Juice Fasting & Yoga Retreats on Koh Phangan, Thailand

A typical day at Ananda starts early. Mysore self-practice normally runs before breakfast for the Ashtanga crowd, followed by a led Ashtanga or Vinyasa class around 8.00, then breakfast — usually fruit, smoothies and porridge for non-fasters, and the first juice of the day for those on the detox plan. Mid-morning there is a second class (often Hatha or a workshop), a break for lunch and the pool, then afternoon slow flow, an evening Yin or sunset class, and a meditation or pranayama circle to close. Detox guests slot their juice and broth times in around this, plus any scheduled therapies.

The detox programme is the reason most people first find the place. It has been running continuously since 2006 and is fully supervised: you get a personal schedule, daily guidance from Villy Terzi and the detox bar team, and a set supplement-and-juice routine. Reviews consistently mention that the fasts are tough but the staff make them manageable — guests are looked after to the point that the team tells them when to drink what. Programme lengths start around 3–4 days and stretch to a week or more.

The yoga programme runs in parallel and is open to everyone at the centre, whether or not they are fasting. Up to six classes run daily across the week, from beginner-friendly Hatha to full Mysore Ashtanga, plus dramatic extras that show up in guest reviews — sage burning, live music, scented oils, occasional incense and hands-on adjustments. The three shalas mean several classes can run at once, so the timetable stays varied even in high season.

What separates this from a generic yoga-and-juice week is the depth of the teaching staff and the length of the operation. Owner and director Valerie Jeremijenko (PhD, ERYT 500) has over 30 years of teaching and teacher-training experience and is regularly on site. Villy Terzi has directed the detox side for over a decade. The centre is registered with Yoga Alliance since 2006 and runs 200-hour Ashtanga-based, 300-hour multi-style (in Bulgaria), 100-hour Kundalini, Trauma-Sensitive Yin, Aerial Yoga and Breathwork trainings through Yama Yoga Studios, so it functions as a working yoga school, not just a retreat venue.

The location — directly across the road from the beach on Koh Phangan — is the other thing guests mention again and again. You can walk out of a Yin class, cross the road and be in the water. Breakfast and meals happen beachside or in the garden, the pool sits in the middle of the grounds, and the whole place is compact enough that you get to know the other guests. It is a sociable setup; several reviews specifically call out the conversation at the detox bar and drinks by the pool between classes.

What's included

- Accommodation in dorm, garden room or bungalow (tier depends on booking) - Up to six yoga classes per day (Mysore, Ashtanga, Vinyasa, Hatha, Yin, slow flow) - Daily meditation and pranayama circles - Healthy beachside dining for non-fasting guests - Detox juice, broth and supplement schedule (detox guests) - Personal detox schedule and daily check-ins with the detox team - Access to pool, sauna and ice bath - Access to three yoga shalas - Entrance to scheduled workshops (where booked) - Use of the garden and communal hangout areas - Refeeding/exit guidance at the end of a detox

What's not included

- Flights to Thailand - Ferry or transfer to Koh Phangan - Travel insurance - Visa costs - Optional spa and massage treatments - Optional detox therapies such as colon cleansing (unless booked) - Yoga teacher training course fees (booked separately) - Off-site excursions and scooter rental - Personal expenses and extra drinks - Airport transfers