Pura Vida Adventures

In 2002, Tierza Eichner stepped onto the sand in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica and found the joy of warm water surfing, the paradise of mangoes and palm trees, the beautiful spirit of “pura vida” (celebrating all the good things in life)… and a passion to share this magical place with others. So she did! After saying “adios” to her dot.com job, buying a one-way ticket to Costa Rica, and navigating Central America as a single female entrepreneur, Tierza built a business and community celebrating the joy of surfing AND the beauty of Santa Teresa.

Since 2003, Pura Vida Adventures, a Costa Rica surf camp and yoga retreat, has brought the soul-changing, life-transforming, spirit-filling sport of surfing to people from all over the world.

Tierza Eichner, the founder and owner of Pura Vida Adventures, started the business in 2003 after a life-changing surf trip to Costa Rica. As a confident female entrepreneur in a male-dominated sport in a Latin American country, you might think that Tierza grew up in the surf industry. But believe it or not, this bad-ass surfer was once MAJORLY freaked out by the sport. No joke! Tierza first attempted to surf in Southern California at age 20, but got so pummeled by the waves that she swore off the sport entirely.

Obviously, this story has a happy ending. At age 32 Tierza tried surfing again with her first lesson in Santa Cruz, California, and instantly was hooked. And when the dot-com bubble burst in 2001, Tierza left her high-pressure job in Northern California to travel the world, looking for peace of mind and a piece of heaven…and, of course, endless waves! She found all of these things in Costa Rica, where she fell in love with the warm people, the vibrant culture, the beautiful surf, and especially the ocean-side village of Santa Teresa.

Combining her passion for adventure with her business dreams, Tierza decided to start Pura Vida Adventures—an all-women’s surf camp and yoga retreat that allows her to share the special paradise of Santa Teresa and her love of surfing with the world.

Now more than a decade later, she has personally gone through many evolutions, and so has the business! She is now married with twin girls, Makayla and Zayda, and her passion for Pura Vida Adventures has only grown stronger.