Chiang Mai, Thailand

Our Thailand Yoga & Adventure Retreat! Thailand, “The Land of Smiles” is one of our favorite countries in the world. Chiang Mai, the largest city in Northern Thailand, is home to intricate Buddhist temples plus gorgeous rolling hills and gleaming green rice fields. This region is the cultural and spiritual hub of Thailand, a perfect place to dive into your yoga practice, adventure in nature, learn more about Buddhism and meditation, plus eat delicious Northern Thai food! This retreat has been in the works for a long time, and we are so excited to finally guide you through both inner yoga journeys and exciting nature and city exploration in this special, spiritual place.

Join us for a rejuvenating week-long yoga retreat near Chiang Mai, Thailand. Immerse yourself in the natural beauty of the area while deepening your yoga practice and connecting with a group of like-minded yogis. In addition to daily yoga classes, our retreat includes cultural and nature activities, such as visiting local temples, hiking to waterfalls and experiencing the local Thai culture at markets and a cooking class. An unforgettable visit to the best ethical elephant sanctuary in Asia, Elephant Nature Park, is also included!

For those looking for a permanent spiritual souvenir, we’ll also offer optional Sak Yant tattoos with a traditional Buddhist master. Get ready to unwind, connect, and find inner peace on this truly unique and unforgettable retreat. As always, this will be a sober, alcohol-free retreat, with classes and activities focused towards authentic yoga philosophy and deep healing.

We will be staying at Mala Dhara Eco Resort near Chiang Mai. They offer unique and sustainable accommodations, plant-based Thai food, eco-friendly salt water pool, on-site farm, and so much more!

Ask us about recovery scholarships for this event! We reserve places for people in need!

Daily or twice daily yoga and meditation of various styles (Hatha, Yin, Vinyasa) guided by Carrie and Zach. A chance to deepen your practice and grow! Classes will be themed around philosophical concepts in yoga and catered to the group’s needs and interests. All levels are welcome!

Special yoga, philosophy, breathwork, Ayurveda, and meditation workshops.

Single or shared accommodation in one of Mala Dhara’s fabulous sustainably-built earth villas or dorms. Rooms include comfortable beds, mosquito nets, Wifi, If you’re coming by yourself and select shared accommodation you will be assigned a roommate of the same gender.

Delicious, local, vegan meals and desserts

Coffee, tea, and snacks

Use of yoga shalas, saltwater pool, farm, all common areas at Mala Dhara

Elephant Nature Park visit

Guided hikes to spectacular waterfalls and caves

Vegan Thai cooking class

Group herbal steam and sauna spa experience

Transport and admission to local temples and markets

A chance to be disconnected from technology and your day-to-day tasks. Although Wifi is available, we encourage you to be immersed in the moment!

Not Included:

A few meals which we will be eating out

Transportation to and from Chiang Mai and Mala Dhara Eco Resort. We are happy to advise and assist you with booking your flights. We encourage you to add on extra days in Thailand if possible.

Travel insurance which is recommended to protect your investment

Optional extras such as:

Massage ($11 to add on)

Bike rental ($2 per day to add on)

Sak Yant sacred tattoo experience ($250 to add on) (blog about our experience)(video about our experience)

The price per person depends on the accommodation option you choose. There are luxurious, earth house bungalows or dorms available to suit different budgets.

Female or Non-Binary Dorm Option (Shared room with 4 people total): $1544 per person

Shared bungalow (twin beds, shared with 1 other person of the same gender): $1655 per person

Single bed bungalow for 1: $1766

Queen bed bungalow for 1: $1877

Queen bed bungalow for 2 people coming together: $1655 per person

These are the early bird prices. Prices will go up by $100 per person on August 1, 2023

A $555 deposit is required to secure your spot. Your remaining balance will be due in 3 equal payments, the first by March 1, 2023, the second by August 1, 2023, and the third by October 1, 2023.

One discounted recovery scholarship is available for each retreat. Email info@biggerlifeadventures if you are interested in applying!

For easiest, quickest, travel you’ll want to book a flight into Chiang Mai International Airport (there will not be direct flights here from the US, you’ll have to have at least one connection). Plan to arrive by 2pm at the latest on the first day of the retreat. US citizens will automatically get a 30-day tourist visa upon arrival in Thailand. You do not need to get a visa in advance. We recommend giving yourself extra days in Thailand if you are able, so arriving a few days early will make your journey more incredible and less stressful. Air Asia offers cheap and easy flights around Southeast Asia if you are interested in exploring other destinations!

We can help you arrange taxis or shuttles from the airport to the event. We don’t know the exact cost but it will be inexpensive.

Travel booking option:

Since I get a lot of requests for assistance anyway, I decided to offer a new flight booking service for all my retreat guests and friends!
You provide me with your desired travel dates and airports and I will find you the cheapest, best flights possible and book them for you, no extra charge.
I’m a pretty good “travel hacker” thanks to years of experience. We can do this together via Zoom to confirm everything or I’ll make sure to triple check everything with you before booking!
This benefits YOU if online flight searching stresses you out or you just don’t find it fun.
Full disclosure, it benefits Zach and I because I book most of our travel using our credit card points. We have a lot of travel planned this year so we need as many points as possible. You’ll reimburse me and I’ll get the frequent flyer miles to fund my own travel habit, haha.
Could be a win win for all of us?

Let me know if you would like my help with this. I know booking a long journey with multiple connections can be a little bit annoying. But there are also ways to make it more enjoyable — 1 day layover in Tokyo, anyone? For the best prices, you’ll want to book these flights at least 4-6 months before we leave. Reach out when you’re ready if you want my help.
-Carrie

Since all retreat deposits and payments are used to secure venues, activities, and supplies, and since canceled spots require extra time and energy to re-fill, ALL PAYMENTS ARE NON-REFUNDABLE. In true emergency situations, your payment *may* be able to be transferred to a future retreat or event, based on the decision of our team. We recommend travel insurance to protect your investment in the event you cannot make it.