MISSION I’m a yoga virgin. I prefer my exercise to be of the running-round-a-court-chasing-a-ball variety rather than mystical and downward doggy. However, the Indian hotel group Taj has just launched a series of yoga retreats at three of its properties, including the tropical Taj Green Cove in Kerala. As Kerala is the cradle of all things yogic, it’s the perfect venue for a sceptical first-timer.

USP Taj teaches Bihar, a kind of yoga not common in the UK. It is 40 per cent physical, 60 per cent spiritual (most versions in the UK focus far more on the physical) and is a traditional form more usually practised by devout Hindus at hard-core ashrams, the remote, no-frills, mystical hideaways. The idea is to acquaint foreigners with Bihar and to introduce them to the “inner world” of yoga, but in a rather more luxurious five-star ambience.

AMBIENCE Think of jungle, breathtaking views of rather wild Arabian Sea (this was the end of the rainy season), coconut palms, gloriously coloured flowers and lush vegetation. In short, a thoroughly removed-from-our-world destination, bulging with uplifting nature. Sneaky trips off-resort to the surrounding markets and backwaters rooted us a little more firmly in India, however.

EXPERIENCE Avisek Majumdar, Taj’s in-house, traditionally trained yoga guru, led the retreat, and we women were all a little in love with him by the end. He combined a silky-smooth voice (most effective in the meditation sessions) with an improbably bendy body and inspirational instruction (using lines such as, when teaching the boat position: “Get in touch with your inner kayak. You have the whole Indian Ocean before you.”) I had gone all yogic by the end and vowed to continue with the practice back home. I’m not sure, however, that it will be quite the same a) without Avisek and b) without the coconut palms of Kerala to sit beneath.

FOOD A go-as-you-please combination of fresh fruit, beansprouts, evil-coloured juices and veggie options from the specially designed wellness menu, with more typically Keralan fare such as tamarind-laced fish curries. You can even try a sadhya, a local feast of several small dishes such as pachadi (white pumpkin) and sharkaravaratty (banana and sugar) eaten off plantain leaves by hand, which is fun.

IN-CROWD Everyone from European females on girlie excursions to those recovering from injuries, the emotionally churned up, plus even the odd senior citizen couple and a few local people. All ages above 16 are welcome, as well as all levels; at Taj the retreats are divided into “gentle” (for beginners and those who want to do more of the spiritual stuff) and “dynamic” (for the gnarly Ashtanga brigade).

WALLET WATCH Taj Green Cove offers four and sevennight yoga retreats all year round, from £970 based on single occupancy.

NEED TO KNOW For further information call 00 800 4 588 1 825 or visit www.tajhotels.com. Kuoni Travel (01306 747002; www.kuoni.co.uk organises packages and flights.

Spiritual retreats

Holy Island Centre for World Peace and Health
Lamlash Bay, Isle of Arran, Scotland
From £25 per person per night (01770 601100; holyisland.org).
An unspoilt sanctuary off the Isle of Arran, Holy Island offers a relaxing and healing retreat from everyday life. Open to all faiths or none, a wide range of courses include yoga, tai chi meditation, cooking and gardening.

Beyond Retreats
Teesdale, Co Durham
From £575 per weekend (020-7226 4044; beyondretreats.co.uk).
Specialist in luxury holidays that combine yoga with other activities such as walking, cooking and skiing. There’s 3.5 hours of yoga per day in two sessions and an iyengar teacher caters for all levels.

Ngare Sero
Mount Meru, Tanzania
From £80 per person per night (+255 27 255 3638; ngare-sero-lodge.com)
A peaceful mountain lodge with a 30-metre pool and views over Mount Kilimanjaro, Ngare Sero has a resident hatha yoga teacher, Stacia, and Swedish and Chinese massages available on-tap. Yoga is done on the lodge’s lovely outdoor yoga platform under a forest canopy overlooking a lake.

Panchavatti
Corjuem Island, Goa, India
From £90 per room per night (+91-9822580632; islaingoa.com )
An enchanting property overlooking Mapusa river on Goa’s island of Corjuem, Panchavatti is home to Lou Lou Van Damme, who you can join for a daily practice in Satyananda yoga - or if you’re a beginner, she will happily give you lessons.

Estancia La Corona Sanctuary
Carlos Casares, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina
From £490 per person per week, November to March, (+ 44 (0) 1364 642261; lacoronasanctuary.com )
This serene family ranch on a working farm is surrounded by wide open spaces and is available from November to March to guests looking to recharge. Sitting and walking meditation, hot or cold stone massage and Reiki treatments are available from local therapist, and visiting yoga teachers take daily classes.

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