There’s something my retreat guests don’t see behind the scenes.

Before I ever bring a group into a retreat space, whether that’s the Himalayas of Nepal, the villages of Bali, the backwaters of Kerala, or a quiet sanctuary one hour out of Sydney, I spend time there first.

A lot of time.

I walk the streets.
I taste the food.
I stay in the rooms.
I meet the people.
I sit quietly and feel the energy of the place.

And truthfully… they are more than destinations to me.

I’ve lived there too.

And yes… sometimes I get hopelessly lost wandering tiny village streets, caught in tropical downpours, or find myself sitting in a tiny airport office in India trying to navigate yet another unexpected visa situation.

Travel certainly has a way of keeping you humble… and patient.

People sometimes ask me why I keep doing reconnaissance trips before every retreat.

The answer is simple.

Because these retreats are deeply personal to me.

They are not random destinations picked from a glossy brochure or a “Top 10 Retreat Venues” Google search. Every place I choose has to feel aligned because I know many women arrive carrying exhaustion, uncertainty, grief, burnout, or simply the weight of constantly caring for everyone else.

The people matter.
The values matter.
The energy matters.
The food matters.
The little details matter.

Because when someone joins one of my retreats, they’re placing their precious time, money, energy and trust into my hands.

Sometimes the magic of a retreat has very little to do with luxury and everything to do with how a place makes you feel. It’s about the experience. The feeling of being welcomed. The connections you make. The moments that unexpectedly stay with you long after you return home.

It’s about the people you meet along the way. The sincerity. The feeling that you’ve stepped into something real.

In Nepal, one of our simplest accommodations sits at the base of the Annapurna Ranges. When I first visited, I immediately fell in love with the breathtaking mountain views, but what stayed with me most deeply was Radha.

Radha is the beautiful woman at the heart of the family-run guesthouse.

She speaks very little English, yet somehow communicates everything through her enormous smile, gentle presence, and the way she lovingly takes care of everyone who walks through her doors.

When I first began running retreats there, she would quietly wander up and join our morning yoga and chanting sessions on the balcony at the base of the Annapurna Ranges. No fuss. No big introduction. Just this beautiful curiosity and joy.

Now she has become one of the highlights of the retreat itself.

The women adore her.

Of course, comfort and quality matter deeply to me too.

In Bali, before I ever brought a group to Gaia Oasis, I spent time there myself teaching there as a resident teacher.

I immersed myself in the experience there. The food. The accommodation. The atmosphere. The gentle rhythm of daily life. But most importantly, the heart behind the place.

Within hours, I knew it was somewhere I wanted to align myself with.

Not only because it’s beautiful, but because they genuinely care for the local community and environment around them. Gaia Oasis is a non for profit organisation quietly doing incredible work supporting the people and land around them, while also creating meaningful employment opportunities for the local community.

The staff there are always one of the highlights for the women on my retreats. Their warmth, kindness, and genuine care leave a lasting impression on so many of us.

Honestly, I have a number of repeat offenders who keep coming back year after year, and I’m fairly certain the Gaia staff are one of the main reasons why.

That matters deeply to me.

I want the retreats I run to support places and people who are contributing something meaningful to the world.

“The opportunity to develop understanding and be part of
the cultural and spiritual life of the Tejakula community
was a mind and soul enriching experience.”

— Kayleen Deaves - Bali Retreat

And then there’s India.

Oh India.

I definitely have a love hate relationship with India.

Mostly at immigration.

I’ve literally been turned around at the airport and flown back home before because my visa wasn’t accepted during the early days of eVisas. After many hours of travel, that was not exactly a spiritual experience.

Although… perhaps patience was the lesson.

Living in an ashram in India gave me an experience no hotel stay or short holiday ever could.

It immersed me in the deeper teachings of yoga. Self observation. Mindfulness. Chanting at dawn. Fire ceremonies known as havan. Simplicity. Chaos. Devotion. Intensity. Beauty.

India challenged me, expanded me, and deeply shaped both me and the way I now guide retreats there.

And Nepal was much the same.

I lived there for a year as a resident teacher in a Buddhist centre, which gave me a completely different experience of the country than simply passing through as a traveller.

That lived experience matters.

It means when I bring women into these places, I’m not simply taking them to destinations. I’m showing people places and experiences that have profoundly impacted my own life, while also offering a glimpse beneath the surface into the heart of these spiritually rich countries in a way most travellers never experience.

When I travel for reccy trips, I’m not only looking for beautiful accommodation.

I’m seeking out local guides who genuinely care. I’m eating in restaurants run by families and small business owners. I’m building relationships with the people who become part of our retreat experience.
Especially women in business.

In developing countries particularly, it feels important to me that our retreats support local people and communities in meaningful ways.

Over the years, many of these relationships have become friendships.

And honestly, I think that’s what people feel when they come on retreat with me.

It’s not tourism.

✓ It’s connection.
✓ It’s the feeling of being welcomed rather than processed as another tourist passing through
✓ It’s sitting in a village café where the owner already knows our names.
✓ It’s hearing the stories of our guides.
✓ It’s chanting together beneath the Himalayas at the base of the Annapurna Ranges.
✓ Or floating through the backwaters of Kerala as we chant softly together at sunset.
✓ It’s sharing meals prepared with love.
✓ It’s knowing the places we stay have been chosen with care and intention.

“The quality of her teachings was so valuable to the success of the
retreat making it more than just a travel experience.
A journey of our outer and inner worlds.”

— Pip Micallef • Nepal Retreat

"Every retreat space, whether beautifully simple or quietly luxurious, is chosen because it offers something meaningful.

Something with soul.

And that’s why I’ll probably always continue doing reconnaissance trips before every retreat.

Even if it means delayed flights, unexpected travel hiccups, tropical downpours, or spending hours inspecting mattresses and bathrooms like some kind of spiritual hotel detective.

Because creating these experiences is not something I take lightly.

And neither is the trust people place in me when they choose to travel with me.