BEGIN Group Yoga Retreat

Vikasa is located on Koh Samui, which is an island in the Gulf of Thailand. Vikasa is in the south east corner of the island, in between Chaweng Noi and Lamai. Vikasa is a 20 minute drive from Koh Samui International Airport (USM) and a 35 minute drive from the Nathon and Lipa Noi ferry terminals.

Koh Samui is a beautiful tropical island located in the Gulf of Thailand.  It is approximately 90 minutes from the mainland via ferry, but is easily accessible via airplane.  It has a population of around 70,000 people and has key infrastructure such as a small international airport, good medical facilities (including hospitals), banking facilities (including ATMs), good wifi coverage and good roads.  It is possible to drive around the entire island in around 90 minutes, and visitors generally either travel via scooter or taxi as walking is difficult.  Vikasa is located between Chaweng Noi and Lamai in a quiet area of the island.  It is possible to walk from Vikasa to nearby beaches, but guests generally stay on the Vikasa premises or rent scooters or taxis for trips to nearby markets and shopping malls.  The weather is generally hot year round, with temperatures often around 30 degrees celsius.

The best way to get to Vikasa is to fly into Koh Samui International Airport (USM).  There are daily flights into Koh Samui from Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and others.  We will arrange your pick up from the airport.

This will depend on where you are from. For details of Thailand’s visa arrangements with specific countries see here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_Thailand

Although tourist visas are generally required, there is an exemption for travellers from 30 countries (Australia, UK, USA, France, Germany, Sweden and others) who wish to travel to Thailand for 30 days or less. If you are a citizen of one of these countries you do not need to obtain a visa. Note that if you plan to stay for longer than 30 days, it is possible to obtain a short extension from the immigration office on Koh Samui at some point during your stay.

If you are not a citizen of one of the countries with which Thailand has specific visa exemption or waiver arrangements, you will need to obtain a 30, 60 or 90 day tourist visa before arriving in Thailand

The Begin retreat is a week-long retreat for those wanting to start a yoga practice or return to the yoga mat after taking a period of time away from yoga. You are welcome if you are completely new to yoga, or if you have some general experience. No matter your level, you will be supported and will deepen your practice in new and sustainable ways. The Begin retreat will cover yoga asana, meditation, pranayama and also yoga philosophy. You will have plenty of free time in between classes and workshops to enjoy all that Vikasa and Koh Samui has to offer. You’ll enjoy comfortable private accommodation, delicious healthy meals, and optional spa treatments or island adventures. This is a week to dedicate to your growth and wellbeing. It will be relaxed yet deep, fun yet insightful, and will offer you tools and wisdom to support you throughout your entire life.

This program is designed for complete beginners to novices or those with limited experience. Personal programs are a great way to start from the beginning and learn correct habits and techniques. 

Yoga clothes, tropical climate clothes and swimwear.  Yoga mats and props and towels are all provided. You may want to add an excursion to your program such as a waterfall hike, in which case a pair of sneakers would also be handy. If you want to use the Sky Gym during your stay you’ll need gym clothes too. 

We recommend that participants download the free lifestyle guide and read up on the Vikasa Lifestyle before arrival. If you don’t have time to read it that’s ok too, we will review some content during your program. 

Yes! The Begin Retreat is for all levels. Ideally, it is aimed at those who are new to yoga or have not been on their yoga mat for some time for one reason or another. However, even if you have been practicing yoga for several years, the Begin Retreat explores the Vikasa Method of yoga which will likely be new and insightful to you, as well as concepts and practices that are not often explored in a regular yoga class in your average studio environment. You will gain insight into yoga philosophy, different meditation techniques and breathing practices, plus, you get the chance to learn and grow alongside other like-minded and encouraging people keen to improve their life, mindset and wellbeing just like you. This is also a lovely way to introduce a friend or partner or family member to yoga- both of you will share the journey and deepen your experience of yoga in a beautiful location and supportive fun environment.

All Vikasa rooms are private rooms. The Yoga Cave and Yoga Cave Plus are single private rooms with shared bathrooms, all other rooms are private ensuite rooms. You can twin share only if you are booking with someone you are traveling with- a friend, partner, relative etc.

For twin share pricing, there is one full cost of the retreat program, plus an additional $1200 for the second person. If you are booking two places you will be eligible to a discount, this is dependant on the current promotions available. Simply contact us to find out the total price for twin share.

The retreat dates start on your check in and check out dates. Check in is available from 2pm. On the first day there is a group dinner and casual information session. Offical classes will start on day two. On the final day, you will enjoy a morning class and brunch and check out is at 12 noon.

You are more than welcome to book additional nights before or after the offical retreat dates. Simply contact us to enquire about pricing and availability. Or let us know on your application you would like to book additional nights. Our regular nightly rate includes twice daily buffet meals, access to all public yoga classes and all facilities. Many guests do like to arrive a few days early to acclimatise, especially after a long journey. Many guests do also end up extending their stay. This is always dependant on our availability, so booking in advance is recommended, but if you do opt to stay longer once onsite, simply check with our reservation team at the front desk.