6 inspiring sabbaticals in the Asia-Pacific region

In the words of John Lennon, “Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.” To take a step back and reflect on where you are and where you want to be, a sabbatical is often helpful.

For those blessed with the opportunity to take a break from work, we’ve rounded up some of the best sabbatical ideas in the Asia-Pacific region – from picking up a new skill like surfing to mastering the art of meditation while staying in a temple.

Anyone who visits Vietnam will quickly discover how complex, varied, and downright delicious its cuisine is. If you’ve got the time, why not spend it enriching yourself with a class that teaches some of the best Vietnamese cooking techniques? The coastal city of Hội An is popular for these experiences, and it offers a slow pace of life by the sea.

Explore its magical ancient old town with painted pagodas, canals, and paper lanterns, then take a class or course, like those offered at Gioan Cookery School. Classes often include a tour of a local market to pick up ingredients before learning the basics of making traditional dishes like phở (rice noodles in bone broth), banh xeo (crispy pancakes with varied fillings), and fresh spring rolls.

Make yourself at home by staying at the highly rated Okra Hoian.

If you can’t quit your job and renounce all material possessions in pursuit of enlightenment, a sabbatical spent meditating during a temple stay in Koyasan is at least a step in the right direction. For over 1,000 years, temple lodgings known as shukubo have welcomed monks and passing pilgrims. These days, they offer mindful modern travelers ample opportunity to reflect and seek peace of mind.

These shukubo can be found in rural areas all over Japan amid sacred, tranquil, and remote natural surroundings. One thing to bear in mind during your stay is to respect the resident monks and try to disturb them as little as possible as they go about their daily training.

Shukubo Koya-san Eko-in is a particularly serene stay within the grounds of a 1000-year-old Buddhist temple, offering Buddhist rituals, meditation, a beautiful garden, and elegant, traditional Japanese decor.

The city of Mysuru in the southern Indian state of Karnataka is perfect for a life-changing sabbatical. It’s the birthplace of Ashtanga yoga and the highly personalized method of teaching it known as the Mysore method, which entails practicing six days a week before the sun rises. A place of pilgrimage for yogis around the world, it’s even attracted Madonna to visit its revered yoga schools.

Most of these shalas (a Sanskrit word referring to yoga studios) accept students for one month minimum, so you’ll be able to truly get to know this leafy metropolis with its palpable spiritual and soothing energy. Grab a fresh coconut from the nariyal wallahs (coconut-sellers) after practice each day. Then head to local cafés like C.C.B.C or TKS Iyengar’s to enjoy a fresh, mouthwatering breakfast of south Indian delicacies like idli (fermented rice cakes) and dosa (fermented rice pancakes).

Settle in for your sabbatical by staying at Red House Yoga Center in Gokulam, the area where you’ll find most of the yoga shalas.

For a truly revitalizing sabbatical break, what could be better than mastering a new skill while spending hours in the sun and sea? When it comes to learning to surf, Australia is the place to do it. More specifically, check out Byron Bay, a once sleepy beach town that’s grown glitzy while retaining its laid-back appeal and magnetic natural beauty.

The town has several long stretches of gleaming white sand to choose from – start with the beginner-friendly gentle rollers off Watego Beach. Graduate from your sabbatical spent with a local surf school to the big swell of the bronzed and pro surfer-filled Brunswick Heads Beach.

Treat yourself to a stylish sabbatical stay at WategosRent, Byron Bay.

For a fulfilling sabbatical experience, head high up in the misty, jungle-filled mountains near Chiang Mai to Elephant Nature Park. One of the best-known conservation projects in all of Thailand, it has been rehabilitating rescued elephants since 1995. In addition to a number of elephants saved from exploitation, you’ll also find adopted cats, dogs, pigs, ducks, and all kinds of animals in need.

Visitors are welcome for single-day tours and overnight stays, but note that longer volunteer placements must be organized well in advance. For the latter, you’ll help the elephant mahouts (keepers) prepare fresh produce for feeding time, feed the elephants by hand, and bathe them in the rainforest rivers. You’ll gain insight into the behavior of these beautiful creatures while watching them roam free – and do something positive for the planet all at once.

Though you’ll be living in on-site accommodations while volunteering, check into the scenic Hoh Guesthouse to extend your stay after your placement.

The international rise of interest in Korean culture in recent years has been so significant that there’s even been a term coined for its proliferation – “hallyu” (meaning the “Korean wave”). For those looking to ride this wave, a sabbatical spent learning the Korean language—one of the fastest-growing languages in the world—is a great start.

To pick up these language skills as fast as possible, immerse yourself in local life with an extended stay on the idyllic Jeju Island. Here, you can walk away from the stress of your job and life back home while trying out Korean cuisine, music, cinema, and taking in the beautiful scenery.

Wake up to views of the ocean while staying at JEJU Doldam B&B.