Kirsten Berg and Mitchell Gold have been teaching Ashtanga on Why Nam a remote cove on Koh Phangan since 2002 and it is easy to see why they go back each year. One could not find a more idillic location. The only access to this spot of paradise is via long-boat from Haad Rien and as you glide along the turquoise colored water along the stunning coastline you thank your gods you are alive. This is about as remote from big city stress as you can get.





There is only one set of bungalows available for accommodation along Why Nam and the owners will not take bookings and therefore you will just have to turn up and see if they have any available. Just before Why Nam beach is Hadd Tien. There you can either book accommodation at The Sanctuary or Beam Bungalows or take your luck with the Haad Tien Restaurant that also offers good and reasonable accommodation.



From Haad Tien it is a five minute walk through the swaying coconut trees to get to Why Nam and the yoga platform. The platform has been built jutting over the southern corner of Why Nam beach catching the cool ocean breeze. The yoga classes begin at 9 a.m. as at this stage the sun has passed over to give the platform shade. Usually I feel like half my day is already over by 9 a.m., but my practice became one of the most energetic I have ever had. All those wonderful negative ions skipping off the ocean where powering me on and I found this to be the case each day.



Kirsten and Mitchell are gentle and thoughtful teachers, making sure they get to know your practice straight away so that they are fully engaged. Surprisingly there were about 15 practitioners while I was there, and I say surprisingly because you wonder where they sprang from. It is so quite and peaceful and like hermit crabs the yogis emerge at practice time and then slip off again to pursue their own personal spiritual quests. Occasionally you see them in one of the wonderful restaurants sipping on a coconut or swimming in the warm clear waters of the ocean, but generally everyone kind of dissolves into the environment.



This is a place where you can fully immerse yourself into the natural environment, chill out, do you practice in the morning, eat great healthy food, swim and if you want even party in Haad Rien just a long-boat ride away. I met several 'hermits' who had literally arrived and just haven't left, some who have been there 8 months and some 17 years. The yogic spirit is felt literally on every corner and I will be back in the not so distant future.