How I Taught Yoga in Mexico for a Week This Summer

I recently spent a week teaching yoga at an all-inclusive resort in Huatulco, Mexico through Fit Bodies. In this post, I’m sharing exactly what the trip cost, how many classes I taught, what surprised me, and whether I believe the program is worth it for other yoga teachers.

I just returned from teaching multiple yoga classes a day in Huatulco, Mexico.  I was a little skeptical about how it was going to go, but this turned out to be one of my favorite teaching experiences.  

How I Discovered Fit Bodies and Chose Huatulco

It all began when a yoga teacher who had taken my cueing course contacted me for a copy of her certificate. She needed it quickly to renew her Yoga Alliance registration before an upcoming trip to teach yoga in the Caribbean.

That was how I first learned about Fit Bodies, an organization that connects qualified yoga teachers and other fitness professionals with five-star, all-inclusive resorts around the world. Once Fit Bodies verifies your credentials, you can join its network and book week-long resort stays at a significantly reduced rate in exchange for teaching classes during your trip. Most placements are seven days, with instructors teaching on six of those days. Teachers may also bring a companion, and many of the participating resorts are family-friendly.

She went on to explain that Fit Bodies works with yoga teachers, Zumba instructors, and other wellness professionals, which makes it possible to combine travel with teaching in destinations that might otherwise be far more expensive.

When I first found out about Fit Bodies, I immediately signed up, but after signing up, I sat on this information for a long time.  I joined the facebook group and I would occasionally see other yoga teachers posting about their trips.  I was interested, but also I had a ton of reservations.  

I started to watch posts in Fit Bodies group and gather information on a lot of the resorts in areas I thought we might enjoy visiting.  There were so many to choose from.  I started with a long list of areas, and then eventually narrowed it.  I knew we didn’t want a party vibe, so I scratched Tulum, Cancun, Punta Cana and Montego Bay off the list.  I knew I wanted to travel somewhere new, so that knocked some other destinations off the list.  I was leaning towards Negril but ended up deciding it would make sense to choose a Mexican destination since I’d already be in Mexico over the Summer.  

A colleague in Mexico City invited me to teach a Pranayama training this Summer.  This happened to coincide with my husband’s 50th birthday week.  Wouldn’t it be perfect to fly from Mexico City to another destination for a week?  

Sidebar - Mexico City was amazing, the pranayama training was really special and I took a day to see Frida Kahlo’s house, which was a dream come true for me.  On my last trip to CDMX, I didn’t make it to Casa Azul, so this was definitely a bucket list item and it did not disappoint.  I also got my helado de aguacate in Coyoacan.  **Returning to story**

We love nature and exploring beautiful places, which led me straight to Huatulco.  

Huatulco offers culture, tranquility, natural wonder, and a slower pace that felt exactly right for us.  There aren’t many direct flights to Huatulco from US airports because it is not a popular US tourist destination.  It’s in the State of Oaxaca, which is arguably the best part of Mexico but it seems to be more of a destination for domestic travelers and Canadian visitors.

We flew from Philadelphia into Mexico City, and we stayed in Mexico City for a few days for the Pranayama Teacher Training.  Then we flew from CDMX to Huatulco for the Fit Bodies teaching vacation.  Once that was up, we flew back to Mexico City and then back to Philadelphia.  If I had a do over, I would have gone to Oaxaca City after Huatulco versus going back to Mexico City, and I would have flown home from Oaxaca City. 

Everything You Need to Know Before Booking a Fit Bodies Trip

I did a ton of research before I booked my first Fit Bodies trip to teach yoga.  I learned quickly that travel days are Sundays.  You check in at the resort on Sunday, and you check out on Sunday.  You teach Monday - Saturday.  Some resorts require 1 class a day, most require at least 2, and I’ve seen some resorts that have up to 4 classes a day (though that’s rare).  

Most of the Fit Bodies resorts (maybe all?) are Hyatt owned.  They have a lot of Dreams resorts (all-inclusive family resort where kids can go) and Secrets resorts (all-inclusive, adults only) with some Zoetry options.

My Travel Cost Assessment:  Does Fit Bodies Make Sense?

The first thing I did was a cost assessment.  If I wanted to stay at one of the available resorts for a week with my husband, what would we pay?   I checked it out, and depending on dates, we would pay anywhere from $2,500-$4,800.  What would it cost me to book through Fit Bodies?  That also depends on the resort, and whether or not Fit Bodies is running a special.  It generally runs $850-$1500 for a week-long vacation.  (For Secrets Huatulco specifically, I was able to book our stay at the resort for $850.00 for the week.)  

This is where I really had to pause.  So, if I were to book a vacation for $1,500 on a week when I could have gotten the resort for $2,500 anyway, then I’d be saving $1000 but I’d also be teaching daily while on my vacation, so I would have to really do the math on how many classes I would be teaching and how I value my time. For example, if I am teaching twice a day for six days, that would be 12 classes. If I value my time at $100/class, then it wouldn’t make much sense to book the trip under these circumstances.  If, on the other hand, I book for $850, then I’m saving $1,650 in the off season, and I’m saving $3,950 during peak season.  This might make more sense.  

I’ll be honest with you, if I didn’t love teaching yoga anyway, I probably wouldn’t book the trip just to save $1,650, and I definitely wouldn’t book for a $1,000 discount because by the time I teach 12 classes, I’m not saving much of anything.  However, I do love teaching yoga and I also booked during a time period where I experienced greater savings, so I felt good about it. 

How Many Yoga Classes Will I Be Teaching?

Before I chose the resort, I read about many other instructors' experiences.  Some resorts required 2 classes, some required 3 and some seemed to vary a lot.  There were some Clubmed resorts in Thailand that had an intense schedule with 4 classes a day.  Circling back to my cost assessment, booking a trip through Fit Bodies would only make sense if I were teaching 1-2 classes a day. I decided that it would be best to find a resort with morning classes so I had the rest of the day to explore and potentially leave the resort.

I read reviews from other instructors who taught at Secrets Huatulco and most of them said they taught an 8 am yoga class either in the theatre or under the Palapa and a 9 am aqua yoga class.  The aqua yoga class sounded interesting.  Many moons ago, I’d taught aqua fitness and the idea of combining yoga and a pool sounded like fun!  

Getting There: My Fit Bodies Travel Experience

We flew from Philly into CDMX.  We stayed in Mexico City for a few days because I had the Pranayama Teacher Training I was leading There.  While we were There, please know we enjoyed every moment of it.  We flew from Mexico City to Huatulco on Aeromexico, arriving on a Sunday.  I learned that Aeromexico has hefty fees for checking bags, but otherwise it was smooth and easy.  

Fit Bodies offers an option for instructors to book airport transfers through them for $75.  I took advantage of that, and the Amstar affiliate was waiting for us when we landed. The ride to the resort was comfortable and took a little less than 30 minutes.  After I landed, someone from Fit Bodies initiated a Whats App group text with me, a Fit Bodies rep and the entertainment team at the resort.  They asked me to let them know once we were checked in.  

The Unexpected Yoga Schedule

Check in was easy.  Our room was very comfortable, and all the rooms at this particular resort have an ocean view which is nice.  We went to grab dinner at the Mexican restaurant at the resort and I text Daniel from the Entertainment Team.  He came by to introduce himself and he said that I would be teaching at 10 am under the Palapa and 5 pm on the beach.  He explained that currently almost every guest at the resort was from Mexico, and they tend to be late risers so the early 8 and 9 yoga classes I’d previously heard of weren’t going to work.  He actually said a lot of Canadians come to this resort during certain times of the year, and when they have a heavy Canadian guest population, that’s when they offer the 8 am and 9 am classes.

Grateful for the opportunity to teach, I smiled and thanked him, but internally I was a little worried.  I’d been planning on the two early classes and had some excursions planned that would interfere with the 5 pm class.   It took me about 30 minutes to cancel everything I had booked, take a deep breath and regroup.  We went to walk on the beach and take in the peaceful beauty that surrounded us and I committed to creating a new agenda the next day.

Teaching Yoga Under the Palapa in Huatulco

I got to the Palapa at 9:30, which turned out not to be all that necessary.  To give you an idea of how this was all set up, the Palapa is next to the pool and the pickleball courts.  Its multi-purpose so they might use it for other events throughout the day.  It was a beautiful setting although There were random speakers, wires and various equipment from other events in one corner that took away from the aesthetic.  The entertainment team brought mats.  They had thicker, squishy mats versus the non-slip mats.  The mats were clean and colorful. 

I met Aimee and Isis, both yoga teachers who worked for the resort’s entertainment team.  Aimee had gone to India and trained with teachers from the Integral Yoga lineage.  Isis was in the process of learning.  Aimee explained she was teaching aqua yoga the week I was There since I had two other classes to teach daily, and I was grateful for that.  She said if we needed any translation, she would be happy to jump in.  This was also a relief because I can get around a basic yoga class in Spanish but some of the more specific words I would probably choose would have been tough for me to translate.  

The resort didn’t have any props available, which I knew ahead of time from a lot of the experiences I’d read from other instructors.  I was hoping we could use towels as props, but that was against the resort regulations.  They did have a speaker that I could use to play music, but I decided against it because we already had a lot of competing sounds.  The pool was pretty quiet at 10 am, but the pickleball court was busy so we had the sound of the ball bouncing back and forth and the chatter between players.  The ocean waves are also louder than you might think.  I experience this when I teach at Myrtle Beach during the Summer, too.  

On the first day, we had a mother and daughter come and also two other students.  The students ranged in age from early 30’s through late 60’s.  I checked in with them to find out when everyone arrived, and it turns out they’d all just arrived.  I had a few class plans in mind, and the one I went with was themed around unwinding from travel.  It was a slower paced, 60-minute class that emphasized mobility.  

The yoga class was amazing, and we didn’t end up needing any help with translation at all. Over the following week, between 2 - 12 people attended the 10 am yoga class under the Palapa.   

Things I would want to let other instructors know about teaching in this location would be:

• There are a lot of mosquitos specifically under the Palapa so you definitely want to bring bug spray and maybe some incense

• it’s humid and hot even at 10 am, so you might choose to wear shorts instead of leggings

• It wasn’t uncommon for students to show up 5-10 minutes late

• be prepared to speak loudly to be heard over the ocean and pickleball

• remember, There are no props

It’s also helpful to know that breakfast at the resort ends at 11:30.  Yoga ends at 11.  BKS Iyengar and many others advise against eating before yoga, and I tend to follow that wisdom so I had to really be mindful of the time if I wanted to make it to breakfast after yoga.  My husband was with me and he wore tank tops to yoga, but men have to wear shirts with sleeves to get into the dining spaces at the resort during the day, so we had to go back to the room first and we were cutting it close most days.

Teaching Yoga On the Beach in Huatulco

Monday was my first teaching day, and I decided not to leave the resort before the 5 pm yoga class.  We explored the beach, the resort and planned excursions for later in the week.  Around 4:30, I went down to the beach to get ready for yoga.  The entertainment team was already There and they had the yoga mats clean and ready to go.  9 people came that day.  The waves were super loud, so I was actually lightweight yelling and many of the students in the back still couldn’t hear me.  This combined with the fact that English wasn’t the first language for any of the students and Spanish isn't my first language, I found myself demonstrating the entire class which is not my typical teaching style.  

My biggest challenge was definitely not being able to project loudly enough for everyone to hear me.  My typical teaching style is that I cue, I watch and I refine my cues more specifically based on what I see.  

To give you an idea of the setup, we were positioned between the beach volleyball net and the resort’s covered chairs.  There were people walking by and the sand was obviously uneven.  The students for the 5 pm class were in the same age range, though the majority skewed a bit younger than the morning class.  Over the week I was There, nobody came to afternoon yoga on Wednesday.  Every other day, we had between 5-15 students show up.  

Things I would let another yoga teacher know about teaching yoga on the beach at Secrets Huatulco are:

• By 5 pm, the heat and humidity had gone down a good bit and it was nice outside

• There were no bugs on the beach

• The sand was super uneven, which could make it tricky in standing poses.  I thought this could be fun for playing in balance postures, but also a safety hazard, especially for certain people.  I ended up in a lot of kneeling postures and not as many standing postures.

• The waves are very loud and it’s difficult for everyone to hear you, so be prepared to yell and demo

• I recommend setting up as far away from the volleyball space as you can so the ball doesn’t roll into your yoga class

• Students trickle in late

• If you’re used to teaching in the States, know that this is a more relaxed setting

• Again, There are no props available

• There isn’t a clock so I kept the time by glancing at my phone

Things to Know About Secrets Huatulco

If you’re still with me, you might be considering this specific resort, Secrets Huatulco.  So let me tell you a bit about the resort and surrounding area. 

Huatulco isn’t a party area, although if you’re looking for a party you can find one.  It’s more known for the beautiful nature.  Huatulco is a peaceful, not so well known destination in southern Oaxaca, Mexico, set along the Pacific Ocean and known for its nine bays and 36 beaches spread across approximately 22 miles of coastline. Its landscape combines warm, clear water, secluded coves, dramatic cliffs, tropical vegetation, and protected natural areas, offering everything from snorkeling and sailing to hiking and quiet beach days. People love Huatulco because it feels more intimate, unspoiled, and connected to nature than many of Mexico’s larger resort destinations, while still offering luxury accommodations, excellent Oaxacan food, and an easygoing sense of warmth and hospitality. It is the kind of place where visitors can slow down, breathe more deeply, and feel removed from the noise of everyday life. 

We had a very comfortable stay at Secrets.  The bed was comfortable, the water pressure and temperature was perfect and we had plenty of space in the room.  The resort itself is all-inclusive, so all of your food and drinks are included in your stay.  

The spa was very zen.  My husband turned 50 while we were There, and we booked massages for his birthday.  We really enjoyed our treatment and the overall spa experience.  I recommend the spa if you’re ever at this resort. 

The gym was older and crowded at times.  It had free weights, a large area with a cushioned mat for floor work, treadmills, ellipticals and bikes.  There were 2 benches and a lat pull down machine, row machine and shoulder press machine.  The gym is located by the spa.

You’re probably wondering about the food.  The food was pretty good.  For breakfast, they had the market cafe open from 6-11:30.  They offered fresh guava juice, orange juice, and many other juices.  There were mimosas, coffee and tons of other options.  There was a buffet style collection of fruits, veggies, yogurt, cottage cheese and such. There were cafeteria style options for the hot food, some ready to go and some prepared on request.  

There’s a coffee shop that’s open from 6 am - 10 pm.  The coffee was amazing, and There were lots of options.  They also had fresh pastries and snacks, although we didn’t try those.  

For lunch, the market cafe is open again.  The hours were 1:00 - 2:30.  The beach cafe also has snacks.   I enjoyed the ceviche.  

For dinner, There were many options.  There are 4 restaurants in the plaza.  Those include Mexican, French, Italian and Japanese.  There’s also a seafood restaurant and another restaurant with a beach view.  Several nights a week, they have parties or shows and offer a buffet style dinner if you’d rather go that route.  

For breakfast and lunch, men have to wear shirts with sleeves to enter dining areas.  For dinner, men have to wear pants (no shorts) and a shirt with a collar.  No bathing suits are permitted in the dining areas except by the pool. 

Secrets Huatulco has lots of activities and entertainment,  including expected things like tennis, pickleball, volleyball.  They also had salsa lessons, bingo, blackjack, mezcal tasting and couples games while we were There.  There was live music every night.  There were shows 4 of the 7 nights we were There.  There’s also a bar/lounge in the plaza area.  

The beach at the resort is not very big, but it is absolutely stunning.  There is a hidden beach if you walk over towards the left.  We found a hidden path and it led to a slightly bigger, even more secluded gorgeous beach.  

The resort had the largest pools I’ve ever seen, and they were clean and well maintained.  One is the activity pool where games and classes were held.  That one also has a swim up bar.  The other pool is what they call the relaxing pool and it is super relaxing.  

Booking Excursions in Huatulco

Amstar has a desk in the lobby, and they were helpful in booking excursions for us.  We had to book private excursions in light of the teaching schedule.  We decided to go to the waterfalls one day and to take a boat through the 7 bays another day.  We also went on a coffee farm tour.  

Outside of the excursions, we left to go to the local town, La Crucecita. It is the commercial and social center of the Huatulco resort area, with the central zócalo, restaurants, shops, cafés, and the large Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe.  We spent most of the day There and it was a special experience.  

We also went to the main cultural site, the Copalita Eco-Archaeological Park, which took about 15–20 minutes from the resort. It combines an archaeological site, tropical landscape, walking trails, and a small site museum explaining the pre-Hispanic communities that lived around the Copalita River. Visitors can see ceremonial structures, a ball court, temples, and viewpoints near the coast. It would make an excellent retreat excursion because it connects history, nature, reflection, and Oaxaca’s deeper cultural roots.

The area’s biggest natural attraction is Huatulco National Park, a protected landscape covering both tropical dry forest and marine environments. It includes undeveloped bays, secluded beaches, reefs, mangroves, and hiking areas. Visitors can explore it by boat, kayak, snorkel, or guided trail; official access includes marine tours from the Santa Cruz dock and land routes such as the Zanate, Cruz del Monte, and Sabanal trails. 

The park is especially known for:

• Coral reefs and tropical fish

• Sea turtles, dolphins, and seasonal whales

• Birdwatching and coastal wildlife

• Quiet beaches reachable primarily by boat

• Tropical dry forest, which looks lush during the rainy season and more golden during the dry season

There is also a newer federally protected area referred to as Huatulco II, offering activities such as hiking, snorkeling, birdwatching, whale watching, interpretive trails, and nature photography. 

For retreat guests, I would feature Copalita as the cultural excursion and a private national-park boat and snorkeling trip as the nature excursion. Huatulco is not a place people choose for days of indoor museum-going; they love it because the history, wildlife, beaches, and protected landscapes are experienced outside.

Key Takeaways of my Fit Bodies Trip

Here are my reflections on the Fit Bodies yoga-teaching tirp, Secrets Huatulco and the Huatulco area:

If you’re considering a Fit Bodies trip, I say DO IT!  

Run a cost analysis to make sure it makes sense.  If you love teaching yoga and you love to travel, this might be a great fit for you.

Fit Bodies will not be the right choice for every instructor. You are still working during your vacation, and the value depends heavily on the resort price, program fee, teaching schedule, and how much you enjoy teaching. For me, the experience was absolutely worthwhile. I taught in a beautiful setting, traveled with my husband, stayed at a resort we may not otherwise have booked, and came home excited to do it again.

Be sure to research and read about other instructors' experiences before you choose your destination.

I highly recommend Secrets Huatulco if you’re considering this resort.  The E-Team is fabulous and the resort is really enjoyable.

As far as vacationing in Huatulco in general, it is a beautiful area for nature lovers and anyone looking or a quieter vacation.