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Latest update: 9 February 2023
I wholeheartedly pick a Yoga Teacher Training in Thailand, in Koh Phangan. But I also feel shaky when transferring my money, booking a ticket, and arranging a month off. What am I getting myself into? This is an article full of practical things about my yoga training.
How do you choose a Yoga Teacher Training?
I spend hours on the bookyogaretreats.com site. At first, I don’t really know how to search. What should I pay attention to if I want to do yoga training? Initially, I mainly let the location guide me: I want to go to Thailand, preferably near the beach. At least that’s one filter to start with.
It’s important that you figure out what kind of yoga training you want to join. Do you want to teach Hatha, Yin, Vinyasa, or maybe Nidra? That alone is already a difficult choice for me, so I have my eyes on a multi-style Yoga Teacher Training at One Yoga in Thailand. The emphasis is on Hatha yoga, but it briefly includes other styles. I get quick answers to my questions, and the reviews are very positive. After much deliberation, I choose One Yoga Thailand simply because it keeps popping up in my search results, and I feel good about it. Here you will find all information about this yoga training.
Are you also looking for a Yoga Teacher Training? Be sure to pay attention to the following:
- Location
- Dates of the training
- Duration of the training
- Number of hours – You can only register with the international Yoga Alliance if you have completed at least 200 hours of training. You can follow modules of 100 hours, but you may only register once you have reached 200. In addition, some yoga schools where you may want to teach require registration with the Yoga Alliance.
- Price (what is included and excluded)
- Accommodation options
- Yoga style
- Subjects of the program
The Yoga Teacher Training of One Yoga Thailand
I do my Teacher Training at One Yoga Thailand. That is a relatively new yoga school in Koh Phangan. That also means that they are working hard to offer the best yoga training and service. So please don’t take what I write here too literally because there may have been adjustments to the training.
One Yoga offers different accommodation types, such as private and shared accommodation. The One Yoga Guesthouse is such a shared accommodation. Most people in my group arrange their accommodation through One Yoga Thailand, but if you want, you can also rent something yourself during your yoga training.
Until the beginning of 2019, One Yoga always rented yoga shalas for teaching programs. When I was there, their own yoga shala was being built. Now it’s in use and looks beautiful.
One Yoga also has a cafe in Sri Thanu. Sri Thanu is the spiritual heart of Koh Phangan. Many yoga schools, healing centers, vegan restaurants, and more exist here. A lovely place to fully immerse yourself in the yoga world.
Tip! Do you also want to know how I experienced the Teacher Training, apart from all practical matters? Then read my blog about my life in a yoga bubble.
The accommodation during my yoga training
Everyone moves into their accommodation on the day before the Yoga Teacher Training. I chose private accommodation (Posh Villa) through One Yoga Thailand. My apartment is spacious, clean and basic: shower (hot water!) with toilet, kitchenette without hob, but with fridge and kettle, a bedroom with a bed and a patio with a bench. Unfortunately, there is no decent closet or chair in the room, but oh well… I buy things like toilet paper and clothes hangers immediately upon arrival. Fortunately, none of that costs much in Thailand: long live 7-Eleven!
The lady who arranges the keys has a small shop on the main street and is almost always there. If I ask her something, she’ll take care of it within a few hours. At the end of my stay, I pay her the electricity bill. The lady indicates that it is usually around 1000 Baht. I have been a little more economical and pay 900 Baht.
First introduction to my yoga group
At the end of the afternoon on the day of arrival, I go to the One Yoga Café for a welcome dinner and to get to know my fellow students. Of course, everyone is tired from the long journey, but it is nice to see all the faces. My group consists of about 25 people, two of whom are men. People come from the United States, China, Australia, and Europe. The ages are between 25 and 35, and we are all very curious about the yoga training.
The first day of yoga teacher training starts with an opening ceremony where we meet the teachers and get some information about the coming month. We have four teachers. I appreciate that as it ensures some variation during the long days. It is also interesting to learn about yoga from different perspectives.
How is the support during the training?
On day one, we get all the private numbers and Facebook accounts of the teachers, the co-owner, and the host. Everyone cordially invites you to contact them if we have any questions. There is a Facebook group in which a lot of knowledge is shared and the weekly schedules. In addition, the co-founder (Dutch speaking, by the way) is often there during the lessons to see how the group is doing. If anything bothers us (from scooter issues to emotional challenges), we have questions, or anything else, he’s the one to help. Almost instantly.
Yoga Teacher Training schedule
The Yoga Teacher Training of 200 hours consists of four weeks of classes, six days a week. The meditation starts at 6.45 am, followed by a yoga class, and between 9.30 am and 10.15 am, we have breakfast in the One Yoga Café. Then we go back to our shala for philosophy lessons and learn how to teach. The lunch break is from half past two to four o’clock. We lunch in the One Yoga Café. Then there is another lesson from four to six, for example, anatomy or yoga. Some days we have a movie, a meditation, or something else afterward. This is an example of the schedule in week 3 of my yoga training in Thailand.
Keep in mind that you will undoubtedly be studying a lot in the evenings and during breaks, especially in the last two weeks. That’s why I recommend you stay a few extra days in Koh Phangan after your Yoga Teacher Training to discover the island. The yoga days are intense and long, so you will need your rest in the evenings.
What does the Yoga Teacher Training exam look like?
At the end of the Teacher Training, there is an exam. It consists of a practical exam and a theory exam. A few days before the exams, we receive a study guide. It includes a whole bunch of questions we need to be able to answer. Each teacher takes the time to review the questions with the group in preparation for the exam. The exam consists mainly of multiple-choice questions, but there are also open questions. Like, for example, naming bones in a skeleton.
During the lessons, the teachers do everything they can to ensure you pass the exam. If you fail, there will be a re-examination on the last day for the part you did not pass. In the theory exam, you get all subjects (Art of Teaching, Philosophy, and Anatomy) at once, but you only have to resit the part you failed to pass.
In addition, there is the practical exam: you must prepare a one-hour yoga class. Depending on the group size, the group will be split in two so that two people can take the exam simultaneously. I teach my full practice to ten fellow students. One student only watches the practice and gives feedback. Another walks through the room and helps the participants to get deeper into poses. And, of course, a professional yoga teacher judges my yoga class on voice use, directions, flow, and more.
How good do you have to be at yoga to do a Yoga Teacher Training?
You will soon learn that yoga has no right and wrong, but it is nice if you have been taking yoga classes for a while. Then you recognize the names of the poses, you know roughly what is important in a pose, and your body is used to it. You don’t have to be a contortionist to become a yoga teacher. Try to take some more lessons at home before you leave for Thailand. Then your body is already a bit more used to exercise. All theory lessons are given in the same shala, meaning you are expected to sit on a cushion on the floor for a few hours. That is quite a challenge! Especially the first days.
What if I don’t want to become a yoga teacher?
You can easily do a Yoga Teacher Training for yourself. That’s what I did, and quite a few others in my group. Just because I wanted to know more about yoga, it would be great to immerse myself in the yoga world for a month. I had absolutely no ambition to become a yoga teacher, and that’s no problem at all. However, I’ve changed my mind a bit now: I want to do something with my yoga learnings. I had so much fun preparing the exam class (and a little less with the exam itself, you can read about that here) that I want to try it after all, but in what form…
Clothing, yoga mats: what do you need?
The shala where I have my teacher training does have yoga mats, but I prefer to use my own. I find that more hygienic. In fact, the shala’s mats stink, haha. So I brought my yoga mat from home; otherwise, you can also buy one at Orion, for example.
Because we have classes six days a week, you need quite a lot of yoga clothing. I wear a fresh shirt every day, and the leggings last me two days. Due to the tight schedule, you only have a little time to do the laundry. I always drop off my laundry on Sunday and pick it up on Monday. For a few Baht extra, your laundry is ready on the same day.
Do your research!
On Bookyogaretreats.com and the site of One Yoga Thailand, you will find much more information about accommodation types, teaching material, and more. In addition, there are also video reviews about the Yoga Teacher Training of One Yoga Thailand, and you can ask questions to the One Yoga team via the platform.
I hope that with this blog, I have been able to give you at least some extra practical information. You are really in good hands with the people of One Yoga. But in the end, it is up to you to choose the best yoga training for yourself. Trust your intuition!
More Thailand inspiration
Useful links for your Thailand trip
- Accommodation. All-time favorite: Booking.com. Would you rather stay in a hostel? Check Hostelworld.
- Activities. You book the best tours and activities with GetYourGuide and Viator. Try WithLocals for experiences with Thai residents. Book your ‘free’ walking tours with Freetour.com or GuruWalk, and try bike tours with Baja Bikes.
- Attractions and museums. Interested in a 5% discount on museums and other attractions? Use this discount code at Tiqets: KIMOPREIS22
- Car rental. If you want to compare prices, check out Discover Cars or Rental Cars.
- Flights. Compare all your options! Be sure to check out Skyscanner, and Kiwi.
- Guidebooks. I love paper guidebooks to flip through. Buy them at Amazon.
- Money. Your debit and credit cards may not get accepted everywhere. You could opt for a Revolut card as an additional card when you travel.
- Package deals. Rather go on a catered trip? Maybe Expedia or CheapOair has a good option.
- SIM card. Beware of unexpectedly high calling and internet costs. Buy a local SIM card when you arrive, or arrange one online via Airalo.
- Train, bus or boat. Travel by bus, train or boat in Thailand with Busbud, 12Go or Omio.
- Yoga retreat. Or maybe treat yourself to a yoga retreat in Thailand.
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First published: May 2019. Updated since.
