Spiritual Retreats in Thailand: Yoga, Wellness & Meditation

Get in touch with your spiritual side and put your personal wellbeing first with these rejuvenating retreats offering incredible treatments and mindful sessions. Freshly unrolled yoga mats and steaming scented baths amid serene settings are now customary across Asia and Thailand, at a number of resorts and dedicated retreats. 

In an age when many of us are glued to our phones at all hours of the day, keeping up on social media or checking in on work emails even at the weekend, a focus on rebalancing and learning to switch off is much needed. 

With this in mind, we've handpicked some of the very best spiritual retreats in Thailand offering everything from lessons in the art of Muay Thai boxing to Zen-inducing spa treatments to days spent in a luxurious setting bending your body into various yoga positions and learning how to focus the mind with guided meditation.

 

The best spiritual retreats and activities in Thailand 

There are plenty of award-winning locations to choose from which provide you with a chance to reconnect with your mind and soul. Find the one that suits your needs below. 

 

Yoga retreats and resorts in Thailand 

Yoga put down its roots 5,000 years ago in the hazy heat of India and the practice has developed greatly from a strict spiritual discipline to become a way of coping with life's everyday stresses. 

Yoga encourages you to connect with yourself, practise mindfulness and learn how to breathe and calm your senses to find a way to ground yourself in this busy world. It's a form of meditation that you can do with your body as you focus on breathing, your movements and nothing else. 

In Thailand, you'll find a range of yoga retreats and resorts offering classes with expert guides. We've featured a few of our favourites below: 

Floating Yoga at the Aleenta Resort & Spa

Be one with your mind, body and soul at Aleenta Resort & Spa Phuket where yoga sessions come with a twist. Put your balance and core to the test at the resort’s floating yoga led by an instructor in the beachfront swimming pool – not a bad way to start the day! 

This luxury all-suite and villa resort also tempts with plenty of private spaces, supreme levels of service, the irresistible Ayurah Spa and a wellness program designed to invigorate all the senses – think tailored state-of-the-art exercise programs, therapeutic tai-chi sessions and comprehensive facials complete with hydrating oxygen masks. 

Yoga classes at The Shore at Katathani 

The Shore at Katathani, also based in Phuket, is a one-stop location when it comes to all things luxury but it's yoga classes are some of the most popular around. 

These take place regularly out in the mood-lifting sunshine, perfect if you still want to work on your tan – you are on holiday after all! – and move your body. If you want to get a sweat on there are also Thai boxing classes available and a kitted out gym.  

Museflower Retreat in Chiang Rai 

This dedicated yoga retreat in Chiang Rai lets you experience slow living with a focus on sustainability and wellness during your stay. You'll be able to connect with your body's spirituality as you follow the resort's seasoned instructors with chi, Hatha and vinyasa yoga all available to try. As well as the retreat's excellent yoga schedule there are also healing crystal classes that can help you connect with these ancient stones and realign your chakra, as well as meditation sessions and meditative dance classes.

Relaxing retreats in nature in Thailand 

Want to connect with the natural world? Choose a retreat that takes you away from the humming neon-lit city streets and gives you the chance to unwind in unadulterated natural beauty. 

Enjoy luxurious treatments in the rainforest

Treat yourself to ultimate serenity at Four Seasons Golden Triangle’s outdoor spa where a chorus of jungle birds greet you for your signature Four Seasons treatment in the Bamboo Forest. The massages here draw on the natural surrounds to relax sore muscles and bamboo to strengthen and make it easy to reconnect with nature before retreating to your heavenly 5 star ‘tent’ (complete with outdoor rain shower and private wooden hot tub).

Salty salvation in Koh Lanta 

The award-winning Linger Longer Spa at Koh Lanta’s Layana Resort & Spa offers a unique salt treatment. This hypo-allergic and hypo-bacterial room replicates the microclimate of natural salt caves during a cleansing and therapeutic 45 minutes. All you have to do is sit in your reclining chair, listen to the relaxing music and breathe normally to rid your lungs of bacteria and other irritants.

Luxury inspired by nature in Phuket 

Total bliss welcomes guests at Keemala’s healing Mala Spa spread over eight pod-like treatment rooms. Carefully curated to incorporate elements of earth, ocean, fire and air and the Keemala clan's distinct way of living, this holistic approach is an idyllic sanctuary for wellness – expect traditional pampering, seaweed massages, rain showers with exotic fragrances, singing bowls and more. The magic continues with the resort’s unique accommodation where guests are housed in bird’s nest-like villas with private pools and sun terraces in the forest treetops of Phuket, all interconnected by jungle walkways.

Meditation retreats in Thailand

While meditation and mindfulness is perhaps something you try to do regularly throughout your day, in Thailand you'll find resorts and retreats dedicated to this practice. 

Meditation retreats in Thailand aren't quite the same as sitting in your bedroom with the curtains drawn, trying to block out the sounds of everyone else in your house. These retreats create the ideal space to focus and make time for yourself, so why not mix a luxury holiday with a retreat offering guided meditation? You'll be feeling all sorts of zen when you head back to work upon your return. 

The Kamalaya meditation retreat in Koh Samui 

This retreat in Koh Samui sits atop a hill with stunning views. The Kamalaya offers dedicated packages, with food and treatments included and guided meditation sessions throughout the day. You'll be encouraged to let go of stress and worries and embark on a spiritual journey that will leave you feeling refreshed and ready for the world again. 

There are also detox programmes for those looking to cleanse their body as well as their mind and even packages that focus on fitness and wellness for those who simply want to get in shape. 

Wat Suan Mokkh retreat

This is a retreat for those who are truly serious about embarking on a spiritual journey. For 10 days, you will be required to stay completely silent and live in simple accommodation. There are no home comforts here, as this retreat intends to reshape how you view yourself and the world and what you need to get by. 

Throughout the day, you'll take part in guided meditation and yoga sessions as well as immersive classes on Buddhism and its practices. It's a retreat not for the faint-hearted but for those looking for an experience unlike any other in Thailand.

Spiritual activities in Thailand 

Thailand is a true melting pot of culture and history, with majestic temples around every corner and an always welcoming local people that live intriguing and enriching lives. When visiting, you’ll find plenty of opportunities to immerse yourself in the world of all things spiritual if you're not one for a dedicated yoga or meditation retreat. Delve a little deeper into the humble life of a novice monk, walk the footsteps of thousands before you in an ancient temple or consider getting a sacred tattoo at Wat Bang Phra temple. 

Chat with a Monk in Chiang Mai

Sit down and converse with a monk in Thailand’s northern city of Chiang Mai. If you’re curious about the inner workings of the monastery, this is a great opportunity to delve deeper into the Buddhist lifestyle and get all your questions out on the table and exchange cultures – plus help the monks to practice their English! There aren’t really any restrictions on what you can ask, just be sure to dress respectfully and women should avoid touching a monk at any time due to ritual taboo.

Pay a visit to Wat Pho Temple in Bangkok 

Considered to be one of the most important and spiritual structures standing in Thailand, Wat Pho temple in Bangkok is also the home of the famous reclining Buddha who lounges in the centre of the building. Many local people gather here to pray and meditate and if you're on a spiritual journey, Wat Pho is the perfect place to take a moment to appreciate the beauty and talent of those who created this impressive temple. Be sure to walk around the Buddha and admire his feet, decked out in mesmerising mother of pearl designs. 

Look into getting a sacred tattoo at Wat Bang Phra Temple 

While getting a tattoo on holiday isn't usually encouraged, for those on a spiritual journey a Sak Yant tattoo could be just the ticket to make that trip truly special. These sacred tattoos are said to offer protection and are hand etched by Buddhist monks. 

There are many designs but part of the fun is that you don't get to choose where the tattoo is placed or what is drawn on. If you identify as a woman, it's also important to note that some monks will not tattoo women due to their faith, so you may need to look around to find someone willing to. 

Looking for more inspiration beyond these spiritual wellness retreats and resorts? Take a look at our other guides on things to do in Thailand:


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