Yelapa sits at the foot of the Sierra Madre Occidental, in the southernmost cove of the Bay of Banderas, about 50 minutes by boat south of Puerto Vallarta. There are no cars. The town has roughly 1,000 residents, stone and earth paths, and the El Tuito River running into the sea where it meets a mountain tributary. You get there by land transfer and then boat, all arranged as part of the retreat.

Mornings begin with meditation and yoga in the open air, held twice daily through the week. Breakfast follows, then the day's activity: the Coastal Soulscape walk along the shoreline, the jungle and wildlife hike to swimmable waterfalls, or the Banyan Tree Trek, which goes into the jungle to visit an elder banyan. One day is given over to the Wild Blue Passage — a boat trip with snorkelling and a multi-course seafood lunch on the beach. Dolphins, manta rays and turtles are regularly seen; grey whales pass through the bay from December to March, so February puts you in with a chance.

The ceremonies are the heart of the week. A cacao ceremony opens with ceremonial-grade cacao shared in a circle, guided through breathwork and chanting. A temazcal is led by a temazcalera: heated volcanic stones in the centre of the lodge, herbal water poured over them, steam, song and meditation. The Celestial Tide Sound Journey is a live soundbath woven with the sound of the waves. There is also Inner Mandala Creation, working with sacral energy through art, and an obsidian stone yoni egg session on divine feminine energy.

Evenings close with a sisterhood sangha and guided journaling. The rest of the time is yours — the infinity pool faces the ocean, the beach is golden sand, and the town is a short walk for coffee or a look around.

Christine Malmborg has taught yoga for 17 years and has hosted retreats for 11, in Colorado, Costa Rica and Mexico. Her teaching includes paddleboard yoga, sound healing and crystal energy work. She first came to Yelapa in February 2021 to recover from a heavy stretch of her life, and built this retreat out of that trip. This is its sixth year.

The group is small and the property is reserved exclusively for it, which is what separates this from a larger resort-based yoga week. You are not sharing the pool or the beach with other guests, and the chef cooks for the group alone.

What's included

- 6 nights in a private bedroom in a beachfront villa, reserved exclusively for the group - En-suite private bathroom in every bedroom - Twice-daily open-air meditation and yoga practices - Breakfast, lunch and dinner prepared by a private chef, with dietary needs observed - Coastal Soulscape Exploration — barefoot walk along untouched shoreline - Jungle and wildlife hike to swimmable waterfalls - Banyan Tree Trek into the jungle - Cacao Ceremony - Temazcal Ceremony with a temazcalera - Celestial Tide Sound Journey soundbath - Wild Blue Passage boat, snorkel and beach adventure with multi-course seafood lunch - Inner Mandala Creation art session - Obsidian Stone Yoni Egg session - Nightly sisterhood sangha and guided journaling - Roundtrip airport transfer between Puerto Vallarta Airport and Yelapa - All transportation during the retreat

What's not included

- Roundtrip airfare - Travel insurance (mandatory) - 2 lunches in town - Some tips - Personal expenses

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