Retreat Reviews
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"Beautiful retreat, beautiful people"
One of a kind yoga and surf retreat. Shaini, coordinator and yoga teacher has this magic talent of getting together lovely people from around the world and make them feel good and smiling for the whole time of their stay! Stop looking for another spot to go! Choose for yogaion!! Thanks for these beautiful moment guys!
~ Nelly, Brussels
"Fantastic retreat in Southern Portugal with amazing guests"
I spent a great retreat with Shaini and other guests. Wonderful yoga classes, delicious food, amazing house! What else to recharge your batteries? Oh yes! The sea just next door for a daily walk and swim at the beach! I’ll definitely come back!
~Anne, Belgium
The Yogaion Retreat is heaven! Shaini is the perfect teacher to discover or to know better yoga and yourself. The location is perfect and the food amazing. I wish I could stay there longer. will go back for sure!
~ Lisa, France
I did the yoga+nourish retreat and it was just perfect, relaxing and restorative. Shaini is a great teacher with a lot of knowledge and a very warm personality, making your stay unforgettable. The house, the food and the treatments were fantastic too. If you want to improve your yoga and have a relaxing time surrounded by great nature and great people, this is exactly what you should do.
~Olivia, Swiss
This was my second time on retreat with Shaini. Again it was absolutely wonderful and I left 6 days later totally recharged and glowing. I did the surf+nourish+yoga package which was perfect for me. Yoga and surfing complement eachother really well, in addition the massages (fantastic) and food (super delicious) just cap off a totally perfect retreat. We were 10 in total, all really nice people. The setting is divine and off grid. Honestly this retreat cannot be faulted in any way. I am already thinking of going back this Autumn.
~Claire, Swiss
AMAZING RETREAT! Great place, great yoga, great food!
YOGAION was my very first Yoga retreat and I can only recommend it! The house was beautiful in the middle of nature and the food made with love from Shivani was just amaziiiing. Shaini is a great professional and passionate about Iryengar Yoga. She pays a lot of attention to each one of the group during the classes. Besides of this, all activities are very Nice and qualitative. I felt a great energy coming back home! Thank you so much Shaini, Shivani and Liz!! I'll definately come back one day!
~Rachel, Germany
We have done this retreat 3-4 times and it's always great, yoga, surfing, food and location. Yoga teacher is excellent and we benefit from her knowledge and learn everytime more and more. The chef is also wonderful, she cooks vegetarian food with great flavors.
~Silvia, Marc & Nico, Swiss
"A retreat that keeps its promises"
Yogaion is as amazing as you can feel it is when you go through the website. All the persons involved are adorable, the location is incredible, as well as the food. You get all the attention you need and the values transmitted are positive and respectful. I'll definitely go back!
~Nina G, Swiss
Yogaion is such a great way to spend a week: beautiful setting inside a National Park next to the beach; superb Iyengar yoga instruction from Shaini tailored for all abilities; surf every day and delicious vegetarian food prepared by Shivani. Have been twice with friends on this trip and will definitely come again!
~Ian, London
"Excellent Surf & Yoga retreat, great vegetarian food & in harmony with nature"
My best surf and yoga retreat so far, great location with seafront view lost in nature (no houses around), which is perfect for reconnection with self and with nature! We were warmly welcomed by Shaini, Lisa & Shivani, which made this retreat even better. The surf lessons (my first ones) were great and teachers highly motivating. Iyengar yoga was new to me, but very interesting to learn how to improve asanas in order to avoid long term injury, I will surely practice again. in a nutshell, a must do retreat ! I highly recommend !
~Sandra, France
"Yoga Surf Nourish - Delivered"
I really needed a revitalising break and was so impressed.
Shivani's food was incredible and so nourishing, breakfast, lunch dinner and juice. I was never hungry and felt so amazing at the end of it.
Yoga with Shaini was great; intense Iyengar poses. I was able to identify my really key problem areas and best moves to help me progress with poses.
The surf was so much fun, picked up each day and 2ish hours in the water with a gorgeous was just teh right amount.
The house was in a sensational location; 9 hours f restful sleep every night. Awesome.
I'd love e to go back again.
~Shannon, Dublin
"Basic, carefree yoga and surf"
Delicious food, a friendly staff, perfect surf conditions depending on ability and surf spot based on swell type. Topped of with a lot of personal attention during yoga practice. The staff went above and beyond.
~Martijn, Amsterdam
“Perfect”
The "waves within" retreat with yogaion was, for me, totally perfect. The location was stunning, the accommodation really comfortable and the food delicious. Shaini is a great yoga teacher, she has a really personalised approach to teaching, taking time to get to know everyone in the class. Her approach is perfect for beginners to yoga but also great for experienced yogis who may have learnt bad habits! Each session was just challenging enough without being too tiring. The combination of yoga and surf is great, it is so amazing to spend the day in the water and come back to a relaxing yoga session. To anyone who isn't sure which yoga holiday to pick, pick this one....you won't regret it!
~Anne, United Kingdom
“Memorable Time with Shaini at Casa Vale da Lama”
My fiancé and I recently returned from Yogaion's Surf and Yoga retreat, organized and hosted by the very special Shaini Verdon with the help of the Casa Vale da Lama staff. The retreat and the facility were both amazing. The yoga, led by Shaini twice daily, was both energizing and rejuvenating. Shaini is a great teacher who provides great one on one instruction while tailoring her classes to all skill levels. When not leading us in Yoga, Shaini was around making sure that we were being well taken care of by the wonderful folks at Vale da Lama. Speaking of those folks, our cooks were always willing to accommodate our dietary needs and went out of the way to provide us with delicious and nourishing food. We are grateful for their efforts. Surfing was led by the charismatic Eduardo (of Future Surf School). His positive energy, teaching ability and local knowledge made the surfing experience amazing for our entire group. Our skill levels definitely improved under his guidance. And he made us laugh, a lot. The accommodations were clean and comfortable and there was nothing more you could really ask for in that regard. The serene setting of Vale da Lama also really enhanced our experience. Overall, Shaini's exuberance and zest for life spilled over into all aspects of the retreat and I would not hesitate, for a second, recommending her retreats to anyone. Thank you Shaini for an experience we will never forget. With love, Alex and Keara.
~Alex & Keara, Toronto
“A worthwhile experience!”
Retreat. What does it mean? Giving yourself, body and mind, a rest from everyday life. Step back and take some time to pause, to relax and to do something for yourself.My week at Yogaion has been a wonderful experience and Shaini managed to provide not only a retreat but a full experience of warmth and compassion. The place: Quinto de Vale da Lama is an eco-resort close to Lagos a bit inwards in the country. Upon a small hill you will find the house with a charming surrounding. Everyone working at the resort is so friendly and open, so that you feel welcome and at home immediately. They provide you with the most wonderful local and organic food and surprise you with original variations every day. The course: Yoga and surf. A week program which provides you with 2 yoga lessons a day. The first morning session gives you a powerful start and you are ready to conquer the waves. Surfing is done throughout the day and the caring instructor knows how to bring the great experience of standing on the board to everyone. Depending on the waves different locations are chosen everyday, so you get the opportunity to see stunning beaches.In the evening, a restorative yoga session is provided, so your muscles are well stretched and ready for the day to come.Shaini: She makes the retreat an experience. Her genuine, wholehearted and caring nature makes the difference. Her way of teaching Yoga is motivating and a great mixture of bringing you deeper into the poses but not going beyond any of your limits. She adjusts, gives tips and is concerned about the wellbeing of the people. Her passion for Yoga can be felt in every session and gives you comfort to achieve your goals. A week full of bringing awareness to yourself - your body and your soul, in a wonderful surrounding with highly qualified and experienced teachers. Highly recommended!
~Linda, Maastricht
“Yoga Cleanse, Restore & Renew retreat”
I stayed at Eco Resort Casa Do Vale for 6 nights on a yoga retreat in July 2014. This is an ideal place for a yoga retreat, relaxing, peaceful, a place to connect back to nature. Good vibes and positive energy. I left feeling much more relaxed. There is a really delicious vegan café, with great chiefs using produce from the farm. It’s possible to walk to the beach but there is also a salt water pool. Shaini is a great yoga teacher and the week classes were really well planned and fun!
~Lynn, United Kingdom
“Wonderful and inspiring package!”
This Yoga Cleanse, Restore and Renew retreat was so much more than I could have expected. First of all Shaini is the most inspiring yoga teacher I have met during my 5 year of yoga practice. She was just amazing on all levels. The fact that the group size is kept small guarantees you a very personal experience of every class.
The location was more than just a eco resort, it is actually a permaculture, which was something new for me. Very interesting to get to know how this works and as the place was quite small, you got to know the people living and working there. And the food was gorgeous. I cannot think of anything I did not appriciate of this retreat. Met some really wonderful people, likeminded getting into some really interesting discussions. Loved it all and can recommend to anyone interested in their own health as well as getting some deep insights into yoga alignments.
~Nina, Finland
“Amazing Yoga Cleanse, Restore & Renew retreat on the most inspiring location”
For me this retreat was:- inspiring, energizing, relaxing and high level Iyengar yoga;- meeting the lovely yogateacher Shaini who is able to deeply connect you to yourself, to others and to herself;- delicious, healthy food, smoothies and herbal tea (most of it coming from the beautiful permaculture farm);- meeting amazing people from all over Europe, all different characters, but having a common goal made us connect from the first day;- being a part of the Vale da Lama project was very inspiring;- feeling amazing afterwards, having lots of energy and new ideas!A big kiss to Shaini for this wonderful week and thanks to the Vale da Lama-people for their hospitality and kindness!
~Wiebrig, Netherlands
“Great combo of yoga, surf and delicious own-grown food”
This was a perfect retreat, hidden in a little valley bursting with life among a welcoming community aiming to live in sustainable self-sufficiency (permaculture), with just a short walk to the sea. The surfing is a little drive further away and with competent, attentive and encouraging instructors. The yoga classes are perfect to build strength before and stretch after the surfing, and this helps your body adapt to the challenge. Shaini is a wonderfully open and warm yoga teacher and highly attentive to correct positioning and posture, she manages to work wonders on the body and the mind.
The day starts (not too) early, with yoga and meditation, with frogs croaking in the pond just outside the window and songbirds fluttering among the surrounding trees. Then a delicious hearty breakfast: like all the food here it's prepared with love and served with smiles by permaculture community.. then the instructor picks you up to drive to the surf beach to practice and train. The permaculture community prepares you a full and delicious lunchbox; its contents are devoured at midday - then better take a small digestive break to stop the waves pushing it back up out :) Then a few more hours surfing and back to the Casa do Vale da Lama for some restorative yoga, stretching out the well-used muscles, then a delicious and well-earned supper. They really work some magic in that kitchen :) and food is always served with beaming smiles. The food is extremely diverse and based on the fruit and vegetables produced (sustainably & organically) in the surrounding permaculture gardens: a highlight was to be guided around the gardens and the welcome given by the community.
All this combines to create a wonderful ambiance. We had a lovely team spirit with our yoga and surf buddies, it's a great place to reach out and make new friends. When we finally arrived back home, our friends and colleagues all remarked at how healthy, rested, happy and indeed glowing we were. So we brought some of the magic with us :) I highly recommend you to experience it too .. I will certainly return for more!
~Andrzej, Brussels
“Yoga in Nature Retreat”
Myself & a friend travelled from Ireland to do this week long retreat with Shaini, I am not very experienced with yoga but I had the most wonderful time, probably one of the
best things I have ever done for myself & my friend feels the same! Shaini is a wonderful teacher & now I am finding it hard to find a teacher like her in my area !! Casa Vale da Lama is a beautiful place to stay for a retreat like this, mostly the only sounds were of the birds singing so a complete rest for the body mind & soul. Our food was prepared fresh for us every day with love & attention by the most amazing people so thank you to you all x
~Anne, County Wicklow, Ireland
“Yoga and surf with Yogaion: the perfect combination!”
Still bubbling in my head about this fantastic trip at Yogaion... This stay was so inspiring in a beautiful place full of positive flow, smiles and good laughters, and amazing colourful, seasonal and local food. Shaini's openness and simplicity made us discover yoga with a new and more aware eye and surfing classes where such a good way to connect with the charm of the Portugal coast! I found out Yogaion randomly on google and I'm so happy I jumped on to go for it! I will come back for sure either for another retreat with Shaini or to work in the permaculture farm! This place and people have so much to offer! Don't hesitate anymore just go! :)
~Nelly, France
“Perfect yoga & surf retreat”
To everyone who loves Yoga and surfing or wants to learn it, I can just recomend this retreat. Shaini is a very good Yoga teacher who looks after everyone and takes care that no one is doing something wrong to the body. The Yoga lessons are challenging in the morning, relaxing in the evening and we had a good time and laughed a lot.Surfing was fun too, the surf instructor picked us up in Vale da Lama and brought as back too and with the nice lunch package we where given everyday there is nothing to worry about. The food in general is really, really good. Fresh and seasonal, helathy, always something different, always delicious.The resort itself is a really beautiful place, the rooms are clean and modern and have very comfortable beds!!This was one of my best trips ever! If you need a time out and if you want some sun, nature, healthy food and meet great people from all over Europe - go there!
~Anke, Germany
