Paddle Paradise and Yoga Serenity in Thailand

Some islands in Thailand are full of obnoxious tourists, littered with trash, and full of peddlers pestering you to buy everything you could possibly imagine. One of these schemes included throwing a monkey on my friend so that she would have to pay for a picture. This was both scary and really funny.

This was not the case with the beautiful and peaceful island that is Koh Lanta. Brimming with pristine beaches and dense jungles, Koh Lanta is a safe haven from all the tourist chaos and boasts unparalleled relaxation amid quiet, uncrowded beach scenes. Inviting warm waters take on a pale tourquoise hue and from Nov - April, the ocean is calm and smooth, making it the perfect stand up paddle spot.

On top of paddle boarding, there are a ton of other activities available from elephant trekking, morning yoga, scuba diving, Thai cooking classes, rainforest walking and island-hopping - or you might just want to relax and have a Thai massage or spa treatment. My favorite thing to do was rent a motorbike and explore the circumference of the island!

Falling in love with the motorbike road rush, I decided to ride to a yoga class that was a couple beaches north of my hotel. After turning on a dirt road, I rode through some jungle until I reached a bike park. Unsure of where to go, I sighted signs that pointed to yoga and followed a windy path. Once greeted by the yoga shala, I knew I had reached paradise.

Set on a jungle cliff above the ocean, this bamboo, wood structure resembles a miraculous tree house that commands sensory overload with the sounds of the waves, the smells of the ocean, the feeling of a warm Thai breeze, and the ultimate experience of relaxation.

Being I was the first one there, I had no idea what to expect but the class quickly filled up with people from all over the world. Hearing all the different accents made me realize how special the experience was and how yoga unites us all.

As the class started, a tiny lady, Mona, strolled to the front of the class and immediately made me feel at ease with her peaceful, warm spirit. Like any strong yoga practice, Mona encouraged a focus on breath and flow which was both inspiring and challenging; leaving you feeling awesome at the end.

As soon as I was introduced to her kind soul, I knew I wanted to do a retreat here. Coupled with the fact that there’s stand up paddle, I somewhat developed a love affair with the island and I can’t wait to return in January for our first Sup Yoga Retreat!!

Tentative Dates: Jan. 13, 2013

Itinerary will be posted next time! Have you done a retreat? Please leave a comment below.