About Gratitude Costa Rica
Last updated: May 2026
In Brief
Gratitude Costa Rica is an emerging regenerative retreat and learning centre in development. The centre is not yet open for bookings, and the land has not yet been chosen.
This page introduces Naomi Rowan, the founder of Gratitude Worldwide and the person behind Gratitude Costa Rica, along with Dusty, her much-loved canine co-traveller.
It shares the human story behind the project: moving from the UK to Costa Rica, carrying forward the lessons of Gratitude Vietnam, and beginning slowly with care, curiosity and respect for the land, community and future guests.
Meet Naomi and Dusty
I’m Naomi, the founder of Gratitude Worldwide and the human behind Gratitude Costa Rica.
My work has always sat at the intersection of education, wellbeing and community. Over the years, it has taken many forms: facilitating learning in the UK and internationally, founding a retreat and wellbeing space in Vietnam, leading remote consultancy projects, and offering sound and energy work in community settings.
Each chapter has carried the same thread: education, wellbeing, care, connection, and the belief that we can grow stronger together.
Alongside me in all of this is Dusty, my faithful canine co-traveller and unwitting mindfulness teacher. He has been there through COVID, flights, logistics, physiotherapy delays and new smells, reminding me to take breathers and enjoy the small things, especially walks and patches of grass.
When I say “we” in these stories, I often mean the two of us figuring it out together.
The journey so far
Quick pic! | Chapter | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
Gratitude Vietnam | The first retreat and wellbeing space, created in Hoi An around community, mindfulness, sound healing, reflective practice and responsible tourism. | |
Gratitude Worldwide | Naomi’s current education consultancy, supporting assessment, feedback, digital learning and practical change. | |
Gratitude Costa Rica | The emerging retreat and learning centre vision: slower, more land-based, more self-sufficient and rooted in care for people, learning and place. |
I write these blogs to share the real story of moving countries and beginning again. It is not polished or perfect. It is messy at times, often tiring, but full of kindness and moments of connection that remind me why this journey matters.
At the heart of my work is a hope that has never changed: to create spaces where people can breathe, connect, restore and remember what matters.
This blog is part of that journey, and Dusty and I would love for you to walk alongside us as Gratitude Costa Rica begins to take shape.
Previous work: Gratitude Vietnam
Before Gratitude Costa Rica, there was Gratitude Vietnam.
Gratitude Vietnam was a retreat and wellbeing space in Hoi An, created around community, mindfulness, sound healing, reflective practice and responsible tourism. It became a place where people could pause, reconnect and feel held through moments of travel, transition, uncertainty and change.
One former guest described her stay as “a wonderful experience I will never forget.”
Gratitude Costa Rica grows from that experience, while allowing something new to emerge: a slower, more land-based, more self-sufficient and more regenerative expression of the work.
Common questions
Is Gratitude Costa Rica open for bookings?
No. Gratitude Costa Rica is still in development. The centre is not yet open for bookings, and the land has not yet been chosen.
What is Gratitude Costa Rica becoming?
The vision is to create a regenerative retreat and learning centre rooted in nature, wellbeing, education, land stewardship and long-term care.
Who is behind Gratitude Costa Rica?
Gratitude Costa Rica is being developed by Naomi Rowan, founder of Gratitude Worldwide and co-founder of the former Gratitude Vietnam retreat space. Dusty, Naomi’s dog, is also very much part of the journey.
How does Gratitude Vietnam connect to Costa Rica?
Gratitude Vietnam was the first physical retreat home in the wider Gratitude journey. It closed after the pandemic, but its lessons continue to shape the Costa Rica vision.
How can I follow the journey?
You can read the blog, explore the retreat vision, or join the mailing list for occasional updates as the project develops.