Most days follow the same order. At 6:00 am everyone gathers for satsang: silent meditation, call-and-response chanting and a talk. Breakfast at 7:30 is small, usually rice porridge. The first yoga class starts at 8:00, followed by the main meal at 10:00 and karma yoga at 11:00, which might mean gardening, maintenance or organising. A workshop runs at 2:00 pm, the second yoga class at 4:00 pm and dinner at 6:00 pm. The evening satsang starts at 7:30 pm, and the day finishes around 9:00 pm.

The yoga is classical Sivananda Hatha, and the class order doesn't change from day to day or between teachers. You start lying in relaxation, move on to seated breathing, then do Sun Salutations, leg raises and twelve basic postures, each held and followed by a short rest. A guided relaxation of ten to fifteen minutes closes the class. Breathing comes before the postures here, which surprises people who have practised elsewhere. After a few sessions you know what's coming and can stop watching the front of the room.

The biggest difference from a typical yoga holiday is the fixed routine. Activities aren't offered as a menu, and the same day applies to everyone on the property. House rules are firm too: meat, fish, eggs, alcohol, tobacco, coffee and black tea aren't served and shouldn't be brought in. Coffee catches people out, especially since Da Lat is a coffee-growing region.

Beginners are expected. Every posture has an easier version, and that's the form new students are meant to use. Teachers ask you to work at your own pace and to tell them beforehand about any injury or health condition so the practice can be adjusted. You don't need to follow any particular religion or hold any specific belief. Chanting at satsang is part of the day, and in the Sivananda classes, joining in is described as optional.

The teaching comes from the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres, founded by Swami Vishnudevananda in 1959. The network has trained more than 53,000 teachers. The programme in Vietnam has run since 2009 under the guidance of Swami Sitaramananda, who was born in Da Lat.

The location is the practical reason for basing the residential programmes here. The climate stays temperate all year, so the schedule doesn't have to work around heat, and the lakeside pine forest is well away from traffic noise. Lien Khuong Airport is about 45 minutes by car, and Ho Chi Minh City is a 35-minute flight away. Nha Trang and Cam Ranh are 135 km away, which makes it easy to add some time on the coast.

What's included

- Overnight stay at the ashram - Two daily yoga classes (asana and pranayama) - Morning and evening satsang with meditation and chanting - Three vegetarian meals a day - Light afternoon fruit snack - Afternoon workshops on health, well-being or philosophy

What's not included

- Flights - Travel insurance - Airport pickup (can be arranged in advance; cost not stated) - Extra food from the boutique - Personal expenses

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