Yoga + Travel: The Perfect Pair

Many people are currently experiencing the benefits of a yoga lifestyle. Wanderlusting has also hit its stride as a national pastime, if IG and Pinterest are any indication. Yes, there’s just something about these pleasures that’s too good to pass up. Moreover, whenever you can combine the two, their synergy is a-ma-zing.

What makes yoga and travel the perfect pair? If we were hard-pressed to come up with a phrase that best illuminates their connection it would be this: both yoga and travel are the perfect means of introducing you to yourself.

Here are the top destinations to practice a yoga session (or two) in one day, along with what makes them such apropos choices.

Goa, India

A unique blend of European and Indian cultures, you can’t have a yoga-inspired burst of wanderlust without visiting Goa in the western coastal region of India. Its beaches are perfect locations for the practice, as are its mud-walled eco cottages, complete with bamboo sit-outs. Sound a bit unconventional? Perfect. After all, that’s what obtaining (and sustaining) a proper yoga mindset is all about.

Khajuraho, India

Seeing a trend here? Since it’s the birthplace of the practice, any yoga-inspired travel list has to make sure it pays homage to the Asian subcontinent. While yoga is believed to have originally blossomed in Northern India, a trip to Khajuraho (located in the country’s center) also makes perfect sense.

Khajuraho’s year-round high temperatures are ideal for keeping the muscles warm, relaxed, and primed for practicing yoga.

There are also plenty of cultural wonders here to inspire your mind, body, and spirit. Take the Khajuraho temple complex for instance. An ode to sensuality, it contains an abundance of erotic carvings along its exterior and interior. The architecture—which embraces one of the most basic aspects of all human life— provides visitors with a unique opportunity for getting more in touch with their bodies. This, in turn, benefits their yoga sessions.

Bali, Indonesia

There are few places on earth that are more gorgeous than the island of Bali in Indonesia. It’s situated on a multitude of different sea waters which converge around its lush confines. Eye-dazzling tropical foliage and awe-inspiring sunsets make this location perfect for getting into the (sometimes) elusive yoga mindset.

You’ll also find that culture comes in abundance in Bali. Take the Pura Tanah Lot for instance. As one of the island’s most iconic and sacred temples, chances are there’s nothing back home that can match its unique ambiance. After a purifying visit here you should be more than primed for a productive yoga session. Why not perform it from a wooden porch overlooking the Indonesian sunset?

Note: While here, you’ll want to make sure to keep your healthy ways intact by avoiding the drinking of any water that doesn’t come from a sealed bottle.

Rishikesh, India

Admittedly, this location requires a bit of ambition (but should we really let that deter us?). That’s because Rishikesh India is located in the foothills of the Himalayas. For those wondering, Rishikesh is in northern India, the birthplace of yoga. In addition to being home to many current yoga ashrams—or (often times) secluded places where yoga is studied and practiced—Rishikesh is considered a holy city.

While it may not necessarily be possible to become initiated into one of the area’s yoga ashrams, a journey here would put you in the heart of yoga country. How amazing would it be to take in many of the same sights, sounds, and smells that master yogis were taking in as they developed the discipline over the centuries?

Another interesting historical note regarding Rishikesh involves the Beatles. It was here that they came to study Transcendental Meditation in 1968.

Koh Samui, Thailand

There are over 100 different yoga retreats in Koh Samui, according to bookyogaretreats.com. That’s a lot of possibilities. Your options include everything from Ashtanga to Kundalini style. In addition to the yoga-centric reasons for visiting the island of Koh Samui, you’d also be in one of the world’s most exhilarating tropical locations. If you’re looking to go when it’s hottest and sunniest, plan your trip for March or April.

Big Sur, California

Sure, this location is a bit different from the others above, but we’ve included it to illustrate how the best things in life more often than not can be found clos(er) to home. Take Big Sur in sunny California for instance. The coastal region features one of the most amazing convergences of natural wonders and wildlife you could ever hope to find. There are waterfalls, beaches, coves, peregrine falcons, California condors, and more.  In fact, Big Sur’s official Visitors Bureau website notes how this eclectic ecosystem is home to “the largest, rarest, fastest, and most elusive life forms on the planet.”

Writers and other artists have been mining its unique scenery for decades now, gaining from it a much-needed source of introspection—which is precisely what yoga practitioners are looking for. A yoga session in Big Sur California would undoubtedly be a one-of-a-kind experience.

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