BLABBER-FREE BEACH
Amansala is an eco-chic beach resort on the turquoise waters of Tulum in Mexico, which is great for sunbathing, fish tacos and a bit of local colour. But the thing visitors truly fall in love with/get addicted to is the importance placed on peace and quiet. Members of the Bikini Bootcamp brigade at the hotel are not only invited to attend daily yoga and drum circle practices, but each day begins at sunrise, when a bell is rung to tell visitors to quietly dress, take a coffee from the café if they wish, then join the leader for an hour-long silent beach walk. In these moments of breathtaking beauty, fresh air and exercise, it feels like anything is possible. Add the quiet hum of the hummingbirds surrounding your wooden hut home, and you’ll want to live like Tarzan forever. that day. Stay at the strangely named Zombie Cucumber and let the Indian Ocean lull you to sleep. and all day on Wednesdays, which beats small talk around a crowded pool with a family from Huddersfield, doesn’t it?
sharphamtrust.org
A REFUGE AMONG THE TREES
If a tree falls over in a forest and no one is there to witness it, does it still make a sound? Now is your time to find out, as a Buddhist retreat called Forest Refuge in Massachusetts offers 240 wooded acres with silence, kindness, meditation and yoga practices for the expert or novice. Over the course, participants learn to increase their concentration, fearlessness, happiness and compassion – all good qualities to take back to the real world.
dharma.org