Wellness holidays and retreats are gaining popularity in recent years. As more people look to travelling as an escape from the routine of daily life, some discerning travelers who practice a healthy and active lifestyle look for holidays with the objective to improve their well-being. Whether it’s finding their peace through a meditation retreat, or immersing themselves in Mother Nature at their destination, the benefits of a wellness holiday seem to be endless and longer-lasting than just a sight-seeing vacation.
LIVE WELL
Refresh, Recharge: 5 Wellness Retreats for a Rejuvenating Getaway
24 September 2018
4 mins read
4 mins read
An increasingly popular type of wellness holiday are yoga retreats. A typical yoga retreat itinerary would include a full-board stay at a lodge with meals provided (possibly vegan or vegetarian), as well as yoga classes, meditation sessions and some free-and-easy time to explore local sights and sounds.
The strong focus of a retreat on holistic well-being ensures that you have time to focus on yourself.
Luke Elijah Lim, a Singaporean spiritual practitioner and meditation coach was quoted in The Straits Times sharing his take on retreats: “A yoga class is more of a quick touch, but a retreat is powerful because you are there to dedicate and immerse yourself in your well-being, surrounded by fresh air, clean food, meditation and breathwork. You don’t have to think about accommodation, meals or the itinerary – all of that is provided for you. You can focus completely on yourself.”
“… a retreat is powerful because you are there to dedicate and immerse yourself in your well-being”
While yoga retreats are aplenty in Asia, it is important to find one that is suitable according to your fitness and experience level. Be sure to do sufficient research and read reviews to ensure that the yoga retreat is genuine and reliable.
Here are five popular yoga and wellness retreats in Asia to help you achieve your inner peace:
Pure Flow Yoga, Koh Phangan, Thailand
Set by the beaches of Koh Phangan and surrounded by a rainforest, Pure Flow Yoga is one of the more popular yoga retreats in Thailand that offers retreats for yoga practitioners of various levels. Each of the five, 10 or 15-day retreat features 2 yoga classes and meditation sessions daily. For the serious yogi, there are also 200-hour yoga teacher training courses to check out.
Ambong Ambong Rainforest Resort, Langkawi, Malaysia
In our very own backyard on the island of Langkawi lies the Ambong Ambong Rainforest Retreat. Consisting of 11 villas nestled in a rainforest, Ambong Ambong offers yoga and nature-based retreats that are conducted by leading yoga and nature practitioners. The blend of yoga, meditation, traditional healing arts, nature and culture ensures that you not only benefit from the wellness sessions, but also from immersing the natural sights of the island.
See also: 7 Ways Vacation Help You Stay Healthy
One World Retreat, Bali, Indonesia
Feel like you do too much talking on travels? Why not try a silent retreat? Some yoga retreats at the One World Retreat in Bali feature a day of silence, where for one day out of the retreat, participants won’t speak or engage with one another. The practice is inspired by Nyepi, the Balinese Day of Silence, and is supposed to give guests a time for self-reflection and introspection. Many participants have said that this was their favourite part of the retreat!
Blue Indigo Cottage, Siam Reap, Cambodia
How would you like to experience yoga meditation in the heart of a thousand-year old Angkorian temple? Blue Indigo Cottage in Siam Reap offers just that as part of their yoga retreats. Each week, a yoga and meditation session takes place in the sacred temple near the cottage. It is also one of the few retreats that has an aerial yoga teacher training course.
Kamalaya Wellness, Koh Samui, Thailand
Kamalaya Wellness in Koh Samui is one of the most well-known luxury health and wellness resort in the world. Besides yoga and detox programs, Kamalaya also has unique programs like a sleep enhancement program, and a stress and burnout program (which is increasingly popular among their guests from cities). For a more personalized experience, guests can also take a health test and have a consultation with Kamalaya’s naturopaths, who can help to create a holistic program for each person depending on their need.
CP, a customer service representative from KL shares how going on a yoga retreat two years ago helped her to gain a better understanding of herself and helped her to manage her stresses. “I definitely felt calmer after learning new breathing techniques at the retreat. Learning and mastering the technique helped me to keep a firmer grip on my thoughts and emotions, and i really felt positive changes in my wellbeing after the retreat!”
“I really felt positive changes in my wellbeing after the retreat!”
With all things considered, why not go on a yoga or wellness retreat for your upcoming holiday? Not only do you get to explore a new country, you’ll also get to focus on improving your health and holistic wellness at the same time!
References
http://www.healthandfitnesstravel.com/blog/what-is-a-wellness-holiday
https://fathomaway.com/oneworld-retreats-kumara-sakti-ubud-silent-holiday/
http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/travel/recharge-at-retreats
The above articles are intended for informational purposes only. AIA accepts no responsibility for loss, which may arise from reliance on information contained in the articles.
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