VIETNAM RETREAT 2026
THE EMBODIED BREATH
A 9 day immersion in North Vietnam
April 2026 (Dates to be confirmed)
VIETNAM RETREAT
THE EMBODIED BREATH
APRIL, 2026
final dates to be confirmed
Discover the Soul of North Vietnam
A journey through North Vietnam isn’t just a tour, it’s an awakening of the senses.
Join us, and let North Vietnam reveal its magic to you, not just through sights and sounds, but through the warmth of its people, the depth of its culture, and the quiet, unforgettable moments that stay with you long after you’ve returned home.
From the timeless charm of Hanoi’s Old Quarter, with its maze of narrow streets, French colonial architecture, and the aroma of steaming phở drifting through the air, to the serene beauty of Ninh Binh, where limestone peaks rise from lush rice paddies and winding rivers lead you through ancient temples and tranquil caves. Every moment reveals a new kind of wonder.
Venture further into the highlands (where the main body of our retreat unfolds) to discover the vibrant hill tribes of Sapa, where colourful markets, terraced valleys, and cool mountain air create a picture straight from a dream. Hike among clouds that cling to ancient peaks, and discover a Vietnam few ever truly see.
An invitation to rest down and
find nourishment in the simple elegance of embodied living, uncontrived, open, and natural.
THE RETREAT
THE EMBODIED BREATH
Intimacy, Nourishment & Belonging
This retreat is an invitation into a more intimate, relational way of practicing, a way of being that reconnects you with the subtle intelligence of breath, feeling, and mind.
At its core, yoga, and all true spiritual practice, is about intimacy.
Intimacy with our bodies, our breath, our hearts and minds.
And ultimately, with the open, spacious ground of awareness itself.
Many of the struggles we face arise from a sense of disconnection, from ourselves, from others, and from the living world. This retreat offers a space to return to wholeness, to reweave the threads of inner coherence, and to rest into, and be nourished by a deeper sense of belonging.
This retreat will support you in finding, clarity, inspiration and confidence in the subtle processes of a grounded spiritual life.
Each day is an opportunity to rest a little deeper into the intimate terrain of our bodies, hearts and minds, gathering in, and integrating the sometimes fragmented impulses in our lives into an easeful and cohesive wholeness.
All within the timeless beauty of the mountains of North Vietnam.
Hanoi - Sapa - Ninh Binh
After exploring the vibrant city of Hanoi for one night we will head into the mountainous region of Sapa.
This is where the bulk of our retreat will be held. Daily practice with some short hikes and visits to local villages and scenic spots. The last couple of days we will head back to the Ninh Binh area where practice will be morning and evening and a bit more touristy
Itinerary
This retreat will come in three parts
DAY ONE & TWO
Hanoi
2 Days
DAY ONE - Arrive in Hanoi
We will spend one night in Hanoi exploring this vibrant city
Day Two Overnight bus to Sapa
Sapa
DAY THREE TO DAY SEVEN
06:45 am Meditation and Pranayama
07:30 am Asana and Embodied Movement
09:00 am Breakfast
10:30 am Dharma Talk, Inquiry and Meditation
12:30 pm Lunch and Break
Daily hike, village tour or spa immersion
5:00 pm Restoratives, Yoga Nidra, Meditation
6:00 pm Finish
6:30 pm Dinner
DAY THREE TO SEVEN
DAY SEVEN TO NINE
Ninh Binh
Morning and evening practice
06:45 am Meditation and Pranayama
07:30 am Asana and Embodied Movement
09:00 am Breakfast
Daily tour or spa immersion
5:00 pm Restoratives, Yoga Nidra, Meditation
The opportunity to attend one of Paul’s events is an opportunity for me to deepen my practice and embody the ancient teachings of Yoga. Paul’s amazing wisdom and depth of knowledge allows me to release into his care and let go of all pretensions and expectations.
Paul has a wonderful way of making each student feel special and valued and allows them to ‘start where they are at’.
As a Yoga Teacher myself, attending Paul’s retreats are part of my ongoing personal development and teacher training as I find I learn so much from him and my fellow retreat participants. I give Paul’s retreats my highest recommendation.
Gina Macaulay, Owner/ Director of Yogahara
What students say
THE LOCATION
Hanoi - Sapa - Ninh Binh
After exploring the vibrant city of Hanoi for one night we will head into the mountainous region of Sapa - This is where the bulk of our retreat will be held - Daily practice with some short hikes and visits to local villages and scenic spots. The last couple of days we will head back to the Ninh Binh area where practice will be morning and evening and a bit more touristy.
Accommodation
Single Room
$2650
Shared Room
$2250
Payment Plan Available
What's Included
-
8 Nights Accommodation
-
Airport Pick Up
-
Transport within Vietnam
-
Breakfast & Lunch. (not Dinner)
-
All Teachings
Not Included
-
Flights
-
Visa
-
Travel Insurance
-
Airport drop off
-
Evening meal
-
Tips
Vietnem Travel Info
-
Visa - Visa on Arrival (VOA) - 500.000 IDR ($50)
-
Passport valid for over 6months
-
Return flight
About Paul Wooden
About Paul Wooden
Paul has been practicing and studying yoga and meditation for 40 years and teaching for 35 years.
He draws from his experience in many different styles and traditions and, through a practical understanding of their underlying unifying principles, weaves together a cohesive and integrated approach to yoga.
Paul is a unique voice in the world of yoga. He has a way of bringing the sometimes abstract teaching of yoga into ordinary language making them accessible and workable in our lives.
For Paul, yoga is first and foremost a relational process, with technique being a way to serve a deepening and more intimate relationship with ongoing moment to moment reality of our lives.
Working with Paul is an invitation to the deeper dimensions of practice. His particular way of working opens us to the sensitivity and receptivity necessary for the subtler inner practices. He has been running retreats for over 2 decades and finds them fertile ground for real transformation.
He continues to study the inexhaustible richness of the wisdom traditions and complements these studies with a more contemporary understanding of the human condition, including developmental psychology, integral theory and trauma work (somatic experiencing) which seeks to help uncover and release the binding patterns of trauma in the body.
