As spring is getting underway and summer is peeking just around the corner, we’re all itching to pack our bags and get away for a week (or two) and rejuvenate our bodies and souls and slough off what remains of winter in our bones. Before you start making too many summer plans, we want to share with you our top yoga retreat picks for the year of 2016. Whether you’re looking for a quick weekend refresher or a week in paradise, we have you covered.

Bali

Photo via  Flickr

Any experienced yogi or traveler knows that Bali is always at the top of the list for a yoga retreat. The lush jungle and majestic blue waters make it a getaway paradise, and the perfect stop for a yoga retreat. With countless retreat centers especially for yoga lovers and gurus alike, Bali’s stunning scenery is one of the reasons why it makes this island our number one pick.

Lauren Taus from Lauren Taus Yoga on one of her retreats to Ubud Bali.

Each retreat is centered around bringing people together and helping us achieve a more intense sense of self. Each stop on your journey is a chance to experience the serenity and also immerse yourself in a culture-rich experience. You can pick from retreats on the beach, group retreats, or individual ones. Find a resort that even offers spa perks and you can find yourself bathing in a tub full or rose petals overlooking the luxurious greenery that Bali has to offer.

Christine Bibbo Herr from NYCPretty.com at Bagus Jati Health and Wellbeing Spa Retreat.

San Luis Obispo

Photo via Flickr

Our best yoga retreats list wouldn’t be complete without a stop closer to home. This year, we’ve picked San Luis Obispo, California. Between Los Angeles and San Francisco, San Luis Obispo gives you the opportunity to experience the wonderful beaches of California without the oversaturated tourist traps. San Luis Obispo has numerous yoga studios from Bikram to Shala to check out and to help change your routine up a bit. There are even a number of yoga retreats that can give you the all-inclusive experience of a resort plus also spice up your routine with the new (to you!) and sacred knowledge of experienced yogis.

 

Check out Stoked Yogi while in San Luis to merge your love of all things beach and all things yoga.

If you’re looking to really indulge yourself, Avila Beach and Pismo Beach along the San Luis Obispo Bay create the perfect landscape for beach yoga on a cool California morning. For an even more peaceful experience, head down just before sunset and watch the pink sky melt into the ocean as you reach down to find that inner sanctum. Whether you come with friends or come to meet new ones, San Luis Obispo is a definite must this year.

Tulum, Mexico

When you think of Mexico, you might not first think of yoga retreat. We’re here to change that. Tulum, Mexico has stunning beaches of magnificent aquamarine which give this destination a must for any looking for a new travel spot this year. Tulum also offers a more secluded and easy-going approach to a yoga retreat. With smaller resorts and even private beaches, Tulum Mexico offers you the chance to get off the grid and really dive deep into yourself without the noise of daily life to overwhelm you.

Photo via  Pexels

Close to the jungle and stunning ruins, Tulum truly is a haven of natural sacredness and incites all visitors with the desire to shed the cares of the world and just breath. Throw in a little more adventure on your trip and try the snorkeling or diving or visit the underground fresh water caves, and definitely sink into a hammock on the beach.

Rebecca from Rebecca Louise Fitness enjoying the white sands in Tulum.