Nature and Yoga Retreat in New Zealand's South Island with Joan Hyman

The week is built around Joan Hyman's teaching and the landscape around Maruia. Mornings typically start with yoga in the shala, then breakfast, then a walk or an excursion. The estate itself has walking trails through native beech forest, long-established gardens and terraced paddocks, plus private access to the Maruia River. Further afield, the retreat is positioned to reach golden coastline, alpine lakes, ancient rainforest, glacial rivers and protected national parks.

Maruia is small by design: seven villas and a maximum of 10 guests. That means the yoga group is intimate and the property rarely feels busy. Wifi is available only in the Main Lodge, so villas function as a digital detox by default, though cell service and data still work if you want to stay connected. The property runs on its own renewable energy from a mini hydro plant.

The wellness facilities are on site rather than off: a yoga shala, a wellness centre, a heated magnesium pool, outdoor hot tubs, multiple saunas and a menu of massage therapy, forest bathing, breathwork and sound-healing ceremonies. Guests book these alongside the yoga programme. One reviewer described daily massages, forest baths and yoga classes being planned from the moment they arrived, with only lunch and dinner choices left to make.

Food is a highlight in guest reviews. Chef Lasse Holopainen cooks an omnivore menu of well-balanced dishes using local and on-site produce, and the garden supplies much of it. The Maruia muffins, baked fresh and often made with seasonal fruit, come up repeatedly. Meals are all-inclusive.

What separates this from a standard yoga week is the scale of the setting and the small group. Ten participants in 500 acres of private native forest, with a river running through it and four national parks within driving distance, is a different proposition from a studio retreat in a town. The property has been featured in Condé Nast Traveller, Vogue, Robb Report and NZ Herald, among others, and holds a second Gold Level certification for Qualmark's Sustainable Tourism Business Criteria.

What's included

- 7 nights accommodation in a private villa - All meals prepared by chef Lasse Holopainen - Daily yoga sessions with Joan Hyman - Guided nature walks on the 500-acre estate - Forest bathing - Access to the heated magnesium pool - Access to outdoor hot tubs - Access to multiple saunas - Access to the yoga shala and wellness centre - Excursions to nearby national parks and coastline - Hydro plant tour

What's not included

- International and domestic flights - Travel insurance - Airport transfers - Massage therapy and spa treatments - Sound-healing ceremonies - Personal expenses - Alcohol