Travel has a way of unravelling us. It stretches our boundaries and expands our horizons, but in the movement, we often lose the steady pulse of our daily rituals. After eight months on the road, I’ve realised that protecting your practice isn’t about rigid adherence to a schedule; it’s about finding the spaces that help you return to yourself—the ones that feel less like a workout and more like medicine.
When the options feel overwhelming, the key is to look for "sanctuaries" rather than just studios. You are looking for a place that offers a way of reconnecting to the body, to rhythm, and to quiet. Sometimes, we find these places and realise they are so vital to our peace that we stop the restless movement through new countries just to circle back to them.
The Heart of the Jungle: Ubud, Bali
In the emerald heart of Bali, yoga is less of an activity and more of an atmosphere. To protect your practice here, you must choose the energy that matches your current internal landscape.
For those seeking a depth of practice rooted in stillness and energy, Alchemy Yoga & Meditation is a profound choice. Here, the teachings explore Kashmir Shaivism, weaving together meditation, nutrition, and fitness into a full experience of the self.
If you find yourself craving a "sanctuary of possibility," The Yoga Barn offers an unmatched depth. You could spend weeks drifting between dynamic flows, sound healing, and workshops, always discovering a new layer of your own potential. Conversely, if you need something more "raw" to ground you, Radiantly Alive brings a jungle energy to movement. It is a vital reminder that yoga isn’t always soft; sometimes it is a pulse, a grounded connection to the nature around and within us.
Coastal Stillness: Koh Samui, Thailand
Transitioning from the jungle to the sea requires a different kind of breath. In Koh Samui, the landscape becomes part of the practice.
At Vikasa, the studio is perched delicately on a cliff, offering an expansive view of the ocean that makes every class feel limitless. It is a place for breathtaking sunrises and sunsets, where teachers from across the world share their craft in a way that feels both global and deeply personal.
However, if your travel has left you overstimulated and you crave simplicity and silence, Samahita offers a remote, beachfront refuge. Here, the sound of the ocean becomes part of your breathwork. It is a space designed for those who need to strip away the noise and return to the basics of rest and sunlight.
Listening to the Inner Compass
The secret to sustainable travel is recognising that your needs change as you move. Sometimes you need the "medicine" of a diverse community, and sometimes you need the silence of a remote shore. When you feel overwhelmed by the choices of where to practice, the most important step is to pause and ask yourself what your spirit is actually hungry for.
To help you navigate the many paths available, I invite you to sit with these reflective prompts for introspection:
- Am I seeking the expansive breath of the ocean or the grounded pulse of the jungle? Do I need a view that stretches to the horizon, like the cliffs of Vikasa, or the raw, real connection of the trees at Radiantly Alive?
- Do I need a "sanctuary of possibility" or a "refuge of simplicity"? Is my soul asking for the endless variety and workshops of a place like The Yoga Barn, or the remote, sun-drenched silence of Samahita?
- Is my practice calling for the integration of stillness and energy? Am I looking for a holistic weaving of meditation and nutrition, such as the depth found at Alchemy?
- What are the places that truly feel like medicine to me? Beyond the beauty of the architecture, which spaces allow me to return to myself and find my peace?
The right choice is always the one that brings you back to your own centre, allowing your practice to be the anchor that holds you steady, no matter how far you roam.
