For over two decades, Samahita Retreat has been the home of Yoga and breathwork in Thailand. Rooted in tradition yet alive with innovation, its YogaCoreCycle programme blends asana, pranayama, meditation, and functional fitness. Nick Rice experiences a 3-day reset to the rhythm of the sea.
The first thing that appealed upon arrival at Samahita Retreat wasn’t the glistening pool or the beachfront Shala, but the familial hum of the place. Tucked away on Koh Samui’s quieter southern coast, far from the thrum of busy bars and motorbikes, the retreat feels like a deep exhale. I came for three days of Yoga and fitness, expecting structure and sweat. What I found was something more expansive: a flow of practice and rest, a vibrant international community, and a rare sense of balance between revered tradition and contemporary lifestyle.
Dawn by the Sea
Each morning began in silence, which is observed by everyone until 10am. I padded across from my comfortable room to the open-air beachfront Shala, just as the horizon glowed pink.
The soundtrack was always the same: waves lapping against the shore, birds shifting in the palms.
Yoga sessions unfolded with welcome authenticity. These weren’t watered- down hotel classes, but serious practices rooted in breath and awareness, led with patience and clarity. We moved deliberately, syncing body to breath, pausing often to sit in stillness.
Each session targeted different areas—one day spinal work, another day focusing on hips and shoulders. The teaching team was skilled at offering modifications, making the
classes equally engaging for seasoned practitioners and beginners. For me, this was the anchor of each day: grounding and energising.
Muay Thai, Cycling and Circuits
If the mornings cultivated inward focus, the afternoons flipped to outward power. One highlight was the Muay Thai training with the ever cheerful trainer, So. The dynamic flurries of punches, kicks, elbows, and knees on the pads, sweat mixing with salt air, felt far from aggressive—it was more playful, cathartic, and surprisingly
meditative—movement distilled into presence.
Cycling and circuit training sessions carried the same vitality. You can enjoy self-led cycle sessions on brand new Schwinn bikes overlooking the beach or circuits with So, who guides you from kettlebells to resistance bands to bodyweight drills. The sessions were tough, but adaptable, leaving space for different levels of strength and stamina. By the time we collapsed into stretches, every muscle felt alive.
Samahita integrates these high-energy sessions into the broader retreat. This wasn’t fitness tacked on as an afterthought; it felt woven into the philosophy of balance: yin and yang, stillness and fire.
Directly after the intense fitness sessions I relished the quiet magic of Restorative Yoga. These slower, longer-hold sessions encouraged the body to soften and the nervous system to let go. Sometimes we held gentle positions supported by props, sometimes we moved slowly through postures, but always the emphasis was on releasing tension. The sound of the ocean just beyond the Shala made the final seated moments of breathwork and meditation especially calming.
Global Pranayama Gathering
During my stay, Samahita’s founder, Dr. Paul Dallaghan, was onsite leading his annual three-week pranayama course. Around 40 students from across the world had gathered for this intensive training, creating an unusually convivial atmosphere. Though I wasn’t enrolled in the course, I found myself sharing meals and conversations with participants from Europe, Australia, Asia, and North America, each with their own stories of practice and travel.
That global mix transformed the retreat from a private wellness getaway into something richer. Breakfasts stretched with discussions of Yoga, science, and life; dinners spilled over with laughter. I was struck by how naturally people gelled here—nothing forced nor performative,
Versatility in Practice
The YogaCoreCycle is far more than a schedule of classes—it’s a holistic immersion that touches upon body, breath, and mind, in a way that left me deeply restored.
“Samahita isn’t just a retreat—it’s a rhythm of breath, movement, and stillness. A place where balance, community, and conscious living converge, restoring connection to body, mind, and soul.”
Food as Celebration
Samahita’s dining area overlooks the beach and mealtimes were wonderful. Served buffet-style, the food was fresh, balanced, and abundant. Tropical fruit (the mangos and papayas must be nectar of the Thai Gods) and warming curries appeared alongside vibrant salads and nourishing soups. Everything was prepared with flavour and flair, and crucially, with care. This was not a diet of deprivation, but a celebration of what food can do to restore and sustain.
Eating by the sea, sharing tables with new friends, was a real treat. Food wasn’t just fuel, it was a continuation of the retreat’s rhythm: conscious, joyful, shared.
Samahita, which in Sanskrit means settled; composed; collected, has designed the YCC programme as a year-round, all-inclusive retreat: one simple rate covers not just accommodation and meals, but also full access to the entire schedule of Yoga, fitness, breathwork, and meditation classes (a 3-day retreat costs between £300-£700 depending on room choice).
There is also a complimentary steam room and ice plunge pool, plus access to a well-priced range of massage treatments and facilities such as an infra-red sauna and a flotation tank. You can step into the YCC at any time of the year, whether for three days or three weeks, and immediately feel at home in a welcome haven of wellbeing.
Throughout the year there is also a fascinating schedule of other retreats available too, such as ‘The Alchemy of Becoming, a Yoga and Sufi Retreat”, by Ayeda Husain and Nadia Faruki, or “PRIMAL MOVES™ Movement
Training” by Nick Brewer. Gill Breetzke, Director of Programmes and Senior Yoga Teacher says, “We usually have two programmes running at a time—always the YCC, plus a variety of other offerings, including teacher trainings, guest teachers such as Richard Freeman and Mary Taylor, and other groups from all over the world. We encourage a sense of community and meals are a community space and our evening meditations, full moon fires, and other offerings are open to all. Our wonderful team help to keep the atmosphere that makes people feel like family for their time here.”
A Holistic Reset
In just three days, the YCC programme gave me a reset on multiple levels. It wasn’t only about sweating in a workout or deepening a backbend. It was about restoring some balance: the interplay of effort and ease, movement and stillness, discipline and joy. The Yoga steadied my breath and focus; the Muay Thai and fitness reawakened strength I’d neglected. The food nourished, the beach soothed, and the international gang was fun and enriching. Most retreats promise renewal. Samahita delivered something subtler: connection. Connection to body and breath, to a lineage of practice, and to a global community of seekers. For anyone looking to reconnect with themselves through Yoga, breath, and mindful movement, even a short stay here offers a transformative experience.
Visit www.samahitaretreat. com for details on a wide range of Yoga training and wellness retreats
Nick Rice is a seasoned editor, writer, and communications consultant. His assignments are eclectic, ranging from travel reports through to high profile interviews. Passionate about Yoga, meditation and personal growth, he often explores these practices in his work.
Words: Nick Rice
