Why Travel to Thailand to Practice Yoga
Blending travel and yoga is a potent recipe for total mind and body renewal. Yoga in itself is a powerful total mind/body renewal tool, but the added benefit of traveling and leaving behind all of the headache and stresses of daily life helps us fully reset, unwind and rejuvenate so we can come back feeling refreshed and re-inspired.
Nick named “The Land of Smiles” It’s hard to look past the Beautiful country of Thailand for yoga retreats, or even yoga trainings. The sparkling beaches and majestic mountainsides offer the perfect setting of serenity for yoga classes connecting you straight to nature.
The country is known for its gracious hospitality and tranquility which often bring visitors a sense of gratefulness for everything is so often taken for granted in daily life, it also allows people to delve into a deeper state of peacefulness, bliss and self-awareness for the length of their stay in Thailand.
The beautiful scenic backdrops and the amazing generosity and peacefulness that comes with Thai culture are not the only reasons to make your way to Thailand for some yoga practice. The variety of high quality yoga instructors in Thailand is abundant, so much so that you are almost guaranteed to find an instructor who’s style, technique and energy really click with you… and you may feel as though want to take that instructor home with you :P
but in all seriousness some of the best yoga instructors in the world frequently visit Thailand running retreats, workshops and teacher trainings. Some of these instructors have even made Thailand there base. So whether you visit during high, low, rainy, dry, or cold season you can be sure there will be numerous quality instructors, retreats and workshops on offer to choose from.
On the flip side, when your yoga is done for the day, Thailand offers an abundance of daily trips, activities and sights. There is too much here to include in one post but picture this if you can. Pristine, untouched waterfalls with fresh flowing spring water from the mountain peak. Fresh tropical fruits on a blazing hot day, secluded tropical beaches lined with coconut trees. Delicious Thai cooking classes, ancient and majestic Buddhist temples, mediation classes, kind helpful locals who will go out of their way to help a foreigner enjoy their stay and the best traditional Thai massages you have ever had in your life!
Thailand truly is a magical place and below I have listed my 3 favorite; hotspots for yoga throughout the country.
The Islands of Thailandr
Most likely you’ve heard or seen pictures of the Thai islands. They deserve every ounce of fame and popularity as they truly are amazing places to visit. Boasting crystal clear turquoise waters, a buffet of delicious fresh seafood and lines of splendid coconut trees providing much needed shade and fresh coconuts to help keep the islands inhabitants happy and hydrated. The warm temperature and sunshine often set the tone on the islands immediately allowing its visitors to loosen up, enjoy nature and let your worries go.
Most of the commonly visited islands such as Koh Tao, Koh Lanta and Koh Samui have yoga studios, yoga retreats and wellness communities. However the main island that attracts serious yogis is Koh Phangan.
You may have heard Koh Pangnag mentioned before by some young 18 year old backpackers raving on about the full moon party’s and the party culture on the island, but there is really much, much more to this island than only the small party scene that most travelers seem to associate it with. The island is home to some of the worlds most renowned yoga centers including Agama Yoga (
http://www.agamayoga.com) and The Sanctuary (
http://www.thesanctuarythailand.com), a breathtaking resort that also offers detox and spa treatments. If you’re interested in completing your yoga teacher training in stunning southern Thailand, check out Jivani Yoga(
http://jivaniyoga.com).
Bangkokr
Bangkok is probably not a place that makes you think about yoga, calmness or peace of mind. But its craziness provides the perfect reason to roll out your mat and go against the grain. In a place of noise and chaos why not challenge yourself to stay grounded? To stay focused and really apply your yoga practice to your day to day life.
Obviously Bangkok does not offer the scenic yoga environments that you can find elsewhere, but the nation’s capital houses some of the best yoga studios in the country. The instructors are motivating and the studios dedicated with huge daily schedules with something for everyone. Try a class at Yoga Elements(
http://www.yogaelements.com) considered “Bangkok’s best yoga studio” or Absolute Yoga (
http://www.absoluteyou.com/lifestyle/yoga) to stay sane in the big city.
Chiang Mair
Chiang Mai is Thailand’s second largest city; however it seems to be worlds apart from Bangkok. Still quite unknown to many travelers, who prefer the sunny beaches of Thailand’s southern islands, Chiang Mai has so much to offer and it seems to attract people who like to avoid the high end tourism of Southern Thailand, along with many solo travelers on their personal journey of discovery.
Although the city can become busy and noisy at times, Chiang Mai never seems to lose its charm and uniqueness. And as many people can agree, its seems to bring a peaceful and tranquil vibe upon its visitors opening them to a slow paced, quiet lifestyle that more often than no, starts to spark interest in health and wellness practices such as Yoga, meditation, qi gong, Thai chi, Reiki and other healing arts, which by no coincidence at all, are all available to practice and learn in Chiang Mai
It seems Chiang Mai has slowly become a hub for all of these spiritual practices, and to be honest you cannot go wrong here. There are some very good Yoga studios and there are even better Yoga teachers. Experienced teachers who don’t just practice yoga for the 1 or 2 hours they spend on their yoga mat, but teachers who continue to practice yoga when off the mat through their day to day lives dedicated to spreading their experiences and positivity with others.
For a wide variety of yoga classes in Chiang Mai visit
Freedom Yoga in Chiang Mai a cute studio In an old lanna style teak wood house that hold a maximum of 24 students per class so get there early to reserve your space. They also run regular workshops and yoga retreats with guest teachers from around the world.
Class Schedule
If you feel like a break from yoga why not give thai chi (
http://www.taichi-chiangmai.com) a go? This practice is similar to yoga in that it is designed to get energy centers of the body activated however it is very gentle and mellow practice