| 2025-10-04 |

Welcome to a magical 12-day yoga retreat in Kovalam – a gem on the Kerala coast in southern India. Here you will be greeted by golden beaches, swaying palm trees and the rhythmic sound of the waves of the Arabian Sea. Kovalam is known for its relaxed atmosphere, lush nature and rich cultural heritage, where the combination of Ayurveda and the scent of spices creates a colorful and harmonious experience.

We stay at the charming Anby Beach Resort, located just a stone’s throw from the sea. Here you can enjoy sunsets right from the terrace, relax in peaceful surroundings and feel the warm hospitality that Kerala is so famous for. With daily yoga sessions, local food and plenty of time for silence, swimming and excursions, you will have the opportunity to land in yourself – in the middle of paradise.

We have two yoga classes per day most days. The morning class contains Hatha and Hatha Flow, i.e. a little dynamic yoga. In the evening classes there will be calm and beautiful Yin yoga.

No matter where you are in your yoga practice right now, you will experience a big difference after our 12 days together. The local yoga teachers we have chosen will see your level and start from there. And make you grow and develop in a way you never thought possible.

Yoga classes

We have two yoga classes per day most days. The morning class is led by Sudhi and includes Hatha and Hatha Flow. The evening classes, led by Joy, are calm and beautiful Yin Yoga.

No matter where you are in your yoga practice right now, you will experience a big difference after our 12 days together. The teachers we have chosen have been taught by Helen herself for several years. They will see exactly your level and start from there. And make you grow and develop in a way you didn't think was possible.

Sudhi

Sudhi was born and raised in Kovalam and lives a few kilometers from Light House. Sudhi has worked as a yoga teacher in several European countries and this summer has a workshop in Sweden on an island outside Strömstad. His English is easy to understand, and he is used to how Western people are.

Sudhi has done his teacher training in the Shivananda tradition. But he constantly keeps himself updated on new findings and research regarding yoga and meditation. Sudhi has also completed a training in therapeutic yoga where you work from the perspective of healing a damaged body. Sometimes Sudhi gives treatments and massages to people who wish to do so. In that case, there is an additional cost for that and this is subject to time and space. It often happens that he makes a minor correction during a class when he feels he can help.

He is a happy and warm personality. He is sincere in his belief in yoga, meditation and Ayurveda and has deep knowledge and understanding. The body and mind are connected and in Sudhi's yoga classes, the training is as a whole.

Joy

Joy is our teacher in the evening. That class will be held in the shala on the roof of our hotel. A class is usually 75 minutes. With Joy we do a calmer session with Yin/Restorative yoga, pranayama and meditation.

As a student, you do not need to have any prior knowledge of yoga. Joy will adapt the class to everyone's needs. If the class is mixed, everyone will have different challenges to work with.

Joy was also born and raised in Kovalam. He owns the hotel where we stay. He is an intellectual person and likes literature and Vedic astrology. He runs a small second-hand bookshop with books that you can buy. Joy has done his teacher training through Shivananda. He is a soft and empathetic person. Always very kind and helpful. You are never afraid to ask questions or make mistakes during a yoga class with Joy!

Accommodation

Hotel Anby Beach Resort is a small family-run hotel with 14 rooms. Eight rooms have AC and six rooms have fans. The hotel is located a stone's throw from the beach so it only takes a minute to walk through the narrow alleys down to the sea.

The location is undisturbed from the hustle and bustle of vendors and tourists on the beach. The hotel is simple but clean and well-maintained. Joy, who owns and runs the hotel, is always easy to reach and is usually on site.

The garden has nice plants and small water lily ponds with small fish in them. On the roof there is a large cool yoga room with fans, there are also extra toilets. There we will have our evening yoga sessions together with Joy. There is a kitchen where you can ask for tea, hot ginger drink, etc.

On each floor there is a refrigerator where you can put your own fruit and drinks and water.

You will feel great here!

Meals

Sree runs a restaurant called Spice Village. There he cooks and has cooking classes. Spice Village is a 5-minute walk from our hotel and our morning yoga.

He has a great interest in Ayurveda and how to best adapt your food so that it is most beneficial for the body and mind. Sree learned to cook from his mother. Sree has also completed a yoga teacher training course through Shivananda. He often collaborates with an Ayurvedic clinic that is located near the restaurant. If you are interested, you can have your food adapted to your body structure after a consultation with Dr. Akil.

We will eat breakfast and lunch at Spice Garden, except on excursion days, when we will eat breakfast and dinner there.

The price includes two meals per day.

Programme

October 4, Saturday, arrival day

- You settle into your room at Anby Beach Resort
- Lunch at Spice Village
- Walk around the Light-house while you pick up your yoga mat.
- Yoga class at the hotel with Joy
- Dinner at Spice Village, including information about the days to come.

Sunday, October 5

- Hot ginger tea
- Yoga class with Sudhi in the morning
- Breakfast at Shri, Spice Village
- Lunch at Shri, Spice Village
- Evening yoga class with Joy
- Dinner on the beach

Monday, October 6

- Hot ginger tea
- Yoga class with Sudhi in the morning
- Breakfast at Shri, Spice Village
- Lunch at Shri, Spice Village
- Evening yoga class with Joy
- Dinner on the beach

Tuesday, October 7

- Hot ginger tea
- Yoga class with Sudhi in the morning
- Breakfast at Shri, Spice Village
- Lunch at Shri, Spice Village
- Evening yoga class with Joy
- Dinner on the beach

Wednesday, October 8

- Hot ginger tea
- Yoga class with Sudhi at morning
- Breakfast at Shri, Spice Village
- Excursion to Trivandrum. We start with coffee at Maveli Cafe and after that we visit the large market where you can buy spices, tea and vegetables. We also go into one of the city's largest Ganesha temples where coconuts are offered to Ganesha. We have lunch at Velvet Dawn which is a Swedish/Indian restaurant where Indian food gets a Swedish twist.
- Yoga class with Joy in the evening
- We have dinner at Spice Village

October 9, Thursday

- Hot ginger tea
- Yoga class with Sudhi in the morning
- Breakfast at Shri, Spice Village
- Lunch at Shri, Spice Village
- Yoga class with Joy in the evening
- We go out together and have dinner on the beach

October 10, Friday

October 11, Saturday

October 12, Sunday

- Hot ginger tea
- Yoga class with Sudhi in the morning
- Breakfast at Shri, Spice Village
- Temple-themed excursion. We visit one or more temples. Those who wish can participate in a Puja, a temple ceremony. We will also find some large, beautiful statues and monuments along the way. We end at a beautiful Catholic church by the sea. In India, the different regions unite side by side in harmony.
- We have lunch at a traditional Indian restaurant.
- Yoga class with Joy in the evening
- We have dinner at Spice Village

October 13, Monday

October 14, Tuesday

October 15, Wednesday, return day

- Hot ginger tea
- Yoga class with Sudhi in the morning
- Breakfast at Shri, Spice Village
- Lunch at Shri, Spice Village
- Check-out from the hotel

Subject to change due to local circumstances. India is India. It doesn't always turn out as you initially thought, but it always turns out well anyway!

About Helen Skarehag, group leader

Helen is the group leader on the trip and has created the program and booked accommodation, yoga teachers, transportation, etc.

"I have been practicing yoga myself since 2000. I started teaching as an instructor at the studio I trained at and in 2014 I took a yoga teacher training course under the auspices of ISHTA with Ulrika Norberg and Katrina Repka as my mentors. That training is approved by Yoga-aliance 200h.

After that, I started my own yoga studio together with a colleague. And we had that studio for 8 years. Now I don't teach yoga more than occasionally, but I am still passionate about yoga more as a way of life than a way of making a living. I work as a nurse, currently through staffing which means that I can control my working hours myself and can travel as I want.

I love India so much and have traveled to India regularly since 2007. The trips here have looked a little different. At one point I wrote my C-thesis (about yoga for children with disabilities)

There have been the occasional yoga trip with students, but also just as a tourist myself or together with friends.

I think that over the years I have gained a broad knowledge of how the country works and what to expect when you are here. I practice as much yoga as I can when I am in India and have met several really good teachers. I also regularly take Ayurvedic treatments and have found several good Ayurvedic doctors.

I have a great interest in food and have taken 2 cooking courses here in India. One course was for Shriee who is our food manager."

Kerala and Kovalam

The state of Kerala is the southwesternmost part of India. Bordered by Tamil Nadu to the east and Karnataka to the north. Malayalam is spoken and there are about 33 million inhabitants there and is considered the 13th largest state. Kerala is famous for its spices, beaches and culture. There is also a lot to choose from for those interested in massage and various Ayurvedic treatments.

The nature is green and lush with lots of vegetation. There is also a backwater area where you can rent a houseboat.

Christians, Muslims and Hindus and a small group of Jewish people live side by side here. In many churches and temples you can see a mix of images and statues from different religions.

Basic schooling and free healthcare are offered to everyone. Although you can also choose a private, more expensive option. 93.9% of the population was literate at the 2011 census.

Thiruvananthapuram (formerly Trivandrum) is the provincial capital of Kerala, and the airport is about a 45-minute drive from Kovalam.

Kovalam is located on the coast and is a suburb of Trivandrum. It has a population of about 26,000 (2011)

Kovalam means coconut grove after the coconut palms that are common there. Kovalam has many long, beautiful beaches, each with its own character. It is the Arabian Sea you swim in.

Lighthouse beach is one of those beaches and there is a beautiful lighthouse that is open to visitors.

It is possible to walk from Lighthouse into Kovalam, although due to the heat you prefer to take a richa. In Kovalam you have everything you need from food to clothes, shoes and toiletries. You can also buy most things on the beach, but you get a better price in Kovalam. On the beach you can rent a sun lounger or try surfing. There are also some attractions such as Parasailing and speedboats. Cafes and eateries are everywhere with a great variety, both classic Indian food and seafood. Many different yoga studios and you can also practice the Indian martial art Kalaripayatt.

There is almost always a festival in India!

Around Kovalam there are several nice temples that are worth a visit, and most are open to non-believing Hindus.

The dress code is liberal on the beach. There you can wear normal swimwear and shorts and a tank top. At restaurants and cafes, visitors are asked to wear dry and not sandy clothes. When visiting the temple, women are required to protect their shoulders and not wear too short skirts or pants. Men in some cases need to take off their upper body and wear a lungi around their legs. But it is provided on site.

Excursions

We do two great excursions that give you a taste of India and its culture.

Our guide Achu was born in Kovalam and has lived there his whole life. He knows every trail and can find his way everywhere. He and his family work in tourism and he is used to taking care of tourists from all over the world. He thinks it is fun to be able to show off some unusual sights that tourists don't usually find. He is humble and empathetic and always starts from the customer's wishes and needs. At the same time, he is happy and positive so excursions with Achu are always something to look forward to.

- Excursion to Trivandrum. We start with coffee at Maveli Cafe and after that we visit the large market where you can buy spices, tea and vegetables. We also go into one of the city's largest Ganesha temples where coconuts are offered to Ganesha. We have lunch at Velvet Dawn which is a Swedish/Indian restaurant where Indian food gets a Swedish twist.

- Excursion to a temple where we will participate in a religious Puja, light candles at a candlelight ceremony. We will also stop at some important monuments and statues. We will eat at a nice traditional Indian restaurant along the way.

Travel facts

Included in the price:
- 12 days / 11 nights
- Two yoga classes/day except arrival day & departure day when there is a class. Total 22 sessions (Hathayoga and calm Yinyoga with pranayama (breathing exercises))
- Yoga mat that you can take home if you want
- Two meals per day. On the day of arrival we will have dinner together
- Transfer to and from the airport in Trivandrum
- Two excursion days

Not included in the price:
- Flights

Single room: Can be booked for a surcharge that is displayed when you click on Book on request.

Travel: Flight to Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) International Airport (TRV). Normally you fly out of Sweden the day before and land the night/morning on the day the program starts. You should fly home the night/morning after the last day of the program.
You book your own flights, please contact us if you would like tips and advice.

Minimum number of participants: The minimum number to arrange the trip is 5 participants. Do not buy a flight ticket before we have notified you that the minimum number has been reached.

Transfers: Transfers to and from the airport are included in the price. If you land earlier than the rest of the group, you may have to wait for the others, and if your flight home departs later than the rest, you may have to wait at the airport for your departure on your return trip.

Yoga equipment: Yoga mats are available on site, you may keep them.

Special diets: Please write in the Miscellaneous section when booking.

Currency: Indian Rupees (INR). Cash works best in most cases. Can be withdrawn with, for example, Visa cards at ATMs. Check with your bank that your card is accepted before you travel.

Passport and visa: Check your passport! The passport needs 6 months of remaining validity when you travel to the country.
A visa is required for travel to India. Visa and Covid regulations change from time to time, so we recommend that you read the latest information on the Indian embassy's website. There you can also apply for an e-visa or apply in the traditional way. Be there in good time, the processing time can be long. For further information, please contact the Indian embassy.

Other:
- Check your travel and cancellation insurance. We offer good insurance, read more when you fill out your booking request.
- Check in good time which vaccinations you need to take.
- The climate is so warm that you don't need to bring a lot of clothes with you. Maybe a liquid substitute can be good to have.
- Environmentally friendly detergent in a small bottle, to wash clothes with.
- Rubber gloves if necessary when washing.
- Sunscreen, sun hat, sunglasses, sandals, mosquito repellent.
- Thin shirt, thin pants, thin dress. No short-sleeved or low-cut tops.
- Scarf, notebook, pen, small backpack.
- Indian rupees and a working ATM card.
- Wet wipes
- If for any reason you are unable to attend a meal or activity, we will not reimburse you. We recommend that you discuss this with your insurance company.

India – Yoga retreat in Kovalam, Kerala

| 2025-10-04 |