Monte da Orada: Portugal’s Ecological Paradise for Healing
A tour of Orada’s grounds and amenities.
Orada garden. Photo by Lonely Girl, Lonely World.
The details in this article are from my June 2023 retreat experience. Orada may undergo changes in the future that this article doesn’t account for.
Monte da Orada is a sanctuary located in the remote Alentejo woods of southern Portugal for healing, spiritual growth, and meditation. The site is protected by The Lady, Orada’s spiritual deity, whose altar you can meditate or pray at inside the Prayer Room.
Legend has it people came from miles away to receive the healing benefits of Orada’s land. They believed it could cure a thousand illnesses. This is what the co-manager of Monte da Orada told us.
It’s the site of many wellness retreats, including dance retreat Passion, Play, and Pleasure, and co-living abroad programs such as Innate Global.
Their official website and Instagram account are great ways to find out what’s going on in their schedule.
Orada offers many amenities including a biopool, sauna, ice bath, and trail hiking paths, plus an abundance of accommodation options.
For a walking tour of the grounds:
Biopool
I love water, so the biopool was the first thing I dipped into after we’d settled in.
A biopool is essentially a natural body of water that doesn’t use any chemicals such as chlorine for disinfection, the artificial part of it being that it is sectioned out as part of the landscaping plan. Around or in biopools, you can see flora and fauna usually native to the environment. (Check out this article for more about biopools: What are biopools? Low-maintenance natural pools that are ecological and sustainable | Science | EL PAÍS English (elpais.com)) Orada’s biopool is filled with large lily pads and accompanying frogs!!!
I must admit that, coming from the city, I was a little unnerved by these frogs at first. It felt like approaching wild baby animals you don’t know how to interact with. The frogs, however, couldn’t care less about us, and soon we fell into a harmonious cohabitation, with the little froggies deftly leaping away from pad to pad if they deemed us too bothersome.
Orada biopool. Photo by Lonely Girl, Lonely World.
The first time I went for a swim, I was so intrigued by the alternating waves of hot and cold! It was hot and cold at the same time, and it was soooo comfortable. That feeling really is quite unique, nothing like what you’d get from a regular swimming pool.
If you’re dealing with any rashes, like the chest rash I developed from a mosquito bite even before I went to Orada or xerosis (extremely dry skin) of any kind, biopools and natural bodies of water are the way to go. They won’t irritate your skin or strip it of moisture. And remember Orada’s healing effects? By the end of the week, my rash was starting to clear up.
You can hear the frog choir serenading you from all over Orada once the sky’s fallen dark.
Note: Since it’s a natural pool, there are other organisms living in the water besides the frogs. You’ll make friends with ants, mosquitoes, and other insects I don’t know the names of. The sides of the pool will be lush with slush of the greenish variety, and I personally didn’t have the courage to dive all the way underwater to touch the bottom of the pool. The pool surface looks dark and murky, but don’t worry — it’s not deep at all; I’m just petite. For reference, a 6’2” person will be able to just barely touch the floor of the pool while standing with their chin above water.
Important: To protect the integrity of the biopool, all swimmers should shower and wash off any lotions or sunscreen before heading in. Same for the sauna (see below).
Sauna
A dip in the biopool wouldn’t be complete without a turn in the sauna right afterward. The sauna is a little wooden shack right beside the pool, slightly uphill. It takes a while for the heat to turn up, depending on how hot you want it, so I recommend going for a swim while you wait. I think we set it to 80°C one day.
There’s an outdoor shower on the sauna porch for you to rinse off any residue before getting in. The inside is a very tiny, cozy space that fits about 6 adults if they all sit side by side (we did), 3 on the top row and 3 on the bottom. I found that a person of my stature (5’3” or so) can comfortably lie prone on the bench if no one else is sitting there.
Calm and tranquility. Photo by Lonely Girl, Lonely World.
You can create steam by pouring water over the coals. Watching the others work the sauna actually proved very handy when I made my way to the Finnish Arctic Circle later that year for work.
The sauna makes for one of my fondest and most delightful memories of the retreat because we were treated to a very strange hand-towel fan dance of sorts by some of the participants in an effort to cool us down. It’s the kind of performance that makes you want to laugh and cry at the same time, in the best way. We all buckled down giggling.
Be careful opening and closing the sauna door! It’s heavyweight and slams shut on its own, and one of our friends accidentally caught their finger in it (ouch!).
On the other side of the sauna is a little massage room. You can contact a local massage therapist to come and give you a session, though that will be paid out of your own pocket.
What’s great about Orada is that you can transform the spaces and amenities to anything you want. You can meditate on the sauna porch, read by the pool, dance on the sunroof… anything goes.
Ice Bath
Ooh, was this one a first for me! Next to the sauna, on a little lower deck, was a small bathtub-like well used for ice baths. I didn’t even notice it the entire week because it’s covered by a tarp whenever it’s not in use. On the final day, the facilitators messaged us to say the ice bath was ready, and we scrambled over to get a taste of this torture (just kidding… sort of).
I’ve been in ice-cold pools (-17°C) before at a 5-star spa as well as at Scandinave Spa Blue Mountain, and I couldn’t stay under for more than a few seconds in either of them. In fact, the deepest I could go was up to my knees.
The ice bath at Orada is specially prepared by the staff if you request it and involves putting huge chunks of ice into the well of water. I’ve heard some say it’s not a true ice bath, but I wouldn’t know. It’s certainly cold enough for me!
The health benefits of ice baths are widely touted, especially when mixed with the heat of a sauna. I hope I reaped at least some of those benefits because it took a great deal of willpower in me to finally submerge myself! Thank goodness for my friend who took my hand and taught me some tips for sinking into an ice bath: hold your breath while going under and then relax into it, as if in a meditative state. It takes practice.
The ice bath, too, was a great community meeting place for talk, jokes, and laughter.
The Alleyway
Not an amenity, but this little alleyway was one of my favourite spots in all of Orada. It creates a perfect wind tunnel for those hot days when you’re passing through, even better if you’ve just gone for a swim or sauna session.
Alleyway to the garden. Photo by Lonely Girl, Lonely World.
The Nave & Sunroof
The Nave (which we fondly nicknamed the “Spaceship”) is where we held our daily dance sessions. It’s a large, rectangular space with panoramic windows that look out onto the mountains (wow!), fully equipped with yoga mats and cushions if you need them.
The floor is covered with brick floor tiles and feel cool against your skin, a nice reprieve from the summer heat. We danced barefoot or in socks. I found the floor surprisingly comfortable to dance on, but it can be too resistant for some people, so I’d recommend taking it easy.
When the windows are open and the sunlight and wind are filtering in, ahhhhh… now that’s heavenly.
The Nave. Photo by Lonely Girl, Lonely World.
Right above the Nave is the sunroof, which you can access by a set of stairs covered with vines to the left of the Nave. Up there is a covered wooden picnic table as well as some lounge chairs. The rest of the space is open for you to do whatever you wish.
The roof offers a great view of Orada and the irrigation canal in the distance. You can also see the line of trees in the distance that were apparently burnt down by a forest fire sometime between the 2022 and 2023 retreats, according to a returner. It’s generally a quiet place, so if you’re looking for somewhere to be by yourself, look no further.
The Nave and sunroof are where some of the sunrise activation sessions were held from our Passion, Play, and Pleasure retreat.
Not to mention the Horizontal Concert was held on the sunroof, and that was a night to remember.
Below: all photos by Lonely Girl, Lonely World.
Restaurant
The restaurant feels less like a “restaurant” and more like a community room. It’s definitely the coolest space in all of Orada if you need some shade from the sun or a nice place to journal.
The food is served buffet-style here, and there are multiple tables for you to sit at, but most of us ate outside on the veranda. Just be sure to bring your sunglasses and a cover-up if you’re sensitive to tanning and slather on that sunscreen!
I’ve also found that the Internet connection in the restaurant is the strongest, not that I was online much during that week. I took out my phone only to send and receive messages from my family; otherwise, I intended it to be a fully offline time.
At night the restaurant glows from the lamps within (the other glowing building being the Nave), and it gives for a very inviting space to have those late-night chats and intimate conversations.
Below: all photos by Lonely Girl, Lonely World.
Prayer Room
Across the vine garden, next to the Main House (dorms), is the Prayer Room. It’s a slightly raked split-level building that houses a shrine to The Lady on the top end and an open floor on the other. There are more cushions stowed away in a trunk here.
Panoramic windows surround the open floor. These windows are actually doors you can slide open to let the breeze in! The Prayer Room tends to get hot and stuffy easily, so that breeze is much appreciated. Once open, you can step out onto a small apron dotted with more flora and fauna. This area gets a lot of direct sunlight.
The Prayer Room is a quiet, gentle place for meditation, introspection, and thought. I attended one (and my only) sunrise activation for meditation here.
Prayer room. Photo by Lonely Girl, Lonely World.
Bonfire
The bonfire is located in the center of the vine garden between the Prayer Room and the Main House. Unfortunately, we at the 2023 retreat didn’t get a chance to use it because wind conditions at the time made it unsafe.
Instead, we went ahead with a dancefloor meditation on the grass around the bonfire as planned. It was equally beautiful, and the sight of everyone around you dancing with the music as the sky slowly turned to night, the mountains your audience, was moving.
Bonfire garden. Photo by Lonely Girl, Lonely World.
Canal
An energizing ten-minute walk from Orada is the start of the strip of canal where you can swim back. The entry is down a step ladder by the irrigation canal bridge. I stood there confused for a few seconds looking for the way down before I noticed it; it’s very discreet. (The bridge is wide enough for you to walk across it, so no one would blame you for thinking the entry was on the other side.)
We discovered a wasp hive inside one of the hollow rungs of the ladder. We avoided the hive as much as possible while stepping down. The canal is too shallow to safely dive into, and the sloped concrete walls on either side don’t make for great slides either.
Just remember that once you’re in, you have no choice but to complete the swim back to Orada! The current gently pushes you in that direction, and one of the retreat participants who does rock climbing told us the slopes are constructed at the perfect angle to prevent anyone climbing back up.
You don’t even have to swim back. You could fully walk or float the way as well (or have someone push you like a princess, as I did). There are floaties available by the laundry lines if you need them.
A rope line at the end signals where to get out. As the co-manager warned us, don’t swim past this line because the current suddenly gets faster here (and she’s right! you can feel it).
Doing this in a group is so fun. Something about being in the water with people brings out the silliness in you, as shown evidently by our dramatic exit by the rope line. It was like the water version of “the floor is lava!”
Irrigation canal. Photo by Lonely Girl, Lonely World.
Trail Hiking
Several trails around the outskirts of Orada lead up the mountains or down to the creek. There’s one by the biopool that goes down to the creek, and the one to the mountains is next to the Prayer Room. You can also access the mountain trail from the Lotus Tent and treehouse accommodations, since there’s a branch-off path that goes there.
The aerial view is AMAZING. And that breeze! You can see Orada and the surrounding landscape for miles around. I didn’t have my camera the first time up, so I wanted to go back and take some memories, but in the end, I didn’t get the chance to. Next time for sure!
On the way to the canal. Photo by Lonely Girl, Lonely World.
Gift Shop/Office
Of course, what’s a successful business without its own little gift shop? Here you can find products from local artisans such as jewelry and soap. The official Orada cookbook is also sold here for 50 EUR if you want to take home recipes for those delicious meals! A tad expensive, yes, so I’d recommend this for those of you who know you’ll really use it, or gift it to someone who will. You can also buy one copy to share amongst friends.
The gift shop also serves as the staff’s office. If you need help and can’t find them in the restaurant or laundry room, this is likely where they’ll be.
Laundry Room
The staff allow you to borrow their washer and dryer for 5 EUR total each time, payable in cash. The dryer takes a few runs to fully dry your clothes, at least in my experience. I suggest you double or even triple up with people to save water and share the cost of the wash.
Alternatively, you can always wash your own clothes in the sink and leave it to dry in the sun on a chair or table outside. The Lotus Tent has its own laundry line you can hang clothes on.
Dorms/Accommodations
Monte da Orada offers some pretty awesome accommodation options. You can take a look at all their photos on their website or view my virtual walking tour for an idea.
They have a treehouse, tent, bungalows, private ensuite rooms, and dorms available.
I initially booked the teepee tent because the promotional image for it was of the teepee under a sky full of stars, glowing from within. What a dream, right?
When I got there, I found out the teepee had been upgraded and rechristened to the “Lotus Tent.” You got it; it’s now a tent in the shape of a lotus!
Perhaps it’s my city upbringing, or maybe I just don’t do well with bugs, but I quickly realized that the nature of the tent might’ve been too “in nature” for me. If you’re looking to be fully immersed in nature, the facilitators recommend the bungalows. The tent and treehouse come pretty close too.
Orada treehouse. Photo by Lonely Girl, Lonely World.
As soon as I stepped in, I noticed the insects crawling around the top and sides of the tent from a lack of human presence. It was also surprisingly stuffy. There are beds, covers, and electric heaters already provided, with room for 2-3 people if you want to share. They warned us the tent can get hot during the day and extremely cold at night, hence the heaters and extra duvets.
The tent, treehouse, and bungalows all use outdoor toilets and showers. Going to the toilet in the middle of the night can be tricky while trying to keep it quiet as well as making your way in the dark. I wanted to try the shower for the fun of it, but by the second night I’d already asked to switch to the bunkbed dorm.
I considered toughing it out, but eventually I had to admit that I wasn’t comfortable with certain things, and that’s ok. The whole purpose of a retreat is to treat yourself well.
In fact, I’d say it doesn’t really matter what you book because the common areas are all open to use too, even if you want to spend the night on the sofa.
There’s also a common shower and toilet area with individual stalls for anyone to use, not just the private room residents.
One thing I wish I could’ve tried once, though, was the outdoor bath near the bungalows. It really is outdoors, with no roof or anything, just a wooden fence surrounding the tub. There’s an opening in the fence on the private side where you can look out onto the mountains and just gaze in peace.
Cats and Wizards!!!
A perfect pairing, right?
When I was there, there were two cat staff: Tigra (the grey one) and Pituca (the black one).
Pituca is the cat who loves to silently snuggle up to you in bed. I kept waiting for the day Pituca would sidle up to me under the covers, but sadly, it never came. Even cats have favourites. I did, however, find Pituca in the bunk bed above mine one night, and that made up for it.
We were told, too, of the Wizard of the Woods who lives near Orada. He’s apparently a man who knows how to do everything, and he sometimes comes over for meals, so don’t be surprised if you see a strange man amongst you.
Horseriding???
There’s a wooden signpost advertising horseriding right before you enter the main Orada space. I’m not sure of the validity of this; I’m sure we were all tempted to call the number on the sign, but we had enough of our own activities to get through. Again, this is one of those fun things I’ll leave for next time.
Conclusion
Everything in Orada comes around full circle. You can go anywhere you want on the grounds in a multitude of ways due to its spiraling, connective pathways.
There’s an energy in the air that’s indescribable. I believe it’s from the well wishes and good energy of those who have passed before us, left behind for those who will come after. It’s a place of loving, a source for healing.
I went to the retreat with an ongoing rash and a confused heart. I left with love, clarity, and hope for all to come.
Below: all photos by Lonely Girl, Lonely World.
Tips & Tricks
Nature: You will definitely get a load of nature in your face whenever you go to a rural site. Be prepared for ways of life you won’t necessarily be used to if you come from the big city.
Mosquitoes: Thankfully, the mosquitoes at Orada generally only become prevalent at night, and I only got bitten once in my entire week there. I’m usually the one acting as a blocker for everyone around me because mosquitoes love my blood, but perhaps because there was someone else this time who mosquitoes loved, I was safe. Still, it’s always a good idea to bring Afterbite or, my personal favourite, fēng yóu jīng (a Chinese brand of medicated menthol oil to treat mosquito bites).
Layers: The evenings can get chilly! And if you’re up late into the night, you’ll find it gets damp too from the dew and mist. I packed a pair of warm sweatpants and a long-sleeved turtleneck. I also took the red blanket I was given on the plane over (I didn’t know I wasn’t supposed to take this!), and that was a life saver in many situations. It came in handy, too, when I just needed a cover-up from the sun that wasn’t a sweater.
Should you still go? Absolutely. You won’t regret it.
Photo by Lonely Girl, Lonely World.