Best Seller iconBest Seller
Top Rated iconTop Rated

Cultivating Pride & Authenticity | A Gay Men's Week | An Ayahuasca Journey

Location icon
Playa Pan de Azúcar, Potrero, Tempate, Santa Cruz, Guanacaste
Users icon
Up to 35 in group
Date
May 17 - 24, 2025

Retreat Highlights

  • 4 Ayahuasca ceremonies led by gay and queer facilitators
  • 7-week preparation and integration program
  • Healing workshops focused on gay and queer themes
  • Daily integration and sharing circles
  • Daily yoga/movement classes
  • Breathwork sessions

About this Retreat

Details of this retreat

Reunion’s LGBTQIA2S+ retreats combine plant medicine ceremonies, community building, engaging workshops, and integration circles focused on promoting personal growth, self-acceptance, and a transformative return to our most authentic selves. 
This Cultivating Pride & Authenticity retreat is open to all gay, bisexual, and queer men and offers an opportunity to experience community and brotherhood in a safe, highly-supported healing space. We will explore themes such as healing trauma, overcoming shame, self love and acceptance, and living authentically with the transformational power of ayahuasca plant medicine.
From the preparation guide, to the ceremonies, to the daytime workshops and the integration program, everything has been created by a team of gay and queer therapists, facilitators, and plant medicine specialists who understand the unique needs and gifts of our community. Read More

Schedule

Sample Day

7:30 am | Movement
8:30 am | Breakfast
10:00 am | Workshop
1:00 pm | Lunch
2:00 pm | Personal Time
5:30 pm | Pre-Ceremony Meditation
6:00 pm | Ceremony
Note: Schedule is approximate and may change
Read More

Getting Here

Location icon Reunion Costa Rica, Playa Pan de Azúcar, Potrero, Tempate, Santa Cruz, Guanacaste

Directions

Arriving for Your Journey

Please do not book your flights until you register for a journey and your Intake Form is approved.

We offer paid group shuttle pick-up on Day 1 of your journey at 2:30 pm (for a 3:00 pm sharp departure) from the Liberia Airport (LIR) and the Hilton Garden Inn Guanacaste Airport. The Hilton Garden Inn is 15 minutes from LIR Airport. The Hilton Garden Inn offers complimentary group shuttle transportation to/from LIR Airport.

If you plan to fly in on Day 1 of your journey, your flight must land by 12:00 pm Costa Rica time on Day 1 in order to leave yourself enough time for customs (could take up to 2 hours) for the 2:30 pm shuttle meet-up. We recommend arriving the day before in order to ensure a smooth arrival and give you time to relax and settle in before beginning your journey. Reunion has a preferred rate with the Hilton Garden Inn and instructions for booking will be provided after registration.

You will arrive at Reunion after an approximately 1.5-hour ride through the beautiful sights of Guanacaste, Costa Rica.

Departing After Your Journey

We offer paid group shuttle drop-off to the Hilton Garden Inn or Liberia Airport (LIR) on the final day of your journey. You will arrive back to the airport by 11:30 am.

Check-out at Reunion will be at 10:00 am on the final day of your journey. You may depart directly from Reunion using separate transportation (at an additional cost to you).

We recommend departing at least 1 day after your journey ends. However, if you must fly out on the same day, your flight must depart no earlier than 1:30 pm Costa Rica time . Read More

Accommodation

All our Guest rooms are located just steps from the Pacific Ocean and the warm sands of Playa Pan de Azúcar (Sugar Beach). Intentionally designed to bring the Costa Rican feeling to life and harness the healing powers of Mother Nature, our rooms offer an abundance of natural light and fresh air, making the room your sanctuary. Rooms are comfortably adorned with natural furnishings to harmonize with the beautiful outdoors, and feature thoughtfully curated, organic bathroom amenities to encourage restoration. Relax on your porch and enjoy the sounds of the waves, howler monkeys, and majestic tropical birds, as the warm salt air washes over you.

Queen Room | Double Occupancy

Accommodation
Please note, this option will automatically assign you with a roommate of the same gender. Your 300 sq. ft room features two Queen-sized beds, a porch with outdoor seating, and an ensuite bathroom with a shower. Designed to harmonize with their surroundings, Reunion rooms feature natural wood furnishings, cotton linens, comfortable mattresses and pillows, and an earthy color palette intended to bring the outdoors in. Rooms include a patio with seating, a private bathroom with shower, complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi, an in-room safe, a hairdryer, Raw Botanical organic handcrafted bathroom amenities, fresh towel service, and twice weekly housekeeping using all-natural cleaning agents. There is also pure filtered water throughout the property. Laundry services available upon request.       Read More

Queen Room | Private

Accommodation
Your 300 sq. ft room features two Queen-sized beds, a porch with outdoor seating, and an ensuite bathroom with a shower. Designed to harmonize with their surroundings, Reunion rooms feature natural wood furnishings, cotton linens, comfortable mattresses and pillows, and an earthy color palette intended to bring the outdoors in. Rooms include a patio with seating, a private bathroom with shower, complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi, an in-room safe, a hairdryer, Raw Botanical organic handcrafted bathroom amenities, fresh towel service, and twice weekly housekeeping using all-natural cleaning agents. There is also pure filtered water throughout the property. Laundry services available upon request. Read More

Venue & Amenities

Venue & Amenities
Venue & Amenities
A/C in Rooms icon A/C in Rooms
Free Wifi icon Free Wifi
Spa icon Spa
Sauna icon Sauna
Pool icon Pool
Towels icon Towels
Free Parking icon Free Parking
Kitchen icon Kitchen
Tour Assistance icon Tour Assistance
Hot Tub icon Hot Tub
Coffee/Tea icon Coffee/Tea
Cafe icon Cafe
Restaurant icon Restaurant
Fitness Center icon Fitness Center
Yoga Studio icon Yoga Studio
Housekeeping icon Housekeeping
Bicycles For Rent icon Bicycles For Rent
Reunion is directly on Playa Pan de Azúcar (Sugar Beach) on the Pacific Coast of Guanacaste, one of the world’s five Blue Zones. We believe that the land we steward is unique and induces a sense of serenity, safety and nourishment. The sights, sounds, and smells of this almost 40-acre beach-front sanctuary wash over you like a soothing balm of tranquility. Whether spending time fireside, swimming in the ocean, or exploring the forest, you will feel cradled by nature. Read More

Meals

Menu

Menu Types

Nutritious, locally-sourced food and beverage with vegan and vegetarian options. Allergies and dietary restrictions can be accommodated. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner served. Read More

What's Included

  • Plant Medicine Ceremonies and Supporting Program with Experienced Medicine Facilitators​
  • Medicine Fees Included​
  • Intention Sessions with Ceremony Leader​
  • On-Site Licensed Medical Clinic and Supervision​
  • Learning Series and Comprehensive Integration​
  • Thorough and Attentive Post-Retreat Integration Program and Community​
  • Embodiment Sessions
  • Daily Movement and Meditation
  • Breathwork
  • Spa
  • Saltwater Pool
  • Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Included ​
  • Organic, Locally Sourced Food and Beverage, with Vegetarian and Vegan Options​
  • Pre-Ceremony Medical Assessment​
  • Responsible, Safe and Ethical Practices​
  • Extensive Safety Protocols, Policies and Travel Measures in Place​
  • Intimate Retreat Sizes and Attentive Support ​(Maximum of 35 Guests per Retreat)​
  • High Facilitator-to-Guest Ratio​
  • Cradled by Nature Along the Pacific Coast in Costa Rica's Blue Zone
  • Direct Beach Access Steps from Your Room​
  • Less Than a 1 Hour Drive from Liberia Airport

What's Not Included

  • Airfare
  • Optional Shared Guest Shuttle To/ From Liberia Airport​ (Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport)​ or the Hilton Garden Inn Guanacaste Airport
Read More

Customer Reviews

4.88 out of 5.0 average rating

1.0
Verified logo
Reunion: A Deeply Disturbing Experience as a Solo Female Traveler – Prioritize Your Safety & Why There Are So Little Negative Reviews - Forced NDAs for Refunds
I wish I could write a glowing review of my experience at Reunion, but unfortunately, my retreat turned into an unsettling and distressing ordeal that I feel compelled to share. As a solo female traveler, I expected a place of relaxation, introspection, and healing. Instead, I found myself in an environment where my security and well-being were secondary to maintaining the retreat’s reputation.

Theft from My Room’s Safe & the Response:
During my stay, I was the victim of a theft. Items were stolen directly from the safe inside my private room. Naturally, I reported the incident to the staff, assuming they would take it seriously and assist me in resolving the situation. However, instead of receiving support, I encountered a response that I can only describe as dismissive and concerning.

Rather than prioritizing an investigation or offering assistance in filing a police report, the staff seemed far more preoccupied with ensuring that I didn’t speak to other guests about what had happened. The lack of concern for my situation—especially as a woman traveling alone—was alarming. The next morning after breakfast, where I spoke with some other guests who had heard the commotion the night before from my room, and who asked me what had happened and whether I was okay, I was asked by the establishment to leave the property immediately, and to ensure I didn’t communicate further with other attendees, or inform other guests of what happened to me, a security guard was stationed outside my room.

The Non-Disclosure Agreement Ultimatum:
When I requested a refund for the remainder of my stay (which was nearly $700 per night), I expected a standard discussion about the circumstances. Instead, the retreat’s representative left briefly and returned with a non-disclosure and non-disparagement agreement, making it clear that no refund would be given unless I signed it without modification.

As an attorney and experienced traveler, I found this practice highly irregular. Having previously worked in the hospitality industry myself, I have never seen a legitimate establishment respond to a theft by forcing a victim to sign a legal agreement in exchange for a partial refund. The document originally contained misleading language stating that our discussion was “private” and that I had “requested” a refund without disclosing why. I refused to sign until I made substantial redline changes, including explicitly stating that I had been robbed.

The retreat’s representative was adamant that these edits were unacceptable and indicated that their leadership (who had signed the NDA) would not allow them. Only after standing my ground did I receive my refund—at which point I was still expected to leave immediately.

Why This Experience Was So Disturbing:
I am sharing this because I believe travelers—especially solo female travelers—deserve to know what happened. A retreat should be a place of trust, reflection, and healing. It should not be a place where:

A guest is robbed, and the staff shows little to no concern about it.
A solo female traveler is told to leave abruptly and prevented from speaking with others about a crime that took place.
A refund is only issued on the condition that a guest signs a legal document preventing them from speaking negatively about the retreat.

The entire experience left me feeling unsafe, unsupported, and deeply unsettled. I also question why the staff was so resistant to involving the police. When I requested assistance in filing a report, I was told to handle it myself—a shocking lack of concern given the circumstances.

A Pattern of Silence?
What concerns me most is that there are virtually no negative reviews of this retreat online. After experiencing firsthand how aggressively they push NDAs and non-disparagement agreements, I strongly suspect I am not the first person who has been pressured into silence.

Final Thoughts: Would I Recommend This Retreat?
Absolutely not. As a solo traveler, safety is non-negotiable, and I would not wish my experience on anyone. No retreat should prioritize its reputation over the well-being of its guests. I would strongly urge anyone considering Reunion to rethink their choice—particularly if traveling alone. If you still decide to go, be prepared for a complete lack of accountability in the event something goes wrong.

I stand behind every word of this review. My experience was thoroughly documented, recorded, and shared with the appropriate authorities, including the American Embassy. If you are considering this retreat, please proceed with caution.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Response from Retreat Center:

Dear Alana,
It is disappointing to hear that your experience at Reunion did not meet your expectations. Guest safety and well-being are at the core of everything we do, and we take your concern to heart.
I have had the opportunity to review all the comments you have made towards Reunion and our Costa Rica staff. This damaging post may hinder others from a transformative Ayahuasca experience and therefore I feel it is important that I address what you have posted.
The truth is you first asked to leave the retreat, and we gave you a refund, cancelled your balance owing and you signed a release. Your disruptive, abusive behavior and use of extreme profanity towards our team was very disrespectful. Our safety cameras and incident reports clearly recorded all of these interactions.
I would like to take this opportunity to share with you some of our procedures here at Reunion. To ensure guest security our policy is that any time we enter a guest room there are always two staff members present together. This includes our housekeeping and maintenance people. If we enter a room and any valuables are in sight our people are asked to leave the room immediately and instruct our Guest Services Manager. The room is not serviced until all valuables are secured by the guest. Upon check-in each guest is requested to use the provided in-room safe to ensure no issues occur. For this to be effective guests need to keep their safe locked, which you had told us you did not. Despite these safety steps we understand that situations may still occur that we would work to resolve.
We take every situation seriously and care for it with our full attention. We value the contributions made by our team members, holding them in high esteem and offering them a safe and positive work environment. We appreciate the support they provide for the guest experience. What our team members are not asked to do is to be subjected to your intense profanity during your stay. This was witnessed and documented by both our staff and multiple other guests. This is against our guest policy which you agreed to upon check-in, but clearly did not follow.
A guest departing before the end of the week is very rare and not taken lightly. In this instance, the decision was made to maintain a respectful and supportive environment for all other guests. While we regret that you felt unsupported, our intention was to handle the matter in a way that respected your requests, the experience of other guests, and the well-being of our entire team.
We take feedback seriously and are committed to continuously improving to ensure our guests feel safe, respected, and heard. If you would like to discuss your experience further, I welcome the opportunity to connect with you. Please reach out to me if you would like at brad.wells@reunionexperience.org.
We wish you well,
Brad Wells
Founder Reunion Read More

5.0
Verified logo
Life Changing Experience
The term Life Changing gets thrown around a little too much, but my experience at Reunion was exactly that. As I write this, exactly one week after my last ceremony, I can tell you that I feel like I am wearing another body than the one I came in with. My body now feels like it had so many burdens lifted from it and my mind is free of something that I did not know was plaguing it.
I learned that every person who sits through ceremony will have a very different experience there but will more-or-less come out the other side with similar results. I cannot give enough thanks to the Shamans and coordinators there and all the staff for making it a wonderful week. Another big thanks to the owner of Reunion as well for giving us all such a beautiful location to meet with Mama.
If you are considering doing this I can tell you that you should not come into this lightly, do your research. But if you do decide that you want to go through with it then Reunion is a Wonderful place to make it happen.
Thanks Again Reunion. Read More

5.0
Verified logo
I felt so held and cared for throughout the experience!
This experience was absolutely life changing for me and the Medicine Team were such compassionate and caring people and I always felt cared for throughout the experiences, both during and outside of the ceremonies.
Everyone’s experience was so individual and each one supported in the most loving and respectful ways. I highly recommend Reunion as the most supportive way to experience an Ayahuasca journey!!! Read More

5.0
Verified logo
Amazing Place, Staff, and Experience
From the moment I got picked up from the shuttle I knew this was going to be the place for me! Everyone was super nice and the energy was amazing! This was everything I dreamed of and some! The good was great (coming from someone that was hesitate about the food at first), the rooms were cozy, environment was clean and the staff made it that much better. The Ceremonies was an experience of a lifetime. I feel as if I learned 7 years worth of self discovery in 7 days. Amazing experience and definitely not my last time here! if you are thinking about coming, DO NOT HESITTATE, book your stay now! Read More

3.0
Verified logo
Reunion Costa Rica
The place itself is breathtaking and the staff who operate the facility are great. Read More

Similar retreats