Yoga Retreat FAQs | Tulum | October 18-22, 2023
Where are we staying?
Amansala Eco-Chic Yoga and Wellness Resort
Carr. Tulum-Boca Paila KM 5.5, Tulum Beach, Zona Hotelera, 77766 Q.R.
What is it like?
Amansala is named in Sanskrit after Tulum's peaceful, crystal clear waters; to this day, it is still one of Tulum's most iconic, eco-chic boutique hotels and best beachfront hotels. It is founded on the belief that a vacation is when you return home looking and feeling better than when you left. Truly the best place to stay in Tulum.
Each room embodies the essence of Tulum using smooth cement, Mayan stone, and centuries-old wooden columns; multiple staircases weave together and connect the various spaces, giving the feel of a modern-day Swiss Family Robinson treehouse.
We’ll take full advantage of the gorgeous open-air yoga shalas, hosting our morning and evening practice while listening to the waves crash on the shore.
During free time, you can choose between ultimate relaxation lounging by the pool or at the beach club. If adventure is more your style, Amansala offers a multitude of activities each day, including: ice baths, tours to the ruins or mangroves, and Tamazcal ceremonies (available upon checking-in).
How do we get there?
FLIGHTS
Plan to fly into the Cancun (CAN) airport.
SHUTTLE TRANSFERS
At the airport, a driver will be holding an Amansala sign as you exit please check-in and give your full name. Expect to share a shuttle with other folks from different groups also staying at Amansala.
To ensure smooth transfers, please ensure you have shared your travel details with Amansala HERE.
What currency is preferred?
Using pesos is preferred throughout Tulum and you will earn the best exchange rates. I personally like to stop at the ATM within the airport, pay the one time fee, and take out what I believe will be suitable for the duration of the trip. Keep in mind that your room and gratuity, daily AC, group activities (massage, cenote tour, and clay meditation), and group meals are all covered by your retreat cost.
Additional spending may include: alcoholic beverages, snacks and food outside group meals, local shopping, offsite meals, etc.
For our time at Amansala, you will be able to charge most of your extras to your card on file, if that’s what you prefer.
Towels, washcloths, and bedding are all provided with your room reservation
All meals except one off-site dinner are included
Access to the pool
Yoga mats, blocks, and straps are provided, you are also welcome to bring your own
Wifi available throughout the resort
AC in rooms
**NOTE: Additional snacks, drinks, + alcohol are available as add-ons that you will be responsible for covering
What are the amenities?
In the morning before practice, brewed coffee and tea is served alongside fresh fruit. Every meal is served with a delicious chilled tea infusion or flavored water of the day.
After practice, we will enjoy a brunch buffet with options to suit every palate and dietary needs.
Afternoon snack is available around 2:30pm and dinner will be served after our evening practice.
All meals are included with the exception of one offsite dinner that you are invited to venture off into town on your own to try one of Tulum’s many amazing local beach restaurants.
You can expect fresh prepared food daily: fruit, a variety of fish, tacos, quesadillas, steak, pasta, salads, etc. Your tastebuds will be delighted!
**NOTE: Smoothies, juices, and other drinks along with espresso margaritas, wine, beer, can be ordered at anytime, and placed on your bill, and taken care of at the time of check out.
What will the food be like?
Wednesday
2:30pm — Welcome Snack, Arrival + Check-in
5pm — Welcome Circle + Restorative Yoga Practice
7pm — Dinner | Welcome orientation during dessert
Thursday
8am — Light Breakfast
9am — Meditation, Flow, + Mindset Training
11am — Brunch
11:45am — Tour Gran Cenote
2:30pm — Snack
6pm — Restore
7:30pm — Dinner
Friday
8am — Light Breakfast
9am — Meditation, Flow, + Mindset Training
11am — Brunch
2:30pm — Snack
6pm — Restore
7:30pm — Dinner
Saturday
8am — Light Breakfast
9am — Meditation, Flow, + Mindset Training
11am — Brunch
2:30pm — Snack
3pm — Mayan Clay Meditation
6pm — Restore + Mind Gym
7:30pm — Dinner (on your own—explore the rich offerings of Tulum)
Sunday
8am — Light Breakfast
9am — Meditation, Flow, + Mindset Training
11am — Brunch
12pm — Checkout + Goodbyes
We will have daily meditation, yoga practice, and mindset practices. On each full day, the group will enjoy a healthy breakfast together, lunch, and dinner with midday free time to explore the beauty Tulum has to offer.
Included in your experience is a 55-minute massage, a cleansing clay meditation, and an excursion to one of the many cenotes (swimming holes). Upon arrival you will need to schedule the best time/day for your massage.
What is our schedule?
What will the weather be like?
You can expect average daily temperatures of 80-86°F while visiting Tulum in October. When the sun goes down, the temperatures in Tulum drop, but not by much. Nighttime temperatures in Tulum average about 75-80°F. Your room will have AC if you need to cool off.
Comfortable yoga clothes for five days; eight yoga practices
Shoes + sandals for day-time adventures
Preferred undergarments
Flashlight/headlamp if you want to wander during the evenings
Lightweight Pool Towel or Sarong / Cover Up
Bathing suit(s) if you choose to enjoy the pool and beach
Sunscreen, sunglasses + hat
Journal + pen
Reusable water bottle
Toiletries, feminine products + medication, if needed
Good book(s)
Small packaged snacks to supplement between meals
Yoga props: yoga mat, blocks and straps are provided—you are welcome to bring your own
Wide open heart + mind 💗
Suggested Packing List
VISIT TULUM’S ARCHEOLOGICAL RUINS
The Tulum Archeological Site is an impressive 13th-century cliff-top Mayan city which is the highlight of any trip to Tulum. Set 12-meters high overlooking the shimmering Caribbean sea, the ruins are the perfect backdrop for photos.
The 5-meter tall walls that surrounded the city, may have something to do with the name Tulum, which is the Maya word for fence.
Some important structures at the Tulum ruins are the Templo Dios del Viento or Temple of the God of the Wind, Pyramid El Castillo, Temple of the Descending God, and the Temple of the Frescoes.
Gates open at 8 AM, and the lines can be long so I recommend arriving early or you can also join a guided tour.
EXPLORE TULUM PUEBLO (EL CENTRO)
Tulum is actually split up into 3 different areas, all commonly described as “Tulum”, which can make things a bit confusing for first time visitors: Tulum Town (El Centro), Tulum Beach (where we’re staying), and Tulum Ruins, as mentioned above.
Rent a bike to explore town for as little as $5-10 per day, a few good places to stop in Tulum Town to get a feel for local Mexican life include:
La Chiapaneca for street tacos
Del Cielo for breakfast or brunch
Huerto del Eden if you love fresh juice and coffee
Tulum is a popular shopping destination too. Boutique shops sell souvenirs, traditional Mayan clothing, and even some eclectic & bohemian Western designs.
Some popular stores to visit in Tulum:
You’ll also find great buys at the street-lined stalls. Be prepared to pay Western prices though.
JOIN A TEMEZCAL CEREMONY
One very unique thing to do in Tulum while getting a taste of Mayan culture is take part in a Temazcal ceremony. This traditional Mayan ceremony of purification takes place in a tiny hut made of stone or wood. You strip down to your underwear (or swimsuit), and enter the sweat lodge which is heated with hot rocks & water, turning it into a steamy sauna.
The ceremony is led by a local shaman, who conducts the ritual and takes care of participants. The temazcal ceremony takes place in complete darkness, as the shaman pours water over the hot rocks, chanting and using different herbs to summon spirits.
Temazcal was performed since ancient times, and seen as a purification ceremony that cleans the body, mind, and soul. As your body is sweating in the tiny hut, you enter a deep state of meditation, enhanced by the shamanic chanting.
Our resort offers a Tamazcal ceremony on Friday night if you are interested in booking directly, during check-in your can add this onto your experience for $85.
What to do?
Visitors should be aware that Tulum experiences a Sargassum season, between spring and summer when temperatures rise. Sargassum (or sargasso in Spanish) is a leafy, greenish-brown algae. When it washes ashore, it begins to decompose and releases hydrogen sulfide gas which has an unpleasant smell that resembles rotten eggs.
The seaweed originates in the Sargasso Sea which is in the middle of the Atlantic, due to the warming water temperatures – a direct result of the climate change.
Most beaches are cleared regularly; however, there is still a chance that you will experience some seaweed on the beach and in the water. For the latest updates on conditions, you can review the recents posts HERE.