FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Vikasa is located by the ocean side on the ring road between Lamai and Chaweng Noi beaches, on the east coast of Koh Samui. Right next-door is the Merit Hotel, and opposite there’s a Muay Thai boxing school and Sky Gym. We are 20 minutes drive away from Koh Samui International Airport, and 35 minutes drive from both Nathon and Lipa Noi ferry terminals.

Vikasa premises are sprayed against mosquitos once a week, so you shouldn’t expect to be bothered by them. Just remember to close your room door during sunrise and sunset hours when mosquitos are usually active. Mosquito repellents are available in any of the many pharmacies which are on the island, should you need them.

You can get to Koh Samui International Airport via 2 direct flights from Singapore daily (Silk Air and Bangkok Air),

2 direct flights from Kuala Lumpur daily (Firefly and Bangkok Air), 1 direct flight from Penang every second day (Firefly), 2 direct flights from Hong Kong daily (Bangkok Air),

at least 10 daily flights from Bangkok (Bangkok Air and Thai Airlines), also check flights via Phuket, Krabi, Chiang Mai and Pattaya, as these are often cheaper (Bangkok Air).

Alternatively there’s an option to fly cheap with Air Asia from Kuala Lumpur or Singapore to Surat Thani International Airport, located on the mainland. From there you will need to take a bus to Donsak Pier, then a ferry or speedboat to Koh Samui, and finally a taxi to Vikasa.

Koh Samui’s climate is tropical and high in both temperature and humidity. Most people find it pleasant. The average temperature is about 30 degrees Celsius, or 86 degrees Fahrenheit. When it gets too hot, just enter an air conditioned room - all rooms at Vikasa have a/c as standard, as does our main yoga sala where you will be training. A dip in our infinity pool can also be very refreshing. Remember to drink a lot of water so you don’t become dehydrated. You will experience similar temperatures here all year round, though on some days you might find yourself in a tropical shower. Rainy periods are usually short and as the island’s water supplies are finite, the rain is important - plus, without it, Koh Samui wouldn’t be the lush, green environment it is.

Free yoga mats and other supplies such as bolsters, are available in the salas at Vikasa, so there’s no need to bring your own along unless you prefer yours. We use Manduka mats at Vikasa. Daily fresh towels are also provided both in your rooms and in yoga spaces.

Let’s start with what you don’t need to bring. There will be towels available in each room including one beach towel. We also provide you with a set of Vikasa branded shampoo, shower gel and natural soap bar that are replaced regularly. Please bring your required set of personal hygiene items (including toothpaste and toothbrush, which we do not supply) but don’t worry in case you forget something. There are plenty of shops; you can buy practically anything on Koh Samui. Please note, there are no hairdryers in the rooms so please bring one if necessary. Plenty of comfortable clothes that are easy to wash and dry will come handy for your daily yoga practice. Otherwise, you won’t actually need a lot of garments other than t-shirts and shorts, light dresses, and of course flip-flops and sunblock. The temperature rarely drops below 24 degrees Celsius, or 75 Fahrenheit, even at night, so no sweaters or jackets are required.

We offer a wash and dry service for your clothes which will be collected by leaving in the bags provided in your room. Please note, there is an extra charge for this service.

All students of yoga are welcome, regardless of background or practice style, though it is considered an advanced level training and it is recommended to have plenty of experience in personal practice. Students seeking Universal Yoga teacher certification must:

• Have a foundation training as a pre-requisite
• Have a passion to learn and explore the deeper dimensions of yoga
• Be free of major injuries (please inform of minor but recurring injuries in advance)
• Be fully committed to 100% attendance
• Be able to forget most of their personal and professional commitments during the course

Accommodation is also provided, but is charged separately at a special discounted rate for the entire duration of the course. Price varies from $700 up to $1,400 depending on room type. Click here to view available room types.

Standard tourist visa upon arrival is normally valid for 30 days without prior application, for most passport holders. Please consult a Thai embassy representative in your home country to double-check. To extend your visa duration once you are here, you have several options:

• 30 day extension of stay. You can apply at the local Samui Immigration Office for a 1 month extension, although for some countries, only a 7 day extension is available. This normally takes a few hours at the office and costs 1,900 Baht 

• Deliberately overstay and pay a fine at departure. You can just pay a small fee of 500 Baht per day of overstay when you are leaving the country. This procedure is pretty straightforward, and only requires a small amount of cash on hand. There is a special counter for this in every airport as it is a very common practice, so do not worry about it at all. Just save enough and have the cash ready at the airport for the amount of days you have overstayed 

• Apply for a 60 or 90 day visa prior to your departure. If you want to be totally flexible and stay longer, the best option is to apply for this type of visa in your home country before you leave. Cost and processing times vary so please check in advance and follow procedures of your local Thai embassy 

• Fly out, then fly back in. Arrange a flight out of Thailand and return immediately; you will be granted another standard visa upon arrival, valid for 30 days. Please note, flights from Samui can be expensive if booked last minute, so for this option, check and book well in advance

Local currency in Thailand is Baht. You don’t need to bring a lot of cash with you. Banking infrastructure is well-developed on Koh Samui. There are safe and reliable ATMs on every corner that accept all types of cards - VISA and MasterCard preferred. You can also easily exchange your home currency at any bank or money exchange booth, which are very common.

Prices for your typical groceries, including tropical fruits, are most likely to be lot cheaper than back home. There are 7/11s and Family Marts that are open 24 hours on every corner in Koh Samui - sometimes 2 or 3 on one corner! There’s also an open-air shopping mall called Central Festival, where you can buy anything from beach clothes to electronics and cameras. It is located 15 minutes drive from Vikasa. In addition, there are plenty of smaller shops along Chaweng and Lamai beaches, which are the two busiest areas in Koh Samui, just 10 minutes drive from Vikasa. Finally, each Friday there’s a laid back night-market in Fisherman’s Village that is a must-visit.

Absolutely. Koh Samui is a safe place in general, and Vikasa in particular. This is a very popular upscale tourist destination, and also an island, so you do not need to worry about safety away from home. Vikasa will be like home, the staff are very helpful and warm, and also students become like a family.

You can easily acquire a prepaid local SIM card at any 7/11 or Family Mart. All SIM cards are 3G ready allowing you to browse the Internet at very reasonable speed and rates. Don’t forget there’s free WiFi throughout Vikasa Yoga Retreat.