8-day Yin Yoga course in Koh Phangan, Surat Thani, with 50-hour training.

I had a blast at the retreat! The classes were awesome, the food was delicious, and getting a daily massage was such a nice treat.

The Garden Rooms sit close to a bustling street and noisy bars – so make sure to bring ear plugs!
It’s important to know more about the workshops before signing up – just titles won’t cut it. I found myself in a class where the teacher pushed us to believe in Karma as the only path to wholeness, which was unexpected and not something I’d recommend. On the other hand, the yoga sessions were top-notch, with knowledgeable teachers leading the way. The food was delicious and the staff were friendly and accommodating. And sunset views each night made dinner extra magical.

Tell me about yourself, what activities do you enjoy and where are you located?

The yoga classes and workshops at the place are amazing, and all the staff are polite and fantastic. Valerie creates a family-like atmosphere that makes you feel right at home. It was one of the best experiences in my life.

We stayed at Ananda Yoga and Detox Center for 5 days and had an amazing time. The street and some restaurants nearby can be noisy at times, but we loved every second of our yoga retreat. We got so much more than we expected with plenty of yoga classes and workshops to choose from. The teachers were awesome and the food at the café was delicious. We highly recommend Ananda Yoga and Detox Center for the full yoga experience on Koh Phangan. We would definitely come back! Thanks for everything!

– We would have liked to receive a better orientation to the program, as beginners felt a bit lost about which courses to take and what to expect from them.
– Unfortunately, the rooms were very dark, so we didn’t like spending time there.
– The staff was very friendly, accommodating, and helpful.
– There is a wide range of activities.
– There are many cozy places to relax, especially the restaurant right on the beach.
– The food is super delicious and there is a wide selection.
– The daily massages are a dream.
– They always pay attention to cleanliness, especially with the yoga equipment, which is in very good condition.

We found the stay at the accommodation to be very relaxing and recharging after traveling through Thailand for 2 weeks. The rooms were clean and nice. The yoga program was extensive with many different levels and methods of instruction from various teachers. Meeting Sabina, who taught us the basics of yoga positions, was a proud moment for us. We also appreciated Paola for her cheerful attitude and friendly nature. Overall, it was a pleasure and we would definitely recommend it to others.

The rooms at the resort were pretty good by Thailand standards, a little musty in the rainy season. They met all my needs for accommodation, but they weren’t anything fancy. I found myself wishing for a better beach, but it turns out those are about a 20-minute drive to the north of the resort. I felt like I got more than my money’s worth with the yoga teacher training at Ananda Yoga and Detox. Valerie has a wealth of knowledge and a love for yoga that shines through in her teaching. I was impressed by her ability to run the program and resort while still connecting with each of her students. Alona is dedicated to her students’ yoga practice and clearly cares deeply for others. Britt leads with a laid-back and approachable nature, and she loves to build others up. I left feeling confident in my ability to successfully lead yoga classes.

I absolutely loved it! The training was fantastic, I was able to improve my own practice and learn a lot about teaching yoga. The teachers were well-trained and they could explain the material really well. The location was amazing, right by the beach with a view of the sunset. And the food was also really good! I looked forward to every meal, it was always fresh, healthy, and varied. They even accommodated my vegan diet and I always got delicious food 🙂

I came to experience proper yoga, but I ended up at more of a resort with optional yoga classes. If you’re looking for a traditional retreat, this might not be the place for you despite the title. Five out of five Ashtanga Mysore classes were cancelled without a replacement teacher, which was disappointing for advanced students like myself. No compensation was offered, leaving me quite disappointed.

The check-in process was confusing with minimal instructions since the manager wasn’t on-site. My room had spider webs, an unmade bed, and at the end of my stay, they didn’t even refill the toilet paper. The lack of attention to detail was surprising considering how empty the resort seemed.

The staff were a mixed bag – some were friendly, while others seemed annoyed and couldn’t even be bothered to say hello. The service at the restaurant was kind but slow, with frequent mix-ups and forgotten orders during my three meals a day for six days straight.

The massages included in the package were hit or miss. During my fifth massage, the therapist accidentally hurt my neck. Despite requesting a different therapist the next day, the promise was made but not fulfilled. I was stuck with the same therapist for two more sessions, leading me to consider skipping altogether.

Overall, it wasn’t a terrible stay, but if you’re looking for a proper yoga retreat, this might not be worth the money. The resort is nice with basic rooms that could use a bit of cleaning. However, the welcoming atmosphere, two shalas, herbal sauna, beautiful pool, and various chill-out areas are a plus. The restaurant offers delicious food and the area is peaceful, making it ideal to have a scooter for getting around.

The rooms were dirty.

If you want to teach yoga, come here! You’ll leave with the skills to lead a full 90-minute yoga class on your own. Jonny, the teacher, is amazing – he gave us all his passion and knowledge during the course. The food is delicious and healthy, and the Resort has a pool and sauna. The staff is really helpful too.

Melissa designed and led the Yin teacher training, which surpassed my expectations by a lot. I learned a ton and I feel ready to go out and share my new knowledge and be a confident yoga teacher.

Everyone at Ananda is lovely and available.
The food is vegetarian, organic, and delicious.
This place is a peace of heaven and the yoga shala is incredibly inspiring.
It offers excellent value compared to other expensive, trendy, and fashionable yoga places on the island.

I expected the rooms to be better, but they’re actually really nice for Koh Phangnan standards. Ananda’s teacher training creates a great bonding experience where Yogis see the best in each other. This program isn’t as strict as a Sivananda Ashram, but there’s a lot of information to learn if you’re willing to put in the work. The food, pool, steam room, and staff are all great. This program isn’t just about poses, it’s well thought out and provides a wealth of information that will help you teach Yoga effectively in every aspect.

We need to improve all additional classes like pranayama, meditation, anatomy, and special classes (like pregnancy). The room cleaning was not up to par. The food was tasty but there wasn’t much variety, which is disappointing for a long-term stay. These issues are a downside of the low-cost TTC. Overall, it was as expected, but I was hoping for a more in-depth experience with all yoga topics. The yoga classes and alignment were top-notch, though.