Earth House
Earthy colours, hand-crafted walls and an open-sky bathroom.
- 2 single beds
- Air-conditioning
- Private open-sky bathroom
Yoga & meditation retreat · Chiang Mai, Thailand
Come back to your True Nature.
A family-run yoga and meditation retreat in the hills north of Chiang Mai. Arrive any day, stay three nights or longer, and come exactly as you are.
- Flexible arrival dates
- Minimum 3 nights
- Beginners welcome
Yoga Alliance RYS 200Registered yoga school- Family-run & smallYou are a guest, not a number
- All levels welcomeComplete beginners to teachers
- Guest reviewsRead them on Google & TripAdvisor
Welcome to True Nature
A place to practice, rest, and feel at home.
Welcome to True Nature, our family-run yoga and meditation retreat in the green Mountains of Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand. This is our home, and we’re happy to share it with you.
Life here follows a simple rhythm: yoga and meditation in our open-air shala, home-cooked vegetarian meals around one long table, time to explore and time for yourself. Read in a hammock, wander past the rice fields, or join a trip to the waterfalls. Whether you’re coming on your own, trying yoga for the first time, or returning to your practice, come as you are.
Read how True Nature started
- YogaMorning and afternoon, every level
- MeditationSimple, practical, no dogma
- NatureMountains, banana trees, big skies
- FoodThai vegetarian, cooked on site
- CommunityOne long table, lots of chat
200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Chiang Mai
Deepen your practice. Learn to share it.
Spend 25 nights with us at True Nature, practicing each day and learning alongside a small group of no more than 20 students.
Our Yoga Alliance registered 200-hour training brings together anatomy, teaching methodology, meditation, and practical Buddhist philosophy. You’ll live and learn here, with Ning’s cooking three times a day and familiar faces around the table. We take the learning seriously, with plenty of room for questions, encouragement, and laughter along the way.
- 200hours, RYS 200
- 20students maximum
- 25nights on site
How long to stay
Stay as long as you like (well, at least three nights)
Pick your own arrival date. Everyone follows the same easy daily rhythm, so you can come for a short reset or settle in for weeks.
3–4 nights
A great startTime to arrive, sleep in the quiet, and get a feel for the daily rhythm.
6–7 nights
Go deeperA full week of practice, long breakfasts and lazy afternoons. The routine starts to carry you.
10+ nights
Truly transformLong enough for the practice to become a habit. Long-stayers tend to end up on first-name terms with the dogs.
A day at True Nature
The daily rhythm
Every day has the same simple shape, so there is nothing to plan. Join what you like, skip what you don't.
We begin the day in gentle morning silence until 9:15am, giving everyone a little space before breakfast and conversation.
Wake up
Morning yoga
Breakfast
Optional activity
Lunch
Free time
Afternoon yoga
Sunset
Dinner
Lights out
Real moments
Life at True Nature, as it really is
No stock photos, no models. Mats, meals, animals, rain, sunsets and the people who make the place what it is. Tap any photo to see it bigger.
The people behind True Nature
This is our home. You’re welcome here.
We’re Ning, Adam, and family. We live here, teach here, cook the meals, connect with guests and look after True Nature together.
During your stay, you’ll get to know us in the shala, around the table, and in the little conversations throughout the days. The dogs and cats will probably get to know you too.
We care about good teaching, good food, and making people feel at ease. You don’t need to be anything in particular to come here. We’re happy to meet you as you are.
Vegetarian food
Cooked here. Eaten together.
Ning cooks three vegetarian meals a day in our open kitchen, with local produce and whatever is ripe in the garden. Think green curry, stir-fries, soups, fresh salads, piles of tropical fruit and a few Western favourites. Vegan options are always there.
We eat together around one long table, which is where most friendships here start. And yes, Saturday is make-your-own-pizza night.
Read about the food at True NatureStay
Where you will sleep
Simple, hand-built houses, bungalows, cottages and canvas tents, most with a balcony and a hammock. No TVs, no minibars — just a comfortable bed and a lot of green outside.
Bamboo Bungalow
Northern Thai-style bungalows, built by local craftspeople. Our budget-friendly private room.
- Double mattress (or 2 singles) with mosquito net
- Fans
- Private bathroom
Nature Tent
Canvas tents on raised teak platforms, looking out over the mountains.
- Single mattress
- Fan, lights and power outlets
- Shared bathroom
Wow such a beautiful place, so glad I came to visit and stay here. The birds singing in the morning, the beautiful sunsets and the lovely animals… I loved the yoga so much, it was challenging but suitable for the variety of participants, and I found the meditation experience to be so beneficial and insightful.
Guest stories
In our guests' words
Solo travellers, couples, first-timers and people who have practised for years. Read what they wrote, or watch a guest tell it in the video above.
What's included
Everything you need, nothing you don't
Your stay covers your room, all meals and the daily programme. Live room rates are shown when you pick your dates.
- Your roomPrivate rooms, shared rooms and canvas tents
- 3 vegetarian meals a dayThai and international, cooked on site by Ning
- Yoga twice a day7:30am flow, 4:30pm Yin or restorative
- Daily meditationPranayama and meditation throughout your stay
- Two open-air shalasMats, blocks, straps and bolsters provided
- Evenings togetherSaturday pizza night, sunsets, the long table
- Water, tea & coffeeFiltered drinking water all day
- Time with the teachersAsk questions, get help with your practice
Not included: flights and transfers, optional activities (massage, the waterfall and temple trips, the elephant sanctuary, the cooking class, the ice bath) and travel insurance.
Right now at True Nature · updated 1 October 2026
October 2026: retreat season is about to start
Our September teacher training has just finished, and retreat season reopens on 8 October. The rains are easing off, the garden is very green, and the mats are back out for retreat guests.
Teacher training, September 2026
A month of practice, anatomy and philosophy — with plenty of laughing.
See the post on Instagram
Retreat season from 8 October
Arrive any day from 8 October. Minimum stay three nights.
See the post on Instagram
Quick facts
True Nature at a glance
The essentials, in one place.
| What it is | A family-run yoga and meditation retreat immersed in nature |
|---|---|
| Location | Chiang Mai, Thailand — about 45–50 minutes north of Chiang Mai city |
| Programmes | Yoga & Meditation Retreat and 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training (Yoga Alliance RYS 200) |
| Retreat season | 8 October 2026 – 1 March 2027 |
| Arrival dates | Flexible — arrive on any day in the season |
| Minimum stay | 3 nights |
| Recommended stay | 3–4 nights for a great start · 6–7 nights to go deeper · 10+ nights to truly transform |
| Daily practice | Morning yoga 7:30am · afternoon yoga 4:30pm · breathing and meditation |
| Level | All levels, including complete beginners |
| Food | Three vegetarian meals a day with vegan options, Thai and international |
| Accommodation | Simple hand-built houses, bungalows, cottages and canvas tents — private and shared options |
| Check-in / check-out | Check-in 2–4pm · check-out 10:30am |
| Wi-Fi | Across the property, including the rooms |
| Alcohol & drugs | Not permitted |
| Contact | info@truenaturecm.com · WhatsApp +66 80 403 2979 |
Is True Nature the right fit for you?
We are family-run, not a resort. Here is an honest picture of who tends to love it here, so you can decide with your eyes open.
You will probably love it here if…
- You want to slow down for a few days (or weeks).
- You enjoy yoga, meditation and being outdoors — or would like to try.
- Simple rooms and good vegetarian food sound just right.
- You like meeting people from around the world over dinner.
- You are happy to share the place with a few friendly cats and dogs.
You may prefer somewhere else if…
- You are looking for a five-star resort or a pampering spa.
- You want nightlife, bars and shopping nearby. (We are alcohol-free.)
- You want a TV, a minibar and room service.
- You would rather not be part of a small community.
- Insects, geckos and animals make you uneasy. This is the countryside.
FAQ
Questions people ask before booking
Is True Nature a good yoga retreat for beginners?
Yes. Plenty of our guests have never done yoga or meditation before. Every class has easier and stronger options, we explain things in plain language, and nobody is expected to "keep up". Experienced practitioners are just as welcome.
Can I come to the retreat on my own?
Of course — lots of guests travel solo. We eat together at one long table, so meeting people is easy. Finding a quiet corner when you want one is just as easy.
How long should I stay?
The minimum stay is 3 nights. 3–4 nights is a great start, 6–7 nights lets you go deeper, and 10+ nights gives the practice time to become a habit. More on how long to stay at our retreat.
How do I get to True Nature from Chiang Mai?
We are in Chiang Mai, Thailand District, about 45–50 minutes north of Chiang Mai city by car. Most guests take a Grab or a private taxi (roughly 800–1,200 THB). All the options are on our getting here page.
What is included in the retreat?
Your room, three vegetarian meals a day, morning and afternoon yoga, daily meditation, all the yoga equipment, drinking water, tea and coffee. Optional trips — the waterfall, the elephant sanctuary, massage and so on — cost extra.
When is the retreat open?
Our 2026–27 retreat season runs from 8 October 2026 to 1 March 2027. November to February is cool, dry and sunny in the hills. Read about Chiang Mai weather and our seasons.
@truenature_chiangmai
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Daily life, practice and good food — straight from the mountain.
Maybe it's time to slow down.
Swap the noise for birdsong, the to-do list for a hammock, and come back to your True Nature.
