

The air here is perfect, and the canyon boasts a very rare and uniquely intact ecosystem of lush, tropical flora and fauna. 

All this — the pristine waters, soaring trees, and the sounds of the forest — make for a peaceful, in-the-moment experience. 

 

Preserving a Natural Ecosystem

Keeping the land as natural as possible allows you to be surrounded by the peaceful sounds and vibrant life of the forest. 

You’ll be amazed to learn that the area surrounding Rio Perdido is one of the rarest** ecosystems in the Americas. Two completely different worlds exist here: a lush jungle-like forest within the canyons, in contrast to a rare dwarf forest on the higher rocky grounds. 

This means that you can see and experience completely contrasting settings in just five minutes of trekking, and thus, spot a myriad of beautiful, living beings.

Mammals, reptiles, insects, amphibians, and birds are abundant in our canyon reserve.

During construction, we did need to move some trees to make way for the main road into Rio Perdido. But we decided the best course of action was to transplant these trees both inside and outside of the property to maintain the natural ecosystem.

For this reason, among several other efforts, the ecosystem continues to thrive. And in fact, we have witnessed the wildlife flourish in a very short amount of time.

For example, at Rio Perdido you can’t really go a day without seeing monkeys! We have surprisingly large troops of howler and white-faced Capuchin monkeys that have made the property their home. 

The monkeys are ever present in the pool area and swing from tree to tree in the river canyon. They also enjoy hanging out in the forest surrounding the bungalows. 

When you head out on our hiking trails by foot, you’ll effortlessly explore and be delighted by this delicate life system.

 

A Deep Night’s Sleep

We invite you to return to your circadian rhythms.

Passive Wellness wouldn’t be complete without a good night’s rest! 

We know that deep sleep restores energy, increases blood supply to your muscles, and strengthens your immune system.

That’s why at Rio Perdido, each bungalow promotes the use of focused and indirect lighting, in lieu of typically employed diffuse illumination.  By not having your body be bombarded by light from all directions, you can better restore the generally overlooked but absolutely critical circadian rhythm.  The large, side to side and floor to ceiling windows are an important part of the formula.   

The final leap has to be made by you.  You see, once you are inside these unique bungalows, it is ideal to respect the natural course of time and light, and consider not using personal electronic devices once the sun has set.  To be able to truly wind down after a delicious and healthy dinner… and connect well with those loved ones with you… or with yourself.

 

Food: Delicious Fuel For Your Body

Our talented chefs create inspired recipes with fresh, local ingredients while respecting native culinary traditions. 

We don’t believe in simply ordering supplies from industrialized providers that haul everything for hundreds of miles on a giant truck. We are always searching for local farms with amazing produce and international handling standards.

For example, our chicken and eggs are supplied by local growers who’ve been part of the Bagaces community for decades. Our varied selection of cheeses and other dairy products come from regional farms, just a short distance from Rio Perdido. 

In the kitchen, our talented Executive Chef leads a team that includes several true locals, adding an invaluable rural know-how to the mix.

And as an important complement to our incredible culinary experience, our main restaurant offers panoramic views from almost any point. 

Likened to a nature observatory, our restaurant overlooks the point where the two rivers meet, with a forever-expansive canopy that attracts two species of monkeys on a regular basis and many other friendly creatures.

At Rio Perdido, even the act of eating is an effortless act of self-care.  

 

Whether you come to Rio Perdido for our natural thermal waters, the adrenaline or adventure activities, or for our many traditional wellness experiences on offer, we can assure you that our effortless approach to wellness — Passive Wellness — will stay with you long after you return home.

So embrace it. Cherish it. And we’ll welcome you back to savor it, all over again.