BohoYoga Retreat to Dalyan, Turkey - October 11th-18th 2010 £395

A week of culture, yoga and healthy living in the beautiful national park, Dalyan, located on the Turquoise coast in southern Turkey. Dalyan is close to the ancient Lycian Rock Tombs which are the last resting places of the Kings of Kaunos and only 7km from the famous Iztuzu Beach, where rare turtles choose to lay their eggs. Where else can you experience yoga in a tree house overlooking the outstanding views of the Dalyan Delta? Or make your tree pose grow out of a warm, healing mud bath?

If you have been harbouring a secret dream to live a bohemian lifestyle, this retreat gives you one weeks worth of bliss to inspire your blossoming eccentricity! Exploring local culture, soak up the environment, sun, sea, sand and MUD and connecting with your own idea of divinity through spiritual yoga practices. 

Your teacher:

Justine has been asked by Free Spirit Travel to deliver a week long yoga retreat. Justine brings her own style of bohemian yoga which distills the wisdom of many traditions in a spiritual melting pot of free flowing physical and psychological yoga practice.

Definition of 'Bohemian' according to Urban Dictionary.com...

"Someone who tries to live by the ideals of truth, freedom, love, and all those beautiful-sounding concepts. Someone who kinda does their own thing and as a consequence has a kinda weird fashion sense."

Boho Yoga

Has a free flowing vinyasa krama style which means that each pose is carefully sequenced in a logical progression towards a peak posture. Boho Yoga also includes pranayama (breathing techniques), chanting (singing your heart out!), psychological training through philosophical themes and relaxation/meditation. Boho Yoga is a lifestyle which each individual creates unbound by stereotypes, pigeon-holes or societal 'norms'!

More about the retreat from Free Spirit Travel U.K.

Your host:

Arslan is your host and he lives at Villa Gokbel with his wife and takes great care of you. Arslan is a former yoga teacher and a sailing enthusiast who fulfilled a dream and sailed around the world on his yacht 2 years ago.

The area:

The house has outstanding views directly over the lake, which is just inland from Iztuzu beach. The area between the house and the lake is part of the conservation area that surrounds the beach - there are no permanent buildings at the beach because turtles nest there and any light prevents them from returning to the sea when they hatch. The small hamlet of Gokbel only exists because it has the good fortune to be situated in a valley.

The scenery in this area is stunning (as is the beach). To reach the beach you walk to the edge of the village and take the bus which then takes about 5 minutes to reach the sand and the sea, or just laze by the pool and watch the light as it changes on the surface of the water. Whenever possible we also do a courtesy ride to the beach at around 10.30 in the morning. Those of you who are sure of foot and not deterred by the steep climb, can take a twenty minute walk to the small secluded beach on the lake below the venue.

Out and About:

Dalyan Village is a fifteen minute bus ride away and has restaurants and shops. On Saturday morning there is a large market in Dalyan village selling local produce, spices, fabrics etc. and local shops sell fake designer goods.

Also in Dalyan village there is an excellent hardware store with all sorts of 'goodies', a spice shop, a patisserie where you can have a genuine cappuccino and Turkish cakes and small supermarkets where you can purchase olives and nuts to bring home.

A variety of trips can be arranged;

Visit the local Turkish baths, there are hot springs, mud baths and a huge lake to explore. The day trip to the 12 islands is spectacular, as are the ancient ruins of the city of Kaunos where some teachers hold yoga classes.

Yoga takes place in one of three locations:

• There is a shaded purpose built yoga space within the garden
• The tree house is magnificent for gentle yoga and meditation (pictured above)
• The large spacious lounge in the old house has picture windows with wonderful views and air conditioning and is a third option if the group prefers to be inside for any reason

All three options share the same fantastic view

Accommodation

This boutique hotel has 8 guest rooms, all the rooms have air conditioning and en-suite facilities and views across the countryside. The guest rooms are all different with their own characteristics and were converted from the original farmhouse and its outbuildings. Whilst not blessed with the same stupendous views as the pool and the lounge, the rooms have tranquil countryside vistas. All are prettily furnished with colourful linen and soft furnishings and a minibar.

Villa Gokbel feels more like a large private house than a hotel. It is perfectly situated for nature lovers and those seeking relaxation. The large lounge area has a huge fireplace and an attractive beamed ceiling. The panoramic windows have fabulous views of the Dalyan delta. Arslan, the owner, is a keen music lover and has an extensive music collection.

Food:

A large Turkish breakfast will be served after the morning yoga class and an evening meal on the arrival night and 6 other evenings. Food at this venue is of excellent quality and will be vegetarian unless you request otherwise. A small fee may be charged for non-vegetarian meals.

Getting There

Fly to Dalaman airport - call Debbie in the Free Spirit office for help finding flights on the internet. Please make certain you do not arrive on a night flight as we cannot do night transfers to this venue, try to arrive during the daytime or early evening .

Transfers

Both group and individual taxi transfers are offered by the centre. We will provide you with the airport meeting point and the names of the other guests in your transfer taxi. A taxi is 40 Turkish lira per person (£16) for a group transfer or 55 Turkish lira for an individual taxi (£22). The journey takes 40 minutes.

Includes:

Tuition, accommodation, breakfast and dinner on 6 evenings (one to be the arrival night),

Not included:

Flights and insurance, meals other than as specified.

Bookings:

Printable Booking Form

or call Free Spirit Travel on 01273 564230