Sometimes we book ourselves on vacations that we then need a vacation from. Instead, you could opt for a getaway focused on getting calm, centered and feeling whole again, all while enjoying white-sand beaches and island charm.
These yoga retreats found around the globe offer a wealth of experiences, from an ashram in the Bahamas to a five-star luxury resort in the Turks and Caicos. Regardless of destination, what they all have in common is simply yoga and the art of feeling good.
The Body Holiday has combined two seemingly opposite experiences: the indulgence of a Caribbean all-inclusive resort beach vacation with the wellness, relaxation and diet recharge of a spa experience.
Here, five restaurants grant your choice of ayurvedic cuisine, farm-to-table fare, sushi and a host of other flavors. And, yes, you can drink—the wine cellar is well stocked. Beyond the dining, we love that a daily spa treatment is included in every stay.
Of course yoga is offered, at least four times a day, as are scuba diving, sailing, beach bicycle tours, hiking and so much more.
Lumeria Maui, high in the Hawaiian island’s upcountry, offers an upscale, luxury retreat experience, from the 24 well-appointed, oversized rooms with plantation-style furnishings to the spa with its unique treatments, including crystal massage. Every stay includes unlimited access to all daily classes and activities, including Maui sound healing, chakra yoga, dream journeys meditation and essential oil education classes.
We especially like the farm-to-table menu that takes advantage of Maui’s bounty, with plates awash in color from mango, guava, avocado and papaya.
With white beaches and summer room rates of less than $150 a night, the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat on Paradise Island, Bahamas, is one of the best island yoga retreat deals going. The daily all-inclusive yoga vacation program includes all meals, morning meditation, a two-hour yoga session, afternoon workshops and free-time activities including snorkeling and kayaking.
Yoga teacher training is available, as are special weekend and weeklong themed courses. Our favorite part: Guests willing to commit three months and work at the ashram are welcome to stay free.
This high-end eco resort tucked away in magical Tulum, Mexico, brings a back-to-nature vibe to their white-sand beach: Think thatched roofs and gauzy while curtains blowing with the breeze. We love Ahau Talum’s economical Bali huts—two-story cabanas that look like a Mexican take on a gypsy caravan. Or if you’re looking for higher-end, the top level of the master suite features a wall of glass looking out on turquoise water, and a thatched A-frame roof for added character.
Regardless of room choice, every accommodation comes with daily morning yoga, ranging in style from power flow to yin yang. The a la carte menu of vegan, raw and ultra fresh food, including green juices, vegan pancakes, ceviche and smoked marlin empanadas, is worth the add-on prices.
An overwater wooden platform shaded by a thatched roof serves as Ak’bol Resort’s yoga space, setting the mood with breeze, sea and sky. From the seaside hammocks to the snorkel-ready reefs just yards from shore, Ak’bol takes full advantage of its white-sand, tropical setting on Ambergris Caye, Belize.
The resort is quiet and peaceful, set two miles north of the town of San Pedro, but also just a 10-minute taxi ride in. Guests can choose from three categories of room: the seafront cabanas starting at $125 a night in low season, the sea garden rooms at $115 a night in low season to the more economical village rooms fetching just $35 a night in low season.
The Wonderland Healing Center is based mid-island on Thailand’s Koh Pha-Ngan, known for epic full moon parties—but the mood of this 37-room sanctuary is anything but. Here, the focus of each yoga retreat—lasting four, seven or 11 days—is detox, wellness and peacefulness.
Every day of the retreat includes three vegan buffet-style meals, several yoga and meditation classes, and one coconut; plus, each stay also includes at least one Thai-style massage.
You had us at yurt. Itha108, a yoga retreat and creative resort on the Greek Island of Ithaca, offers a fully curated experience, from the one-of-a-kind décor and feel of each of the 13 rooms—from the cave house to the three yurts—to the theme of each of the weekly yoga and wellness retreats.
What’s more, the setting is idyllic and inspirational, set on a rocky hillside overlooking the deep blues of the Ionian Sea.
We figured we needed at least one cooler-weather locale in the mix, and Nectar Yoga Bnb on Bowen Island just off Vancouver, Canada, has us hooked. Modern minimalist Scandinavian décor meets hippie chic at this five-cottage yoga resort set amid mid-island forests.
Daily yoga sessions in the geodesic dome are included in every stay, as are daily breakfast, evening yoga, and guided meditations. As a fun extra, tarot card readings are available at an extra charge, as are in-room massages and sound healings.
This four-star resort on southeast Bali, just a three-minute walk from the beach, marries an upscale island experience with the endless possibilities that come with creating a personal yoga retreat. Choose from Floating Leaf’s four-day, three-night stays that focus on yoga and renewal, yoga and shamanic healing or even yoga and surfing.
Moreover, we love the rooms: Bright airy spaces combine modern comfort and convenience with the character of locally made wood carvings. Plus, views of the pool and surrounding rice paddies don’t hurt either.
COMO Shambhala Retreat, on its own private island in the Turks and Caicos, offers a posh wellness experience amid white beaches, palm trees and calm waters ready to welcome kayakers, fly fishers, scuba divers and other adventurers.
The focus of the resort is escapism, with wellness just one option among many: romance, adventure or beach solitude. Granted, all stays include group yoga sessions six days a week. Those with a wellness focus can also add on pilates and private yoga instruction.
