Yoga Destinations in India
India is the birthplace of Yoga – an ancient form of exercise for the mind, soul and body. For a long time, the knowledge was remained confined to very small bubbles in India. But today, who doesn’t know about it? People all over the world practice yoga to improve their quality of life. In fact, it’s a fantastic idea to combine a vacation with a fitness goal, for which there is a huge rise in the number of Yoga Retreats. Here are the top five destinations in India that are famous for Yoga.
Rishikesh
Rishikesh rose to prominence globally when Beatles visited the ashram of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in 1968. Since then, Rishikesh has attracted spiritual seekers all over the world and became the “Yoga Capital”. Located in the Himalayan region of Uttar Pradesh, Rishikesh offers a stunning landscape for visitors. Besides Yoga, Rishikesh is also famous for adventure sports like white-water rafting.
- Association for Yoga and Meditation
- Dewa Boutique Yoga Retreat
- Modi Yoga Retreat
- Veda5 Aruveda Yoga Retreat
Coastal Towns of Kerala
What I’ve always loved about the people of Kerala is how deeply rooted they are to the ancient Indian culture. This is a state where even the urban youth passionately practice over 1000-year-old art-forms be it the martial art of kalaripayatttu, temple dance, folk music etc. So how could they ignore Yoga? Kerala’s verdant landscape with palm-lined beaches and serene sea offer a fantastic backdrop for yoga. Imagine performing Surya Namaskar with the Sun rising across the backwaters of Vembanad lake and sound of migratory birds chirping around you.
No wonder Kerala has emerged as a top destination for Yoga and Ayurvedic treatments. Several high-end Yoga and wellness retreats have boosted Kerala’s tourism.
Goa
Goa, the smallest state of India is undoubtedly the first global tourism hubs of the country. While Rajasthan and Kerala have caught up well, Goa still attracts the highest number of tourists per capita in India. And why not? This multicultural, colorful and vibrant coastal state deserves all the admiration. Several boutique resorts have come in to tap into the wellness area, making Goa a top Yoga destination. Yoga has now become an integral part of the Goan tourism experience.
Check out the best Yoga retreats in Goa.
- Alila Diwa Courtyard – Hyatt Brand
- Bamboo Yoga Beach Guesthouse
- Anand Yoga Village
- Banyan Tree Courtyard
Auroville and Pondicherry
Rishi Aurobindo along with Swami Vivekananda were the first people to take Yoga to the world stage. While Swami Vivekananda spread the awareness of Yoga along with the larger message of Hinduism as a religion across the world, Rishi Aurobindo’s message was religion-agnostic. Auroville is an independent city within Pondicherry that incorporate the yogic values of oneness that Rishi Aurobindo wanted to spread in the world. Pondicherry therefore has a history of modern Yogic awareness that predates the other popular yoga destinations I talked about.
Here are some Yoga Retreats in the area:
Gokarna
Om Beach
Gokarna is a beautiful, offbeat retreat in Uttara Kannada, i.e. the Northern part of the coastline of Karnataka. I loved the beaches here much more than Goa. Some of the best beaches here are accessible through an hour-long trek, which makes them more mystical. If you are confused between the pull of the mountain and the sea, Gokarna is the place to be.
Here are some of the best Yoga resorts in Gokarna:
This was my penultimate post of the BlogchatterA2Z Challenge 2022. If you liked this post, please share it with your friends to plan your next adventure. Thank you for all your support and encouragement throughout this month.
Didnt know about Gokarna. This was certainly informative.
Good suggestion. Congratulations on the completion of A2Z challenge
Sinjana your posts are so well-organized, I learn so much about the craft of a well-written blog post. This is a keepsake for us spiritual seekers. Kudos to you for sharing such an enriching series with us. Best wishes to you.
Thank you so much. I learn from your writings every day.
Some beautiful destinations in your post! Yoga is truly a way towards holistic health. Thank you for this post!
I had no idea about Gokarna! Thanks for sharing this info.
I am familiar with most of these except Gokarna, however never been to any of them yet! I would love to visit India one day soon! Very informative post.
My friend Nina travels to India every year for her yoga retreat. I understand it is a life changer.
There are some beautiful places to go in India for yoga. I can’t wait to see them in person!
I have been to a couple of Ayurveda resorts in Kerala. And, I too love the way the people there are deep-rooted in their culture.