Picture this: you're on a secluded beach, the sun warming your face as a gentle breeze tickles the back of your neck, the tide rolling in rhythmically not far from your feet. You feel focused, relaxed, and in tune with yourself and your surroundings.

Sounds like a yogi's paradise, doesn't it? The practice of yoga has much to do with discovering new frontiers, both physically and mentally--so it's no surprise that travel can help deepen your yoga practice. A yoga retreat in a beautiful and faraway tropical location is the perfect way to cultivate new experiences, both inward and out. Many retreats combine yoga practice with other fun nature activities, such as forest hikes, horseback riding, and wildlife tours. Or if you'd prefer to just take a yoga class or two on your trip, there are plenty of hotels that offer single classes.

As we derive benefits from the environment when practicing yoga in a pristine natural setting, it makes sense to return that kindness by traveling responsibly. As we mention on our Sustainable Yoga Travel activity page, sustainability and yoga are natural partners--sustainable travel emphasizes new and authentic experiences in harmony with nature and local cultures, which is in tune with the classic yogic principles of peace, balance, and conscientiousness.

Choosing a sustainable hotel or tour operator makes a huge difference to the environment and to the local community whose home you are visiting. This is because sustainable businesses, like those in our sustainable tourism directory, have made a demonstrated commitment to best practices such as reducing waste, managing consumption of natural resources, protecting wildlife, and paying their employees fair wages. It's important to book your retreat at a sustainable hotel, or with a tour operator that includes sustainable hotels in their itineraries, to make sure your trip has a positive impact on the destination you'll be enjoying on your journey to yogic bliss.

Below we've included few key destinations for sustainable yoga travelers. Or, grab your mat and head to any of these sustainable destinations offering yoga in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Samasati Nature Retreat This eco-resort is nestled in a tropical rainforest on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. They offer several options for yoga practitioners including daily yoga classes, one-week yoga and meditation retreats, and yoga teacher trainings.

Bodhi Surf School How's this for new experiences: a combined yoga and surf retreat! The school has its own yoga instructor who specializes in Asthanga, Vinyasa, and Anusara yoga. No prior experience is needed in either yoga or surfing, so this retreat may be more appealing for beginner and intermediate practitioners.

Banyan Tree Mayakoba This strikingly beautiful and high-end resort on Mexico's famed Riviera Maya offers several daily yoga and meditation classes for beginner, intermediate, and advanced practitioners. There are also special yoga classes for aching backs and golfers.

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