Announcing Wander Women: A Dive + Yoga Retreat in Koh Tao, Thailand!

I warned ya 2018 was going to be a big year around here — today I’m announcing my first-ever, long-awaited (by me, anyway) Wanderland Retreat!

I’ve been trying to figure out a way to pack you all in my suitcase from about the second I launched this blog, and over the past two years I started getting really serious about the idea of designing a retreat right here in Koh Tao, Thailand. And what better to combine than my two intertwined loves of diving and yoga? From the moment I told the dream team I work with at PADI about this idea, they encouraged me to pursue it, partnering with me to make it the greatest diving experience possible.

The thing is, every day I get emails, direct messages, and comments from people wanting to come to Koh Tao or women who are new to diving or interested in getting started. My inbox is overflowing with questions from people who want to have a kickass, memorable diving experience in Southeast Asia. I love answering all of their questions, but secretly, I wish I could just show them first-hand all of my favorite places to dive and all of the best local spots on this island that I call home. Now I finally can!

Your retreat will be designed by a girl who has spent the last nine years head-over-heels in love with this island (that’s me!) You’ll take yoga with instructors I’ve clocked countless hours on the mat with. You’ll go diving with instructors and dive guides who have shown hundreds of students the magic of the ocean. You’ll have the Koh Tao experience I’ve been dying to share with my community here for years!

Join me for an eight day women’s dive + yoga retreat on the island paradise of Koh Tao. The calming, healing benefits of both yoga and scuba diving are well documented – prepare to leave Thailand in a puddle of bliss! (And with an amazing new crew of girlfriends.)

This retreat will offer tasting menu, if you will, for all the incredible diving opportunities the Gulf of Thailand offers. We’ll take in some of Koh Tao’s most famous dive sites, from Sail Rock to Chumphon, and explore courses in topics like underwater photography. We’ll try UV night diving (if you’re keen!), take a freediving lesson, and learn about diving green through a conservation workshop and a private documentary screening at a local cinema.

And as for the yoga? You’ve never seen a more beautiful island on which to practice. We will explore vinyasa, hatha and yin yoga classes as well as workshops in SUP yoga and inversions! There might even be a Sangria Sip + Salutations class on the itinerary (okay, there definitely is.) And all along the way, we’ll explore the connection between scuba diving and yoga, both of which hold conscious breathing at their core. Don’t be surprised if your buoyancy improves and your dive times increase as a result of this retreat!

This isn’t a crazy, four-dives-a-day-every-day diving trip. And it’s not a militant, up-before-sunrise-for-meditative-breathing yoga bootcamp, either. It’s a fun exploration of a bit of both! And that’s not all – we’ve got hiking, temples, and viewpoints all on the itinerary too. We’ll share meals, talk daydreams and swap travel stories, and you’ll meet my incredible Koh Tao tribe who are helping me make this magic happen. I want you to leave feeling inspired and well-adventured.

Bonus — your new profile picture is practically guaranteed. You’ll end the retreat with a USB of professional photos taken by me and underwater portraits by an award-winning underwater photographer.

Double bonus? The dates of this retreat align perfectly with the Tao Festival, an incredible island-style live music event. Arrive a few days early and rock out!

The Bottom Line

The dates of this retreat are August 19-26. The early bird cost, including literally just about everything, starts at just $2,200 per person.

This is less than the cost of most yoga retreats alone, and includes diving, professional photos, PADI certification cards, and more. What I love about living and traveling in Southeast Asia is that luxury is financially accessible in ways it isn’t in other parts of the world, and I worked very hard to create this retreat with that in mind. Nab a spot now — spaces are limited, and prices will increase May 1st.

What’s Included

• Seven nights shared accommodation in a private pool villa
• Breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday
• Scuba dives and a full array of PADI Specialties
• Yoga classes and yoga workshops (led by my dear friends who I’ve practiced with for years!)
• A private island tour with Wow Koh Tao
• Two spa treatments
• Professional photo sessions – on the yoga mat and under the sea!
• Free Wanderland Guide To Koh Tao ebook
• Welcome bag including surprises and a special gift handmade on Koh Tao
• All on-island transportation
• An on-call dive medic who has consulted on our program
• 5% profit donation to local charities

What’s Not Included

• Dive equipment rental (but I’m happy to arrange it for you)
• Pre-retreat add-on for Open Water Certification (contact me for more details)
• Optional Night Dive or UV Night Dive
• Alcohol – though a post-dive champagne toast here or there may be be thrown in (and by maybe we mean definitely!)
• Transport to and from Koh Tao – though I’m happy to create a flight and transportation package for you. There are dozens of ways to get to and from Koh Tao and after many years of making the journey, we know all the best ones!
• Travel + dive insurance

Our Itinerary

This is subject to change based on weather, the whims of the group and beyond (and expect surprises!), but here’s the general idea.

 Day 1: Arrivals + welcome massages. Private dinner at villa and late night yin session.

Day 2: Morning vinyasa flow + quick hike to Fraggle Rock Viewpoint. Afternoon welcome dives followed by a private nitrox lecture at villa. Group dinner on the beach.

Day 3: Two tank late morning dive with PADI Enriched Air specialty. Lunch by private chef at villa. Sunset SUP yoga + paddleboarding session followed by dinner + private ocean documentary screening at Koh Tao Cinema.

Day 4: Early morning hatha yoga class. PADI Discover Freediving or PADI Project Aware course followed by an evening inversions workshop and private dinner at villa.

Day 5: Morning vinyasa flow + quick hike to Burmese Temple. Lunch at a local Thai restaurant. Afternoon PADI Underwater Photographer specialty — and professional underwater photo shoot! Optional Night Dive or UV Night Dive and pizza delivery at villa.

Day 6: Three-tank full day trip to Sail Rock, the Gulf’s most famous dive site. Sunset yoga + group dinner at a favorite island restaurant with a marine conservation presentation.

Day 7:  Afternoon tour of beaches, viewpoints, the local temple, and a coconut farm with Wow Koh Tao. Evening reflexology session + goodbye dinner at a restaurant in the remote Koh Tao hills.

Day 8: Breakfast delivery at the villa followed by personal time + departure at your leisure. Say sad goodbyes and vow to keep in touch forever — then do it!

Come to Koh Tao!

This retreat has limited space and is likely to sell out quickly. A $500 non-refundable deposit is required to reserve your spot — prices will increase May 1st. I want to make this retreat accessible to as many of you as possible, so payment plans are available. Remember, don’t hesitate to email me at alex@alexinwanderland.com with any and all questions or concerns over if this is the right retreat for you. I’d love to chat! For further information, including an extensive FAQ and a little more background on me if you don’t already know my story, check out my retreat sales page.

The early bird cost, including literally just about everything, is just $2,400 per person for a double share and $2,200 for a triple share.

What’s Next

Don’t fret if you can’t make this one (but I really hope you can!) I’m also in the process of working on an intimate, long weekend yoga retreat in Martha’s Vineyard (at my family home!) and crossing my fingers I can make happen a yoga and freediving retreat (where we all learn together!) in a to-be-announced location. Sign up for my newsletter to be the first to know when enrollment opens on future retreats.

Okay — who’s with me! I can’t wait to start getting to know my first retreat crew!

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