For serious, traditional practice, the Sivananda ashram in Kerala, the Iyengar institute in Pune and Yasodhara Ashram in Canada are the places to start. For a yoga holiday with nature around you, Xinalani in Mexico, Blue Osa in Costa Rica, Talalla in Sri Lanka and Prema Shanti in Australia's Daintree each make daily practice the center of the stay.
How we chose
A great yoga retreat is one where the practice is the point, not an add-on to a spa menu. We went through the yoga retreats on our site and kept the ones with daily practice at the heart of the stay, experienced teachers or a long track record, and a setting that helps you settle in. Where a publication has recommended a place, we've linked the article. We've grouped the picks by the kind of experience they offer, and the order isn't a ranking.
Traditional schools and ashrams
These are for people who want to study yoga, not just do it on holiday. Expect a fixed schedule and simple comforts.
Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwantari Ashram, India. A traditional ashram at Neyyar Dam outside Trivandrum in Kerala. The year-round Yoga Vacation follows a set daily rhythm of morning and evening satsang, two asana and pranayama classes, talks, karma yoga and two vegetarian meals. It's also known for its month-long Teachers' Training Course. Beginners are welcome, but come ready for real ashram discipline. The minimum stay is three days.
Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute, India. The institute B.K.S. Iyengar founded in Pune in 1975, and the mother institute of Iyengar Yoga worldwide. It isn't a resort: overseas students apply a year or two ahead, need many years of Iyengar practice, and find their own lodging in the city. For dedicated Iyengar students, though, there's nowhere else quite like it.
Yasodhara Ashram, Canada. A yoga retreat and study center with a live-in community on Kootenay Lake in British Columbia, founded in 1963 by Swami Sivananda Radha. Programs range from five-day retreats to a three-month Yoga Development Course, with an emphasis on reflection as much as postures.
Angela Farmer and Victor van Kooten's Yoga Hall, Greece. A hilltop hall above the Aegean on Lesvos, where two longtime teachers run two-week courses in spring and autumn. Weekday classes run about three hours in the morning and an hour and a half in the evening, with an exploratory, body-led style. You book your own room nearby.
Macalla Farm, Ireland. An organic farm and retreat center on Clare Island, off Ireland's west coast, running residential courses since 2001. It offers Sati Yoga and meditation retreats, some of them silent, with home-grown vegetarian food. A 20-minute ferry gets you there.
Beach and jungle retreat centers
These combine daily classes with time in nature and a proper rest.
Xinalani, Mexico. A beachfront retreat south of Puerto Vallarta, reachable only by boat, with six yoga studios set in the jungle and a full calendar of hosted retreats. Buffet meals offer vegan and gluten-free choices at every meal.
Blue Osa, Costa Rica. A 13-room retreat on a private beach on the Osa Peninsula, with the yoga deck about 50 meters from the water. Retreats run year-round, most guests come alone, and it also offers 200 and 300-hour teacher trainings.
Talalla Retreat, Sri Lanka. A beachfront retreat on a quiet south-coast cove with five open-air yoga shalas. Its eight-day wellness retreat runs every week of the year, so you don't have to work around set dates.
Ashiyana Goa, India. A long-running retreat in a palm grove across the river from Mandrem Beach, open since 2006. Expect twice-daily yoga and a relaxed schedule, with Panchakarma detox and a 200-hour teacher training if you want more.
Anamaya, Costa Rica. A 14-room hillside resort above Montezuma with an ocean-view yoga deck, organic meals and a three-week teacher training. National Geographic included it in its Best of the World 2026 wellness list. Anamaya shares an owner with this site, and it's here on the same terms as every other pick.
Prema Shanti, Australia. A small retreat in the Daintree Rainforest of far north Queensland, run by its founders since the 1990s. Days follow morning meditation, evening yoga and a shared vegetarian dinner. It's open every day of the year, and there's no mobile reception on site.
Mountains and wilderness
Akasha Wellness Retreat, Romania. An 11-room mountain retreat in the Transylvanian village of Peștera, facing Piatra Craiului National Park, with gentle daily yoga and hiking. It was named Romania's best wellness retreat at the 2025 World Spa Awards.
Reclaim Yourself Mongolia. A ten-night small-group trip with twice-daily yoga in private ger camps in the East Gobi and Khan Khentii, chosen for National Geographic's Best of the World 2026. It suits fit, adventurous yogis who are happy off-grid.
Yoga with a healing focus
Six Senses Vana, India. A full-board retreat in the Himalayan foothills built on Ayurveda, Tibetan medicine and yoga, popular with solo travelers. A Forbes Travel Guide inspector told Forbes Australia it's the one hotel they'd return to.
Bahay Kalipay, Philippines. A small raw food and yoga retreat in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, running since 2007. It's a good fit for beginners and anyone wanting daily yoga with a gentle plant-based cleanse.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between an ashram and a yoga retreat?
An ashram follows a fixed spiritual routine, often with chanting, karma yoga and simple shared rooms, as at Sivananda or Yasodhara. A retreat center gives you more freedom, more comfort and usually a beach or forest to enjoy between classes.
Which yoga retreats suit beginners?
Sivananda's Yoga Vacation, Bahay Kalipay, Akasha and Blue Osa all suit newcomers. RIMYI in Pune is for experienced Iyengar students only.
How long should a yoga retreat be?
A week is enough to settle into a routine. Ashram programs and courses often run longer, like the two-week courses on Lesvos or Yasodhara's three-month program.
Can I go on my own?
Yes. Most of these places are used to solo guests, and Blue Osa and Six Senses Vana say many of their guests travel alone.
The retreats in this guide
Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwantari Ashram
Neyyar Dam, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwantari Ashram is a traditional yoga ashram at Neyyar Dam, outside Trivandrum in Kerala. It runs a year-round Yoga…
Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute
Shivaji Nagar, Pune, Maharashtra, India
RIMYI in Pune is the institute B.K.S. Iyengar founded in 1975 and the mother institute of Iyengar Yoga worldwide. It isn't a resort: it's a working…
Yasodhara Ashram
Kootenay Bay, British Columbia, Canada
Yasodhara Ashram is a yoga retreat and study center with a live-in community on the shore of Kootenay Lake in southeastern British Columbia, founded…
Angela Farmer and Victor van Kooten's Yoga Hall
Eftalou, near Molyvos, Lesvos, Greece
This is the yoga hall in Eftalou, on the north coast of Lesvos in Greece, where longtime teachers Angela Farmer and Victor van Kooten run two-week…
Macalla Farm
Clare Island, County Mayo, Ireland
Macalla Farm is the organic farm and retreat centre on Clare Island, off Ireland's west coast, that used to be known as Clare Island Retreat Centre.…
Xinalani
Near Quimixto, south of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Xinalani is a beachfront yoga and wellness retreat on the bay south of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, reachable only by boat. With six yoga studios…
Blue Osa Yoga Retreat and Spa
Playa Tamales, Puerto Jiménez, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica
Blue Osa is a 13-room yoga retreat and eco-spa on a quiet beach near Puerto Jiménez, on Costa Rica's remote Osa Peninsula. It's best for people who…
Talalla Retreat
Talalla South, Gandara, south coast, Sri Lanka
Talalla Retreat is a long-running beachfront retreat on a quiet cove near Sri Lanka's southern tip. It runs a week-long surf camp and a week-long…
Ashiyana Goa
Mandrem, North Goa, India
Ashiyana Goa is a long-running yoga retreat set in a palm grove across the river from Mandrem Beach in North Goa. It suits people who want…
Anamaya Resort & Retreat Center
Montezuma, Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica
Anamaya is a small yoga and wellness resort in the jungle above Montezuma, on Costa Rica's southern Nicoya Peninsula. It suits people who want daily…
Prema Shanti Yoga and Meditation Retreat
Diwan, Daintree Rainforest, Queensland, Australia
Prema Shanti is a small yoga and meditation retreat in the Daintree Rainforest of far north Queensland, run by its founders since the 1990s. It's…
Akasha Wellness Retreat
Peștera, Brașov County, Transylvania, Romania
Akasha is an 11-room mountain retreat in the village of Peștera in Transylvania, above 1,000 meters, looking out to Piatra Craiului National Park.…
Reclaim Yourself: Mongolia Yoga Wilderness Adventure
East Gobi (Ikh Nart uplands) and Khan Khentii, Mongolia
This is a ten-night, small-group yoga retreat in Mongolia run by UK operator Reclaim Yourself, staying in private ger camps in the East Gobi and the…
Six Senses Vana
Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
Six Senses Vana is a full-board wellness retreat on 21 acres of sal forest and orchards in Dehradun, in India's Himalayan foothills. It suits anyone…
Bahay Kalipay
Santa Monica, Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines
Bahay Kalipay is a small raw food and yoga retreat on a hillside in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, running since 2007. It's best for beginners and…
