8-Day Lakeside Yoga Escape at Laguna de Apoyo, Nicaragua

The shape of each day is simple: a morning session and an evening session, with a long open middle. The guided classes mix slower movement, breathwork and relaxation, and the teacher adapts them on the spot to whoever has turned up — so a complete beginner and someone who's practised for years can be on adjacent mats and both get what they need. There's no sequence you're expected to 'achieve'; the point is to actually feel your breath and body rather than perform.

What makes this one different from a packed studio retreat is how much is deliberately left empty. The hosts run the same programme in lengths from four to nine days, and if eight doesn't quite fit your plans they'll talk through what does. Because the week bends around each guest, two stays rarely feel identical — a solo traveller reading in a hammock all afternoon and a couple paddling the shoreline are both doing it right.

The accommodation is simple and eco-conscious, set just steps from the shoreline so the lake is the first thing you see in the morning. Rooms range from a shared twin up to a lake-view suite that sleeps three, all on the same waterfront property referred to as Miriam. You're inside the protected forest, so the soundtrack is birdsong and water rather than anything built.

Food is the other anchor of the day. Meals are plant-based, prepared fresh each day from local ingredients and served family-style, so lunch and dinner double as the social part of the retreat. Dietary needs are catered for with notice.

The location rewards anyone who wants a bit of exploring. The lake itself is clean enough to swim and paddle in all day; forest trails behind the property are good for birdwatching. For a change of pace, Granada — one of the oldest colonial cities in the Americas, all cobblestones and painted facades — is a short trip away and makes an easy half-day out.

The retreat is led by Miriam, who is based in Nicaragua and runs the lakeside property. Evenings here tend to wind down slowly: candlelight, shared stories, the sky changing colour over the water. It's a quiet, unhurried week rather than a bootcamp.

What's included

- 8 days / 7 nights lakeside accommodation - Two guided yoga sessions daily (morning and evening) - Fresh plant-based meals served family-style - Access to the lake for swimming and paddling - Forest trails on the property - Use of open-air yoga decks overlooking the lake

What's not included

- Flights to Nicaragua - Airport transfers (ask the leader) - Travel insurance - Optional day trip to Granada - Personal expenses - Room upgrades and optional extras