Holidays are awesome. Yoga is awesome. The only thing that’s even more awesome is the combination of both!
If you’ve already decided to combine your vacation with yoga, this is where the fun begins: find the right retreat for you. There’s a huge choice of types, locations and extra activities.
Here are the five questions you should ask yourself to find your perfect retreat:
- How far do you want to travel?
How far you want to travel also depends on the time that you have. If you would like to start small and book a weekend retreat, it might be worth it not to travel too far. Your surroundings most likely offer retreat center without long distances. If you have more time, maybe you would like to explore a foreign country. Of course, you can enjoy the change of scenery in a neighboring country, or you could treat yourself to a long-distance travel. Before you start looking, determine your timeframe and radius. - How many times a day do you want to practice?
Up to two times yoga a day are usual – one morning and one evening session. Some retreats offer a different timetable. Take a close look at how much yoga is being offered, so that you won’t be disappointed if there are less classes than you would have liked. If the quota seems to much for you, don’t rule that retreat out right away. Normally, participating isn’t mandatory and you can organize your day as you like. It’s your vacation, after all! - Which style would you like to practice?
As an avid Ashtanga yogi you might not feel at home in a yin retreat. Or you have already tried a certain style that you didn’t like at all. So, pay attention when booking your retreat! A lot of retreats offer different styles, but some are completely tailored to yin yoga, Kundalini yoga or other styles.
- What would you like to experience besides yoga?
Is it important to you that your retreat center offers extra workshops? Do you value being able to explore the sights of your destination easily? Of course, relaxation should be the focal point at your yoga retreat, but when you know that you get restless easily and don’t like laying on the pool or the beach all day, you won’t be able to enjoy your holiday either. So, if your retreat center doesn’t offer additional activities, you should be able to entertain yourself in the surroundings.
- What are your dietary requirements?
Vegetarians and vegans are mostly well catered to on yoga retreats. But is there a full board offer or do you have to organize some of your meals yourself? Some vacation spots are very meat-biased. Also, you should pay attention to your food intolerances and allergies and communicate them beforehand.
Have a lot of fun finding the right retreat for you!
You’ve already found it? Then get excited for the yoga retreat packing list in the next blogpost!
