Renowned meditation teachers Steven Smith and Lynne Bousfield will teach a unique Vipassana meditation retreat at a remote lake, Khlong Long in southern Thailand.  Yoga periods will form part of this retreat under the guidance of Peter Thomson, a senior yoga teacher.

Khlong Long is a remote, beautiful lake in the interior of southern Thailand. Located just on the edge of Khao Sok national park, the lake is hidden amongst towering limestone karsts and prehistoric jungle inside a wildlife sanctuary home to gibbon apes, langurs, giant hornbills, serpent eagles and many other rare birds and animals . . . all in close proximity in the trees and surrounding skies (however there are very few mosquitoes and no black flies). The retreat will be held in the traditional Vipassana retreat style - in silence with periods of sitting and walking meditation, dharma talks, group and/or individual meetings with the teachers.

Accommodation is two-person sharing in floating bamboo bungalows/kutis. The food is wonderful fresh fruits and vegetables from the jungle and local markets and fresh fish from the lake. Fresh drinking water through Swiss filtration system is readily available. There is no electricity. Lighting in the evening is provided by kerosene lanterns . . . the moon and the stars.

Steven Smith (www.vipassanahawaii.org) has been anchored in the Theravadan Buddhist tradition of South-east Asia since 1974. He has trained as a monk and layman with the renowned Burmese monk and meditation master Sayadaw U Pandita and the practice follows a transmission from this lineage. Steven has lead major retreats at IMS (Insight Meditation Society, Barre, Mass), Spirit Rock California, as well as smaller retreats in more remote locations in South East Asia and North America.

Lynne Bousfield has been studying and practicing Buddhist meditation for more than 30 years having commenced in BodhGaya, India in the mid 1970’s. Since 1980 she has returned to Burma regularly to undertake intensive practice and develop her understanding of meditation and Buddhist psychology. She helped establish Vipassana Meditation in Australia and was a co-founder of the Blue Mountains Insight Meditation Centre (BMIMC). 

The cost of registration for the retreat is 200USD, made payable to Vipassana Hawaii, via Paypal (Instructions for on-line payment).

This non refundable fee secures your place on the retreat. The cost for nine nights accommodation and all meals is 17,000 Thai Baht, which must be paid in full in Thai baht when we get to the lake. The cost supports the local family who take care of us, the upkeep of the accommodation and lake and also contributes towards transport costs of the food supplies. Park entrance fee is extra, 400 baht which is paid when you sign in before taking the boat ride. Retreat costs are paid in Thai baht at the beginning of the retreat. Please be sure to have enough cash as there are no credit card machines and no cash points in the smaller towns before the park entrance.

In keeping with the Buddhist practice of dana (generosity), the teachings will be offered freely and donations are accepted the teachers.

The cost to get to the bamboo bungalows is extra. The cost of hiring a boat for the round trip is 2000 Thai Baht, which we can share if we meet at the Sanctuary headquarters and take the boat ride together. Those who choose to arrive/leave earlier or later will have to pay for this separately.

There is another retreat being held after this retreat so this year, retreatants will be unable to stay longer once the retreat has ended.

The nearest airport is Surathani which is one hour flight south from
Bangkok on Thai Air, or Air Asia. Vans will pick guests up at Surat
Thani Airport for the one hour drive to the Wildlife Sanctuary
Headquarters, near the small market town of Takh Lun. (1800 Thai BHT
can be shared.) From here it is a one hour boat ride across a
phenomenal lake. Then a half hour hike to "500 Rai Lake". From here it
is a 10 minute raft ride to "500 RAI LAKE AND BAMBOO BUNGALOWS."

Here are photos from the most recent Klong Long Retreat. You can find more in the gallery and on www.jungleyoga.com.

Klong Long Retreat Enquiry Form:

For bookings, please contact Chandra Farley Smich, the Klong Long Retreat Coordinator, via the

Klong Long Retreat Inquiry Form .

Click here to learn How to make on-line payments.