5 Yoga Retreats to Book For Fall 2019

There’s never been a better time to book a yoga retreat. Not only could you probably really use one—I don’t need to remind you that stress and burnout are on the rise—but there are an increasing number of retreat centers that are both luxurious and transformative. Some are within wellness resorts and destination spas, while others are more focused on the eight limbs of yoga. But all are wonderful places to recharge.

Here are five yoga retreats to seek out this fall—and beyond.

Ananda in the Himalayas (India)

Yoga is part of many of the programs at this high-luxury palace of Ayurveda and wellness. (It really does occupy a palace, and a gorgeous one at that, in the foothills close to the mythical cities of Haridwar and Rishikesh.) For those who want to dive deeper, there are immersive 7- and 14-day retreats for yoga and yoga detox. This includes not only asana but also pranayama and meditation, and the teachers here are the real deal. Ananda offers all the power and spirituality of India with none of the deprivations of an ashram.

Kamalaya (Thailand)

As at Ananda, yoga is one of the many programs on offer at this destination spa in Thailand founded by a former monk in Koh Samui. The Kamalaya Personal Yoga Synergy plan includes private one-on-one yoga sessions with complementary spa treatments, often Ayurveda, performed by the spa’s experienced Indian therapists. While it’s more than worthwhile to join the group sessions on the lawn (which have a lovely energy), the real value of the three-, five-, and seven-day retreats is their personalization, especially for people who are working with injuries or those who are new to yoga.

COMO Shambhala Estate (Indonesia)

Yoga is a big part of the 360-degree approach to wellness at this “Retreat for Change,” the flagship of the holistic luxury COMO Hotels brand. Guests can tap into the knowledge of the resident experts including a dietician, Ayuvedic doctor and yoga teacher. The asana sessions are held on a gorgeous platform overlooking the Ayung River Gorge, or sometimes even deeper into nature, which adds to the transformative experience. Along with the fantastic resident healers, world-class yoga teachers and other wellness leaders regularly hold retreats here.

Anamaya (Costa Rica)

If you like your yoga retreats to be social, immersing you in a community of like-minded practitioners from around the world, then Anamaya in Costa Rica is for you. Meals are communal, and the infinity pool is so gorgeous that nearly everyone ends up there between asana sessions. Even better, its location in the charming beach town of Montezuma makes it perfect for yoga and surf retreats. Most stays are a full week, though three- or four-night retreats are available certain times of the year. Most weeks, there is a respected guest teacher in house.

Vale de Moses (Portugal)

For some reason, a lot of yoga retreats seem to involve tropical beaches. They’re lovely, but so are the mountains. That was part of the thinking behind this sweet retreat in Portugal, which was born when the British-born owners came across an abandoned farm in the foothills of the Serra da Estrela mountains during a six-month trip around Southern Europe. Now, in the wood-and-glass shala, there are daily morning and evening sessions taught by visiting teachers from around the world, in styles that range from Ashtanga to Yin to Acro Yoga. There are also walking paths, mud baths and, of course, plenty of forest bathing.

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