Yoga and Surf Week at Sansara Resort, Panama

Days at Sansara follow a loose rhythm rather than a fixed timetable. You wake, eat breakfast, and head to the rancho for an all-level vinyasa flow class overlooking the Pacific. Mats, straps, bolsters, blankets and handcrafted wooden blocks are all there, so you don't need to bring your own. After class there's time for the beach, a surf session, a bike ride into Cambutal village, or a paddle on one of the complimentary SUP boards. Lunch is at the resort restaurant. The evening class is slower — gentle yoga with an extended Savasana — and dinner is either family-style or a three-course chef's menu. One evening there's a bonfire on the beach, weather permitting.

The surf element is what separates this from a standard yoga week. Every participant gets one complimentary dry-land group surf lesson, taught in the yoga shala, covering technique, ocean awareness and safety before you go near the water. Sansara's surf team runs additional lessons and guided sessions through the week for all levels, from first-timers to people who already surf and want to sharpen up. Beyond that, the resort can arrange paddleboarding, fishing, hiking, birdwatching and coastline walks.

Meg leads the yoga. She runs YogaOne and has taken groups to Panama before; the practices are designed to be accessible, with modifications offered throughout, and the evening sessions are built around rest rather than effort. Class times can move depending on surf conditions and what the group wants to do, so the schedule is a guide rather than a contract.

Cambutal itself is a small village in Los Santos province, at the southernmost point of Panama. The area is where mountains meet the sea — people describe it as a mix between the wild west and Hawaii, with far fewer people. There are empty waves and uninhabited black-sand beaches. It's a five-and-a-half-hour drive from Panama City, and the trip is part of the experience: the group travels down together from Casco Viejo.

The resort has an ocean-view spa with accredited therapists offering deep tissue work and energy healing, plus a restaurant that supports local farmers and fishermen. Breakfast might be avocado toast, lunch fresh fish tacos, dinner a mix of family-style plates and a three-course menu drawing on flavours from around the world. Vegetarian, gluten-free and dairy-free options are marked on the menu. The Buddha Bar pours local microbrews and cocktails.

Accommodation is in one of thirteen private cabanas, each with its own patio and a short walk from the ocean. Rooms sleep one to four adults and are set up for solo travellers, couples or friends. Every cabana has air conditioning, a mini-fridge, hypoallergenic bedding, towels, beach towels and organic spa products. Roommate matching is available if you're travelling alone and don't want to pay for a private room, though it isn't guaranteed.

What's included

- 6 nights lodging in luxury accommodations at Sansara Surf and Yoga Resort - Transportation to and from a designated hotel in Casco Viejo and to and from Sansara - Welcome drink on arrival at Sansara Surf and Yoga Resort - 3 healthy, balanced meals each day, with local produce and fresh seafood - Two yoga practices a day overlooking the Pacific Ocean - Evening bonfire (weather permitting) - Fresh fruit, local fair-trade coffee, tea, and filtered water available daily - 1 complimentary dry-land group surf lesson - Complimentary rentals for SUP boards and bicycles - Hypoallergenic bedding and towels - Organic spa products in every cabana - Beach towels in the room

What's not included

- Airfare to Panama City - Airport transfer - Meals and hotel the day/evening of arrival and departure into Panama City Casco Viejo - Additional excursions - Additional surf lessons and/or rentals - Massages - Alcohol - Snacks, smoothies and juices - Travel insurance (recommended) - Gratuities