As the northern hemisphere battens down the hatches in the face of a second wave of COVID-19, no-one would blame you for wanting to find that perfect Caribbean beach wellness escape.
In response to the global pandemic and a growing state of permanent anxiety, Wild Lotus Glamping has created Naturally Wild Wellness; wellness retreats that allow you to stand still in a relentlessly racing world, giving you time and space to rejuvenate, reflect and re-centre. Now is the time to focus on your health and wellness and to build the physical and emotional resilience you will need in these trying times to come. In this series of blogs, we guide you through the benefits of each element of the retreat; Blue Mind yoga, nature-based therapies, CBD oil body treatments, transformative volunteering, and rhythmic drumming, on the beach, in the rainforest and under the stars.
Beach Glamping - a true connection with nature
When you book a Caribbean holiday, proximity to the beach is often the #1 criteria. Wild Lotus is the only glamping retreat in Antigua and your accommodation is right on the sand. You can’t get much closer than that. Just imagine being able to sleep on a stunning, deserted Caribbean beach. Isn’t that true connection with nature that your mind and body craves from a Caribbean holiday or wellness retreat?
Luxury camping, or glamping, is intrinsically a wellness experience. Humans need a connection with nature; to walk barefoot on the sand or in the forest, to breathe sea and forest air, to cook on a campfire, to sleep under the stars. If COVID has taught me anything, it is that long held values and traditions can be turned upside down in an instant. Material objects that you worked long and hard to acquire, suddenly seem irrelevant. If, like me, you are a baby boomer, COVID-19 could mean that sanguinely you live each day as if it may be your last. Meaningful experiences, of both people and places, matter more. Whatever your generation, personal wellness matters most.
Most hotels, even those that are ‘beachfront’ place their rooms well back from the beach, and then they sell you an upgrade so that you can have a sea view! If you’re buying a wellness break, then no matter how fluffy the pillows, it isn’t worth a dime if it doesn’t give you the authentic connections with nature that you are looking for.
The Beach is just the beginning
Antigua has a global reputation for its beaches but when it comes to wellness, truly, the beaches are just the beginning, and glamping on Valley Church beach the best place to start.
Glamping at Wild Lotus means you are right on the beach. You have all the creature comforts you might expect in a hotel room yet being outdoors, you also experience a deep and visceral connection with nature.
And you are perfectly safe. Valley Church beach stretches for about half mile, and it has just one access point, protected by huge wrought iron gates. Our security guard Mac, who is there overnight, is also happy to with lighting BBQ’s and campfires if needed. Each tent has lockable doors and windows and inside each tent there is a solid oak dresser with a safe for laptops and valuables. You can rest easy knowing that you can leave your belongings in the tent and that they will be secure. The iron gates are locked at sunset so that apart from our guests who have a key, there is no vehicular access to the beach after this time.
Valley Church beach is spell binding. The great expanse of sea and shoreline reminds you of your own small space in the greater scheme of things, invites you to be comfortable with the forces of nature, to relax, smile and quiet the mind.
Blue Mind Beach Yoga
Valley Church beach is unspoilt. Apart from the beach bar and your tents, there isn’t another building along the whole half mile stretch. Here, nature rules. Yoga on this pristine virgin beach are the first guided steps to help you declutter the mind.
The beautiful concept of the Blue Mind, described in a bestselling book by marine biologist Wallace J. Nichols, is based on proven scientific evidence that being close to water promotes mental health, happiness and has a calming effect on our mind.
This inspired us to incorporate Beach Yoga as a core element of Naturally Wild wellness retreats. Set on Antigua’s West coast, Valley Church beach is the perfect place to practice Beach Yoga, breathing fresh sea air charged with healthy negative ions, as the sun slowly sets.
Our yoga instructor, Karen Brookes, founder of Antigua’s National Dace Academy, Passion De Danse, began dancing at the age of three and went on to represent Antigua on a global stage. She studied at Trinity Laban Conservatoire in London, a leading school of contemporary dance, where she graduated with distinction. It was there that Karen studied Yoga and Pilates, and she has been teaching yoga for the past seven years. Karen is passionate about yoga in nature and pioneered free yoga classes for the people in Antigua’s botanical gardens.
Karen leads the yoga sessions at sunrise or sunset. Our Wild Lotus roof canopies protect you from the sun and extra-large yoga mats make you comfortable on the sand. Pure naturally Aloe Vera, growing wild on the beach, is prepared by our masseuse to protect and nurture your skin.
Beach yoga is a beautiful opportunity to focus all six senses on the rhythm of the ebb and flow of the tide and let yourself float into a meditative state. Practising on the shoreline encourages a more peaceful pace of thought, where creativity, insight, and connection with others are enhanced.
CBD oil beach massage
Our massage therapies focus on relieving anxiety and muscle tension. Relaxation therapy, Swedish massage and sports massages are among the options you can choose. Renowned for its pain-relieving properties, we harness the power of CBD oil blended with Aloe Vera and other indigenous aromatic herbs, freshly picked from your tropical shower garden, to create unique and effective aromas and balms for the release of tension and stress.
Naturally Wild beach massages are more deeply satisfying not just because of the beauty of the natural environment you are in, but also because the sounds of the sea are deeply relaxing and you are breathing in fresh sea air, loaded with negative ions, that promotes deep restorative sleep.
Naturally Wild Wellness
…because life is all there is
Naturally Wild Wellness retreats are designed to empower you to make meaningful, lasting changes in your life. The integration of nature therapies and transformational volunteering is an expression of our philosophy of wellness, which seeks to connect you to your truest self and to others, cultivating a sense of purpose and belonging.
Next time we will guide you through the rainforest to Wallings Dam Nature Reserve. Here we have worked with CEO Reffica Attwood and the local villagers to create the opportunity for transformational volunteering that tackles personal change, and climate change, both at the same time.
Today, we desire well-being more than anything else, even more than those material objects we’ve worked so hard to possess. Living a life of luxury is not as satisfying as living well. If COVID has taught us anything, it is that after all, life is all there is.
