3 amazing, exotic yoga retreats (for when you really need to get away)
There comes a time in most of our lives when we know we just really need to get AWAY, not "Calgon"-away to a tub full of bubbles, not an hour-long massage escape or a night out with the girls, but the kind of "I'm stressed as hell and I can't take it anymore" retreating that can only be achieved by new surroundings, abundant sunshine, and a boatload of stretching and quiet time. Luckily, these moments don't happen too often, but when they do, here's where we suggest you go:
1. Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat, Bahamas
Located on five acres of gorgeous beach in Paradise Island, Bahamas this highly rustic spot has catered to yogis for more than 40 years. It's a humble-crunchy place for sure, but it's also REALLY affordable: Included in the package price of $89 a night is your own little cabin, two vegetarian meals and two yoga classes per day, and morning and evening meditation instruction. For additional fees you can indulge in ayurvedic spa treatments, and depending on when you're there, the ashram offers detoxification and cooking classes and even extended juice fasts.
2. Tui Tai Expeditions, Fiji Islands
Oh, so you say you'd like an off-the-beaten path/once-in-a-lifetime escape? How about practicing yoga on top of an (inactive) volcano? This adventure company offers luxurious (and small, around 20 people) sailing trips that include gourmet meals and spa treatments along with a mix of snorkeling, hiking, yoga, mountain biking, visits to remote villages, and relaxing on many pristine (and sometimes private) beaches. A highlight of the voyage is a hike up to the top of a dormant volcano on uninhabited Cobia Island-once there, guests are led through stretching exercises and a guided meditation while surrounded by 360-degree ocean views. The package is pricey ($3,193 for 5 nights, all inclusive), but man, so worth saving your pennies for.
3. Samasati Nature Retreat, Costa Rica
Since 1994, the charming Italian and Argentinean owners of this 270-acre eco-resort and rainforest sanctuary have offered guests a pared-down, natural environment in which to immerse themselves in multiple facets of mind and body wellness. Its yoga packages include seven days of classes, massage, horseback riding, hiking along waterfall trails, and three healthy meals per day. You stay in bungalows with private baths and verandas or in one of the two expansive guest houses surrounded by tropical gardens. There's also an opportunity for day trips to the local beach. Week-long packages start at $ 1,135 per person.
