The Radiant Hand Northern Thailand Healing Yoga Retreat 2024
We are presenting a unique opportunity for an exclusive boutique, healing yoga retreat experience in Chiang Mai, Thailand, The Land of Smiles, 2024.
This year, in the Year of The Dragon, we are including an exciting week of discovery in the Old City of Chiang Mai, as well as a 5 star luxury week at our homestay in Hang Dong. Combined, these two weeks will give all avid travellers a full experience and a wonderful opportunity of what Northern Thailand has to offer, from cultural to gastronomic. This will be a healing, inspiring and exciting journey for all to experience, which you will remember with many memories of joy and happiness for years to come.
Week One; The Ancient ‘Old City’ of Chiang Mai: Sunday 3rd November - Sunday 10 November 2024.
Our journey will begin in the cultural centre of Thailand, Chiang Mai, within the walls of the Old City.
This week will offer the opportunity to experience and explore the wonders and delights of the ancient Old City of Chiang Mai. Our accommodation will be in a traditional Thai family run guest house, with its own shala and swimming pool, which is located in a prime location within the walls of the Old City, where everything is available within walking distance. We hope to help in bringing back some of the nostalgic days, of old school travelling (before there were smart phones!). All rooms overlook the pool; each room comes with its own ensuite bathroom with hot water showers, air-conditioning, fridge and TV. Towels will be provided and there is free WiFi all over the property. This week will be half board, breakfast and dinner included, and daily water.
From here you can explore the city by foot, with its bustling and exciting cultural atmosphere, its ever growing and expanding cafe/coffee scene, its infamous Night Markets, and some of the oldest temples in Thailand, all located within the walls and ancient gates of the Old City. Or take an experience, by having a Northern Style Thai Massage or a day trek to Don Inthanon National Park, to see the twin stupas and the stunning mountain scenery, visit a traditional Hill Tribe, take a trip to one of the many waterfalls, or grab some of the many different and delicious foods from street vendors.
Exclusively for this week, is a mid week trip to stay overnight in the mountains, in a traditional village of the Karen people, called Pong Noi. Here there will be village elephants, that are looked after by the villagers to slowly help them reintegrate back into the wild (re-wilding). On the following morning, we will feed them and walk the elephants into the National Park. There will be morning yoga in the mountains on a purpose built yoga platform, overlooking the Sea of Clouds. Afterwards, we will spend the morning having breakfast in the mountains, with a traditional Karen village weaving workshop where you will be taught traditional weaving and make an item to take home. We will then embark on a small trek through the jungle to the hot springs, finishing off the day with another session of yoga, hot spring bathing and dinner at the hot springs before we are shuttled back to the Old City.
Week Two; Into the Hang Dong & Loy Krathong Festival, The Festival of Lights, Sunday 10 November - Sunday 17 November 2024
Week 2 will take us out of the mainstream, as we say goodbye to the exciting hustle & bustle of the Old City & take a deep dive into the peaceful, picturesque and rural countryside of the surrounding area of Chiang Mai, specifically, the Hang Dong district.
Hang Dong, is a truly amazing place to absorb, rejuvenate and fully relax in the luxurious accommodation and experience. We will be staying with our wonderful friends and hosts, Patrick & Nathalie, in their beautiful homestay. The properties are two traditional teak style Thai houses, set on a prime riverside location, ideal for shanti (peace) and positive flowing energy. It is here you can heal, contemplate and meditate in the beautiful surroundings of the yoga shala and manicured gardens. Allow yourself to experience and absorb the peace & tranquility and spoil yourself with the wonderful 5 star accommodation, hospitality and facilities. Chill by one of the pools or have a cool drink in one of the many communal areas. The property is split over two sites which are joined together via the gardens, and there are two pools. All rooms are in the traditional Thai teak wood style and overlook the pools. They are ensuite, with hot water, air conditioning, TV and a fridge. Towels will be provided and daily cleaning. This week will be full board, which includes breakfast, lunch and dinner and daily water.
This week will have an exciting timetable of excursions, a visit to a local temple and a blessing from the head abbot, trips to local rural markets, and traditional arts & crafts workshops like the infamous Celadon Pottery Studios. A 2 hour traditional Thai massage is included in this week, as well as a visit to a local waterfall for a wild swim & a trip to Doi Saket for Lantern Festival and the release of thousands of lanterns.
During this week, it will be Loy Krathong, or the Festival Of Lights, which is the famous Thailand festival, that comes with the release of thousands of floating lanterns. We are in the process of finalising our retreat excursions for this special festival period and will include all details at the end of February/beginning of March 2024. You won’t be disappointed!!
As we want to keep this exclusive retreat special, personal and intimate, both weeks have limited availability, especially week 2 where we only have space for 8 guests.
Retreat Centres
This year we have two amazing, unique experiences for you.
The first week, our destination and stay will be in a traditional Thai family run style Guesthouse, run by Dao and her family since 1987.
Set in a prime location in the Old City, to give you the experience of nostalgic old school travelling and the opportunity to explore the exciting Old City markets & ancient temples by foot.
In week two, let your every need be taken care of in our luxury homestay resort, new to The Radiant Hand, this November.
Our accommodation in Hang Dong district, is exclusively set on a prime location on the riverside, and maintains the luxury of a 5 Star homestay, combined with the personal touch and warm hospitality of our friends & hosts, Patrick & Nathalie.
Nestled in lush, green manicured gardens filled with flowers, and situated on the riverside, you can’t help but feel at one with nature here, and yet our stunning retreat centre is located just 20 minutes from the centre of the vibrant city of Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand and 30 minutes from the international airport.
Spend your time lounging by one of the two spectacular swimming pools, enjoy the beautiful communal spaces this homestay has to offer or simply sit on your terrace with a book overlooking the pool.
Accommodation
Week One, Old City stay, Chiang Mai. All rooms are pool view & are solo occupancy.
Week Two, Hang Dong 5 Star Homestay, Chiang Mai. Rooms are pool, river or garden view & are joint occupancy.
Week One, Old City Stay, Chiang Mai, Thailand 2024
Week One, Old City Stay, Chiang Mai, Thailand 2024
Week Two Hang Dong, 5 Star, Luxury Homestay, 2024
Week Two Hang Dong, 5 Star, Luxury Homestay, 2024
Food
The retreat is vegetarian Thai/Continental food.
Week One, Chiang Mai Old City stay
Half Board, Vegetarian Breakfast & Lunch Included.
Breakfast will be Continental/Thai, with tea, coffee, fruit juices or fruit shakes. Lunch will be vegetarian Thai homecooked food, with tea, coffee, fruit juices or fruit shakes. Dinner is at your own discovery from many of the local restaurants or street food vendors, which Chiang Mai is famous for. You can check out the famous pancake seller who has a Michellin Star from 2021 -2024, her pancakes are divine!!!
Thailand is renowned for its fantastic, healthy cuisine. Not only delicious, Thai food uses an abundance of flavoursome ingredients such as turmeric, galangal, ginger, lemon juice, coconut milk which work together to boost immunity, fight inflammation and speed up metabolism. Explore Thailand's amazing cuisine when exploring the Old City, by day and by night.
Week Two, Hang Dong 5 star Homestay
Full Board, Vegetarian Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included
The culinary experience starts each day with a fresh juice before yoga. Snacks are then available throughout the morning, including fruit, yoghurt, vegetarian sandwiches etc. This is followed by a magnificant lunch, which runs into the early afternoon. Once you have worked up an appetite after the late afternoon yoga session, a gourmet dinner follows in the early evening.
On Wednesday night, we will be visiting Chiang Mai night market, so there won't be an evening meal at the homestay that evening. The night market is a spectacular experience, with the chance to try out all manner of Thai street food... you certainly won't go hungry!
Yoga
About the teacher…
Both weeks will be led by Kristian Stephan (GuruDev) E-RYT 500 and SYTYP, teacher of 30 years, & Founder of The Radiant Hand, The Radiant Hand Academy of Yoga & Radiant Therapies. All classes will be structured for all levels to help you to destress, offload, deepen your practice and take your personal healing journey to a deeper level. You will be personally guided by this very knowledgeable and experienced teacher, where you will be challenged, guided & supported to reach your personal goals and successes, immersed through a medium of joy & laughter. Through his compassionate, highly intuitive practice and devotion to his subject, all students will be supported by his unshakable faith, enthusiasm & passion for yoga but through his often humorous, playful & spontaneous approach to teaching & to Life itself.
This retreat will offer a unique combination of Classical Dynamic and Anahata Agni Hotra styles, through which GuruDev will be guiding and supporting each and every one of you on an awe inspiring journey of healing & self-evolution.
There will also be the opportunity to engage in daily satsangs (group audiences) with GuruDev, to give you an opportunity to ask questions and further one's ‘sadhana’ or spiritual practice, as well as being introduced to other spiritual healing disciplines like Tai Chi, Qi Gong, chanting, mindfulness and awareness, appreciation and gratitude practices. These disciplines will teach one to enhance and better one’s life, all through GuruDev’s considered and consistent teaching and guidance. All these elements will be included and be part of the scheduled sessions & experiences for each week.
There will be 10 yoga classes over each week; 2 per day, with 1 day off per week for a full-day excursion.
Activities & Excursions
Week One: Old City Stay, Chiang Mai
Exclusively for this week, is a mid week trip to stay overnight in the mountains in a traditional village of the Karen people, called Pong Noi. Here there will be village elephants, that are looked after by the villagers to slowly help them reintegrate back into the wild (re-wilding) On the following morning, we will feed them and walk the elephants into the National Park. There will be morning yoga in the mountains, on the purpose built yoga platform, overlooking the Sea of Clouds. Afterwards, we will spend the morning having breakfast in the mountains, with a traditional Karen village weaving workshop where you will be taught traditional weaving and make an item to take home. After lunch, we will embark on a small trek through the jungle to the hot springs, finishing off the day with another session of yoga & hot spring bathing before we are shuttled back to the Old City in time for dinner.
During this week you have ample opportunities to explore, the guesthouse can arrange day trips on your day off, where you can have a guided tour & visit Chiang Rai or Doi Inthanon National Park. On other days, you can do half day trips to Doi Suthep, which will also include a trip to Wat Suen Dok which is an ancient Royal temple associated with the ancient Lanna Kingdom, a visit to the Arts & Cultural Halls, which gives a history of Chiang Mai, finishing at Wat Chiang Man, the first temple built in the Old City. Or you may prefer to go visit one of the beautiful waterfalls like "Sticky Waterfalls" in Bua Tong for a wild swim, or just spend the day in one of the many buzzing cafes all over Chiang Mai, now world famous, for its Northern Thailand jungle coffee scene. There really is so much to explore and discover, you won't be lost for options for things to do, see & experience.
Week Two: Hang Dong Homestay, Chiang Mai
This week is lead up to two most amazing and beautiful festivals in Thailand. The first is Yi Peng Festival on the 15 & 16 November & Loy Krathong or The Festival Of Lights on the 16 November. Yi Peng is also known as The Chiang Mai Lantern Festival.
Our homestay week with our hosts Patrick & Nathalie will be a week of interesting sights and excursions, intermingled with your yoga practices. This week includes visits to local makets, wild swimming at a waterfall and natural beauty spot, a trip to a mountain cafe to try the famous Northern Thailand Fried Tea Leaves, a 2 hour Thai massage for you to indulge in on any day during your stay, cooking class for your day off, or just chill by one of the two pools, a visit to the famous Celadon Pottery Village and Studios. Spoil yourself with the great food Nathalie organises to make sure your stay is perfectly blissful and so much more... We will end our week celebrating in style, with the festival of Loy Krathong, and Ye Peng festivals which are world famous and are a once in a lifetime experience.
To experience being part of this beautiful culture, with the friendliest people in the world, releasing your own lantern & watching thousands of lanterns also being released into the sky, is a sight and a feeling one will remember & treasure for the rest of one's life. The act of releasing the lantern symbolises letting go of bad luck and misfortunes from the past year and wishing good fortunes in the coming year. Buddhists believe if you make a wish whilst releasing the lantern, your wish will come true. Yi Peng Festival is considered the most magical festival in Thailand.
What is included...???
What’s Included???
Week 1 is Half Board includes breakfast & lunch (vegetarian Continental & Thai), daily water, towels
- 7 nights ensuite accommodation in a Thai family style guesthouse.
- Solo occupancy
- Pool facing room
- 10 x yoga classes
- Midweek excursion to Poi Nong village in the mountains, with elephant experience and hot springs.
- Daily opportunities for informal discussions and questions with GuruDev
- Unlimited water
- Unlimited use of swimming pool
- Free WiFi
- Transfers to and from the airport (or to Hang Dong, if participating in both Week 1 & Week 2)
Week 2 is Full Board, includes breakfast, lunch & dinner (vegetarian Continental & Thai), daily water, towels.
- 7 nights luxury ensuite accommodation in a private homestay
- Joint occupancy
- River or garden facing room
- 10 x yoga classes
- 2 hour Thai Massage
- All excursions, mountain day, temple, Chiang Mai night market, celadon pottery workshop, Yi Peng & Loy Krathong Festivals
- Daily opportunities for informal discussions and questions with GuruDev
- Unlimited water and herbal tea
- Unlimited use of swimming pool
- Free WiFi
- Transfers to and from the airport
What’s NOT included??
Flights, travel insurance, yoga mats, laundry, alcoholic beverages, week 1 excursions beyond the overnight elephant trip.
Getting there
The closest airport is Chiang Mai International.
Airport transfers from and to Chang Mai International Airport are included in the price of the retreat.
Prices
Week One: Old City Stay, Chiang Mai
Price: £945 per person
Week Two: Hang Dong Homestay, Chiang Mai**
Price: £1995 per person
*Both weeks together we are offering a discount of £100*
For both weeks: £2840 per person *would normally be £2940 per person.
**limited availability Week 2, only 7 rooms left.
To reserve your place on this retreat, please book on our website or via The Radiant Hand App (under Courses and Retreats tab).
Click on the package that resonates with you the most, Week 1 or Week 2 or Week 1 & 2, to put down a non-refundable deposit for this truly amazing retreat. Non-refundable deposits need to be paid by 15th May 2024. Outstanding balances need to be paid by 1st October 2024.
Non-refundable deposit prices:
Week 1 only: £380
Week 2 only: £800
Weeks 1 and 2: £1150
*** We will be confirming places after 15th May 2024, so please do not book any flights until you have received a personal confirmation email after that date ***
To organise a payment plan, please email us [email protected] and we will organise this with you.
I have recently returned from The Radiant Hand's yoga retreat in Chiang Mai, and it was an experiene that left me rejuvenated, both mentally and physically. The retreat, wonderfully organised in every aspect, offered the perfect mix of nourishing and challenging yoga sessions - all led by Gurudev, our yoga instructor, whose expertise and intuitive teaching style always stands out. Throughout the week, I witnessed significant improvements in my yoga technique and strength, thanks to his thoughtful guidance - and encouragement from all my lovely fellow yogis!
Liz Allen, Thailand, 2023
The Radiant Hand retreat in Sri Lanka surpassed my expectations. In the yoga classes I felt supported and able to push my practice up a level. The food and location was amazing and it was a very nourishing experience. I came back feeling refreshed and energised and it’s a memory I hold dear to this day. I’m really grateful that I gifted myself the time and space on the retreat, and I would thoroughly recommend it.
Emma Corbett, Spectacular Sri Lanka, 2017
I really enjoyed the retreat I attended in Spain with The Radiant Hand. It was a great opportunity to take time off with like minded people and give back to myself. I felt totally rejuvenated and found it to be a transformative experience, with the added fun of going on holiday.
Brodie Leithhead, Spain, 2018
I have enjoyed many a long weekend retreat with the Radiant Hand over the years. The yoga classes are carefully balanced and varied throughout to challenge and inspire, but also heavenly relaxing and nurturing. The meals are delicious and plentiful and after long walks and laughs throughout the days, we collapse into comfy beds for long deep sleeps. We return to London and our busy lives rejuvenated, relaxed and glowing with new skills and friendships. If you have the chance to go away with the Radiant Hand, you won’t regret it. The team are caring, knowledgeable and keen to share their love of yoga with you, no matter what your experience or ability.
Rebecca Lyle, Women Only Divine Shakti Retreats & Winter Retreats
