Yoga Retreat in Cambodia – do or don’t?

“You’re going on a Yoga Retreat in Cambodia!” If someone told me this a few years ago I would’ve told them if they have a few kangaroos running loose in the paddock (non aussies: told them they are crazy). Don’t get me wrong, I don’t dislike yoga, but it was just never really my thing.

Until that one day I was traveling through Cambodia with a friend and she told me she was planning to do this yoga retreat. It actually sounded pretty cool and relaxing so I thought, why not give it a try!

Are you a yoga newbie or an experienced yogi and considering going on a yoga retreat (in Cambodia) as well? Then keep on reading.

Away from the Hustle ‘n Bustle of Siem Reap

Through bookyogaretreats.com we found a retreat called “Angkor Zen” – a 4 day/3 night retreat. It was $200 (USD) pp and included all classes, 3 nights in a 2p bungalow, breakfast, tea and dinner.

On only a 15 minute tuk-tuk ride from Siem Reap, our retreat was located in the midst of beautiful greenery. Chickens, dogs and cats were roaming around freely. We stayed in a simple but cute 2 person bungalow, and shared bathroom facilities with the rest of the retreaters. Everything seemed really relaxed and got us straight into the ‘zen’ mode.

Yoga time!

Our retreat offers five classes a day: four yoga classes and one meditation class. Yogi’s from all levels are welcome to join – even if you’re a stiff, inflexible person like me. The first yoga class started right after sunrise at 6:30. I’m not a morning person, but this was a lovely way to wake up and start a new day.

The other three yoga classes consisted of different types of yoga like pranayama yoga and more active yoga. When we arrived at the retreat we were just in time for the late afternoon yoga class. I soon discovered yoga isn’t for the faint hearted…

Ouch! Argh! Body! Aching!

Trust me, I’m not a complete newbie when it comes to working out. I love going to the gym and I’m a big fan of Les Mills classes, but ohmylord, this yogathing is tough! Learning all the new poses, repeating them quickly and bending like you’re an elastic doll was quite the challenge.

After a day I was aching all over. I never knew you could get so sore of yoga! But next to pain everywhere I have to admit I was really enjoying what I was doing. It made me feel more relaxed and it definitely felt good to be working out again after months of traveling.

Wow – this meditation stuff is hard!

The first night I also tried the mediation class. The class started right before sunset so that at the end of the session it would be completely dark outside.

Sitting still and repressing every thought that comes to mind was a huge challenge for me. I know that, as a big (over)thinker, I’m someone who would greatly benefit from meditating, but this first class was extremely hard for me. And when a cat suddenly jumped on my lap I couldn’t help but move.

Mmm, good food!

The food served at our retreat was mainly vegetarian/vegan and was absolutely delicious! Next to happily devouring whatever they presented me with, I loved connecting to the other yogi’s. Hearing their stories and learning about their lives was one of my favorite parts of the retreat.

The verdict: do or don’t?

So now the final question: a yoga retreat – do or don’t? Do! I loved it!

However, if you’re a very experienced yogi or have practiced mindfulness before, the retreat I did might be a bit too basic for you. In that case I’d recommend looking for a more advanced retreat.

Whether you’re an experienced yogi or not, I believe everyone would benefit from a yoga retreat. Namasté 😉

❤ Eef

All pictures in this post were taken on an iPhone 6 and edited with Eef’s Mobile Presets. Get yours here.