Whale Swim & Yoga Retreat on a Private Tongan Island

The week is built around the daily rhythm of the island. You wake early, swim in the transparent water, then take a yoga class. Breakfast is vegetarian and served after class. At midday there's a session on calming the autonomic nervous system using somatic techniques, meditation and yoga nidra. The afternoon is unscheduled: swim, sunbathe, read, or nap in your fale. A late-afternoon yin or restorative yoga class runs before a three-course vegetarian dinner. The schedule repeats most days, with one whale swim included.

Treasure Island Eco-Resort is on Eueiki island in the Vava'u group. It's the only building on the 48-acre island, surrounded by warm, clear water. The resort has the only two deep-water channel entrances into the lagoon, which is a calving ground for humpback whales. That means the whales are already passing close by, and the boat can be out on the water by 7.00AM on whale-swim days.

The whale swim is the centrepiece. You'll need to sign a waiver and medical statement to take part. Tours are weather dependent and sightings are not guaranteed, but the location gives you a good chance. Water temperature during whale season is 25-29°C. A 2mm wetsuit is recommended, along with non-booty split fins to reduce surface splash. If you have your own mask, snorkel and fins, bring them; the resort has a basic supply if you don't. One whale swim is included; additional trips can be booked and paid for on designated whale-swim days.

Ondine leads the retreat. She has run previous retreats in Bali and Tonga, and guest reviews describe her organisation as precise and her teaching as well pitched. The yoga is suitable for all levels, with classes described as 'not too much, but enough so you knew you were at a yoga retreat'. The group is capped at 14, and meals are eaten together, so you get to know the other guests over the week.

The island is remote. You'll fly into Vava'u via Fiji Airways, with a stopover in Nadi, Fiji. Return transfers from Vava'u airport to Treasure Island are included. The retreat package does not include international airfares, travel insurance or health insurance. A minimum of 10 people is required for the retreat to go ahead; if it's cancelled, deposits are refunded in full.

What's included

- Seven nights accommodation at Treasure Island Eco-Resort - Healthy and nutritious vegetarian breakfasts and dinners - Return transfers from Vava'u airport to Treasure Island - All yoga and meditation offerings - One whale swim - Complimentary Wi-Fi - One tropical sarong - One final evening cocktail - CT (Consumption Tax) included

What's not included

- Return airfares from Australia to Vava'u - All meals, accommodation and transport outside the retreat dates - Travel and cancellation insurance - Health insurance - Additional whale swims beyond the one included