Meditation

While meditation can be done practically everywhere, including every place where a traveller might end up, some places either have a physical environment or a cultural tradition which makes meditation more gratifying.

These are locations where you can attend guided and self-led meditation retreats. They all provide environments that are supportive of being in retreat: minimal distractions, few activities and concerns, basic needs fulfilled, and ideally affordable. This list was originally compiled with the Buddhist meditation practice of Shamatha in mind, but these locations should be conducive to any type of meditation that requires a similarly supportive environment.

Global

Vipassana Meditation as taught by S.N. Goenka - More than 300 centers in 109 countries.

Asia

East Asia

China

China has many Buddhist and Taoist temples and monasteries, but none we know of teach meditation using any language other than Chinese.

Some of the centers of Chinese martial arts do offer training using English, and a few have residential programs that include foreign students.

Japan

Meditation in Japan

South Korea

Many Buddhist temples in South Korea offer temple stay programmes to tourists, which allows them to experience the life of a Buddhist monk, but requires you to book in advance. Those who participate in such programmes are expected to follow a strict daily routine and show a degree of respect for the customs, which includes waking up early for prayers and meditation, as well as eating vegetarian food.

Taiwan

Taiwan's Fo Guang Shan monastery located near Kaohsiung has rooms available for visitors who wish to learn Buddhist meditation.

South Asia

India

Both Bodh Gaya (where the Buddha reached enlightenment) and Dharamsala (headquarters of the Dalai Lama's Tibetan government-in-exile) have large Buddhist communities including many teachers. Rishikesh bills itself as "the World Capital of Yoga" and has many ashrams; see Yoga in Rishikesh.

Himachal Pradesh - Deer Park Institute - Part of Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche's organization, it serves as a place of study running different short courses. It is located 3 hours from Dharamsala in a small Tibetan Settlement called Bir (about 12 hours by bus from Delhi). It is an old, but nicely renovated monastery with a temple with three halls. Single rooms are 7-8 sq. meters, furnished, with attached bathroom with wardrobe. Linen is provided. The costs Rs.400/day, with a 20% discount for people who stay more than a month. There are people talking and taxis coming and going. The food they provide for Rs.50 per meal is nice. Morning: porridge or veg-rice, toast with jam and butter, banana or egg. Lunch: rice, dahl, chapati, veggies Dinner: veg soup, pizza or noodles or fried rice, dessert, veggies. Apparently there is no self-catering possibility.
Uttar Pradesh - Shravasti Korean Temple - Stay for donation, wake at 4am to recite the heart sutra in Korean, eat delicious Korean food, drink lemongrass milk tea with a genuine Zen master.

Nepal

Kathmandu - Kopan Monastery - An iconic Tibetan Buddhist monastery established in the 1970s by Lama Yeshe Rinpoche and Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Has many retreats and events, including the famous November Course, an intensive month-long Lam Rim retreat. Rooms also available for private retreat.
Bhaktapur - Thrangu Sekhar Retreat Center (map) - Colloquially known as Bhaktapur Retreat Center. Well-equipped rooms with kitchenette and private bathroom with hot water. 500 NPR per day (2013 price) with 3 meals delivered at your door. Great views of the valley. It seems now there are many westerners doing 6 year retreat. Contact in advance (contact@druponrinpoche.org) to book a room. The main teacher Drupon Rinpoche is there 6 months each year. You can do your own retreat and ask questions or receive teachings from him.
Simalchaur Shyampati - Namobuddha - Part of the Thrangu Rinpoche centers. A lovely monastery and a place for pilgrimage. They have simple and deluxe rooms. Info here: http://www.rinpoche.com/guesthouse/guesthouse4.htm It’s great place, but a bit more noisy and distracting than the Bhaktapur Retreat Center because there are many visitors.
Lumbini, Nepal - The Panditarama Lumbini Vipassana Center International Vipassana Retreat Center is an excellent serious place to go deep into the Mahasi Sayadaw method.

Sri Lanka

Nilambe - Well-known among seasoned Asia hands, people have been known to spend 10 to 12 years practicing intensively there, for costs of around $3 a day total. The facilities are simple but relatively comfortable and it is one of the very few places in Asia where men and women are treated equally and where one it not locked into a formulaic method of practice (Mahasi, Goenka, etc.).
Information about Meditation Centres in Sri Lanka - A list compiled by the Buddhist Publication Society intended for “less experienced, short term visiting lay practitioners.”
Buddhist Forest Monasteries and Meditation Centres in Sri Lanka - A list compiled by the Buddhist Publication Society intended for “Western bhikkhus, those who aspire to become bhikkhus, and those who are experienced lay practitioners.”

Southeast Asia

Myanmar (Burma)

Mawlamyine - Pa-Auk Forest Monastery (Main Center) - The main monastery of the Pa-Auk Group, a Buddhist monastery in the Theravāda tradition, with emphasis on the teaching and practice of both Samatha and Vipassanā meditation. This is the largest center, with 500 to 1000 residents including foreigners.
Pyin Oo Lwin - Pa-Auk Tawya Meditation Center - A newer Pa-Auk monastery near Mandalay, with parts still under construction.
Than Lyin - International Buddhasāsana Meditation Center - Pa-Auk Tawya Branch
Yangon and Bago - Panditãrãma Shwe Taung Gon Sasana Yeiktha (dead link: January 2023) - Established in 1990 by Ven. U Panditabhivamsa for locals and foreigners to practice Vipassana meditation. Foreigners may mediate at the main center in Yangon and the branch center in Hse Main Gon (south of Bago), with other branch centers open to locals only (Pyin Oo Lwin, Mawlamyaing and Than Lyin). For information about their 60-day retreat visit saddhamma.org.

Thailand

Main article: Meditation in Thailand

Ko Pha-ngan - Kow Tham (Mountain Cave) International Meditation Center (dead link: January 2023) - 10-day meditation retreats from the 10th-20th of each month.
Ko Samui - Dipabhāvan meditation center (dead link: January 2023) - 7-day meditation retreats from the 3rd-10th, and 20th-27th of each month.
Mae Hong Son - Tam Wua Forest Monastery (dead link: December 2020) - In the Thai forest monastery tradition, retreatants follow the daily schedule of meditations. A cabin (kuti), and food is provided (only fruit juice for dinner). Guests are asked to wear simple white clothes, and to follow a daily schedule, which starts at 5AM. Alt website.
Pak Chong District - Thai Plum Village International Practice Center (dead link: January 2023) - Meditation center in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh open to foreigners for 1-2 week retreats starting every Friday (longer retreats available on request).
Phuket - Dharana Phuket Meditation Center - Various meditation courses and retreats.
Surat Thani - Wat Suan Mokkh International Dharma Hermitage - 10-day meditation retreats from the 1st-11th of each month. Teachings in English. Individual rooms available.
Ubon Ratchathani - Wat Nong Pah Pong (dead link: June 2020) - Established by Venerable Ajahn Chah Subhaddo in 1954 for monks, nuns and laypeople.
Ubon Ratchathani - Wat Pah Nanachat - Established in 1975 by Ven. Ajahn Chah (1918-1992) as a branch monastery close to his own traditional forest monastery Wat Nong Pah Pong (see above), with Ven. Ajahn Sumedho, an American disciple of his, as the first abbot.

Europe

France

Lot-et-Garonne - Plum Village - Europe’s largest monastic community, founded in 1982 by Vietnamese Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. Organizes many retreats and programs.

United Kingdom

Scotland - Kagyu Samye Ling Monastery and Tibetan Centre - Has several centers with scheduled retreats.
England - Amaravati Buddhist Monastery - Established in 1984 in the Thai forest monastery tradition of Ajahn Chah. Organizes several retreats and events.

North America

Mexico

Centro de Retiros de Luz de Compasion Retreat Center - Tibetan tradition center in the Mexican State of Durango.

United States

California

Redwood Valley - Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery - Established in 1996 by Ven. Ajahns Pasanno and Amaro in the Thai forest tradition.
Valley Center - Metta Forest Monastery - Established in 1990 by Ajaan Suwat Suvaco, in the Thai forest tradition.

New Hampshire

Temple - Temple Forest Monastery - A monastery in the Thai forest tradition of Ajahn Chah and Ajahn Sumedho.

New Mexico

San Lorenzo - Southwest Sangha - Theravada-inspired (but nonsectarian) place for solo retreat that consists of a central building housing a kitchen and shrine room plus bathrooms and 4-5 "kutis" which in reality are just mobile home trailers with nice awnings built for shade. It has operated successfully on a pure dana basis for decades.

West Virginia

High View - Bhavana Society - Offers retreats and monastic residency.

Washington

Newport - Sravasti Abbey - an American Buddhist monastic community where nuns and monks and lay students learn, practice, and live the Buddha’s teachings.

South America

Colombia

Bogota - Centro de Meditación Budista Yamantaka - Has scheduled retreats in the Tibetan tradition, in Spanish.
Bogota - Templo La Tierra (dead link: December 2020) - Short- and medium-duration retreats in the Zen tradition.