The Best Meditation Retreats in Thailand

Mediation at Jungle Yoga
Mediation at Jungle Yoga | © Stefan Magdalinski/Flickr
Iona Proebst

Thailand is known for its food, parties, beaches and lovely people but did you know it is also world famous for its wellness retreats? Here, we list the best meditation retreats in the Land of Smiles for you to connect with your inner self.

The Kamalaya

The Kamalaya is an award-winning luxury meditation resort, on the beautiful island of Koh Samui. This resort specialises in only the best holistic packages and offers customized treatments by medical professionals. Retreats include meditation, yoga, massage and health treatments as well as private consultations.

The Kamalaya, 102/9 Moo 3, Laem Set Road, Na-Muang , Koh Samui, Suratthani, Thailand, +66 77 429 800

The beautiful Kamalaya

Located on the beautiful island of Phuket, Dharana Meditation Centre and Retreat Centre claims to offer one of the best meditation experiences in Southeast Asia, by combining a relaxing holiday with a truly authentic retreat program. They offer meditation classes, yoga, Qi Gong and even counselling services to their guests.

Dharana Meditation and Retreat Centre, 69/509 Moo 1, Tambon Chalong, Phuket, Thailand, +66 87 279 7655

Dhamma Kancana Vipassana Meditation Centre

Dhamma Kancana is dedicated to the practice of Vipassana meditation, or mindfulness meditation, which focuses on purifying the mind and removing negative attachments. They offer 10-day introductory meditation courses, where the practice is broken down into each stage. They have courses starting every day of the month and each day consists of approximately 12 hours meditation, a 1-hour 30-minute video and 7 hours rest with meal breaks. The Dhamma Kancana is a 6-hour drive from Bangkok and retreats are by donation only.

Dhamma Kancana, 20/6 Moo 2, Ban Wang Kayai, Prang-Pley, Sangklaburi, Kanchanaburi, Thailand, +66 34 683 065

Dipabhavan Meditation Centre

Dipabhavan Meditation Centre offers week-long English language retreats between the 3-10th and 20-27th of every month at their secluded location in the hills of Koh Samui. As with most traditional meditation retreat schedules, each day starts at 4.30am and the meditation sessions are mostly in 30-minute increments, shifting between walking and sitting meditations.

Dipabhavan Meditation Centre, 101/18 Moo 3, Maret, Ko Samui, Surat Thani, Thailand, +66 96 993 6955

Beautiful Koh Samui

The Pavana Resort

The Pavana Resort is a secluded resort located outside Chiang Mai, in Northern Thailand. They offer a three-day introduction to meditation course which is a great beginner’s option. This includes 9 sessions of private meditation, 3 sessions of walking meditation and 3 sessions of Buddhist philosophy, as well as a Thai massage, 3 sessions of Thai herbal steam or infrared sauna and meals. The resort’s restaurant features raw food from their own organic garden and you can arrange a raw food cooking class. They also have various detox packages on offer.

The Pavana Resort, 196 Huaysai, Huaysai, Mae Rim, Chiang Mai, Thailand, +66 53 920 888

New Life Foundation

New Life Foundation is a community, which originally started as a place for recovering addicts. It is now a centre for mindfulness that runs meditation and other wellness-related retreats for everyone. Their facility in Chiang Rai, North Thailand includes a lake, a teak tree forest, rice fields and orchards which offer a unique and peaceful environment.

New Life Foundation, 49 Moo 1, Don Sila, Wiang Chai, Chiang Rai, Thailand, +66 85 714 2834

Jungle Yoga

Jungle Yoga offers meditation retreats as well as their regular yoga retreats. The schedule includes meditation, talks, individual and group meetings and mindful movement classes. Set within the incredible natural beauty of Khao Sok in Southern Thailand, this stunning setting is literally a floating paradise, as all the buildings float on the lake and are connected by bridged walkways.

Jungle Yoga, Khao Phang, Ban Ta Khun District, Surat Thani, Thailand.

The magical Jungle Yoga location

Wat Suan Mokkh International Dharma Hermitage

Wat Suan Mokkh hosts 10-day silent retreats on the 1st of every month. This is a serious retreat and you are required to stay for the whole duration. The daily schedule consists of meditation sessions, talks on Buddhism, yoga and daily chores. This can be a challenging yet rewarding experience; however, the accommodation is not for the faint-hearted, as you will be sleeping on a concrete slab with only a straw mat, wooden pillow and a thin blanket. Wat Suan Mokkh is approximately 600 kilometres from Bangkok.

Wat Suan Mokkh, Lamet, Chaiya District, Surat Thani, Thailand.

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