GoNature Hawaii

What To Expect

Join us for a transformative retreat blending bodywork workshops, yoga sessions, and enriching excursions! Each day balances structured activities and personal downtime, helping you connect with yourself and the island’s beauty.

Spend five unforgettable days enjoying yoga, massage workshops, swimming, beach outings, and waterfall excursions. Mornings focus on wellness practices, afternoons explore the Big Island, and evenings are for relaxing at the villa with chef-prepared meals and meaningful connections.

The Itinerary

Day 1
Thurs, June 5

-7am Swim at Kehena & Secret Beach.

-8am Breakfast

-10am -2pm:
Workshop  Phenomenal Touch Massage & Natural medicine. (Kristen)

-5pm Dinner at Bali House (Chef Scott)

Day 2
Fri, June 6

-7am Swim at Kehena & Secret Beach.

-8am Breakfast

– 8:30am Jared Yoga

-1pm – 4pm: Workshop: Dolphin Dance (above water) (Lilia)

-5pm Dinner at Bali House (Chef Scott)

-6:15pm – 7:15pm Silks (Lilia at Space)

-6:00pm – 10pm Evening Bee Dance

Day 3
Sat, June 7

-7am Swim at Kehena & Secret Beach. 

-8am Breakfast

-8am – Noon: Farmer’s Market (Uncle Robert’s)

-1pm – 4pm: Workshop: Dolphin Dance (under water) (Lilia)

–5pm Dinner at Bali House (Chef Scott)

-Pohoiki Hot Springs

-3pm – 7pm  “Isle of You” Volleyball (13-790 Kamaili) (clothing optional)

 

Day 4
Sun, June 8

-8am Breakfast

-11am – 1:30pm Ecstatic Dance at Kalani (if anyone would prefer this to waterfall)

-10am – 1pm Kulaniapia Waterfall

-1pm – 3pm Hilo Beaches

-6pm -8pm Sea View Drum Circle and Pizza

Day 5
Mon, June 9

–8am Breakfast

-Gay Day at the beach. 

-10am -2pm:
Workshop  Phenomenal Touch Massage & Natural medicine. (Kristen)

–5pm Dinner at Bali House (Chef Scott)

-3pm – 9pm LGBTQ BBQ at Mauka Nui

Wednesday, June 4 is arrival day. Tuesday, June 10 is departure day from the AirBnB. You are of course welcome to make your own arrangements to stay longer on the island or explore the other islands.

This retreat offers a unique sampling of techniques, and your feedback will help shape which courses are expanded for future retreats.

Details and Pricing

Retreat Dates: Wednesday, June 4th – Sunday, June 10th, 2025

Pricing: The total cost for this retreat is $2,950 per person plus airfare (~$500 round trip from LAX).

What’s Included:

    • Accommodations: 7 days and 6 nights at the Makani Lani Wellness School in Kehena, HI.

    • Meals: Daily fresh local food, including brunch and dinner.

    • Workshops: Massage classes focusing on various techniques.

    • Exercise Sessions: Yoga, swimming and dancing to enhance your well-being.

    • Excursions: Guided outings to local beaches and waterfalls.

Not Included:

    • Airfare: Participants are responsible for arranging their flights to either Hilo or Kona airports. We recommend Hilo even though it includes a stopover in Maui or Oahu. The stopovers are easy and it save hours of driving.

    • Ground Transportation: We recommend renting or sharing a car for flexibility during your stay. We can also pick you up from Hilo airport. A rental car is not necessary but recommended.

    • Additional Purchases: Personal expenses such as snacks, souvenirs, and other personal items are not covered. Guests can stop in Hilo at Safeway, Target, or Walmart in Hilo (50 minutes away) for any personal items. You may also visit Malama Market in Pahoa (25 minutes away). Malama Market is a bit more expensive but much more convenient and has a good selection.

    • Extended Stay: Extended stay is welcome and encouraged. If you have the time, we would encourage you to stay for a few days beyond to experience more of the Big Island, the local lifestyle and the other Hawaiian Islands.

Cancellation Policy:

    • You will receive a full refund if cancelled prior to December 31, 2024.

    • After this date, refunds will be issued only if we can fill your spot with another participant.

Important Note:

    • The goal of this initial retreat is to basically do a test run. The actual retreat price for the future will be around $3,000 per person. Attendees of this first retreat will be grandfathered in at $649 for all future retreats.

Upcoming Retreats

Hawaii Bodywork Retreat

Wed Jun 4th – 10:00 AM

Makani Lani Wellness School

Get ready to relax and rejuvenate at our Hawaiian Bodywork Retreat, where you’ll experience traditional healing practices in a tropical paradise.

Attend Retreat

Frequently Asked Questions

Our address is:
13-2048 Lolia Place
Paho, HI 96778

Please make sure to let Gary know your plane arrival time. Then when you are heading to the house please text or share your location on Google maps, so we may meet you.

Download your directions before leaving the airport so that you have them in case you lose reception.

AT&T works here. Verizon does not work at our location. If you have Verizon, you can still make calls using WiFi. You have WiFi available at the school and AirBnB.

You will receive a full refund if cancelled prior to November 25, 2024. After that date, we will issue a refund if we are able to provided your space to another guest.

Airfare to Hilo or Kona. ($300 – $800 depending on flight details), Miscellaneous purchases (snacks, gifts, etc), Transportation from the airport to our location. We may be able to pick up from Hilo if several people arrive together. But we recommend renting/sharing a car at the airport.

4 classes about 3 hours each of bodywork. We haven’t finalized the exact courses but some possibilities include: Watsu, Lomi Lomi, Phenomenal Touch, Natural Medicines, etc. Please let us know any ideas that sound interesting and we will endeavor to find invite an expert in that area.

Once we have all the signups, we will open up a chat space for everyone to connect. This can help for coordinating travel and sharing thoughts, excitement, etc. This year will be all former students of Somatherapy, who attended classes while I was a student there. With 1 or 2 possible exceptions.

Kehena is an artist, hippy, gay, health & healing community in the Puna District of the Big Island of Hawaii. People in this area are know locally as Punatics. Kind of like Burning Man at the beach. Basically there is one beautiful black sand beach and many rocky beaches with swimmable tide pools.

The only phone reception here is through AT&T. Verizon and other carriers are available in Kona and Hilo. But AT&T is the only mobile service provider at the retreat. Please make sure you download maps and directions before driving here. The Airbnb has free strong Wi-Fi.

You won’t find any businesses to speak of here. Kalani for limited snacks. Uncle Roberts for a small store and home cooked meal. Otherwise the nearest stores and restaurants are in Pahoa (30 minutes away). 

Instead of dance clubs, there are jungle dances that are held weekly at various places. Ecstatic dance was started here at Kalani and is a popular type of dance out here. For the most part, nights are spent on lanai’s under the stars chatting, practicing massage, and watching the waves. The “Hidden Nene” is supposed to be a fun, very small, speakeasy in Hilo. But otherwise it’s local dances and events. Which are constantly happening. Wednesday dance at Sundari, Sunday dance at Kalani, Friday dance at Hawaiian Sanctuary, etc.

There are birds chirping, frogs, crickets and other sounds that create a jungle symphony pretty much around the clock but most vocal in the morning and evening. We don’t have anything dangerous here (no snakes, no large animals), except pesky little ants that can sting. There are mosquitoes but not that many. I’ve never been bit out here but others have.

Within a few degrees year round, it is 80 degrees in the day and 70 degrees at night. Most days include a mix of sunshine and rain. Rain usually comes quickly, rains hard for about 10 minutes then is gone. We don’t dress for rain, we just get wet for a minute or move under cover. It’s a warm rain.

The ocean is about 80 degrees, year round. It feels cool when you first step in but is quickly comfortable, once you start swimming. This isn’t the ideal place for snorkeling but with goggles you will see colorful fish most days. Some days you can swim with the spinner dolphins (about 10% of the tim

Dress here is very casual. Bathing suits and loose fitting clothing for tropical warm weather. We may go to jungle dances or dinner at the Hilo waterfall but dress is always extremely casual. Sunscreen, hats, sunglasses, mosquito spray, swim goggles, water shoes, flip flops, tights or legging (if taking the silks class)…