Two women doing yoga at Kamalaya in Koh Samui, Thailand

Our top yoga Travel tips

Destinations for body and soul.

Photo: Kamalaya, Koh Samui, Thailand
January 2024
Traveling to heal or develop yourself physically and spiritually is gaining in popularity, and you often take this type of trip by yourself. Here’s our guide to the best destinations for practicing yoga.
Someone in a yoga position on a pier by a lake
Photo: Joris van Egmond

Intimate and authentic

Shambala Gatherings

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Borntorpet 1
Skinnskatteberg
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Located by a lake in Västmanland, Sweden, Shambala Gatherings is an intimate and authentic retreat set in beautiful surroundings. In addition to yoga, there are opportunities to participate in bodywork and dance. During the winter, both cold training and snow yoga are part of the program. The community at Shambala Gatherings is one of the main reasons people come here—and all the food is vegan, of course.

Luxury fitness in California

The Ranch Malibu

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Cotharin Road
Malibu
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If you want to feel like a Hollywood celebrity, The Ranch Malibu is the place for you, having gained a cult status as a retreat for movie stars and other celebrities. But at its heart, it’s a luxury retreat and wellness destination that also offers various fitness and weight-loss programs. Here, yoga is more part of a package that aims to transform guests in both body and mind.

Shanti-Som Wellbeing Retreat in Andalusia
Photo: Shanti-Som Wellbeing Retreat

Breathing exercises in the mountains

Shanti-Som

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LLanos de Purla Km 22 Carretera
Monda
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The mountains of Andalusia are a real El Dorado for wellness and yoga, possibly thanks to the combination of natural beauty, calm atmosphere, and good climate. Shanti-Som is a retreat where you can practice Pilates, lose weight, or detox—but we’re here for the yoga. You’ll stay at least three nights and you’ll embark on a spiritual journey toward greater inner peace with vinyasa and hatha yoga, as well as breathing exercises.

The Mandali boutique retreat and foundation
Photo: Dennis Bouman

The power of silence

Mandali

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Via Belvedere 2
Quarna Sopra
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Nestled in the Italian Alps overlooking a lake sits the Mandali boutique retreat and foundation. Here, you can go on a retreat in total silence while also practicing yoga and detoxing during a one-week stay. Founders Wouter and Wildrik have a background in the festival industry before discovering the “power of silence,” and the center is inspired by the typical medieval Italian villages that surround it.

A group of people doing yoga together in the mountains of California
Photo: Sagrada Wellness

Creative experiences

Sagrada Yoga

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6780 W. Pozo Road
Santa Margarita
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If you’re looking for a more creative yoga experience, book yourself a spot at Sagrada Yoga in California. Here, you can go on a yoga and wine retreat or combine a writing course with yoga while the “Calm, Resilient and Wild” course promises to unlock the secrets of the nervous system. Naturally, there are more traditional yoga and meditation retreats—all deeply rooted in the West Coast lifestyle.

Short and sweet

One Day Retreat

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Carrer des Flamenc, 32
Can Bessó
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For those who like a brief yoga trip, One Day Retreat Ibiza offers the perfect experience—a half-day retreat you can book if you’re heading to the Balearic Islands. You get to visit a beautiful location—which is different each time, so you can repeat the experience—and learn to relax mentally and physically. The One Day Retreat is suitable for all levels of yoga and is also reasonably priced.

Massage at Fige Yoga in Croatia ​
Photo: Fige Yoga

On the Adriatic coast

Fige Yoga

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Momica Poje 1 Paklinski island
Hvar
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The Adriatic coast of Croatia offers crystal-clear waters and a wonderful climate, making it the perfect spot for a retreat. Fige Yoga combines sea bathing, long walks in nature, and local food with yoga and meditation. They also organize excursions to attractions like the stunning Plitvice Lakes National Park, where the group hikes and practices yoga. But for the most part, Fige Yoga stays on the Croatian islands, where you can enjoy yoga overlooking the beautiful sea, stay in a luxurious villa, and try some freshly pressed olive oil.

Among the hills of Andalusia

Suryalila

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Cortijo La Fabrica, Pago del Pajarete
Cortijo La Fabrica, Pago del Pajarete
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Around an hour from Seville, Suryalila is a yoga hotel nestled among the rolling Andalusian hills. Book three, five, or seven nights here, and during the day, you can participate in various yoga activities, go horseback riding, eat organic food, and relax with the other hotel guests.

People doing yoga at Nøsen Yoga og Fjellhotell
Photo: Ruth Elin Simonsen

Mountains and yoga

Nøsen Yoga

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Panoramavegen
Røn
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Yoga is often associated with the southern hemisphere, perhaps due to its origins in India, but three hours from Oslo you will find Nøsen Yoga. In the Norwegian mountains, at 2,972 feet above sea level, you’ll stay at a mountain hotel and attend yoga classes in classical Mysore and Ashtanga. The view alone is enough to quiet your mind, and yoga classes are available all year round.

The yoga pavilion at Kamalaya in Koh Samui, Thailand
Photo: Kamalaya Koh Samui

Holistic health

Kamalaya

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102/9 Moo 3, Laem Set Road, Na-Muang
Koh Samui, Surat Thani
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With a holistic approach to wellness, Kamalaya in Koh Samui, Thailand tailors its programs to meet your needs, and yoga is just one of several aspects of what the resort offers. Here, you can participate in group yoga retreats or book private ones, follow detox programs, and try out various ways to heal your body and mind, as well as combat stress.

Text by Daniel Björk