How to Teach Yoga On Vacation
It’s not too good to be true, you really can teach yoga and enjoy a relaxing vacation. I just spent a week in Jamaica at Jewel Dunn’s River Resort teaching yoga while soaking up some much needed sun. After teaching my morning class on the boardwalk by the beach, I was free to enjoy all the resort offerings until my afternoon class. Not a bad gig, if you ask me!
Many cruise lines and resorts that don’t employ full-time yoga instructors will contract with companies that arrange teaching exchange programs for yoga instructors. A quick google search will result in a list of these companies, but I chose Fit Pro Travel by Fit Bodies, Inc for my teaching vacation. I completed the application, submitted my credentials and once I was approved, I chose my location! Fit Bodies partners with many adult only and family resorts in the Caribbean, Mexico, Costa Rica, and even Panama!
Teaching morning yoga at Jewel Dunn’s River Resort
Once I decided on a yoga teaching vacation, I filtered adult only resorts with dates available before May. The winters in Chicago can be long, so a tropical vacation is a necessity. I narrowed down my choices by researching the resorts, checking out the teaching schedule, and reading reviews (I love oyster.com for reviews). I chose Jewel Dunn’s River Resort in Jamaica because it had dates available in April, looked gorgeous, and even had paddle boards - added bonus! After paying the administration fee to Fit Bodies, I was ready to go!
Once I arrived, I met up with the fitness manager and he gave me my teaching schedule - daily classes at 8:00 and 4:00. I had at least 1 or 2 students every morning and only taught one afternoon class. The resort is small and wasn’t full, so we didn’t always have people show up for the afternoon class. I taught two classes with students who had never tried yoga before, which was really fun for me. I had a couple of experienced yogis who came back each morning, which was also great! Each morning I taught yoga on the boardwalk listening to the waves crash on the beach - it was wonderfully relaxing!
After teaching my morning class, I’d head over to the buffet for breakfast (delicious) before hitting the beach to paddle board or relax with my book while soaking up the sun. Each afternoon, I arrived ready to teach my afternoon class and if no students showed, I would work out or take myself through an easy flow. The rest of the evening I enjoyed dinner at one of the restaurants (Jade Samarai was amazing) at the resort or attend one of the special nights the resort planned including dinner on the pier, the beach party, and the Jamaican Jamboree. I ate jerk chicken every day and tried other local Jamaican fare. The resort did a great job of presenting the local culture.
I had a great experience with Fit Bodies, but here are a few other yoga exchange programs to check out! Most companies charge a nominal fee for access to all job postings along with other benefits of membership.
Fit Pro Travel - BASIC membership is free, but you are only able to view opportunities 4 weeks out. For $67 you can upgrade to a Travel membership which allows bookings up to 13 months out! The TRAVEL membership also gives you access to networking features.
Yoga Trade - Membership provides the benefit of viewing every job posting along with better ways to network and promote yourself. Yoga Trade also verifies all members credentials and designates this on your profile to give potential employers peace of mind.
Yoga Travel Jobs - Yoga Visa membership is free, but only gives you access to the yoga community. Yoga Passport is a 1 year membership that allows you to contact all yoga jobs.
Teaching yoga on vacation was a wonderful change of pace and great experience - I wish I could do more throughout the year! Most of the companies will allow you to book as many times as you want. If I didn’t have a full-time job, I think I’d just hop around the world teaching yoga. I’m very much looking forward to my next teaching vacation - whenever and wherever that might be!