TCM & Yoga Retreat

Siargao Island

~ flow. feel. be free. ~

April 3-9, 2027

7 days in Siargao, Philippines. We weave Traditional Chinese Medicine, yoga, and deep restorative practices into a week-long retreat, while exploring the tropical island, connecting with the land and its people, and choosing your own adventures for a soul-nourishing experience.

2 Sisters ~ One Yin, One Yang

Together, they create the space for genuine rest, healing, and aliveness.

Denys Gamotin

R.TCMP, R.Ac & Yoga Teacher

Denys is a Registered Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner and Acupuncturist, yoga instructor, and breath work & meditation guide who weaves ancient teachings together into one holistic, deeply human practice.

In her Toronto-based practice, slow poke tcm, Denys runs community sliding-scale acupuncture clinics and teaches trauma-informed yoga, creating entry points for people who never felt the wellness world was built for them. She is part of several communities centring women of colour in wellness, including Soulga Yoga & Wellness, Colour in Mind & The Villij.


Her work lives at the intersection of mental health, women's health, and the slow, necessary work of decolonizing wellness, returning these healing lineages to the communities they were always meant to serve.

In the treatment room and on the mat, her intention is always the same: to create a space where people feel safe enough to arrive exactly as they are. To simply slow down and remember to breathe ~ the yin side.

Studio Owner & Yoga Teacher

Desiree Gamotin

Desiree is the founder of Rich Spirit Yoga in Siargao, a community-rooted jungle studio built on the belief that wellness belongs to everyone.

Originally from Toronto, Canada, she made the island her home in 2018, teaching in yoga shalas across Siargao while contributing to the island through local animal organizations, arts programming for kids, and free community yoga classes for local caregivers and mothers.

Desiree holds her 200-hour yoga teacher certification with Authentic Flow, a globally respected school rooted in somatics, embodiment, and non-dual Tantric philosophy, known for weaving science, movement, and conscious practice into a deeply human approach to yoga.

Her vinyasa flow classes are music-driven, creative, body-first, and full of soul ~ the yang side. This retreat is her way of sharing what Siargao has always given her: a place to land, feel, and come fully alive.

The Location

Siargao is a small teardrop island in the Philippines, home to the best surf in the country. Beyond its world-class waves, it is an island of stunning coconut groves, hidden lagoons, mangrove forests, and crystal blue waters.

Our home base will be at Rich Spirit Yoga Studio in Santa Fe, about 15 minutes from the busy town centre of General Luna. Tucked away in a quiet jungle setting and steps away from one of the best sunset beaches in Siargao, Rich Spirit features a unique island-style lush surrounding with massive, floor-to-ceiling glass windows that give you expansive views of nature and wildlife as you practice.

The Accommodations

Choose between 2 rooms types, both private rooms and both steps away from the yoga studio.

The Boutique Room is set in a large 6-room villa-style home, with clean, comfortable, double beds, separate bathrooms, and comfortable common spaces to share.

The Luxe Villa is a 2-bedroom villa, with a king size bed, common kitchen and living room area, shared between the 2 rooms, and a gorgeous private plunge pool and lounge area.

Book Now

The Experiences

Daily Practice

Each morning opens with intention ~ meditation, breathwork, yoga or Qi gong ~ to arrive in the body before the day begins. Daily yoga classes weave between dynamic vinyasa flow and slower, deeper practices, meridian flow, and restorative yoga.

Farm + Cook Experience

A journey north of the island, we join a Farm + Cook experience ~ a locally guided farm tour followed by a traditional Filipino cooking class and ending with a hearty farm-to-table lunch from what was harvested on the land.

Gua Sha & Facial Cupping Workshop

Learn about Traditional Chinese Medicine's most accessible and transformative self-care practices. Each guest receives their own gua sha tool and facial cups to keep, along with a tutorial on how to use them & integrate into your daily routine.

TCM Nutrition Workshop & Herbal Tea Making

Grounding explorations of Five Element nutrition and herbal medicine. Learn how food and herbs speak to the body's organ systems, discover your individual constitution, and blend a personalized herbal tea to take home.

Restorative Yoga with Acu & Sound Medicine

Fully supported by bolsters and blocks, this practice invites the body into deep parasympathetic rest. Acupuncture needles work quietly beneath the surface while sound medicine carries the nervous system the rest of the way.

Island Hopping with Kamayan Lunch

A day in the crystal blue waters, hopping between Siargao's islands, swimming in the healing ocean, and gathering for a kamayan meal: a Filipino feast eaten communally by hand on banana leaves. Part adventure, part ceremony, and rooted in joy.

The Food

The retreat's meals will honour the land and its stories.

Every meal at Rich Spirit is an act of nourishment, prepared with seasonal and local ingredients, and rooted in the rich culinary traditions of the Philippines.

We eat together & we eat well. Food is never an afterthought here. It is part of the medicine.

Important Questions

    • 6 nights accommodation at the rooms and villas neighbouring Rich Spirit Yoga Studio

    • Shuttle from Siargao Airport (IAO) to the villa

    • 3 nourishing meals daily with snacks and non-alcoholic beverages

    • Daily practices: vinyasa flow, meridian flow, restorative yoga, breathwork, Qi gong, and guided meditation

    • Group community acupuncture and sound medicine session

    • Gua sha and facial cupping workshop with tools included to keep

    • TCM nutrition and herbal tea workshop with custom tea blend to take home

    • Lokal Lab Experience: farm tour and traditional cooking class

    • Island hopping with Kaymayan lunch

    • Special meals by Filipino chefs: storytelling through food

    • Karaoke and pizza night

    • Retreat booklet with TCM tips, seasonal recipes, and resources

    • International and Domestic Flights

    • Travel insurance (recommended: please arrange before departure)

    • Alcoholic beverages

    • Extra activities during free time: massages, scooter rentals, surf lessons

  • No matter which accommodations you choose, everyone receives the same retreat experience: the same table, meals and care.

    • Boutique Room  ~  $2,700 USD 

    • Luxe Villa (single) ~ $3,000 USD 

    • Luxe Villa (double occupancy) ~ $2700 USD per person

    *Limited community BIPOC rates & local rates available. To fill out the community rate applications, contact Denys at denys.gamotin@gmail.com

    A 30% deposit secures your place. Payment plans are available.

  • We understand ~ it’s a big investment in money, time, and energy. But you landed here for a reason.

    We can’t make any promises, but we will say this: we’ve searched high and low for a wellness experience like this, and we couldn’t find one… so we created it ourselves.

    We’ve been working on this retreat for months and tailored it to create a safe space for healing and for feeling at home in your own body. And it’s set in one of the most beautiful islands in the world.

    You deserve care. You deserve nourishment. You deserve the feeling of joy and freedom in nature and in community. Let us be your guide.

    If you’re interested in joining us, but still have a few questions, we’re having a Retreat Info Session over Zoom with Denys and Desiree on Tuesday, August 4th at 9AM EST / 9PM PST. Register for the online event here.

A Glimpse of the Itinerary

Every day has a theme, a pulse, a different way of moving through. Here is a sneak peek ~ full itinerary shared upon application.

7:30am ~ Rise & Settle
Wake gently. The tea station is open ~ ginger, rose, goji berry, chrysanthemum. Coffee too, for those who need it.

8:00am ~ Qi Gong & Breathwork with Denys
Arrive in the body before the day begins. Gently move the qi. Set your intention for the day

9:00am ~ Breakfast
Nourishing, unhurried, together.

10:30am ~ Embodied Flow with Des · 75 mins
Music-driven, full of soul. Move in a way that honours where you are today and cultivates joy.

12:30pm ~ TCM-Inspired Lunch
A meal designed with love & intention. A brief exploration of food as medicine with practical tips for your Spleen and Stomach health.

1:30pm ~ Choose Your Adventure
This time is yours: Surf lesson with a local instructor · Nap, pool, or beach · Scooter rental & explore General Luna · Book a massage

5:00pm ~ Restore + Sound Bath with Community Acupuncture
Fully supported restorative yoga, sound medicine, and acupuncture, working together to bring the nervous system home.

6:30pm ~ Dinner
Communal, festive, family-style. The best kind of medicine.

You are allowed to feel good in your body. That freedom has always been yours.

Siargao is calling. We’ll handle the rest.

I'm Ready

rich spirit yoga siargao

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location

santa fe, siargao island
near ocean 9 resort

contact

info@richspirityoga.com