Wellness Adventure Retreat
Yelapa, Mexico
January 4-11, 2025
Yoga – Meditation – Hiking – Beaching
Packages range from $1,695 up to $2,295, depending on room.
Returning Clients please take $100 off!
Includes 7 nights lodging, most meals, classes, boat transport, guided snorkel trip and guided hike
Theme of this Retreat: Healing on all Levels
Where is Yelapa, Mexico and why would I want to go there?
On our Yelapa Yoga Retreat we offer yoga, meditation, hiking, swimming and much more for every body, an affordable, wonderful opportunity to relax, renew, and rejuvenate. Yelapa is a delightful Mexican fishing village, located on a sleepy little bay just south of Puerto Vallarta. Since there are no roads to Yelapa (one of the things we love most about the town!), we take a 45 minute boat ride from Puerto Vallarta to the village. As there are no roads in Yelapa, there are no cars, less noise, less pollution and less stress. There are now some small ATVs that help residents transport people and materials, so not as pristine as the old days, but still charming. Temperatures in January: refreshing 60-65 at night, 75- 85 in the day. Note: This is the dry season, so normally lots of sun. The food is fresh and delicious, including local fish, chicken, enchiladas, tortillas, ceviche, beans, avocado, pies, fruit (papaya, banana, pineapple, melon, etc.). Yum!
“What a special week in Yelapa! I am a first time retreat attendee and am so glad I took the leap of faith and attended this special retreat. A week of wonderful memories were created with yoga, meditation, fabulous food, robust hiking, beautiful snorkeling, marine life watching and foremost….making new friends!”
Above image: view from our hotel patio deck
Upon Arrival in Mexico
We meet for one night in romantic old town Puerto Vallarta, staying right on the beach at the Emperador Hotel. On Saturday morning, we walk right across the walkway to the pier and boat that takes us on a beautiful 45 minute ride to Yelapa, often visited and welcomed by dolphins or whales enroute. In Yelapa, we are dropped off by boat on the main dock, and wheel our luggage about 1/4 mile to our hotel. Located in beachfront jungle, a short walk from town, we enjoy an incredible view of the bay.
Note: Yelapa is a rustic village, so if you need a 5 star experience, this is not the trip for you. You will experience the challenging yoga practice of making peace with donkey and dog poop! There are uneven paths and steep steps, so please talk to us about any physical challenge you are concerned about. We also take a fairly small boat to Yelapa, so be ready for some adventure!
MiraMar Retreat Center
MiraMar is our new home for the week. They have big, charming rooms, all with amazing patio views of the bay. Located right near downtown, we are close to town, restaurants, beach, river and more. Hotel has wifi. Included are two meals each day, which gives us freedom to explore town for some delicious local foods. See hote MiraMar: https://miramaryelapa.com/
Yoga on the Patio
Overlooking the bay, accompanied by the birds. We generally do sunrise and sunset yoga, and various teachings, healings, meditations and workshops. We will have plenty of activities scheduled, yet keeping things as flexible and open as possible to allow people to create their own experience, with free time to relax, swim or snorkel every day, roam the village, hike the river valley, play in waterfalls, sip from coconuts, or drink fresh fruit juices on the beach. We include a snorkel boat trip and guided river to waterfall hike. There are extra options available for a very reasonable fee, including massage, whale watching, fishing, snorkeling and other boat trips, island visits, parasailing, etc. Note: Everything is optional, but we encourage you to attend as many of the yoga or meditation classes to help create a sacred energy for the group.
“The trouble with the rat race is, even if you win, you’re still a rat.” (nothing against rats!)
Healing on all Levels
Our theme this year is …. balancing inner healing (spiritual healing and healing emotional trauma) with taking care of our body (hiking, yoga, swimming, sunning, etc.) We will also offer various simple but profound tools and assistance for healing emotional wounds. This will be about our 20th year in Yelapa, and it is always deeply healing simply being in sunshine, water, community, eating great food, stretching, meditating ….
Healings available: 1) Inner emotional spiritual healing, 2) NeurOptimal Brain Balancing and Trauma release, 3) Rapid Release to clear pain and scar tissue. There is also local massage available. Above healings range from $20 – $50). AND the best osteoptath and structrual release healer we have ever met offers her services in Yelapa (Canadian woman Jodie, $90).
What does a typical day look like?
Sunrise meditation, then seaside patio yoga, then breakfast. Then we either have an activity (playshop, hike, island or beach visit), or just leisure time to stroll town or visit the beach for swimming, sunning, eating lunch, etc. Then sometimes a second yoga class before sunset.
Then dinner, usually at the hotel, but a couple times we will go out to sample some of the excellent local restaurants. We will also offer a couple playshops and healings. We take you on a barefoot “reflexology river roam”. We also include a short boat trip to a beautiful little cove with good snorkeling. And guide you on a nice long hike up the river valley and swim at a waterfall.
Room Options: MiraMar means “View of the Sea”
Choosing a Room: It is very helpful to let us know a few things: your first, second and thrid choices from options below. Equally important, tell us what you need. Do you snore? Are you traveling alone, with a friend(s), partner. Do you need your own bathroom, or to be close to a bathroom? Stairs okay (all have some stairs however). Are you okay sharing a room with others? If available, do you want a single room? We will do our best to meet your needs and first or second choice. Bascially, prices vary depending on view (although all rooms have some sea view), size of room, etc. Single, private rooms are of course the most pricey, and these also vary, depending on the room. It’s a bit of a ijgsaw puzzle, but fonrtunately, all the rooms are really nice, with similar amenities, views, etc.
See info and pics of all rooms on the MiraMar website
These first four rooms or apartments are totally private, with your own private bath, kitchen deck, all with partial or full bay views
Casa Marietas 1: For two people $1,995 per person. THIS ROOM IS TAKEN One bedroom house, located on 3rd level of MiraMar, with full kitchen, ocean view patio, wifi, safe, queen bed and sofa bed. Full private bath and tiled shower.
Casa Marietas 2: For two people, $1,995 per person, THIS ROOM IS TAKEN 1 king bed and sofa. Also on 3rd level of MiraMar, also with full Patio ocean view, Wifi, safe, full kitchen, dining area, full bath with tiled shower.
Casa Estrella Del Mar: For 2 – 3 people, $1,795 per person, THIS ROOM IS TAKEN one queen bed, one double bed, and a futon. Ocean view (but less open view than most rooms). wifi, safe, full kitchen, dining and sitting area, full bath and tiled shower. 3rd level of MiraMar.
Casa Manta Ray: 2-3 people, 2 people: 1,995 per person, 3 people $1,795 per person: THIS ROOM IS TAKEN 1st level, 1 bedroom place. Patio overlooking ocean. Queen bed and single bed. Full kitchen, wifi, safe, full bath with tiled shower.
These next two rooms are bigger apartments, with two either two or three bedrooms, all with ocean view, full kitchens, full bath rooms. You can rent one or more rooms in Casa Palmita.
Casa Palmita: : For 3-4 people, 2 people $2,295 each, or 3-4 people $1,995 per person. Bedroom 1: Queen bed. Bedroom 2: King and bunk. Casa Palmita makes up the 2nd level of MiraMar, again with full ocean view patio, BBQ, full kitchen, dining area, sitting area, full bath with tiled tub and shower
Casa Tijereta: For 3-5 people, Bedroom 1: King bed, ocean side $2,095 per person (2 people). Bedroom 2: Queen bed (1 person $2,395. Bedroom 3: Bunk beds stacked, for two people, $1,695 per person, or one person $2,095. This is a spacious 3 Bedroom floor, with full kitchen, patio and dining and sitting areas, two full baths with tiled tubs and showers, wifi, safe. Full ocean patio view.
REGISTER HERE
Roy Holman and Liz Gross
More about Teachers click her
e. Roy has taught yoga, meditation, and healing for over 20 years, and Liz is not only a wonderful yoga teacher, but also is a wonderful vibrational energy healer. Roy is 500 hour certified in viniyoga. Both Roy and Liz teach with joy and passion, a grounded, flowing Viniyoga-inspired style of yoga, and includes pranayama (breathing) and meditation.
Note: Please contact Roy prior to making air reservations for details. Basically, you fly into Puerto Vallarta, take a taxi to the hotel (to be announced in details later), and plan to fly home on or after the 11th.
What is included:
- 7 Nights Hotel: 6 nights at MiraMar Hotel & Cottages in Yelapa and 1 in Puerto Vallarta.
- Meals in Yelapa : Healthy buffet breakfast each morning after Yoga, and one other delicious meal each day (lunch or dinner). Open to food requests and suggestions.
- Classes: All Yoga, Meditation, & Playshops
- Guided hikes to waterfall up beautiful river valley
- Boat trips to Yelapa & return included.
- Snorkel and beach trip to Majahuitas
Non-Discrimination Policy
Yoga is about unity and oneness, not divisiveness and polarity. All are welcome on our retreats. We do not discriminate for any reason, including sex, gender, race, age, vaccinated or unvaccinated, masked or unmasked. We trust you to take care of yourself, and to decide first, if this trip is for you, and second, how to take care of yourself. We will do our part to keep everyone safe and honor all our needs, but ultimately, your health is your responsibility. May this retreat be a healing experience for all.
Payment and Refund Policy
For those visiting from afar, we highly recommend trip and travel insurance. In rare cases, we have to cancel trips, and we cannot be responsible to cover lost airfare or other fees. The global uncertainty and change of late (you may have noticed!) is another reason to purchase travel cancelation insurance.
We request a $500 deposit, balance due 30 days prior to trip. Note: Deposit is generally nonrefundable. 3/4 of later payment may be refunded if you cancel > 30 days prior to trip, 1/2 refund if you cancel 15 – 30 days prior to trip (depending on retreat center refund policy), no refund under 15 days prior to trip–unless I can get some money back from hotels and retreat center. Note: In these wild, COVID times, we do our best to expand our refund policy, being fair to all involved.
Extra expenses and Options
Taxi ($25) or bus ($3) from and back to airport in Puerto Vallarta, other meals (eating out), souvenir shopping, tips, massage or watzu (water massage, about $75), optional extra activities (island trips, parasailing, mule trips, etc.)
