The idyllic island of Bermuda is the site of the latest wellness retreat from former Harvard classmates turned business partners Taryn White and Kendra Blackett-Dibinga. White, owner of bucket list trip curation platform The Trip Wish List, and Blackett-Dibinga, owner of Bikram Yoga Works, have been jointly hosting wellness trips since 2018. Their signature event, Yoga En Blanc is scheduled from May 28 – 31, 2021, and is billed as both an escape from the monotony of daily life and a holistic health experience.
Bermuda was chosen for its proximity to the United States and the event has received the blessing of the Bermuda Tourism Authority, which has come on board as a partner for the wellness retreat.
“We targeted the destinations we thought our community would be interested in,” White told Travel Noire. “But there’s so much more that you can add to the wellness tourism experience. And so, Yoga En Blanc is more of a social event, a way to come together and connect with the community. We do that on the retreats as well. There’s a signature event in which the participants practice yoga wearing all white. That’s a symbolic color in the yoga practice, and it’s something that can be done domestically as a one-day affair or within a retreat. So, it’s another event to bring together wellness seekers.”
Tickets to the Bermuda wellness retreat start at $1,400 per person and includes five-star accommodations, shared airport transfers, relaxation on pink sand beaches, a gala dinner, and the signature all-white yoga class.
“When people come to the retreat it’s really an opportunity to unwind,” said Blackett-Dibinga. “It is an opportunity also to meet with like-minded people and to really focus on health and wellness and togetherness. As a community, we’ve really started seeing a lot more Black people. African Americans are really interested in travel, but not just travel where you go to sit at an all-inclusive resort, but travel that is meaningful and valuable.”
According to the founders, Yoga En Blanc is an opportunity for participants to get to know each other beyond the mat. Many people have been disconnected during the pandemic and don’t have time to communicate outside the classroom. White and Blackett-Dibinga are taking measures to ensure the health and safety of their community.
“There’s maximum social distancing, taking vehicles that are only limited capacity transport, and doing things that are outside,” shared White. “So yoga outside, beach activities, and things that don’t require people to congregate. Yoga is naturally socially distanced. You have a mat, and you’re apart from each other. That’s the primary precaution that we’re taking. Countries have their own measures as well. You have to test negative to get into the countries. Some of them have some quarantine requirements until you get your negative test.”
The duo is already making plans for future events in Jamaica, Morocco, and Kenya.
For more information on the retreat and to book your spot, visit Yoga En Blanc.