I’ve done a lot of things, but solo travel for vacation hasn’t been one of them. I’d never really considered traveling alone, since it sounded a little scary and less fun than going on a trip with my husband or friends. But when I heard about Fit and Fly Girl fitness retreats (thank you, Shape Magazine), I was intrigued. I was in desperate need of a vacation in early June, and my husband didn’t have vacation days to use, so it only made sense to take a trip by myself. So I did it.
And you know what? It wasn’t scary. It was empowering.
Tulum, Mexico has been on my short list of dream vacation spots, so the Fit and Fly Girl retreat taking place there was like kismet. My Spanish isn’t the best, but I didn’t have any problems at the Cancun airport or on the hour and a half shuttle ride to Tulum. The retreat was held at the breathtaking Shambala Petit Hotel, which is a tiny piece of paradise in the jungle and right on the beach. Roberto, the owner, couldn’t have been nicer when I arrived. He told me to remove my shoes, because I wouldn’t be needing them for the rest of the week. He was right. It was bare feet, no makeup, no hair styling…no problems. Just sand, sea, gourmet vegetarian/gluten-free/dairy-free/sugar-free dishes and three hours of fitness each day.
Three hours of fitness, you say? Yes! Our fitness instructor, Kiya Knight, is an awesome instructor out of Malibu who had boundless energy and encouraged us to find our inner strength. She’s one of those rare fitness coaches that actually makes the workout feel like play time. (There was plenty of time to recover after each session-downtime is scheduled in between each class for laying on the beach or exploring Tulum). We did yoga, circuit training, Zumba, long walks on the beach each morning (mine with hot tea in hand), and a cool “warrior” style class with wooden rods. Pretty awesome stuff, and I felt like I earned every meal. (Important to know: you don’t have to attend every class. It isn’t like summer camp, where you’re forced to participate in everything. You can pick and choose.) Speaking of food, Shambala Petit had THE best food I’ve ever eaten on a vacation. Did I have sugar withdrawals? Yes, the first two days. But after that, the natural fruit juices and fresh produce tasted so sweet and delicious to me. The sorbet for dessert at night was sweetly satisfying. And I slept like a baby in our open air casita every night!
Okay, now that I’ve covered the basics, I have to share what made this vacation so truly special. The scenery, food, and fitness were all wonderful, but it was the experience of getting to know the other ladies on the retreat that changed me. I don’t typically like the “getting to know you” process of meeting strangers and making forced dinner conversation. But this was different. We rotated tables each night to meet new people, and it gave us a chance to hear where each lady was from, what she did, and why she chose to come on a solo trip. This group of women was so diverse and spectacular! I learned so much from sharing this new experience with this group of 16 that it would take me all day to share how much I loved these women.
Side note: I had a roommate on this trip. (Some people chose to have a solo room, but several of us had roommates.) It’s always a little scary going into a vacation where you will room with a total stranger, but Fit and Fly Girl does an incredible job of pairing up women who have things in common. I can honestly say that I had so much fun with my new roomie that I am looking forward to her visiting Dallas this fall! It was great to having new friends on the trip to do unscheduled activities with, like taking a cab into downtown Tulum to buy souvenirs.
Fit and Fly Girl retreats also build in excursions to the itinerary, so ours included snorkeling with sea turtles, climbing Mayan ruins, swimming in sea caves, and a Mayan clay ceremony. (I missed the last few days because I had to return to work, but my new friends sent pics and videos, so I felt like I was still part of the fun.) By the end of the trip, we were all pretty sad to say goodbye. It was a powerful experience. The only downside to the trip would have to be getting used to the humidity. I’ve never sweat so much in my life! My skin, however, always had a nice glow.
Are you considering a solo travel vacation? I recommend it 100 times over. Fit and Fly Girl is a fantastic place to start, and if you’d like to experience this exact retreat in Tulum next April, they are booking it now. They go to cool places like Ibiza, Costa Rica, and the French Riviera. The owners are super nice and helpful in arranging your trip. No matter where you go or how you do it, I just recommend trying solo travel at least once. It will change your life.
Photography by the fabulous Shana Anderson
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Great write up! I am doing my first solo adventure with Fit and Fly girl this spring. Would you do another one?