Body and Soul Escapes, article by Hana Borrowman

Yogatraveller, Ko Phi Phi Thailand
by Hana Borrowman in 'Body and Soul Escapes' printed by Footprint

Yogatraveller provides healthy, truly holistic holidays in a postcard-perfect setting for those who like to do a little more than lounge in paradise. Breaks from the more typically serene beach routine include the fantastically fun twice daily yoga sessions in two gorgeous on-site locations as well as diving, rock climbing and a number of other adventurous pursuits.

The day starts early with a fairly lively session of wake-up yoga in a fan-cooled glass gazebo overlooking the Andaman Sea (used for Thai massage throughout the day). This is followed by an optional daily meditation on the beach (or floating in the sea). Guests are then free until the sunset yoga session, although the day’s activities usually shape-up over communal breakfasts. The gorgeous evening yoga sessions on the beach that wrap up the day are gentle, sociable and relaxed, taking place in a truly idyllic setting on pretty woven mats on the sand under dramatic sunset skies.

Company founder and yoga teacher Michelle Riordan’s passion for Phi Phi as well as her endless enthusiasm for yoga, travel and adventure, allows her to oil the bespoke wheels of her guests holidays in an apparently effortless manner. Group sessions and gatherings are cleverly tailored towards the preferences of individuals and each group, making for balanced breaks that are as likely to include sunrise meditations on the beach as evening cocktails at the beach bar. The small groups of less than a dozen tend to bond over a week of serious stretching and a variety of fun, muscle-reviving activities including the weekly en masse sunset snorkelling trip to the cove where Leonardo Di Caprio cavorted in The Beach.

Accommodation in the bustling but beautiful tourist-heavy island of Phi Phi can be cramped and blighted by construction sites since the tsunami, but Yogatraveller have found one of the quieter corners still within reach of all the action. The large airconditioned rooms on a hillside have balconies with picturesque coastal views and are spacious and clean with big comfortable beds.

The holidays tend to attract singles, friends travelling together and couples (in that order). The warm ambience and excellent array of activities above and below the water also encourage the inner adventurer to blossom forth, making it ideal for the less gregarious solo traveller. Although totally accessible for newcomers to both yoga and diving, guests often come to take advantage of the complementary combination, with yoga’s emphasis on breath-work and concentration enhancing both the meditative and physical challenge of diving.

The attached eco-friendly dive school Blue View Divers also offer a high standard of friendly individual service. With fun challenging daily yoga sessions fuelled by the beautiful beach sunrise and sunsets, weightless days exploring the big blue, and an informal approach to sampling new experiences and sociable activities - these are holidays for a brand of beach-lover looking for a happy, healthy glow that stays well after the tan has faded.