Bikram Yoga Retreats

December 6, 2011 12:00 am

If the thought of not being able to access a Bikram Yoga Studio is enough to make you put your vacation plans on hold (although, as Danny says, you can always bring a kettle to boil in the hotel bathroom and make a mini-hot room), these Bikram Yoga Retreats will let you travel to some pretty exotic locales without missing a single day of practice.

Bikram Yoga Maui Retreat

This weeklong Bikram Yoga Retreat gives you the option of practising yoga once or twice daily while enjoying all that Maui has to offer: whale-watching, snorkeling, surfing, hiking and, of course, plenty of R&R.

The retreat, which this year takes place February 4-11 and March 3-10, includes:

  • seven nights’ lodging at the Malamalama Retreat Centre (part of a non-profit organic farm);
  • two yoga classes daily (second class optional) led by certified Bikram Yoga Instructor Judy Louie;
  • three vegetarian meals daily (fish/chicken available; two dinners on your own);
  • a Bikram Yoga posture clinic and alignment workshop;
  • adventure excursions (whale-watching, snorkeling, surfing, hiking, etc.; extra fees may apply); and
  • on-site massage (extra fee).

The cost: US$1,490-$1,790 per person for a double/triple room; US$1,990-$2,190 per person for a single room with a shared bath; and US$2,380 per person for single room with a private bath. This does not include your flights to and from Maui, airport transfers or car rentals (advised).

For more information visit www.bikramyogaretreats.com.

 

Vermont Bikram Yoga Wellness Retreats

Visit the mountains of Vermont for a Winter (January 18-22, 2012) or Summer (August 1-5, 2012) Bikram Yoga Wellness Retreat, led by Bikram Yoga Petaluma director Lynn Whitlow. You’ll enjoy:

  • Bikram Yoga classes at the Bikram Yoga Petaluma studio (including two towels per class, fresh towels for your room, rental mats, after-class refreshments and an amazing river to jump in right outside the front door);
  • posture clinics taught by experts;
  • morning meditations;
  • vegetarian/raw farm-to-table meals;
  • various group activities and guided hikes, including, in winter, snowshoeing;
  • Shakti yoga clothing trunk show available for purchase at discounted rates;
  • massage sessions (US$75/hour; sign up on site);
  • stimulating evening programs.

The price of each retreat – US$725 per person – does not include flights or accommodations, which can be arranged through nearby Amee Farm (single, double and group occupancy rooms as well as discounted “BY teacher on a budget” options).

For more information visit www.vtyogaretreats.com.

 

Yoga Retreats in the Mayan Caribbean

This year, Tolán de Sian Ka’an – a luxury eco-camp in the Mexican Caribbean (Quintana Roo, in the Yucatan Peninsula) – is running 15 six-day Bikram Yoga retreats between January and April. Limited to 20 students per week (US$1,100 per person; flights/ground transportation not included), this retreat features unique “cabaña” accommodations: double-occupancy tents resting right on the beach! Everything is outdoors and nothing harms the environment. The beautiful setting is meant to help you connect with nature in a new way while enhancing your Bikram Yoga practice.

Also interesting is the fact that the year 2012 marks the end of the Mexico-based Mayan calendar and, perhaps, the beginning of a new spiritual era. According to the Tolán de Sian Ka’an website, “It’s an auspicious time to travel to an already alluring corner of the world. Travellers to the Mundo Maya can expect a period of celebration of the Maya culture, past and present, and can be the witnesses to new architectural sites being open to the public. There are festivals, ceremonies, symposiums and special tours being planned to teach travellers about Maya culture, both ancient and modern. The combination of the incredible natural site and the benefits of the Bikram Yoga practice will mark your life.”

Besides group Bikram Yoga classes with certified teachers, free activities include kayaking to a nearby Cuban shipwreck (equipment provided) and snorkeling the world’s second-largest coastal barrier reef (bring your own equipment). There’s an extra charge for private yoga sessions and massage.

For more information visit www.tolan-retreats.com.

 

Bikram Yoga Nice

What could be “nicer” (sorry; had to) than a week of Bikram Yoga on the French Riviera? Limited to four guests per week (retreats begin on the Sunday of each week), this intimate retreat (500 euros regularly; 600 euros in June, July and August; flights not included) includes:

  • on-site accommodations at the yoga studio, in the heart of Nice, France;
  • daily breakfast (lunch and dinner are on your own, save a five-course vegetarian feast on Friday night);
  • an average of two Bikram Yoga classes per day (one “express” 60-minute class at lunchtime and a full 90-minute class later in the day); and
  • towels and mats.

For more information visit www.bikramyoganice.fr; read one student’s blog about her experience in Nice here.

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