A 4-day yoga retreat in Koh Phangan for rejuvenation purposes.

I had a great time at the retreat! I loved the classes, the food was delicious, and getting a daily massage was an extra special treat.

The Garden Rooms are located close to a bustling street and some loud bars, so you might want to bring ear plugs.
The workshops should provide more details on what to expect, just the titles aren’t enough. I once attended a workshop where the teacher challenged our questions and claimed that believing in Karma was the only path to wholeness – it was unexpected and not something I would recommend.
The yoga classes were taught expertly, with knowledgeable teachers guiding us. The food was delicious and the staff were friendly and helpful. Watching the sunrise every evening during dinner made it a truly special experience.

Tell me about your personal activities and where you are located.

The yoga classes and workshops at this place are absolutely amazing! The staff members are all incredibly polite and fantastic. Valerie creates such a welcoming and family-like atmosphere that makes you feel right at home. Honestly, one of the best experiences of my life!

The street and some restaurants nearby can be noisy at times, but we absolutely loved our yoga retreat at Ananda! We stayed for 5 days and it exceeded our expectations. They offer a wide variety of yoga classes and workshops with amazing teachers. The food at the shell was delicious and the staff were fantastic. If you’re looking for the complete yoga experience and a great atmosphere on Koh Phangan, we highly recommend Ananda Yoga and Detox Center. We would definitely return without hesitation. Thank you for everything! ?

We would have liked to receive a better introduction to the program, as beginners felt a bit lost in terms of which courses to take and what to expect from them.
The rooms were unfortunately very dark, which made it unpleasant to stay there.
The staff was very friendly, accommodating, and helpful.
There is a wide range of activities available.
There are many cozy places to relax, especially the restaurant right on the beach.
The food is delicious and there is a wide variety to choose from.
The daily massages are heavenly.
Cleanliness is always maintained, especially with the yoga equipment, which is in very good condition.

We found our stay in Thailand after 2 weeks of traveling to be very relaxing and revitalizing. The accommodation was great – clean and pleasant. The yoga program was extensive and we had the opportunity to learn from various yoga teachers who brought different levels and teaching methods.

Meeting Sabina was a highlight for us as she guided us and assisted us in mastering the basic yoga positions. We were truly grateful for her teachings.

A big shoutout to Paola for her cheerful and friendly nature. She made our experience even more enjoyable. It was a pleasure staying here and we will definitely recommend it to others!

The rooms at Ananda Yoga and Detox were pretty good, considering Thailand standards. They did have a little mustiness during the rainy season. In terms of accommodation, all my needs were met, but the rooms were nothing fancy. Personally, I wished for access to a better beach, but I found out that those were about a 20 minute drive north of the resort.

When it came to yoga teacher training, I felt like I definitely got my money’s worth. Valerie, the trainer, has an incredible wealth of knowledge and a true passion for yoga that came through in her teaching. I was truly amazed by her ability to handle running the program and the resort, all while still connecting with each student.

Alona, another instructor, showed so much dedication to her students’ yoga practice and genuinely cared about others. She was really something special. And Britt, the third instructor, had a laid-back and approachable nature. She was all about lifting others up. Thanks to their guidance, I left the training feeling confident in my ability to successfully lead yoga classes.

I absolutely loved it! I thoroughly enjoyed the training; it helped me improve my own practice and taught me a lot about teaching yoga. The teachers were well-trained and did a great job conveying the material. The location was amazing, right on the beach with a view of the sunset. And the food was delicious! I looked forward to every meal, which was always fresh, healthy, and varied. They accommodated my vegan diet and I always got really tasty meals.

Yoga:
I was hoping for an authentic yoga retreat experience, but it turned out to be more like a resort with optional yoga classes. If you’re looking for a traditional retreat, this might not be the place for you, despite what the title suggests. They ended up canceling all five of the ashtanga mysore classes with no replacement teacher, which really limited the number of classes available for advanced practitioners. And to make matters worse, there was no compensation for the cancellations. Needless to say, I was pretty disappointed.

Accommodation:
The whole check-in process was confusing, with very little instructions given because the manager wasn’t present. When I got to my room, there were spider webs everywhere, and the bed wasn’t even made. I had to do it myself, hoping it was clean. And towards the end of my stay, they didn’t even bother refilling the toilet paper. It was surprising to see such lacking quality in a seemingly empty resort.

Staff:
The staff here is a mixed bag. Some are super nice, while others seem annoyed and can’t even be bothered to greet you. It’s really hit or miss. The service at the restaurant is decent, but extremely slow. I ate there three times a day for six days straight, and they often forgot or mixed up orders.

Massages:
As part of the package, I was supposed to have one massage per day. On my fifth massage, the therapist accidentally messed up my neck, which was concerning. The next day, I asked at the detox bar twice to pair me up with a different therapist, but they promised and never followed through. I had to endure two more massages with the same therapist, or I could’ve just skipped them altogether.

Overall, it wasn’t a terrible stay, but if you’re specifically looking for a yoga retreat, it’s not worth the money. The place is nice, although the rooms are basic and could be cleaner. The resort itself is welcoming and beautiful, with two yoga studios, an herbal sauna, a nice pool, and plenty of relaxing areas. The restaurant is also good, serving tasty food. The area is quiet, so it’s convenient to have a scooter for getting around.

The rooms were super dirty.

This is the place to go if you want to learn how to teach yoga. You’ll leave with the ability to lead your own full 90-minute yoga class.
Jonny, our teacher, is absolutely amazing and has provided us with all the passion and knowledge we need in this course.
The food here is delicious and incredibly healthy. Plus, the resort has a pool and a sauna for you to enjoy.
All of the staff members are incredibly helpful and friendly.

Melissa’s Yin teacher training exceeded my expectations by a lot. I’ve learned so much and now I feel prepared and ready to go out there, share my newfound knowledge, and be a confident yoga teacher.

Everyone at Ananda is lovely and available to assist you. Our food options are vegetarian, organic, and absolutely delicious. The place itself feels like a peaceful slice of heaven, and our yoga shala is incredibly inspiring. Compared to other expensive, trendy, and fashionable yoga places on the island, we offer excellent value.

I was expecting the rooms to be better, but honestly, for Koh Phangnan standards, they’re actually pretty nice. At Ananda’s teacher training, you get to bond with other Yogis and see the best in each other. It’s not a strict program like a Sivananda Ashram, but there’s plenty of information available to learn if you put in the effort. The food is amazing, and the pool, steam room, and staff are all great. This program goes beyond just poses; it’s well-thought-out and provides a wealth of information that will help you become a skilled Yoga teacher in every aspect.

The additional classes like pranayama, meditation, anatomy, and special classes (like pregnancy) require a lot of improvement. They should work on better room cleaning. The food, although very good, lacks variety which is disappointing for a long-term stay. It’s unfortunate that these points reflect the downside of a low-cost TTC. Overall, the yoga classes and alignment were excellent, but I was hoping for a more in-depth experience with all yoga topics.