12 Days Awakening Detox and Yoga Retreat in Surat Thani, Thailand

Facilities

The accommodation is within walking distance to the center and the beach. You will be accommodated in a standard bungalow with air-conditioner. All of the rooms have their own private bathrooms.

During this retreat, the daily activities run from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday to Saturday. You will have active meditation sessions, activities based on movement, expressions, and music and yoga practice.

The goal of the detox program is to provide a sacred space for your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual renewal and detoxification. The combination of detox and awakening and healing program helps to nourish and support the body, mind, and spirit, whilst providing a healthy, relaxing, and fun holiday experience in a stunning beach front location.

Detox programs in Samma Karuna are gentle, but very powerful. The digestive system is not switched off, as with fasting. It is gently cleansed and the body is refueled with the most potent nutrients available. You will have enough energy to attend as many classes in the program as you wish.

The detox programs are designed to deeply cleanse the body and work on a physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual level, leaving you feeling uplifted and re-energized. Both programs aim for long-term health, not for short-time diet or weight loss. These programs will introduce you to the power of a plant based (vegan) diet.

Prior to the first day of the cleanse, each participant will have an individual meeting with the detox mentor to discuss a personalized program. Your medical history, diet, and lifestyle are taken into account. Your progress during the detox will be closely monitored and programs can be adjusted if needed.

You will have daily meetings with your detox mentor to discuss any challenges you are facing, to learn about what is going on in your mind and body throughout the detox process, to learn nutritional advice about the cleanse, and to learn techniques to optimize your health in the future. In your free time, you can chill in the hammock, spend time on the beach, swim, read, write, draw, meditate, or have a nap.

Qigong

'Qi' means energy and 'gong' means work. Qigong is a practice of connection to our divine essence both through movement of the body and the stillness of the mind. It has its roots in Chinese medicine and martial arts, dating back some 4,000 years. It is believed to be a field of energy which runs through the body and when this energy stagnates, you become sick.

This practice helps to keep it flowing freely. Qigong is an art which helps one to cultivate their vital life force through rhythmic breathing, slow and sometimes rapid movement, and static poses which are held for a period of time, and deep focus.

Yoga

Samma Karuna’s yoga is gentle, spiritual and therapeutic. Suitable for both beginners and experienced practitioners, it incorporates the basics of Hatha yoga with Vinyasa flow and mindful Ujjayi pranayama, allowing the whole process of practice to become mindful and healing.

Itinerary

• Day 1: Arrival day
• Day 2 to 12: 11 Day Ayurvedic Juice Detox program
• Day 13: Departure day

Sample schedule

• 07:15 Vipassana sitting meditation
• 08:30 Yoga practice
• 11:00 Qigong
• 12:00 Break
• 14:30 Activity of the day
• 16:00 Yoga practice
• 17:45 Awakening class and special events

Samma Karuna is located in front of the beaches of Koh Phangan, a paradisiac island in the Gulf of Thailand. The accommodation is nestled amongst palm trees, beautiful beaches, and jungle landscapes with stunning mountain views. Thong Sala city center is only a 15-minute drive away. Crossing the street from the school, you will find an ATM.

Also you will be able to enjoy "Art Café" - a very famous and cozy coffee shop. The shopping villa Srithanu is just a 5-minute walk away and there you can find supermarkets, a recreational aquatic center as well as restaurants serving both local and international food.

Nearby places

• Family Mart Haad Chap Phao, 100 meters
• Srithanu - 5 minutes' walk
• Thong Sala, 5 kilometers - 15 minutes' drive

The Ayurvedic meal plan for the cleanse we offer is personalized according to each person unique set of needs and body type balance and symptoms. Samma Karuna kitchen is also offering you a 100% vegan meals, low fat, low salt, mostly raw, nutritionally balanced, alkaline diet of mostly organic, local exotic fruits, sprouts, vegetables, cereals, nuts, and seeds carefully and lovingly prepared in a simple yet delicious way. The meal plan is supremely nourishing, cleansing, and ultimately satisfying for you to explore, feast on and detox the natural way.

The location of Samma Karuna is also perfect to enjoy the most popular tourist attractions of Koh Phangan. You can experience popular attractions such as diving, trekking, visiting the Thong Sala night market, enjoying Thai cooking classes, dip in the pools, taking a massage shower, resting in beautiful beaches with incredible sunsets, discovering waterfalls, and being amazed by beautiful natural landscapes!

Included in this retreat are six massages or Reiki therapy sessions.

• 2 classes of yoga or qigong per day
• 6 massage or Reiki sessions
• 11 nights accommodation
• Customized program according to different needs
• Daily fresh young coconut water
• Daily support from your detox coach
• Food supplements and superfood
• Full access to Awakening and Healing program with activities throughout the day.
• Meals
• Nutritional guidance after the cleanse
• Personalized consultation and introduction to the detox program upon arrival
• Transfer service to the retreat venue from the pier

Arrival by airplane

Please book your flight to arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK). From there, you may fly to Samui Airport (USM). A connecting ferry will have to be taken from Koh Samui to Koh Phangan.

From Bangkok, you can also fly first to Surat Thani Airport (URT). The transfer from Surat Thani Airport (URT) to Donsak ferry port is by coach or taxi, and takes about one and a half hour. At Donsak, transfer to the Raja ferry to Koh Phangan, which will take about three hours.

Whilst the overall journey is longer than flying directly to Koh Samui, it can be cheaper to fly via Surat Thani, depending on the time of year.

Arrival by bus

There are many bus services from Bangkok to Koh Phangan. Most of these are sleeper buses. They can be booked from travel agencies in Bangkok or by going to the central bus station (Sia Thai).

The journey takes about ten hours to Donsak, the ferry port for boats going to Koh Phangan. From Donsak, the journey takes around three hours to Koh Phangan. Usually, the cost for ferry is included in the price of the bus.

Arrival by ferry

Below are the schedule of ferries that depart from Samui to Koh Phangan:

The Seatran ferry leaves Koh Samui at 8 a.m. and 1 p.m.

The Lomprayah ferry leaves Koh Samui at 8 a.m., 11.15 a.m., 12.30 p.m., and 5 p.m.

The Seatran pier is located near the airport, approximately a ten minute drive and the Lompraya pier is located 50 minutes from the airport while the Lompraya pier is 50 minutes from the airport. Please take this in consideration when booking the rest of your journey. Ferries arrive in Koh Phangan at Thong Sala pier.

Schedule of ferries departing from Koh Phangan to Koh Samui:

The Seatran ferry leaves Koh Phangan at 11 a.m. and 4.30 p.m.

The Lomprayah ferry leaves Koh Phangan at 7.15 a.m., 11 a.m., 12 a.m., and 4.20 p.m.

From Koh Samui airport, there is a shuttle service going to the ferry ports for Koh Phangan (this is usually available as a free service). Please ask for this service when you purchase the ticket for the ferry in the Seatran or Lompraya ferry counter as you exit Koh Samui airport.

Arrival by train

Trains leave Bangkok several times daily, the journey time is about 12 hours. Sleeping booths are available on some services. Leaving the train at Surat Thani, the transfer by coach or taxi from Surat Thani station to Donsak pier takes about one hour. From Donsak, the ferry journey takes three hours to Koh Phangan.

There are two companies that run luxury coach services from Bangkok to Chumphon, which takes about six hours. At Chumphon, you transfer to a large express boat that stops at Koh Tao before arriving at Koh Phangan. The boat journey from Chumphon to Koh Phangan takes about three hours.

Arrival by taxi

Local taxis are available from the pier. Please inform the taxi to go to Samma Karuna Srithanu and print out instructions in Thai to give to the taxi driver. This will avoid any unnecessary delay and frustration. Taxis are approximately 200 to 300 THB per person.