10 of the world's best yoga retreats 2012
Yoga. Physical, mental and spiritual discipline. Perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on the Supersoul.
If you know what i am talking about, and also do a lot of traveling, here is a perfect guide through the worlds best yoga retreats.
Les Passeroses, France
Since its opening in 2005, Les Passeroses near Angoulême in south-west France has gradually become the retreat centre of choice for an eclectic mix of yoga teachings, ranging from Iyengar to freestyle. Accommodation is boutique – all wooden oak floors, lush fabrics and stone fireplaces. Perfect if throwing yourself into the sparse side of yoga doesn't appeal just yet. While the yoga is taken seriously – a typical retreat will include two yoga sessions a day plus a two-hour meditation session – there is also time to enjoy relaxing by the pool, long walks and tucking into the vegetarian food. With wine!
• passeroses.com; typical price for seven days start from around £550 to £700, including accommodation, teaching and food
Smin Low, Goa
Simon Low is one of the founders of Tri-Yoga in London's Primose Hill and now runs the teacher-training Yoga Academy, both of which put him at the forefront of yoga teaching in the UK. A yoga teacher friend of mine described his training as one of the most intense experiences of her life, helping her develop an acute awareness of anatomy and physiology as well as a dynamic Asana practice. He runs yoga holidays in various locations, but the chance to experience his teaching in Goa shouldn't be missed. The trip takes place at the Lotus Yoga Retreat on Patnem beach with two classes a day and accommodation in beachfront bamboo huts.
• lotus-yoga-retreat.com; the next 12-day retreat starts on 19 February and costs £795pp (or £370 for a non-yoga partner), including teaching, brunch, a dolphin-spotting trip and unlimited herbal tea
The Yoga Farm, Costa Rica
Yoga and surfing go so well together that it's easy to find a holiday offering both – the difficult bit is finding one which does the two to a high standard. The Yoga Farm, near Pavones, embraces both with quiet sincerity. The accommodation on a hilltop above the ocean is completely off grid with solar panels, compostable toilets and a garden which provides fruit and vegetables. Yoga takes place daily on a deck overlooking the beach and surfing instruction follows after. Included in the price are two vegetarian meals a day, accommodation and yoga classes. But you can cut the price further by volunteering at the farm – now that's a way to earn good karma.
• yogafarmcostarica.org; dorm rooms from $260pp pw, rooms $270pp pw and cabins $330 (both sharing)