Our Life-Changing Experience on a Yoga Detox Retreat in the Philippines
May 29, 2017
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"Yoga detox retreat in the Philippines? Why the heck did you go? But hmmm what did you do there?" These are only a few questions we got asked after coming back from our vacation in the Philippines. With the aim to provide some answers and wish to inspire you, we wrote down our thoughts and outlined our experience.
This time around, we decided that we would like to do something extra for our minds and bodies during our vacation, so we booked a yoga detox retreat called Bahay Kalipay near Puerto Princesa. We had no idea what to expect, other than Sonja's brief yoga and healthy food stint, for we haven't really committed a lot of time to that kind of lifestyle. Turns out it was quite the adventure.
Yoga Detox Retreat in Palawan
Yoga Detox Retreat in the Philippines - Bamboo Cottages
One of the best things was the accommodation itself! We stayed in a cute bamboo house in the middle of a banana plantation with a hammock in the front! So cool!
The food was all raw and vegan. As we don't really consume meat as it is, it was easier for us to adapt, but some guests did have a few challenges with the diet. Nevertheless, the food was (at least in our humble opinion) so delicious, that I cannot really find the words to do it justice. We had a lot of different salads, cold soups (similar to gazpacho), sushi with vegetables (without fish), fruit plates, raw chocolate cakes (yummy!), green smoothies, etc.
Yoga Detox Retreat in the Philippines - Green Smoothies
High five to all the lovely people, who were involved in preparing it. As this was also meant to be a bit of a break from our everyday digital life, we did not carry our camera or smartphones around all the time, so we're maybe a bit short on the pictures of the actual workshops or yoga.
Our days consisted of:
- waking up early (sometimes even so early to catch the beautiful sunrise at the beach)
- oil pulling for detoxing
- having a morning yoga session
- breakfast
- another workshop
- lunch
- another workshop
- some free time plus a snack
- dinner
- evening yoga (or yet another workshop)
- drinking a glass of Kombucha and Kefir for detoxing before bed
Yoga Detox Retreat in the Philippines - Sunrise at the beach
Yoga Detox Retreat in the Philippines - Detox Rituals
Yoga Detox Retreat in the Philippines – Workshop
The workshops ranged from singing bowls (which are really awesome), opening chakras, inner dance, letting go to preparing coconuts!
Yoga Detox Retreat in the Philippines - Yoga, Relaxation, Workshop Place
A special day was the so-called Coconut fasting day, where you were not supposed to talk or really do anything, other than eat coconuts, take walks and meditate. It was an interesting experience and we gave it our best shot. Unfortunately, we only made it to around noon, before "boredom" got the best of us and we started reading books and even exchanged a word or two (don't tell anyone).
What Else Can You Do at a Yoga Detox Retreat in the Philippines?
In your spare time, you can easily use WIFI (oh yes, it is available). Other than that, you can walk to the beach nearby (although not suitable for swimming), take a ride to the city, get a tattoo (a couple did it), have a massage (needs to be extra paid), read books in a cozy quiet place made just for that... If you don't mind missing out some of the workshops, you can also do a day trip to the famous Puerto Princesa, Honda Bay island hopping, Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park, etc.
Yoga Detox Retreat in the Philippines - Wifi Zone
The last day was really cool as the retreat organized a "nature trip" to the so-called Nagtabon Beach, which is a one-hour drive from our yoga detox retreat. It was a lovely afternoon, as we had the chance to spend some time on this non-touristy beach, plunge into the water, eat some delicious raw food and enjoy a romantic sunset!
Yoga Detox Retreat in the Philippines - Nagtabon Beach
How Much Does a Yoga Detox Retreat in the Philippines Cost?
For our five-day stay, sleeping in our own bamboo cottage with all the food provided and the workshops included, we paid in total 400 EUR (give or take). For three-day or seven-day stays with all other services included, please check the Bahay Kalipay Detox and Yoga Retreat House in the Philippines.
Yoga Detox Retreat in the Philippines - Nagtabon Beach
Any Downsides?
There was one thing we had a little bit of a struggle with... In the beginning, some very spiritual people were living in this yoga detox retreat. Fine, nice, no worries, but it wasn't easy to have a discussion on a level we have been used to so far. Don't get me wrong, everyone has the right to act or be as they wish but it was a bit too spiritual for us. After 2 days, some people left and some new souls came, so it became exactly the right mixture of interesting personalities, which at the end made our experience unforgettable!
Would We Do it Again?
Yes! We recommend it to everyone who wants to get active while vacationing. Not only that, it is good for someone who wants to calm down, relax and learn about self-growth. We will definitely go again.
Travel With Purpose: Travel & Yoga
What is worth mentioning here is the fact that we started to realize how cool traveling with a purpose can be! Combining trips with the aim to learn or experience something new or special has become a great added value in our lives. This time it was traveling with yoga lessons, let's see what else will come. It is a way of traveling we want to embrace in the future!
Yoga Detox Retreat in the Philippines - Nagtabon Beach
That about sums it up. We hoped you enjoyed reading and checking out the photos!
* This article was originally published on MyHammockTime.com.
Are you thinking about adding The Philippines to your travel bucket list? You might like to consider attending a yoga retreat the next time you spend your holiday on a lush tropical island.