TRAVEL Q&A
Lotus Position, Latin-Style

By Andrea Sachs
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, November 19, 2006; Page P03

Q. Do you have any recommendations for a week-long yoga vacation in Latin America? Preferably something that combines yoga instruction with free time to explore.

Heather Joffe, Washington

A. Yoga vacations exercise the mind and the body, with an equal share of spirituality and sporty endeavors. "A yoga retreat is good for anyone interested in nature, fitness, personal growth and spirituality," says Helen Tomei, founder of Sacred Earth Journeys (877-874-7922, http://www.sacredearthjourneys.ca/), a Vancouver company that organizes yoga vacations. "It is an inner journey and an outer journey."

For a more meditative trip, consider an ashram, such as the Siddha Yoga ashrams in Mexico and Costa Rica ( http://www.siddhayoga.org/). The Art of Union ( http://www.artofunion.com/) organizes spiritual trips in Costa Rica. The group's "evolutionary retreat" (Dec. 27-Jan. 10) takes guests from Mount Chirripo to the Pacific Ocean and the Diamante Verde Spiritual Sanctuary for yoga, sacred song singing, etc. Cost is $1,100 per person, land only.

To get off the yoga mat and onto the beach, sign up with a group tour that incorporates active adventures into the itinerary. "Our purpose is for people to have an inner shift," says Michele Hebert, founder of Spa Spirit (858-459-0880, http://www.spaspirit.com/), which organizes retreats and workshops. "But we also want to have fun."

Sacred Earth Journeys has a yoga and sea kayaking vacation in Baja California, Mexico, for $1,295 per person double. Spa Spirit's Hebert leads yoga groups to the Haramara Retreat Center in Sayulita, Mexico, and Rancho La Puerta in Tecate, Mexico. Besides yoga, the ranch offers tennis and other resort attractions. Info: 800-443-7565, http://www.rancholapuerta.com/; all-inclusive weekly rates start at $2,535 double. Along the same lines is Maya Tulum Resort (888-515-4580, http://www.mayatulum.com/) on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, with all-inclusive rates from $1,128 per person double. For other retreat centers worldwide: YogaFinder, http://www.yogafinder.com/.