Spa/Wellness: People: Brazil: Body & Soul

Brazil: Body & Soul

From Alatia Bradley, New York, NY

“I’m a Golden Door kind-of-girl, but I wanted to try something new and find a place that offered serious exercise, so a friend recommended Body & Soul Adventures (www.bodysouladventures.com) in Brazil. I’ve since gone twice, once alone and once with a girlfriend. The retreat was started by Michael Anthony Mitchell, who is friends with Catharina Hedberg who runs the Ashram in California. Body & Soul is similar in that the exercise is really hard-core: you’re basically hiking and kayaking all day with a few yoga classes thrown in. But you’re also in a gorgeous part of the world, with an incredible beach, and they supervise you a bit less than from what I’ve heard about the Ashram. For example, my friend hated the first few days (she came around in the end!) and asked if she could take a day off and that was fine. You are not forced to complete every activity, though most people who come here want to achieve this goal.

Body & Soul was located on the Ilha Grande when I went and has since moved to the main land. But I’m told that the accommodation stayed pretty much the same with very basic rooms. It was all clean and the bathrooms were brand-new, but no amenities. There were about twenty people when I went, mostly Europeans and New Yorkers. I would say that everyone had a different goal, though I noticed that a lot of the New Yorkers seemed to be there for weight loss. It was an interesting group and everyone was motivated and determined to get through the week. The staff was wonderful, too, and really helped you if you were struggling with a particularly difficult hike.

What I loved most was falling asleep at night because I was truly physically exhausted as opposed to emotionally wrought. I left both times feeling amazing. I can really recommend Body & Soul…and a word about the name: the experience is definitely about your mind, body and soul but the retreat is not crunchy in the least; there’s no one trying to help you figure out your life.

Another bonus is that Body & Soul is an easy getaway from the U.S., since there’s no time difference (you fly into Rio de Janeiro and the retreat is about a three-hour drive). I tacked on a night in Rio at the end of my week. I stayed at the Copacabana Palace (www.copacabanapalace.com), an old-school hotel that I loved it. Next time I will try the Caesar Park (www.caesarpark-rio.com) on Ipanema, where I hear everyone is staying these days. Two restaurants that I discovered and loved in Rio were: Siri Mole (50 Rua Francisco Otaviano; +55-21-226-708-94), very casual but incredible food, and Satyricon (192 Rua Barão da Torre; +55-21-252-106-27), which was a bit dressier but also served incredible seafood.”

Getting There: Body & Soul is located in Paraty Mirim, on the coast of Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro state. Citizens of the United States need a visa to travel to Brazil. The processing fee costs $100 and applications are available through the Brazilian Consultes can also downloaded (www.en.brazilny.org) There are direct flights to Rio de Janeiro’s Galeão International airport from Atlanta and Miami, but many connect through São Paulo. A Body & Soul staff member meets groups every Sunday at the airport and transports them to the retreat (about a three-hour transfer). Rio de Janeiro is two hours ahead of EST.

When to Go: You will want to avoid Brazil’s humid summer months (December to February) and plan a trip to from May through October.

The Basics: Body & Soul retreats last one week. Rates start from $2,250 per person and include all meals, activites and transfers. From the U.S., call: 877-627-8431.