Hello vegan world travelers!
I’m not sure if many people are aware of this. There are quite a few retreat centers and spas all over the world which focus on a weekend or week long program of healthy mind, body, and spirit workshops. The other wonderful thing about these retreat centers is that they offer vegan friendly meals! Some of them focus on raw foods. At a few of these centers, vegan meals must be requested. However, they are indeed provided to the guests that ask for them. While there are too many global retreat centers to mention, I will focus on a few of them to give examples of the kinds of programs that they offer to their guests. Several vegan travel resources online will provide links for finding these retreat centers. Please see www.happycow.net/travel/bb_retreats.html
North America:
Hawaii – Hawaii has several retreat centers and spas. One of them is called Kalani Oceanside Retreat. www.kalani.com
It is located on The Big Island Of Hawaii. Their website states that they will take good care of vegans. Their online menu boasts of vegan white bean chili or eggplant sandwiches for lunch and Mushroom Stuffed Tofu with Pineapple Teriyaki Sauce for dinner. Salads with organic greens and organic juices are offered also. Some of their retreats include workshops on local spiritual dances, yoga, self-image, bodywork, stress management, and relationships. They offer activities such as snorkeling, scuba, lava tube sightseeing, sun dance, world drumming, and aromatherapy.
Puerto Rico– Ann Wigmore Institute
www.annwigmore.org
This center offers a raw food experience. It is a school which teaches living foods courses. They offer programs to relax and detoxify. Some of the classes offered are cooking, wheatgrass juicing, positive thinking, health issues, food combining, and sprouting.
Latin America:
Mexico – Rio Caliente Hot Springs Spa Resort
www.riocaliente.com
This spa offers hot springs, steam room, facial treatments, bodywork, massage, bioresonance therapy (for physical and emotional ailments), hiking, birdwatching, and group exercises. It is located 45 minutes outside of Guadalajara in a volcanic valley surrounded by lush mountains. Evening lecturers speak on topics such as relationships, healing, acupuncture, and nutrition. Meals include organic tofu, rice, beans, grains, leafy green vegetables, oatmeal and granola.
Europe:
Scotland – The Findhorn Foundation www.findhorn.org
This center is a spiritual community and a place for holistic education. They focus on nature, sustainability, and a culture of peace and self-knowledge. Some activities include community gardening, meditation, sacred dance, permaculture, personal deepening and life journey, and ecovillage experiences. A percentage of their meals are vegan.
Australia:
Funky Forest Retreat www.funkyforest.com
This center offers retreat programs such as drum and dance, ecology, forest treks, organic green juice fasting, meditation, yoga, toning, massage, guided relaxation and rest.
New Zealand – Te Moata www.temoata.org/Te_Moata/Intro.html
This retreat center offers programs in meditation, freeing your voice, mindfullness, heart of the body, drum dance, and deeper loving. It is located in a beautiful peninsula filled with flora and fauna. They offer veggie meals in a community dining room.
Asia:
India – www.mountainviewayurvedaretreat.com
This is an ayurveda retreat with veggie meals. They also offer tours of the local waterfalls, caves, and forests. The Ayurveda doctor will offer treatments based on your ailments.
Bali, Indonesia: Bali offers many retreat centers. One of the popular events is the Bali Spirit Festival. www.balispiritfestival.com
It celebrates yoga, music, and dance. Performers and teachers from around the world offer workshops. Some of the classes include yoga, meditation, sacred dance, drumming, kirtan, sound healing, Qi Gong, and much more. World music concerts take place in the evening. There are healing bungalows on site. Several accommodations are offered for your package including Ubud Village. www.theubudvillage.com
Healthy meals are offered also.
Thailand – The Sanctuary www.thesanctuarythailand.com
This retreat center and spa offers life workshops on tantric lifestyle, shamanic healing, zen, acupuncture, and therapeutic dance. They also offer a tea temple to meet healers or watch films by such noted, spiritual teachers as Eckhart Tolle, Gangaji, Byron Katie, David Deida. There is also a detox center for working on fasting. The spa offers massages, facials, and body treatments. The meals at the center are healthy, organic and vegetable centered Thai and global dishes. Some selections include veggie burgers, pad thai, coconut curry soup, steamed vegetables, Indian vegetable dishes such as palak tofu with spinach, and nutritious smoothies.
I hope everyone gets to experience a body, mind, and spirit retreat at least once in their lifetime. You will feel replenished both spiritually and nutritiously!