There are so many Yoga Retreats in Paradise, but which one is the best for you? And how do you know if it’s worth your money? Yoga Retreats can be very expensive and not all Yoga Retreats are created equal. But don’t worry! We have compiled a list of 14 Beach Yoga Retreats in Paradise that will make your decision much easier.
From the lulling sound of the waves to the soothing blue of the ocean to healing salt, the beach does more than just provide a pretty backdrop; it also makes you feel better from the inside out. These 14 splurge-worthy coastal retreats offer sunrise vinyasas, wave-assisted meditation, and days spent hiking, swimming, and surfing (or simply lazing in the sun).
Ashtanga Immersive Retreat in Ambergris Caye, Belize
When: July 28-August 4, 2018
Why: There’s no need to sacrifice luxury to embark on a spiritual journey. Fort Lauderdale-based Ashtanga Yoga Worldwide sets up camp at Mahogany Bay Village—a new resort community with a full-service yoga studio and locavore eateries. Those who are serious about diving into Ashtanga will appreciate the opportunity to work with the retreat’s co-leader Greg Nardi, who studied under K. Pattabhi Jois. However, Dawn Oliver, of boutique travel company Well Xplore, which helped curate the retreat, says the experience is not just for seasoned yogis. “The beautiful thing about Ashtanga is that the teacher will meet you on the mat,” she says. In addition to the two-hour-long yoga sessions and daily chanting and meditation huddles, you will have plenty of downtime. Indulge in the beauty of the landscape through add-on activities like snorkeling the second largest coral reef in the world and venturing to bustling San Pedro to hobnob with the locals.
Paradise Immersion Retreat in Zanzibar, Tanzania
When: November 5-12
Why: Before you even depart for your trip, the Bliss Body Retreat team helps you ease into restoration mode with a pre-detox guide and hour-long Skype session. Once on the island, all meals are served raw with a focus on foods that heal and balance the body. Together with spiritual talks, daily pranayama and yoga, one day of cold-press juice fasting, a clean eating class, and plenty of coconut water, you’ll walk away feeling lighter in every sense. Guides harness the intoxicating beauty of Zanzibar to perform sunrise water healing ceremonies and sunset fire cleansing ceremonies to renew you from the inside out.
Be You Retreat in Anse La Raye, St. Lucia
When: July 24-29, 2018
Why: Ti Kaye Resort & Spa is etched into a cliff with buildings designed to blend into the landscape, so the resort feels more rustic and remote than its four-star amenities would suggest. Retreat leader Davina Davidson is a teacher’s teacher, so she carved time into the schedule for workshops related to goal-setting and tricky inversions. “Ultimately this is a time for masks to come off and to feel comfortable in your own skin,” Davidson says. “It’s about stripping away the ‘roles’ we play to fit in.” After a day of asanas, paddleboards, kayaks, and fresh island food, collapse in one of Ti Kaye’s canopied beds set in oceanfront cottages, most of which have a private plunge pool or a deck with hammocks.
Yoga Fusion Adventure Retreat in Brother Island, Philippines
When: November 4-11, 2018
Why: For a tropical escape, look to Gracious Living Lifestyle’s Philippine getaway. Founder and yoga instructor Grace Van Berkum is also a registered holistic nutritionist, meaning all meals will be on point. On the dream team leading this retreat, there’s also a life coach and a DJ-photographer who will capture the magic and lead moonlit dance parties. By day, you’ll cruise to unspoiled islands for two beach yoga classes daily and settle in for life-balance workshops. While many guests will stay in a hotel on the larger island, we suggest you opt for the pared-down huts right on the sands of Brother Island—an undeveloped paradise where the majority of the retreat will take place. You’ll save money and enhance your connection with the land, which we all know is a good thing. “No one has ever done a retreat on Brother Island,” Van Berkum says. “I love hosting in unique, off-the-beaten-path locations surrounded by pristine nature.”
Yogalates Retreat in Croatia
When: August 22-31
Why: High on energy, but low on vacation time? This Croatian retreat may offer the biggest bang for your buck. After a morning yoga-Pilates hybrid class, you’ll decamp for darling coastal towns, epic historical sites, and private slices of the Adriatic Sea. “It is my belief that we enrich ourselves with meaningful and inspiring experiences,” says co-host Natasha Senkovich. Most of the time will be spent hopping around the island of Losinj, which has been recognized since the 19th century for its curative qualities (namely, the climate, air quality, and sea breeze are said to be a powerhouse mix for treating respiratory problems). But this European jaunt also includes visits to Zagreb—Croatia’s capital city—and the romantic Italian enclave of Venice.
Pearl Laguna in Laguna Beach, California
When: Year-round
Why: While this beloved California retreat will cost you a pretty penny, you might also walk away with a new lease on life. The idea here is to clean up your diet, move your body, clear your mind, and in turn, remember what it’s like to feel good again. The usual suspects are present (twice-daily yoga; oceanside meditation; locally sourced, organic meals); but the Pearl takes wellness to the next level with a holistic approach that includes daily massages (yep, these are covered in the fee too), food education, chakra sessions, tai chi, gym workouts, and tough hikes through 20,000 acres of rugged coastline.
Sleep YourSelf Awake Retreat in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
When: November 3-10, 2018
Why: Xinalani Retreat stands apart from touristy Puerto Vallarta with its pristine location between the jungle and a private beach, only accessible by boat (don’t worry: airport transfers are included). Here, Vancouver-based Sasha Bahador and L.A.’s Jana Roemer lead the seven-night retreat focused on exploring and harnessing the subconscious mind. Classes end with yoga Nidra sessions, in which you purposefully work through the stages of sleep to rewire thought patterns, cement affirmations, and really rest. “We have created a new normal of having our nervous systems in overdrive—a root cause of so many diseases,” says Roemer. “Yoga Nidra brings the nervous system into a coherent state, resting in a place where healing can occur on all levels.” You can also expect body mapping and dream mapping workshops, and the option to participate in a traditional temazcal (sweat lodge) ceremony.
Salted Souls Retreat in Cape Range National Park, Australia
When: August 24-29, 2018
Why: Australian Denby Sheather says her trips are more spiritual pilgrimages than retreats. The yoga therapist and conservationist are certified in several healing practices, which she incorporates into therapeutic yoga sessions. At night, you’ll sleep in a cushy, waterfront safari tent at Sal Salis—a five-star, a rustic lodge set among the dunes of Cape Range National Park. Rise early for morning practice, followed by activities that range from swimming with the sea turtles and whale sharks of Ningaloo Reef to folkloric storytelling to full moon circles.
Silver Island Yoga Retreat near Oreoi, Greece
When: April through October
Why: Silver Island gets quite a bit of ink—and for good reason. Everything about this 60-acre, private island retreat exudes love and tranquility. The working olive farm has been in the Christie family for more than 50 years, and the lot remains mostly undeveloped except for a few traditional Greek houses, a church, and a lighthouse. Hosts and sisters Lissa and Claire Christie set up these six-night getaways to facilitate relaxation and creativity. There’s a yoga shala, where different teachers are brought in to lead classes overlooking the Mediterranean Sea; an art pantry stocked with supplies; kayaks, and snorkeling gear for exploring the surrounding blue wonderland; and plenty of hammocks for journaling and napping.
Luxury Yoga Holiday Retreat in Essaouira, Morocco
When: October 20-27, 2018
Why: It isn’t hard to find a yoga retreat in Morocco, but few will give you a true taste for the local way of life like this one. For starters, the group is small—about 10 folks or less. Your guide, Dutch transplant Rachel Bonking, has lived in Essaouira for three years, so she knows all the best places to get a solid tagine and buy raffia slippers at a fair price. Her yoga classes vary from Hatha to Iyengar-style alignment sessions to Kundalini-focused lessons. Beyond the mat, you’ll visit a traditional hammam and get a proper rubdown; flex your chops during a Moroccan cooking class; and discover the haunts that make this artsy, seaside community special. “After a day or so, people feel completely at ease wandering on their own in the souks (markets) of the Old Medina,” she says. All activities are included, and there are no hidden fees.
Sky Ting’s Nova Scotia Retreat in Nova Scotia, Canada
William Green
When: July 28-August 4, 2018
Why: Sky Ting built a loyal following through the founders’ approachable classes and magnetic passion for making yoga accessible to yoga-curious, overworked New Yorkers. True to the studio’s free-spirited vibe, this trip ventures to a seaside setting that departs from the conventional image of the white-sanded, tropical beach vacation. Wake up in an architectural dreamscape near Halifax, where you’ll dwell in communal spaces and practice in a renovated, 19th-century barn. During free time, you can explore Nova Scotia’s wild, agricultural coast on side trips to vineyards and UNESCO World Heritage towns.
Yoga x Surf Retreat in Todos Santos, Mexico
When: July 19-24, 2018
Why: There’s a reason why artists have been flocking to Todos Santos recently; the seaside Baja town is downright inspired. Pachamama yoga retreat and boutique hotel capture the beauty and desert cool of the region with its posh teepees (made of woven and plastered pau d’arco trees and outfitted with full bathrooms) and white-washed villa. Everything about the retreat nudges you to spend time outside—think garden suppers prepared by the house chef, a hammock lounge, sunrise hikes, and pro-taught surf lessons. “Yoga and surfing are so connected,” says YogaKoh founder, Jolie Manza, “from common ideals like personal health to the deep connection to Mother Nature and oneself.” Manza will also lead two yoga sessions daily, starting with an energizing vinyasa flow in the morning and unwinding with a restorative practice in the early evening. Bonus: the team sends you home with high-res images, so you can disconnect without missing the stellar Insta opportunities.
Yoga & Fitness Retreat in Bali, Indonesia
When: September 20-27, 2018
Why: There’s just something about Bali. “I am not a very spiritual person, but I couldn’t help but feel deeply moved by the island,” says Nathania Stambouli, founder of Soul Play Retreats, a brand known for its challenging-yet-nurturing excursions designed to help people overcome self-imposed limits. Test your endurance during the pre-dawn, volcano hike up Mount Batur, get upside down in the inversion workshop, and push yourself with the daily gym workouts. Stambouli is also organizing a community volunteer project for this trip, so you’ll get to increase your karmic quotient on top of everything else.
Self-Realization & Empowerment Yoga Retreat in Santa Marta, Colombia
When: July 30-August 4, 2018
Why: Gitana del Mar’s seven thatched-roof bungalows stand a three-minute walk from the Caribbean and at the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas. “It creates a natural space of healing—retreaters can surrender to nature, escape into the lush jungles, and connect with the vast sea,” says Loren Lotus, founder of Lotus Retreats. Each day will focus on a different chakra with workshops and classes meant to break spiritual ruts and deepen your understanding of the body’s energy centers. Beyond the twice-daily yoga sessions, including Yin Yoga, you have the option to visit treasured nearby sites, like Parque Tayrona and The Lost City—an archaeological site that went undiscovered until the 1970s.
Conclusion:
Yoga has the ability to take you on a journey of self-discovery and personal growth. Yoga is not just an activity that will help your muscles get stronger, yoga can be life-changing.
