Attended my yoga teacher training with Yandara in Oct. The staff and volunteers were amazing. The beauty of the jungle, the frogs singing in the rain. The flowers. The fruit. The nutritious food. With regular amenities like hot showers, and WiFi. I absolutely loved it here, and never wanted to leave

I have just returned home from a weeklong “Why Vegan” retreat put on by the staff of KMEC. They are an off grid facility using solar power and filtered rainwater. This retreat was all inclusive. There was a variety of yoga/meditation classes morning and evening. There were cooking demonstrations/classes that focused on a vegan lifestyle. Some examples were salad dressing/salad components, soups, meal prep for work and also a workshop on tea infusion that was very tasty and informative. We had coffee, a specialized tea and a large abundant fruit bowl available every morning at 630am. Dining is al fresco style just steps from the cabin(I stayed in the Mango cabin) The retreat also included breakfast, lunch and dinner cooked by some more amazing staff. See attached photos. It was all beautiful, filling and healthy. They would have some meals family buffet style and would plate others. It was really nice to eat together with other retreat members and staff(many of which I now consider friends) They are in walking distance to the newest black sand beach which is down a path of beautiful greenery and mango trees. They have an orchard of many fruit trees and a working greenhouse. They shared plenty of fresh delicious coconuts with us. The starfruit is plentiful and sweet. We had some excursions that were also included. We went to Kehena beach, South Point and Magic Sands beach in Kona. We also went to a nearby town Pahoa, a few times for stops at a natural grocery store and vegan gelato with home made gluten free amazing waffle cones. They also arranged a group session/discussion with the world famous(and friends of KMEC) “Yoga Couple” Matt and Ash. They led us on a self discovering workshop and truly enlightened all of us. All of the staff at KMEC is talented and can arrange optional Massages and Reiki sessions(thanks Jessica) Im sure there will be more I remember to say after I write this but I would highly recommend KMEC to any and everyone.

We purchased a boat tour of the lava flow near Pahoa and this location was perfect for our sunrise tour as it is only a few minutes away. When I booked this cabin, I was not aware that there was no bathroom within our cabin. Hotels(dot)com suggested it when another facility did not accept pets. We were traveling with our shih-tzu. After reading the reviews, I was more aware of what to expect, and a little apprehensive. It was a non-refundable reservation for one night. I knew my husband would not be excited once we got here. I have camped in the past, and my daughter said it sounded like glamping, and it was! It is a delightful, informal place to stay. As others have noted, it is quite noisy at night with coqui frogs, birds, geckos and other nocturnal critters. I did see a couple of geckos inside the cabin, but hey, this is Hawaii. We have seen geckos in our condo in Honolulu several times. That's not unusual in the tropics. Earplugs were provided to muffle the nocturnal noise, but I chose not to use them because I didn't want to miss our early morning alarm as we had to be at the launch site at 4:30am. Our cabin was kind of like a yurt. It was very clean. The bed and pillows were comfortable. The sheets were clean and a bright, cute print. A food container was provided to safely store any food. The bathroom is a community bathroom. It was close to our cabin and a flashlight was provided for nighttime "commutes". There were also solar lights outside our cabin. It was very clean, had a regular toilet and a shower. Be aware that there are only 3 walls. The view from the "stool" is totally open air to the rainforest. We arrived at night and we couldn't appreciate the scenic view of the property until we returned after sunrise after our lava boat tour. We did not stay long and did not participate in the yoga class or eat the (vegan) meals that were offered for purchase, but we were welcome to do so. We could store any vegetarian foods in the community kitchen and were invited to use it if we wanted to. The staff was friendly and answered all our questions. If you require creature comforts, your own bathroom and high tech security, this is probably not for you. If you want an adventure and to feel a part of nature, call this home. My husband wasn't thrilled when we arrived, but he admitted that it was beautiful and convenient for our needs. It is not easy to find at night if you use GPS with an address. It was actually a bit further than our GPS stated and the road is narrow (and scenic during daylight). I would recommend it for adventure-minded people who want a natural experience. Our ages are 61 and 71 and I think we were the oldest people staying here. There were other people who were on the boat tour that also stayed here.

KMEC is an amazing escape surrounded by beautiful sights and kind, genuine people. If you want to feel rejuvenated by energizing yoga and healthy, delicious vegan meals every day, this is the place for you. It is truly a place filled with so much positivity and peace. If you're looking for a quiet, introspective get away, along with some new friends, there's nowhere better than here.

KMEC is a stunningly beautiful and peaceful sanctuary for retreat. From the incredible fruits growing abundant throughout the property, to the short walk to the beach, daily yoga classes meditation pavilion, and sweet cabins, I felt at home immediately. Highly recommend KMEC as a place to come retreat or volunteer. It is indeed paradise!

Very friendly staff, our cabin was Noni and was comfortable and relatively clean but I was not a fan of the open to nature toilet and shower. (Being able to close curtains all the way around would have made me more comfortable). We were traveling with our black lab we needed a place that accepted pets so that was the main reason we stayed and it's not a long drive to Volcanoes National Park, which we were visiting. Be aware that the pig goes around dropping poo everywhere and it isn't easily seen at night (use your flashlight and shine it on the ground to avoid a nasty surprise!) We recommend using earplugs to sleep, it really helped (especially when the cow started bawling in the middle of the night!) It is a unique camping experience ??And in a pretty location.

We are here for two weeks and have totally loved the off-the grid, laid back, quiet, peaceful atmosphere!! If you want to see basic Hawaii, people and countryside, this is it. The staff feels like family. The closest town, Pahoa, is easy to get to know and very quaint. Over all... just what we came to Hawaii for! Highly recommended!!

Great place few steps from beach. Kids live it, you have animals all around you all the time and beautiful sounds of nature! Yoga with fresh air and view to jungle is additional big plus. Very friendly staff preparing cool bfast and dinners vegetarian style!