Beginning our day with yoga and meditation, our local yoga teacher will lead us in an energizing mindful movement to start the day.  After a delicious Mexican breakfast, we will head out to a favorite local beach for mindfulness practice by the ocean.  

Our practice may consist of meditative walking along the tidal zone, saltwater floating guided meditation, and formal seated meditation engaging the five senses of the ocean ecosystem.   Munch on a delicious picnic lunch while exploring the area for some self-reflection and journaling time.  

Returning to the hostel, our chef will prepare another fabulous responsibly-caught seafood feast as we recall the highlights of the day and share our reflections with each other.  

Breakfast on the road, we will head out as the sun rises.  Our naturalist guide will take us on a 2-hour roadtrip along the west coast of La Paz Bay and into the foothills of the Sierra Giganta Mountains.  Arrrivng at Portugues Beach, a quaint remote fishing village, we will board a fishing panga (boat), and head to the San Jose archipelago.  

Fisherman Juan and Felipe Cuevas, brothers born on the island of El Pardito in the middle of the archipelago will take us on a mindful tour of the protected mangrove wetlands lagoon.  Here they will share with us the success story of tagging over 150 critically endangered hawksbill sea turtles.   

Snorkel gear ready, we will search for more hawksbills and green turtles on their lead.  This marine park is abundant with colorful reef fish and invertebrates we will log in our underwater data sheets as citizen scientists and record the locations of sea turtles along this unique day trip.  

Our lunch will is prepared by Clara, the fishermen's mom. Enjoying a freshly prepared fish ceviche with views of the Gulf of California, shared with one of the most iconic fishing families of the region is truly a unique experience not to be missed.  

Returning late to La Paz, our chef will have dinner ready at the hostel and maybe another bonfire to close out the last night and reflect on our sea turtle encounters. 

While our mini mindfulness retreat may come to an end, the journey down the path of personal growth and inner exploration has just begun anew.  We will close out the experience with one last yoga and guided meditation, a hearty Mexican breakfast, and lots of hugs with our new friends.   

Taking with you the tools gained from neuroscience-based mindfulness practice and new yoga experience, we trust you will feel confident to create the life you want.  A life with a better stress response, renewed trust in your ability to focus and concentrate, and a new community to continue to share your mindfulness practice. 

As we exchange emails, Instagram handles, and phone numbers, the memories we will take with us and share with others to help build a beautiful blue mindful world together.  

 El Pardito is a very small island in the Gulf of California. It is located between Isla San José and Isla San Francisquito, about 15 kilometers from the coast of Baja California Sur. The closest city is La Paz, which is about 150 km to the south. Local fishermen helped identify critical habitats for feeding sea turtles, breeding sharks, and fish biodiversity. Fishermen collaborate with researchers from the University of California Santa Cruz, Arizona State University, Center for Marine Science - IPN, and several local nonprofits. Currently, the research includes the use of acoustic and satellite markings and the deployment of video cameras for a better understanding of their movements and habitat preferences. Our expeditions provide funding for local fishermen to monitor and identify critically endangered hawksbill turtle foraging habitat preferences, develop protection measures to guarantee the absence of illegal fishing in hawksbill hotspots, and promote community-based management of protected areas. 

Mindful Eating Means Making Food Choices That Protect Our Planet. It involves seeking out food that is sustainably sourced"

by Shahzadi Devje, March 4, 2019, Huffington Post

Traveling responsibly means being conscious about how your actions, including what we put into our mouths, affect the local environment. There are several ways to become a more sustainable traveler, but one way to start is by being mindful of our food and water purchases. Now that our planet is characterized by climate change, more of us are grateful to access healthy food that increasingly depends on sustainable food systems.

Recognizing that many mindful travelers appreciate plant-based options, our kitchen staff led by Chef Andrés Acevedo, sources only the freshest, organic produce from regional farms. We honor all dietary preferences and we intentionally use regional honey and agaves for sweeteners rather than refined sugar. We source local ranches for artisan cheeses, bread, and eggs to support local and sustainable farming practices. 

While our menu is plant-based, we find that many people want Baja seafood as an option. Yet, local doesn't necessarily translate into sustainable based on the high amount of sea turtle mortality we document annually. The responsible seafood we provide is purchased fair-trade with collaborating artisanal fishermen from Baja California Sur and Sinaloa.