Let’s help you find where to go on holiday in September – we’ve rounded up some of the best places.

Summer isn’t over yet in September. In fact a holiday in September is best in the Mediterranean for example if you want to avoid the backing heat, yet temperatures are comfortable for the occasional excursions and also sunbathing on the beach and swimming in the sea. The water has gradually been warmed up throughout the summer, and still feels very pleasant even with a gentle breeze.

Besides, with kids back at school, the crowds have disappeared and prices have come down. You are lucky if you can go on holiday in September to benefit from more pleasant temperatures, lower prices, and less crowded places. It’s indeed a good choice to go on holiday in September and enjoy those benefits.

And if you don’t want to fly to the Med there are also home-grown destinations with so much to offer. Whether it’s Ayurveda massages in Wales or outdoor hot tub and spa in Yorkshire, there are plenty of retreats where you can immerse yourself in peaceful seclusion.

If you want to check local temperatures we recommend the BBC weather website for weather reports about two weeks in advance. Once you are away the Met office site provides also useful local details.

Here is our selection to help you find your holiday in September:

In the UK

Ayurveda in Wales: head to South Wales to unwind and relax with a combination of yoga and Ayurveda. Enjoy outdoor hot tub and infra-red sauna, walks in AONB and by the beach. From £570pp for 3 nights, pick your days. (See also photo at top.)

Yoga Cleanse in Cotswold: in early September Rina Golan offers the opportunity to let yourself be nourished, go inwards and pay attention to your needs. Cook together, practice yoga, meditate, walk in nature. From £295pp for 2-night weekend, in early September and October only.

Be Healthily Happy in Yorkshire: Relax with Kundalini yoga, unwind with meditation, refresh and rejuvenate with healthy raw food cuisine, plus enjoy the hot tub and sauna. These are women only retreats offered by Raw Horizons. From £1,095pp for 5 nights, full board.

In Europe

Yoga in southwest Turkey: Huzur Vadisi, one of the country’s best-known yoga retreats is waiting for you, nestled in a peaceful valley amongst olive groves near Turkey’s Turquoise Coast. From £525pp per week.

Fun holidays near Toulouse: get inspired with one-week holidays focusing on yoga, music, dance, cookery or art. From £640pp per week.

Luxury Yoga Retreat in Pelion, Greece: at the foot of the magical Pelion forest where crystal clear water laps rhythmically at the water’s edge. Enjoy vinyasa flow yoga and massages. September only, from £790pp per week.

Further afield

Ayurveda, yoga, beach, and up to 50% discount: If you are craving perfect white sandy beaches, palm trees and warm seas, West Coast Ayurveda Resort in Sri Lanka is located right on tropical beach with a natural lagoon. Treat yourself to a uniquely luxurious holiday with full body massages. Enjoy up to 50% discount on full board accommodation, until 7^th November.

Swim with Wild Dolphins, Bimini, Bahamas: this is a once in a lifetime holiday, the ultimate sacred journey retreat with WildQuest. Plus yoga, healthy food and warm, turquoise ocean. Selected dates in September, from $1,695pp for 6 nights, approximately £1,200.

For more inspiration of holidays in September check our calendar and also all year holidays.

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Some of our cherished Neal’s Yard Holidays devotees recently told us they’d like to browse our new wellbeing holidays without too much fuss.

And why not? If you’ve been on a few of our retreats already, or if you’re simply pushed for time and want to know the latest destinations on offer, being able to see our new wellbeing holidays at a glance sounds like a pretty good idea. Of course, we couldn’t help but listen.

So, here are our latest worldwide retreats. Could one of these new wellbeing holidays be your next getaway?

From sunny Croatia to the jungle in Costa Rica, and from sub-tropical gardens in south Spain to a peaceful country retreat in Surrey – what appeals to you?

Costa Rica

Yoga and Soul Wellness Retreat near Montezuma
Stay at a peaceful jungle lodge set in beautiful flowering gardens within a private reserve next to Cabo Blanco National Park on the pacific coast with its wonderful beaches. This oasis has a swimming pool, jacuzzi, and hammocks to relax in.
Selected dates between 1 March and 6 December
From £890 per person for 6 nights. Single rooms available

Spain

Yoga Retreats in Almeria
“It’s location to the airport, beaches and walking distance to the local village all add to the sense of ease and let go.” Week-long yoga retreats for all levels organised by Huzur Vadisi.
Year round – in Almeria in South Spain
From £775 pp pwk in twin/double shared room. Single rooms available

Sri Lanka

Seaside Ayurveda Yoga retreat, Bentota
Newly built, nestled between the river and the Indian ocean, with lush green surrounds. Stay in individual cabanas, swim in the sea or pool. Personalised Ayurveda treatments, yoga, river cruises and Sri Lankan hospitality at its best.
Open year round – near Bentota at Sri Lanka’s west coast, 100km from airport.
From EUR1190, approx £1067 pp pwk in single room.

England, UK

Wellbeing Retreats in Surrey
Come for Yoga, mindfulness and meditation, Tai Chi and/or creative arts, weekends or midweek. Their massage therapist is offering a variety of treatments onsite. Find rest and renewal at Claridge House.
Year round – near Lingfield in Surrey
From £189pp for 2 nights, or £365 for 4 nights hb single ensuite room

Detox Yoga Weekends in the Cotswolds
Rest and rejuvenate on this idyllic English countryside retreat. Learn to prepare both raw and cooked food. Rina Golan teaches powerful yoga and breathing techniques, and offers nutritional and lifestyle advice to rediscover your wellbeing.
Selected dates throughout the year at idyllic country house near Stratford-upon-Avon.
From £295pp for 2-night weekend, shared room. Single rooms available

Remember – these are just some of our new wellbeing holidays. For more activities, retreat destinations, offers and old favourites, take a look at our website.

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Guaranteed warm weather in much of Europe and beyond, and still a chance to cheat the rush by getting away before schools close… What’s not to like about summer retreats in July?

And with a great line-up of summer retreats, we’re sure to have the perfect getaway to help you relax – and potentially escape yet another wet July in the UK.

We give you yoga escapes in the beautiful countryside of the Surrey Hills, creative holidays in Spain, and a variety of detoxing getaways for a fresh start. And among our hand-picked summer retreats in July there’s something for the time-poor as well as those looking for a longer holiday. Dig in!

The short getaway…

• South Wales retreat: A combination of yoga and Ayurveda to help you truly unwind and relax. From £570 per person, full board for three nights, including treatments and yoga.

… and our longer summer retreats in July

• Chillout Retreat in blissful Mallorca: yet another one-off opportunity, from 17-23 July. Enjoy the island plus yoga, Pilates, meditation, detox food and juices, art, massage treatments and pool. From £649 for 6 nights, shared room.
• Tai Chi in the mountains of Southern Spain: 9-16 July. Come to explore and play tai chi! You’ll learn moves that free your joints, relax your muscles, engage your mind and fill you up with creative energy. From £650pp p/wk sharing room (singles available). And there are other activity holidays throughout the year at Cortijo Romero.
• ‘Mini Eden’ in Turkey: Yoga at Suleyman’s Garden near Dalaman comes with accommodation in traditional thatched huts and stunning sea views. From £645pp for a week.
• Ayurveda retreat in Sri Lanka: A top-class holiday on the south coast of Sri Lanka, with full body massages, herbal baths and steams, and rejuvenating scrubs. From £747 pp per week.

Can’t find what you’re after? No worries – here are more ideas for summer retreats in July.

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We know, we know… It’s not quite Pancake Day yet, and here we are, posting ideas for an Easter retreat.

But then that’s how we’re wired over here at Neal’s Yard Holidays. Always looking ahead for the next bank holiday and the next chance to get away. And we figured we’re not that different from anyone else, so if we’re thinking about going on an Easter retreat then you might be too.

And what’s more the Easter weekend is early this year, 25-28 March, so planning your Easter retreat now is a good idea. Get your booking in and make the most of those bank holidays. Here are our tips for:

Easter retreats near…

If you are simply after yoga and relaxation then you can refresh and rejuvenate at Raw Horizons‘ spacious manor house in beautiful Yorkshire countryside. Soak in the hot tub and relax in the sauna. Wholesome food is served – so just sit back!
18–20 March, from £345pp for 2 nights inclusive

…and far

Well not so far, Italy beckons with the beautiful countryside, In Sabina, just an hour north of Rome. Sunflower Retreats offer daily yoga and a range of optional activities like cooking classes, Italian lessons, holistic treatments and even hot springs.
24–30 March, £565pp for 6 nights

Or escape to deeper warmth, and wake up to tropical bird song in Sri Lanka. Rejuvenate with a personal Ayurveda retreat, organic food, yoga and meditation.
March/April, from USD110pp pn (approx £74) for single room, fb, including treatments

Need more ideas for getaways around Easter time? Find out where else you can go this March and April. And you can sign up to our free e-newsletter for updates on wellbeing holidays we’ve got coming up.

The post Looking for the perfect Easter retreat? Look no more… appeared first on Neals Yard Holidays Blog.

Are you eating on the go? Or are you tired after a meal?
Try these simple Ayurveda tips for good digestion.

Ayurveda relies on balance of the three doshas – vata, pitta and kapha – for good health.  A healthy digestive system therefore relies on balance of the doshas and in particular – pitta, which governs the metabolism and digestive system.

Digestive problems are common and usually caused by a combination of poor diet and eating ‘on the go’. Many people rarely take the time to eat a good breakfast, usually eating a slice of toast in the car on the way to work, or not eating anything at all. Lunch time is much of the same with people eating at their desks or wolfing something down quickly before their next meeting.

Ayurveda can help improve our digestive health by not only focussing on what we eat but how we eat it. Ideally we should eat in a comfortable, relaxing environment or at least sitting down without distractions. This helps us to focus on the food, the taste and smell, and when we focus, we eat slowly, which helps digestion.

Another way to aid digestion is to stimulate the digestive fire or ‘agni’

Another way to aid digestion is to stimulate the digestive fire or ‘agni’, which is controlled by the pitta dosha. If the agni is weak, then this can make us tired after eating. If it is too strong, then it can ‘burn’ the food. Ayurveda recommends finding a balance so we can digest efficiently. To boost your digestive fire, try eating a 1-inch pinch of fresh ginger with a drop of lemon before meals.

Mixing cold drinks with hot food can cause stomach cramps or bloating so one way to help balance the agni is to avoid food or drinks that are too cold. This means drinking water or juices at room temperature and avoiding ice. Think of it like a burning fire – you don’t want to extinguish the flame!

Agni is strongest between 12-2pm, so Ayurveda recommends that lunch is the largest meal of the day. Eating too late at night can also mean the agni struggles to digest food, leaving you feeling tired in the mornings, so try to eat dinner before 8pm.

Another tip for good digestion is to have a yoghurt drink called lassi during or after meals. Lassi contains lactobacilli or ‘good bacteria’ and helps to lubricate the intestines for smooth digestion. It is made with fresh yoghurt, water and sugar to taste.

If you find that your agni goes too much the other way and you have excess acid, try eating a spoonful of pomegranate chutney before meals as this is known to control stomach acid and decrease digestive gases.

Remember, Ayurveda tips for digestion:

1. Eat in a calm environment, without distractions
2. Sit down and focus on the taste, smell and texture of the food
3. Avoid food and drinks that are too cold
4. Have a yoghurt drink that contains lactobacilli during or after meals
5. Eat a piece of fresh ginger with lemon before meals to increase digestive fire
6. Eat a spoonful of pomegranate chutney to decrease digestive fire and control acid
7. Make lunch the biggest meal of the day
8. Avoid eating dinner after 8pm

For more Ayurveda tips, see our previous blogs on Ayurveda tips for drinking water and Ayurveda tips for better health.

For our holidays where you can practise this ancient tradition of Ayurveda, see this page

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It’s relatively common to feel sluggish in the morning, lethargic in the afternoon and restless at night. According to Ayurveda, to have good health and feel energised, we should live in tune with nature’s cycles. By implementing a simple morning and night routine, you can achieve harmony.

Ayurveda recommends morning and night time practices called Dinacharya. The morning routine promotes focus, a calm outlook and sustainable energy to help you throughout your busy day. The night time routine will help you wind down and prepare you for sleep.

Ayurveda Morning routine

Waking

According to Ayurveda, before sunrise is the ideal time to get up in the morning because of the vata dosha – a subtle energy. The atmosphere is still quiet at this time, which also makes it easier to meditate. Energy after the sun rises, is heavy, which can make you feel heavy and tired.

Washing

Clean out your nostrils using a warm saline solution of warm water and sea salt in order to flush out germs, pollution and dust that has accumulated overnight. According to yoga tradition, it equalises the flow of breath between the nostrils and balances your energy.

Ayurveda also recommends tongue-scraping to get rid of toxins that lead to illness. Then, before you brush your teeth, drink a glass of warm water flavoured with a slice of lemon or lime. This helps to flush the digestive tract and kick-start your metabolism.

Massage

According to Ayurveda, massaging your body with warm, pure oils promotes detoxification and moisturises skin. Just 10 minutes in the morning is enough. Start with your temples, face and neck then work your way down using circular motions. If you have time, let the oil sit for a few minutes, then shower.

Ayurveda Evening routine

Wind down

As the sun goes down, keep lights dim. Lessen your exposure to electronics and don’t use any at all an hour before going to bed. It’s time to tell your body to ‘switch off.’ Light some candles or a stick of incense fused with vanilla, which has a calming effect. Add some essential oils to a bath and have a relaxing soak.

Soothe

Give yourself a foot massage with a drop of sesame oil for ten minutes. There are several pressure points in the feet that correspond to the whole body, which means you can relax within just a few minutes.

Drink

Before bed, heat some organic milk (or rice milk or similar) and add ground cinnamon and nutmeg. Warm whole milk is used in Ayurveda as an insomnia remedy, so it’s perfect to help you drift off to sleep.

Breathe

Just before going to bed, or before evening meditation, practice nostril breathing known as Nadi Shodhana. Do this by using your thumb and finger to open and close each nostril, while you breathe through the other. This will help you transition from activity to stillness, which will relax the body and mind.

Following this Ayurveda routine can help you focus, energise and relax when you need to. You will experience more peace of mind and it’s an opportunity to focus on yourself. Start with just one or two of these practices and gradually build more into your daily routine. You’ll feel better in no time.

To see what Ayurveda holidays we have available, click here.

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Don’t let the winter blues get you! Read our tips on where to go for January retreats.

January is a great month to travel. There are plenty of deals and cheap flights to be found – whether you’re looking for well-deserved sunshine and pure relaxation, or want help with your New Year’s resolutions.

Many of the Neal’s Yard Holidays and retreats offer detox programmes, so you’ll be able to rid yourself of festive excess and return home feeling well prepared for yet another year.

A yoga and Ayurveda retreat in beautiful South Wales will help you start the new year relaxed and rejuvenated. Join in daily yoga sessions, blow away the cobwebs with a walk in the ancient forest, and end your day with a soak in a hot tub. Detox programmes are available, and all food is vegetarian based on Ayurvedic principles and organic produce.

Pure bliss and relaxation wait for you at two of Neal’s Yard Holidays’ most popular retreats. South Coast and West Coast Ayurveda in Sri Lanka both offer top quality Ayurveda treatments including body massages, herbal baths and steams, and rejuvenating scrubs. You’ll enjoy delicious food prepared from fresh, local and, wherever possible, organic ingredients. Book early to avoid disappointment. You’ll feel a world away from wet and cold January in the UK!

For more January and winter holidays see our website.

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