Yoga is believed to have originated 6000 years ago in the Indian subcontinent. But over time, the entire world has adopted this practice for in improved physical, mental and spiritual health. Today, as the benefits of yoga are the subject of discussion, people from all walks of life and from different parts of the world have started taking this ancient practice quite seriously. All over the world, a number of yoga retreats have been established to give an enhanced holistic experience. Let’s take a look at 10 Remarkable Yoga Retreats in the World.
“Yoga is the perfect opportunity to be curious about who you are.” – Jason Carndell
10. Shreyas Yoga Retreats
Located in Bangalore, Karnataka in India, Shreyas Yoga Retreat is an upper crust yoga retreat. A member of the exclusive Relais & Chateaux group, it devotes itself to combining the luxury of five star hotels with the restfulness of Ashtanga and Hatha styles of yoga. They offer silent retreats, meditation, ayurvedic treatments, organic farming, etc. The veg menu with fresh produce from the organic gardens is quite an experience, too.
See also: 10 Most Beautiful Places in India
9. Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat
Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat in the Paradise Island, Nassau, in the Bahamas, is one of the best yoga retreats in the world, and is meant for those who take the practice seriously. It follows a very strict routine, starting the day as early as 6 am, with meditation, followed by chanting and Hatha and Karma yoga, veggie meals, ashram duties, etc. The day rolls like this, but the vistas and ambience make for a heavenly experience.
See also: 10 Excellent Basic Yoga Poses for Beginners
8. Kamalaya Koh Samui Spa Resort
Located at Na-Muang, Koh Samui in Surat Thani, Thailand, Kamalaya Koh Samui Spa Resort overlooks a private beach and has access to warm clear waters. This retreat offers some flexible programs which allow guests to be involved in various yoga practices according to their needs and desires, which give them the chance to choose a relaxed path to personal wellness. There are also detox programs and fitness facilities.
7. The Forge Yoga Centre
Located at Totnes, Devon in the United Kingdom, The Forge Yoga Centre, founded by Gretchen Faust, is one of the most well-known yoga retreats in the world. Guests at this wellness centre can attend workshops and yoga sessions with some of the most erudite yoga instructors from around the world. The workshops incorporate various schools of yoga, and investigate numerous poses, yoga sutras, asana, meditation, etc.
6. Ulpotha Yoga Retreats
Ulpotha Yoga Retreat, located in Ulpotha in Sri Lanka, provides a two-week programme in the peaceful village with exquisite scenery, complete with lakes, mountains and paddy fields. The place maintains an ambience to find peace through different styles of yoga and vegetarian diet. Teachers from the Uniked Kingdom visit this retreat. You can also indulge in ayurveda therapies at this place, so you can recharge yourself completely.
5. Anahata Yoga Retreat
Anahata Yoga Retreat is located at Takaka, New Zealand, in the Golden Bay, perched on top of a mountain 640 m above sea level. It is among the most reputed yoga retreats in the world. It offers a residential yoga retreat. The retreat provides a picturesque view of valleys, ocean and the Farewell Spit. Here, clients can get daily sessions of Satyananda yoga. The meals contain organic produce from their gardens.
4. Yoga Barn
The island of Bali in Indonesia has a number of yoga retreats to suit different styles and favourite forms. Of them, the Yoga Barn in Ubud is one of the most popular. Its programs range from Yin yoga and Vinyasa flow to ecstatic dance. Classes are held in studios with thatched roofs and mud-walls. Their collaborative work with Bali Spirit provides budget stays, while Ubud Aura Retreat Centre offers luxury accommodations.
3. Kaliyoga
Located in the Alpujarra region of Andalucía, Kaliyoga offers a wide range of yoga retreats. Visitors can pick yoga weekends, and avail juice detoxing and other rejuvenating initiatives. The warm temperature of the region and dramatic mountainous scenery together create the perfect atmosphere for a relaxing time at this yoga retreat. Yoga here concentrates on deep relaxation through yoga, more than difficult physical postures.
2. The Yoga Farm
The Yoga Farm, near Pavones, in Costa Rica, provides a one-of-a-kind yogic escapade through a combination of surfing and yoga. The accommodation is perched on a hilltop above the ocean, while the yoga sessions take place on a deck that overlooks the beach. Every day, yoga is followed by surfing instructions. The total cost of accommodation, meals and yoga classes can be reduced by volunteering at the farm.
1. Ananda in Himalayas
Ananda in Himalayas at Narendra Nagar, Uttarakhand in India upholds the true spirit of the place where yoga originated, as well as the meaning of its name, i.e. extreme happiness. Its private sessions, based on yogic disciplines, include Pranayama, Yoga Nidra and Ajapajapa. The yoga classes can be customized. Besides yoga, there are holistic classes to provide a thoroughly calming experience, amidst the stunning Himalayan landscape.
There are several other yoga retreats in the world, such as Les Passeroses in France, Adventure Yoga Retreats in Portugal, Jatoba Terra Prana Lar Yoga in Brazil, Paradise Found Yoga in Canada, Clare Island Yoga Retreat Centre in Ireland, Lotus Yoga Retreat in India, Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwantari Ashram, also in India, Maya Tulum Retreat in Mexico, and many more. Irrespective of religion, age, sex, and all that divides various groups of people in the world, yoga has managed to unite people as a pathway to self-discovery, and healthy mind and body. With 21st June being declared as the International Day of Yoga, the world is all set to celebrate the very first Yoga Day.