Yoga has been practiced by man for millennia. Initially, it was the ascetics and yogis among the snowy Himalyas who were yoga devotees. Gradually, many others followed suit and today, yoga devotees can be found among many social strata.
Today, Yoga is an integral part of holistic wellness programmes offered by hotels and spas the world over and Thailand is a leader in this field. The Andaman sea island of Phuket on Thailand’s western coast is the country’s largest island and a booming high end holiday resort with wonderful beaches. The mountainous, rain forested island is an ideal retreat to relax and rejuvenate. Wellness programmes abound in Phuket resort with yoga being a major feature. An ideal place to savour the delights of Phuket is the elegant and elite Anantara Phuket Villas which offer the ultimate in 21 century comfort.
Yoga is big business in Phuket with hotels, spas and many private instructors offering common and customized programmes. It is often offered as a component of a holistic health and relaxation programme or in a combination of other health treatments and sports like Muay Thai. Yoga is excellent to workout with and practicing yoga will improve both physical and mental health.
Hatha Yoga is the most frequently practiced form of yoga in Phuket. It concentrates mainly on the physical and exercise related aspects in yoga. Ashtanga Yoga, a fast paced set of poses always performed in the same order is also very popular among Phuket yoga aficionados. A few places have Thai yoga. It is unlike modern yoga and is always performed by an experienced practitioner and the yoga disciple does not have to perform complex manoeuvres. Similar to a regular massage with application of pressure and strenuous bending Thai yoga is a more passive form of yoga. Hot or Bikram Yoga is also practiced in Phuket and consists of 26 poses performed in 90 minutes in a very hot room with a temperature of 45 degrees Celsius approximately.
Yoga is often combined with meditation at many yoga centers in Phuket.
Drop in centers for yoga are a plenty in Phuket and private sessions are available throughout the island.
Thanuja Silva is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Auburn Silver. She has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world. Google+