TCM & Yoga Retreat ~ Siargao, Philippines | April 3–9, 2027 · 7 Days

We weave Traditional Chinese Medicine, yoga, acupuncture, and deep restorative practices into a week-long retreat, while exploring the tropical island of Siargao, connecting with the land and its people, and choosing your own adventures for a soul-nourishing experience.

Led by two sisters, Denys Gamotin, Registered TCM Practitioner & Acupuncturist (Slow Poke TCM, Toronto), and Desiree Gamotin, founder of Rich Spirit Yoga Siargao & Yoga Teacher, one yin, one yang, together they create the space for genuine rest, healing, and aliveness.

For more info, visit richspirityoga.com

Siargao is a small teardrop island in the Philippines, home to the best surf in the country. Beyond its world-class waves, it is an island of stunning coconut groves, hidden lagoons, mangrove forests, and crystal blue waters.

Our home base will be at Rich Spirit Yoga Studio in Santa Fe, about 15 minutes from the busy town centre of General Luna. Tucked away in a quiet jungle setting and steps away from one of the best sunset beaches in Siargao, Rich Spirit features a unique island-style lush surrounding with massive, floor-to-ceiling glass windows that give you expansive views of nature and wildlife as you practice.

Daily Practice

Each morning opens with intention ~ meditation, breathwork, yoga or Qi gong ~ to arrive in the body before the day begins. Daily yoga classes weave between dynamic vinyasa flow and slower, deeper practices: meridian flow and restorative yoga.

Local Farm + Cook Experience

A journey to the north of the island in Burgos for one of the retreat's most nourishing days. Lokal Lab is a grassroots NGO building sustainable and regenerative futures for Siargao, with and for the local community. We join their Farm + Cook experience: a guided farm tour followed by a traditional Filipino cooking class, ending with a farm-to-table lunch made from what was harvested on the land. This day becomes a meditation on seasonal eating. Rooted in the idea that food has always been medicine.

Gua Sha & Facial Cupping Workshop

Learn about Traditional Chinese Medicine's most accessible and transformative self-care practices. Each guest receives their own gua sha tool and facial cups to keep, along with a tutorial on how to use them & integrate into your daily routine. We close with a calming meditation and breath reset.

TCM Nutrition Workshop & Herbal Tea Making

Grounding explorations of Five Element nutrition and herbal medicine. Learn how food and herbs speak to the body's organ systems, discover your individual constitution and blend a personalized herbal tea to take home.

Restorative Yoga with Acupuncture & Sound Medicine

Fully supported by bolsters and blocks, this practice invites the body into deep parasympathetic rest. Acupuncture needles work quietly beneath the surface while sound medicine carries the nervous system the rest of the way. No effort required ~ just arrive, be held, and let go.

Island Hopping with a Kaymayan Lunch

A day in the crystal blue waters, hopping between Siargao's islands, swimming in the healing ocean, and gathering for a kaymayan meal: a Filipino feast eaten communally by hand on banana leaves. Part adventure, part ceremony, and rooted in joy.

The retreat's meals will honour the land and its stories.

Every meal at Rich Spirit is an act of nourishment, prepared with seasonal and local ingredients, and rooted in the rich culinary traditions of the Philippines.

We eat together & we eat well. Food is never an afterthought here. It is part of the medicine.

We know plans change. Here's how our refunds work.

The 30% deposit made at booking is non-refundable. If you cancel 90+ days before the retreat (before January 3, 2027): you'll receive a 50% refund of any payments made beyond your deposit.

If you cancel after Jan 3, 2027, no refund is available. No refund is issued for no-shows or for guests who choose to leave the retreat early.

Can't make it, but know someone who can?

You're welcome to transfer your spot to another person at no charge, up to 30 days before the retreat starts. Just email us the new guest's details and we'll handle the rest.

We strongly recommend travel insurance that covers trip cancellation, interruption, and medical emergencies. Since flights aren't included in your retreat price, insurance is the best way to protect the parts of this trip that are outside our control.