The serene white beaches and lush landscapes of the Caribbean are restorative in nature, making them the ideal destination for deepening your yoga practice under the guidance of world-class instructors while seeking harmony in mind, body, and spirit.
From barefoot yoga on the beach to creative variations like paddleboard yoga, here are some of our favorite places in the Caribbean for an inspired yoga retreat – all easily accessible with Tradewind Aviation’s regularly scheduled shuttle flights.
St. Barth
Photo: Yoga with Nanda
On the stylish island of St. Barth, wellness goes hand in hand with your stay. Many of the leading resorts like Le Guanahani, Cheval Blanc, and Hotel Christopher offer transformative spa experiences and healthy cuisine, and when you request one of the local yoga instructors, they will come right to your hotel, villa, or yacht for private classes – and even customized private retreats.
Nanda Mortier, a native of the island, teaches her Vinyasa flow yoga using controlled breathing to move fluidly from one pose to the next (often right on the sun-kissed beaches). She is certified in Thai massage and Reiki (a Japanese technique for reducing stress and promoting healing) and can customize yoga classes for alignment, restoration, and prenatal requests.
Her collaboration with Elisa White, BODY+SOUL St Barth, is a wonderful option for a wellness retreat that incorporates yoga, conscious hikes, meditation, Janzu (water therapy), Reiki, and other healthful, healing experiences.
Another favorite on St. Barth is Yoga Vidya, a studio that highlights Iyengar yoga, which emphasizes correct alignment within each precise pose to build strength, stamina, balance, and flexibility. Rather than finding your own way in your practice, a highly trained Iyengar instructor actively corrects misalignments. And for an enhanced experience, you can set up a Yoga Intensive retreat that is personalized to your needs, in which you will stay in the instructor’s home or meet with her daily in your accommodation.
St. Thomas
Photo: Bev Goodwine
Charming, colonial style and stunning stretches of beach await in St. Thomas, a destination for yogis in search of a creative island practice. Perhaps the most well-known variation on the island is stand up paddleboard yoga, which tones core muscles as you try to maintain your balance on the water.
Marriott Frenchman’s Cove, just across from the luxury Frenchman’s Reef & Morning Star Marriott Beach Hotel, is home to SUP Yoga VI, where yoga enthusiasts can take scheduled paddleboard yoga classes or arrange for private classes on the beach of their choice. (Couples: try the partner paddleboard yoga.)
The modified Vinyasa flow style encourages a relationship with nature, because without the studio walls and a stable floor, you are completely immersed in the environment – an environment often brimming with sea life like the bay’s resident sea turtle.
Just up the coast, a completely different style of practice, and one that is unique in the Eastern Caribbean, can be found on the terrace of the historic 1500s villa Casa De Atelier and in other mobile locations throughout the island.
Designed by the creator of the aerial yoga fitness genre, Christopher Harrison, Point Wellness AntiGravity Aerial Yoga allows participants to stretch both the mind and body in stunning coastal settings. The location of Casa De Atelier contributes to its romantic, secluded ambiance, and guests staying in other villas have the ability to host the class if the structure allows for it. (Additionally, the studio holds classes at Gifft Hill School on the neighboring island of St. John after recently moving from the original Point Pleasant Resort location on St. Thomas.)
Puerto Rico
Photo: Jorge Colon
Amidst the spectacular cuisine and colorful culture of San Juan, there is an enclave of yoga experiences to be found. Stay in an oceanfront resort like Condado Vanderbilt Hotel or La Concha and you won’t be far from the city’s best yoga studios (or a fresh coconut to follow your practice).
In Ocean Park, Ashtanga Yoga has been offering classes in the Progressive Ashtanga Vinyasa style with the goal of becoming more centered since the style’s founding 10 years ago. English and Spanish speakers will find a practice they enjoy with up to six classes some days, including beginner yoga, traditional Vinyasa yoga, nontraditional Rocket yoga, and open practice.
The owners will encourage you to stay for a week (or for a month), and if you take them up on it, you may want to look into their teacher training courses to further your yoga practice.
*Featured image: SUP Yoga VI