Seek the Sun 2022
COVID-19 CONSIDERATIONS

We have researched and given considerable thought to the prospect of traveling to Mexico for a yoga retreat in January 2022, including vaccination, lodging, travel risks, and COVID-19 testing requirements. We also have spoken with people on the ground in Troncones to get a sense for the local environment.

We feel very comfortable holding a retreat in Troncones in January 2022. We are confident that our retreat venue, Las Villas, provides a safe environment — it is almost entirely open-air, from lodging to dining to yoga, and the Las Villas staff is vaccinated. Furthermore, the businesses and residents of Troncones have been vigilant about COVID because they want and need tourists to come back. The townspeople have been getting vaccinated, and indoor businesses are masking.

COVID-19 Vaccination Required. We are requiring that all retreat participants be vaccinated against COVID-19. We are doing this because we believe in the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines in greatly reducing the probability of contracting or spreading the virus and virtually eliminating the chance of severe illness or hospitalization due to COVID-19. (See this New York Times article: One in 5,000: The Real Chances of a Breakthrough Infection.)

We also ask that all retreat participants take precautions, including wearing a mask (preferably an N95 or KN95), while traveling to and from Mexico.


Seek the Sun COVID-19 Guidelines


PROOF OF VACCINATION REQUIRED: Participants will need to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 prior to making a payment or registering for the retreat. You may send us a photo or scanned image of proof via email or mobile phone. We will provide instructions for this after we receive your request to register.

NONREFUNDABLE RETREAT FEES: A $500 nonrefundable deposit is required at time of reservation. Payment of the full retreat fee is due November 1, 2021. Due to our financial commitment to the retreat venue, all retreat fees are nonrefundable after November 1.
Exception: If a border closing or government-imposed travel ban prevents travel to Mexico at the time of the retreat, a full refund will be issued.

TRAVEL INSURANCE: We strongly recommend you purchase travel insurance to cover the nonrefundable costs of your trip, including the retreat fee.

  • Standard Travel Insurance: Travel insurance generally costs between 5% and 10% of the amount you are insuring, and it reimburses 100% of your nonrefundable costs if you cancel your trip for a covered reason (e.g., a doctor-documented illness that prevents travel). It also covers certain costs in the case of trip delay, trip interruption, and medical expenses should you get sick while traveling. Check for policies that cover COVID-related travel problems.

  • “Cancel for Any Reason” Option: You may also want to consider adding “Cancel for Any Reason” (CFAR) coverage to your policy. CFAR coverage generally adds 40-50% to the cost of the policy and reimburses 50-75% of your insured trip cost, allowing you to cancel your trip for any reason, including if you simply change your mind.

    • Act quickly for CFAR: Check your policy for the deadline for adding the CFAR option. CFAR usually needs to be added within 10 or 14 days of your initial trip payment or trip deposit.

  • Helpful Article: The following article from Forbes Magazine discusses travel insurance and includes a link to a great tool to compare quotes on insurance policies: Best Pandemic Travel Insurance Plans of September 2021.

CONSIDER REFUNDABLE AIRFARE: We recommend purchasing a refundable fare to give yourself maximum flexibility. Most airlines are now offering fully refundable fares for a reasonable price differential ($50 to $90). If you book a refundable fare, there’s no need to include your airfare on your travel insurance policy. If you need to cancel your trip, you’ll work directly with the airline to claim your refund, and you will avoid the middleman (i.e., the insurance company).

CONSIDER UNITED or AMERICAN AIRLINES: Consider booking with United or American — they seem to have the most favorable itineraries (particularly from Pittsburgh), and they connect to Zihuatanejo through U.S. airports rather than through Mexico City (as Delta does).

TAKE PRECAUTIONS WHILE TRAVELING: We ask that all retreat participants please take precautions, including wearing a mask (preferably a KN95), while traveling to and from Mexico.

COVID-19 TEST BEFORE RETURN TO U.S.: A negative COVID-19 is test required before departing Mexico to return to the United States.

  • The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) requires all passengers flying to the U.S., including U.S. citizens, show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 3 days of departure, or documentation of recovery. This does not apply to children under 2 years old.

  • Test included in retreat fee. The rapid antigen test, which is an accepted test per the CDC order, is available at the Troncones Pharmacy. The price of this test is included in the retreat fee, and Linda and Bob will facilitate the scheduling of appointments.

COVID-19 Resources

New York Times article — One in 5,000: The Real Chances of a Breakthrough Infection
https://www.yahoo.com/now/one-5-000-real-chances-183201138.html

Forbes Magazine — Best Pandemic Travel Insurance Plans of September 2021 (includes link to a tool to compare quotes)
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/travel-insurance/best-pandemic-travel-insurance/

CDC — Requirement for Proof of Negative COVID-19 Test or Recovery from COVID-19 for All Air Passengers Arriving in the United States
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/testing-international-air-travelers.html

CDC — “COVID-19 in Mexico” page
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/covid-3/coronavirus-mexico

U.S. Embassy in Mexico — “COVID-19 Information for U.S. Citizens in Mexico” page
https://mx.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information-for-u-s-citizens-in-mexico/