As well as the sheer enjoyment that comes from acquiring a new skill, learning something new can be a fantastic way to make deeper connections with local people as they share with you traditions that have been passed down their families through generations. Whether you are interested in learning the local language or acquiring exciting new recipes to recreate at home, we have access to a wide range of local experts who deliver the most authentic learning experiences, bringing a deeper insight into the places you are visiting - and plenty of fun along the way.
GET CREATIVE
There is something incredibly rewarding about tapping into your creative side, and this becomes all the more enjoyable when it shines a light on traditional ways of life along the way. In central Vietnam, for example, we can arrange an afternoon with a kite making master who has been crafting colourful kites for over 45 years. Listen as he shares his infectious passion for Vietnamese kites, and then see if your own crafted kite is able to take flight over the Hue Citadel.
In Japan, creative opportunities abound from traditional calligraphy classes and origami to Manga drawing classes under the instruction of an expert local artist. Or in India, learn Japiur’s signature craft of colourful hand block printing. Choose your preferred colour and pattern, and then print your fabric under the watchful eye of the master printer. Your fabric can even be tailored into a personalised garment for you to take home.
In Peru, learn how textile weaving forms an intrinsic part of culture and identity across the length and breadth of the country. A particularly hands-on and fascinating insight can be gained in one of our favourite workshops hidden away in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Here, you can participate in a full-day (or multi-day) masterclass in traditional backstrap looming from a native of the valley, and your time here directly contributes to employment of women in remote Andean communities.
Finally, if your travels take you to Europe you will be similarly spoilt for creative options from azulejo tile making in Porto to perfume making in the south of France or street art in Athens. Some of the richest opportunities for artistic endeavours can be found in Venice, where possibilities range from mosaic making and fresco painting to the chance to craft your own exquisite Venetian mask.
HONE YOUR CULINARY SKILLS
Potentially one of the best souvenirs you can take home from your travels is something that transports you back to that special place time and time again. On a cookery class, acquire skills that you can employ for years to come, whether that is learning the art of making the perfect apple strudel in Vienna, exquisitely assembled sushi in Tokyo, warming mole poblano in Mexico or the most fragrant curries imaginable in Thailand and Sri Lanka. We have hand-picked a wealth of culinary workshops across the globe where you can either be instructed by masters in their fields – or at grass-roots level in local family homes, and learn more about the importance of these recipes in the heart of community life.
LEARN TO DIVE – OR DIVE EVEN DEEPER!
A PADI dive certificate opens up a new and magical world for those with a love of nature. If you enjoy all things marine but have never had the time or the opportunity to learn to dive, there are countless fabulous resorts in our portfolio with PADI dive centres and the perfect conditions to embark upon a diving course. Junior Open Water certifications are also available to children over the age of 10, making underwater discoveries something the whole family can enjoy. For gentle, accessible waters that are perfect for beginners, the Maldives, Thailand and Mexico are all top contenders. For marine life in technicolour, Raja Ampat in Indonesia is a far-flung haven, as is Panama’s Coiba National Park – accessible from the remote luxury hideaway of Islas Secas. Australia’s Ningaloo Reef, meanwhile, offers the unforgettable experience of snorkelling or diving with enormous whale sharks.
Experienced divers seeking to tick off some of the world’s most challenging dives may wish to consider spending time in Belize – home to the world's second largest barrier reef as well the Great Blue Hole, which first captivated the explorer Jacques Cousteau. For something a little different, head to Nordic waters to dive between tectonic plates in Iceland, or to Norway’s Lofoten Islands to dive through the kelp forests of the Grand Canyon.
LEARN THE ART OF ANCIENT COMBAT
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Delve deeper into a country’s history and traditions with a large dose of fun added for good measure. From Muay Thai classes in Thailand to Bhutan’s national sport of archery, travelling east delivers some superb opportunities to hone your skills while, in Italy, enrolling in Rome’s Gladiator School is a fabulous choice if you are travelling with the family in tow. In northern Brazil, discover how the graceful art of capoeira became a subtle way for enslaved Africans to express resistance. Perhaps one of the most memorable experiences we can organise, however, is Ninja Training in Japan. Spend the day with an authentic ninja clan at their Tokyo workshop and gain a fascinating insight into their traditions, as well as testing out formidable weaponry such as silent blowguns, throwing stars and ninja swords.
TAKE TO THE DANCE FLOOR
From learning flamenco in Seville or samba in Brazil to lively Bollywood dancing in Japiur, spending longer in a destination allows you to not only learn a dance that has always captured your imagination, but to also spend time putting what you have learned into practice in a city’s bars and clubs. Perhaps one of the most immersive destinations for dance is the Argentine capital of Buenos Aires. Here, in the birthplace of tango, you can not only witness world-class tango performances in the city’s ornate theatres and be put through your paces by professional instructors, but you can also delve deeper into the city’s dance scene by tapping into milonga culture. Though also the name of a dance, a milonga in Buenos Aires is a particular kind of dance hall with its own authentic identity where you can go to participate – or simply observe – some of the best unstaged dancing in Argentina.
TAKE TO THE WAVES
Again, the luxury of time and easy access to prime beaches can allow you to develop confidence on a surfboard that will serve as a lifelong skill for countless future adventures. Inevitably, the sun-drenched Australian surf hot spots of Byron Bay and Bondi Beach always clamour for attention if you wish to surf in a world-famous setting, or you could learn from an instructor who has taught surfing to Hollywood stars as part of a VIP experience we can arrange in Los Angeles. If you are looking for a more gentle introduction to surfing, you may be surprised to discover that you can learn to surf in warm and inviting waters of the Maldives. At Six Senses Laamu, beginners can learn to surf straight from the beach while more experienced surfers can head out by boat to sample of the surprisingly challenging breaks to be found around the Laamu Atoll. Other destinations we rate highly should you wish to build surfing into your adventure include Costa Rica, Sri Lanka, Portugal or the Basque coastline of France and Spain.
