7-Day Yoga and Meditation Retreat in Bora Bora

Time spent in Bora Bora will rejuvenate your body and mind through its serene beauty and tranquil charms. The turquoise water in the lagoon shimmers beneath the tropical sunlight as the sweet aroma of blossoming hibiscus blends into the luscious scent of fresh coconut. Mount Otemanu crowns the heart of the island at 2,385 feet above sea level and glistens with sheer basalt cliffs above the emerald rainforest canopy. Your flight will land at Bora Bora Airport where your private transfer will greet you upon your arrival. Cruise across the crystal clear waters of the lagoon while taxing to the luxuries of your resort, and then settle into the comforts of you overwater bungalow to find the exquisiteness of the natural landscape staring back at you from your private deck.

The water lapping against the wooden posts of your suite will bring a soothing, meditative soundtrack to your arrival. The semi-sweet aroma of the water permeates the breeze that drifts through the open window. You will find a pristine glass floor panel that will offer a view to the gorgeous lagoon beneath your bungalow as schools of colorful fish rush past. You will meet your instructor in an open-air studio that overlooks the ivory white sands of the island’s shoreline and the silver-streaked peak of Mount Otemanu. Your heart will slow as you breathe amidst the warmth of the golden tropical sun, and you will lift your arms to the sky to begin your sun salutations, giving thanks for your arrival in Bora Bora and the welcoming beauty that surrounds you.

The morning light will stretch over the island and bring a renewed freshness that emanates from the blossoming hibiscus and exotic fruits such as coconut, lychee, and guava. The sound of the water brushing against your bungalow will greet you as you step out of bed, and you will have an early Vinyasa flow to help rejuvenate your spirit after traveling from abroad. You will return to the studio to find a view of the sunlight shimmering across the turquoise lagoon as the subtle scent of the sea drifts through the studio with the breeze. Your body will quickly engage in the simple movements and quickly reacts to your plank position as you move to Chaturanga into Upward-Facing Dog, transitioning effortlessly into the next pose.

After class, you will indulge in the sweet and fresh flavors of passion fruit and papaya at breakfast. After your meal, you will step aboard a traditional outrigger canoe to explore the secrets of Bora Bora’s celebrated lagoon. The canopy on the island glistens with emerald leaves as the water from the South Pacific mists into the air from the hull of the boat and leaves drops of moisture on your shoulders. You will exit the boat into the shallow waters at your first stop as manta rays glide along the soft sands of the seafloor with wingspans that can grow up to 23 feet wide.

The water is warm and inviting around you, allowing you to float above the school of manta rays with ease. You may spot a black dorsal fin cutting through the surface of the lagoon and through the clear hues of the water, you can notice the sharks swimming below. The harmless blacktip reef sharks can grow to lengths of five feet and swim in the shallow waters in search of food. You will enter into the water and find the sharks have no interest in you, swimming instead near the boat. You will find beauty in the dramatic movements of each shark, discovering a balance between the legend of the sharks and their true nature.

You will inhale with the vibrant aromas of tropical fruits emanating from around the island that blend passionfruit and mango with ripening, sweet avocados. Your instructor will change directions with your morning yoga class, choosing to practice the controlled breathing techniques and exercises of Pranayama. You will spend a moment listening to the sound of your breath against the backdrop of the water lapping against the beach. You will hold the air in your lungs and count the seconds before releasing to find the most comfortable timeframe and technique for you. After a breakfast accentuated by the decadent aroma of fresh coffee, your guide will meet you on the shores of the main island to step into an open-air 4x4 jeep that will offer stunning views to the surrounding scenery.

Venture away from the single road that circles the island to head into the rainforest. The jeep will bump along the unpaved road and splash through shallow rivers on an ascent towards the peak of Mount Otemanu. Flowers with seven white petals, known as Tahitian gardenias, blossom in the jungle and produce a subtle but distinctive fragrance. You will notice the Tahitian gardenia as the flower many women on the island wear behind their ear or thread into leis. Hibiscuses stand out against the greenery with bright pink and yellow hues.

You will stop first at a family-owned plantation to learn about the variety of tropical fruits harvested on the island. Your guide will take a coconut and place it on the top of a large stone. They will then bang their fist against the coconut, and the hard shell will break into two perfect halves. You can sample the milk directly from the coconut and taste the delicious, familiar flavor of the white fruit. You will continue to the base of Mount Otemanu from which the basalt cliffs rise for a view over the turquoise lagoon, the overwater bungalows, and cobalt waters of the South Pacific Sea. You will need to remember to take a breath and listen to the gentle sounds of your secluded panorama.

You focus on your breathing during morning yoga once more as you return to the rigorous pace of Vinyasa flow. You will aim to float into each movement while surrounded by the beauty of Bora Bora. At breakfast, you will delight in the scent and flavor of banana pancakes accompanied by the delicious coffee made from beans cultivated on around French Polynesia. When you are ready, you can take to the water for a private paddleboard lesson, and your instructor will explain how your yoga practice will help your understanding of paddleboarding based on the principle of balance.

The standard board reaches a height of 11 feet, and you will practice holding the paddle with one hand atop and one hand wrapped around the oar. You will soon reach a level of comfort, and move to take the board onto the water. The gentle movement of the lagoon helps you to balance, and you may keep your eyes on the crystal clear water, dipping your paddle into the lagoon to propel the board forward. Keeping your feet parallel, you will relish the combined sensation of relaxation and excitement as you continue onto the shores of the island to visit a family-owned pearl farm.

The showroom glistens with white, green, purple, and black pearls set beneath the soft light. Your guide will explain how they measure the quality of a pearl, accounting for the weight and sheen of the precious stone. Walk through the studio in which the jewelers craft elaborate and intricate necklaces, rings, or bracelets, and then continue into a small boat to follow the ropes on which the farm harvests the pearls. Up to six oysters dangle from a nearly 30-foot line, and you can jump into the water with your guide to view the young oysters beginning to shape the pearls and the older oysters containing pearls ready for harvest.

Begin your day with a Hatha class, and your instructor will have you hold each pose for a number of breaths. Your muscles will shake as you shift into Warrior Three, hovering over the floor at a 90-degree angle with one leg off the floor. You will feel refreshed and eager to venture out onto the island after your lesson, and your muscles are awake as the fragrant scent of coconut draws you away to the shores. You will meet your guide at the edge of the forest ready to trek the terrain to reach the Valley of the Kings, the historical burial grounds of the former chieftains of the island.

Your guide will share the abundance of Bora Bora, pointing to the mango and avocado trees along the edges of historical villages. Women hand-dye sarongs as you pass, and you will reach deeper into the jungle terrain as the orchids blossom in the shade and the moisture of the canopy. Your guide will cut away a snaking vine, and you can sip cold, pristine water dripping from the vine. You will reach the valley as marked by a petroglyph symbolizing the Tahitian god of creation, Taaroa, and the circles represent the endless cycle of infinity and royalty, embodying life’s cycle from birth to death and back again. The large banyan trees mark the burial grounds of the island chiefs who wanted to placed amidst their land to become one with the abundance that had supported them in life.

Your instructor will concentrate on the balancing of your body and of your mind as your morning class will introduce the practice of Yin Yoga. You will hold each pose for minutes at a time in an attempt to restore length and elasticity by targeting your muscles deeply. You will use the movements like meditation as you sink into each pose for its restorative power in combination with movement and breath. You will focus on refreshing your body and mind after the class ends with the comforts and soothing ambiance of a spa treatment at your resort. The scent of coconut drifts through the air, and you can feel any lingering tension in your legs from holding dragonfly pose vanish.

The open-air facility offers the sweet and calming aromas of the island, from hibiscus to frangipanis, along with the tranquil sounds of the lagoon lapping against the shoreline. You can take a deep breath, remembering your practice from days earlier when you participated in Pranayama. Relax into the calming touch of your masseuse, returning to the balance of yoga in your daily life to let go of the tension in your mind and body. Your muscles across your back and legs loosen as you listen to the serene sounds of the ebb and flow of the lagoon. You can focus on your breathing to find another meditative moment in the comforts of your day in paradise.

The sunlight washes over the beauty of Bora Bora, and you will wake up to the soothing sounds of the lagoon lapping against the posts of your overwater bungalow. The aroma of fresh pineapple and passionfruit permeates the sea breeze, and you will have become accustomed to waking up your body with a yoga class before breakfast. Although you do not have a guided instruction today, you can perform a Vinyasa flow on your own, gliding into each movement while on your private deck. You will find comfort in the gentle sea breeze as you combine your focus on each move with the meditative pleasure of the views to Mount Otemanu across the water. After breakfast, your private transfer will meet you in your hotel lobby and escort you across the lagoon to Bora Bora Airport to conclude your yoga retreat in the paradise of Bora Bora.