Our Story
about us
Our rainforest- and Pacific Ocean-flanked educational yoga and wellness center is guided by an ethos inspired by our namesake, the Greek sea god known for his wisdom, gift of prophecy and powers of transformation, and whose 50 Nereid daughters served as protectors to those in distress.
The realization of a 20-years-in-the-making vision, Nereus Retreats is now taking bookings, with expert teachers, nutritionists and coaches on hand to respond to individual needs with hyperpersonalized programs. The property is also available on an exclusive basis, providing a well-equipped, rustic-luxe base for your own travel or retreat group.
Arrive at this nature-immersed, Yoga Alliance-accredited sanctuary in Costa Rica’s dazzling Osa Peninsula with an open mind, and prepare to discover life-changing wellness – along with some shape-shifting superpowers of your own.
OUR PEOPLE
Jen Millar
Msc in Public Health, NBC-HWC, RYT500, Ayurvedic Practitioner, MA (Hons)
The driving force behind Nereus Retreats, New York-born Jen is a nutritionist and health coach with an international client practice. With an MSc in public health, having trained as an Ayurvedic practitioner in India, and with extensive qualifications in functional medicine nutrition, she has worked as a health supportive chef, health educator and yoga teacher, and continues to teach an introductory Ayurvedic medicine course and range of classes to prepare college students for the national board of health and wellness coaching exam.
Stuart Millar
MEd, MBA, MA (Hons)
With a wealth of experience in business and education, Stuart is to operations at Nereus Retreats what Jen – the two married young, back in 1996 – is to the school’s yoga and nutrition programs. A lifelong learner, Stuart’s multi-hyphenate career has made him uniquely well suited to the challenges of opening a world-class educational yoga and wellness center in the under-the-radar Osa Peninsula – and a passionate advocate for personal reinvention.
Michelle Garcia
E-RYT 500, RPYT, YACEP
Michelle, an indigenous yoga teacher hailing from a small and remote Canadian town, met Jen several years ago at a 300-hour advanced yoga training in Montezuma. Sharing her passion for leading teacher education on an international scale, Michelle has enjoyed stints in Canada, the US, Mexico, Peru and, most recently, on Isla Mujeres, and is thrilled to be returning to Costa Rica to work alongside Jen at Nereus, where she will lead the yoga programs.
Our Place
Where the rainforest meets the ocean
Where the rainforest
meets the ocean
Nereus promises a sublime setting for your yoga retreat and wellness journey. Located on Costa Rica’s revered Osa Peninsula – a region described by National Geographic as one of the most “biologically intense” places on the planet – the area is bookended by the deep blue waters of the Pacific to the west and the tropical fjord Golfo Dulce, or Sweet Gulf, to the east. While the Osa comprises only 3% of Costa Rica’s total land area, it is home to more than 50% of the country’s animal and plant species.
We are located just outside Puerto Jiménez, a historic gold mining and logging community, and one of two major gateways to the awe-inspiring, 425 sq km Corcovado National Park – picture a biodiverse Eden home to some 140 species of mammals, 400 species of birds, 116 species of reptiles and amphibians, 40 species of fish, four species of sea turtles and more than 500 species of trees.
Spend local days out exploring the peninsula’s spectacular wildlife and beaches, snorkeling in calm coves, turtle-, dolphin- or whale-watching and kayaking through lush mangroves, before heading back to Nereus to swing, sloth-like, on a hammock while watching, through one eye, squirrel monkeys leap between the branches overhead.
Our Planet
The green republic
We are committed to treading lightly, and employ water conservation and waste reduction practices throughout the property. (Only if you have nowhere to be in a hurry should you get Stuart talking about the multi-chamber septic system, complete with lava rock and carbon filtration…)
Our produce is seasonal and sourced locally from independent businesses, from the organic rice grown in-country to the mahi mahi sustainably caught just along the beach. Our cleaning products and the amenities provided in guests’ bathrooms are plant-based, biodegradable and made in Costa Rica.
Costa Rica is the first tropical country in the world to have halted and reversed deforestation. Today, 59% of its landmass is tree-covered – a figure that was as low as 40% in the 1980s. Nereus supports reforestation project Planta Mi Árbol and makes it easy for guests to do so, too, by opting to sponsor a tree. For $8, you will receive a certificate and information on its location, and will know that, through your contribution, you are helping to empower the initiative’s vital regreening work across Costa Rica.
