The Radiant Retreat

The Radiant Retreat is a seven-night yoga retreat at Xinalani, an oceanfront retreat center in Quimixto, Jalisco, Mexico, just south of Puerto Vallarta. It is led by Jennifer Schelter and blends mixed-style yoga with rest and restoration and a focus on growth and healing. It is open to all levels.

What to Expect

The retreat is built around mixed-style yoga, with time given to rest and to personal growth and healing. Jennifer Schelter leads the week, and the practice is open to every level.

Days at Xinalani follow a general rhythm, though each retreat has its own. The usual shape looks like this:

- 8 AM: morning yoga by the ocean, all-levels practice meant to move, energize and awaken the body.
- 10 AM: breakfast of fresh tropical fruit, homemade pastries, Mexican favorites and healthier options.
- 12 PM: free time to swim, rest by the pool, use the wellness area or book a massage.
- 2 PM: lunch of fresh, seasonal dishes on the oceanfront terrace.
- 5 PM: restorative yoga, meditation, cacao or another mindful practice to slow down and reset.
- 7 PM: sunset over Banderas Bay, then dinner of fresh local cuisine and homemade desserts.

Between sessions there is plenty of room to make the time your own, whether that means ocean time, nature, body therapies or simply resting.

About Jennifer Schelter

Jennifer Schelter is the teacher named for this retreat and guides the week of mixed-style yoga and restorative practice at Xinalani.

The Setting

Xinalani sits between the jungle and the Pacific Ocean, south of Puerto Vallarta, with views over Banderas Bay. Guests wake to ocean views and the sounds of nature, and the center takes care of the stay, meals and details so there is less to organize.

Rooms come in several categories:

- Beach Casita: the most spacious and private option, steps from the beach, with a king bed, private terrace, plunge pool, ocean views and A/C.
- Eco Chic Treehouse: the signature open-air stay, perched above the jungle with ocean views, a private terrace with hammock, and a king bed or two double beds. A/C or open-air options are available.
- Deluxe Room: a cozy room with jungle and ocean views, a private terrace with a small hammock, and a king bed or two twin beds. It suits couples and solo travelers, with A/C or open-air options.
- Small and Big Palapa: open-air shared palapas with four or eight individual beds, a private terrace and ocean and jungle views. This is the most accessible way to stay.

Before You Go

The retreat is suitable for all levels, so no previous yoga experience is needed. You will stay for seven nights, and you will share the week with a like-minded community of people who came for many of the same reasons you did.