How often have you been on holiday and returned feeling more exhausted than you were before you left? With the pace of modern holidays and everyone's expectations of what we absolutely must see and must do in those precious few weeks away, this is hardly surprising. But there is an alternative. Yoga holidays and retreats are a fantastic way to escape the stresses and strains of modern living and return to the real world feeling totally refreshed and rejuvenated.



Half the fun of a holiday is in the planning as this helps build the excitement and anticipation of what is to come. But then by trying to live up to your own expectations, you are likely to overdo things on holiday, rushing around to fit everything in and, more often than not, eating and drinking in a way that your body simply isn't used to. As a result, you come back home feeling as if you need a holiday to recover from the holiday!



Yoga retreats are a great way to ensure that does not happen. They are designed to take care of the body and mind, remove all elements of stress, and enabling you to return home feeling like a new person. If you enjoy yoga, you will love this type of holiday; if you are new to yoga, what better time or way to begin than on holiday? A little advanced planning will ensure you choose a holiday that suits your needs and allows you to enjoy it to the maximum.



On arrival, take full advantage of all new the experiences on offer. They are all designed to help you to switch off from the pressures of the daily grind and give your body and mind the chance to re-energise. If you have not checked out everything beforehand, now is the time to take stock of the classes and activities the retreat has on offer and enrol in the ones that appeal to you.



The yoga treat is your time to enjoy yourself and relax. You do not have to participate in every yoga class that is available. Remember that it is your holiday and you should only participate in the activities that you want. There should be no pressure to join in any of the classes. If you want to spend time in your room just relaxing, feel free to do just that.



In important part of every holiday is trying new and different foods and your yoga retreat should be no different. The menus will have been carefully selected for their nutritional value and beneficial effects on the body, so do be adventurous and give new things a try, before rejecting something simply because it sounds strange or different.



Plan to bring along the family for a stress free holiday and get everyone in the family feeling good. Or you could plan to take your yoga retreat holiday with your friends for a fun way to spend time together. A yoga retreat is always more fun when you spend it with friends or your family.



With just a little careful research, you will ensure you find the yoga retreat that meets all your needs. Then all you need to do is sit back, relax and enjoy yourself. Then with batteries fully charged, you will feel on top of the world and return ready to tackle everything life pitches at you in the following months.



Sara Miller is a yoga enthusiast and goes on many <a rel="nofollow" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/article_exit_link');" href=" ">yoga vacations</a>. For more information on yoga vacations and their benefits visit our website.