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KAMALAYA is a 55.0 m Motor Yacht, built in Netherlands by Amels and delivered in 2013. She is one of 14 LE 180 models.

Her top speed is 15.5 kn and she boasts a maximum range of 4500.0 nm when navigating at cruising speed, with power coming from two MTU diesel engines. She can accommodate up to 12 guests in 5 staterooms, with 13 crew members. She has a gross tonnage of 670.0 GT and a 9.4 m beam.

She was designed by Tim Heywood , who has designed 60 other superyachts in the BOAT Pro database.

The naval architecture was developed by Amels , who has architected 70 other superyachts in the BOAT Pro database, and the interior of the yacht was designed by Rémi Tessier , who has 26 other superyacht interiors designed in the BOAT Pro database - she is built with a Teak deck, a Steel hull, and Aluminium superstructure.

KAMALAYA is in the top 10% by LOA in the world. She is one of 152 motor yachts in the 55-60m size range.

KAMALAYA is currently sailing under the Cayman Islands flag, the 2nd most popular flag state for superyachts with a total of 1360 yachts registered. She is known to be an active superyacht and has most recently been spotted cruising near United States of America. For more information regarding KAMALAYA's movements, find out more about BOAT Pro AIS .

Specifications

• Name: KAMALAYA
• Yacht Type: Motor Yacht
• Yacht Subtype: Displacement
• Model: LE 180
• Builder: Amels
• Naval Architect: Amels
• Exterior Designer: Tim Heywood
• Interior Designer: Rémi Tessier
• Refits: 2018-05-01,2020-11-09,2020-06-27

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"Kamalaya" : On safari with a 55-metre yacht to the white deserts

Boote Exclusiv

 ·  30.11.2023

A text by Christoph Schaefer

The harbours in the Mediterranean are full to bursting. It is becoming increasingly difficult for captains to find suitable berths. Owners are complaining about rising costs.

The anchorages are overcrowded and it's often like a campsite: people know each other, say hello, see what their neighbour has, what they're up to and try to outdo them. This naturally raises the question as to why there are so few yachts sailing around the world beyond these glamour ghettos.

In yacht magazines, shipyards and brokers advertise with pictures of exotic regions; time and again we see explorers in the ice - but often only photomontages. The longing for adventure and deserted beaches is clearly an important marketing tool for our industry. And indeed, adventurous owners are drawn out into the wide world.

Most read articles

During a trip to the Caribbean in spring 2015, the owner approached me about the possibility of sailing to the Norwegian fjords on the condition that I would be back in the Mediterranean on 1 July. Although as a captain I spent most of my time in the tropics, I felt that Norway was a dream destination that I really wanted to experience.

A journey into the unknown

However, the weather in the North Atlantic can be quite rough, and the prospect of travelling over 7500 miles under great time pressure to cruise through the fjords in Norway for a week was anything but appealing. I suggested Greenland as an alternative destination. For one thing, the route along the east coast of America offers a harbour of refuge every few hundred miles, and the longest passage is only 800 miles from St. Johns/Newfoundland to the coast of Greenland. On the other hand, Greenland offers a completely new experience: in addition to fjords and unspoilt nature - ice. In the search for Greenland activities, one of the options was heli-skiing, which was still possible in June and provided the decisive impetus to actually carry out this trip. This first trip to the Arctic Ocean was a journey into the unknown for me.

Although I had prepared myself as best I could, I was well aware that I had very limited experience in ice. My biggest concern apart from icebergs was the icing of the superstructure in strong winds and temperatures below freezing. This icing has a negative effect on stability. The weather forecast when we left St Johns was not good at all, but at least it promised temperatures above freezing.

A low-pressure system with wind speeds of 8 to 9 threatened to catch up with us. Weather forecasts are difficult in this area, low pressure systems build up quickly, merge into a perfect storm or collapse again. Ice fields are strongly influenced by the wind and surface currents. In general, the southern fjords of Greenland are full of pack ice in spring and are not navigable. The pack ice drifts from north to south along the east coast of Greenland. On 31 May, we were fortunate to find open drift ice with icebergs and ice floes smaller than 100 metres in the south of Greenland.

Our destination was the capital Nuuk, where the owner wanted to board on 7 June. With the low pressure area and the expected wind force 8 to 9, it didn't seem advisable to keep to this date at all costs. Four days later, after a relatively calm crossing, we entered the Arsukfjord to wait for better weather. As predicted, we found the Arsukfjord to be ice-free. Only a few minutes after the anchor was set, the wind reached us.

Onward journey to Nuuk with "Kamalaya"

On 4 June, the southwesterly wind had not only driven the ice field around the southern tip of Greenland, but also thickened the drift ice to a 6/10 ice cover. By the evening of 5 June, the weather forecast had already improved significantly. A window opened for the onward journey to Nuuk.

I think it's quite normal for the crew to gather on the bridge on every yacht when embarking and disembarking. However, a new experience north of the Arctic Circle, where we had 24 hours of daylight, was that the crew didn't want to go to bed at all. This was repeated on the Svalbard voyage a year later. Again and again I had to ask the crew to get some rest and go to sleep.

In Nuuk, not only a bit of colour awaited us, but also deeply relaxed authorities. The berth reservation was made when we entered the harbour. Customs stopped by without any obligation. The police asked me to appear whenever it was convenient for me.

In Nuuk we also met our two ski guides for the first time, Arne and Adam from Greenland Extreme, both experienced skiers. Adam was part of the Olympic team for Greenland, and both are hunters and trappers. Together with the heli pilot, they discussed the plan for the next week. As is often the case, the weather didn't play ball and the owner's arrival was delayed by another 24 hours.

Greenland only has an airfield with a runway suitable for a large jet in Kangerlussuaq. This airfield is located high on the edge of the Greenland Ice Sheet and is usually free of fog. From there, smaller aircraft fly to the few towns along the coast, such as Nuuk, Maniitsoq, Sisimiut and Ilulissat. These coastal towns are often covered in fog, which severely affects air traffic. This should not only cause problems on the day of arrival, but also on the day of departure. Instead of waiting for an improvement in Nuuk, we travelled to Maniitsoq. As the weather forecast predicted, the aircraft was able to land there. From now on, our journey took us steadily northwards.

Back to the Arctic Ocean

The monochrome landscape we had seen so far changed abruptly on day two, when we anchored in the Evighedsfjord. A cloudless blue sky gave us ideal flying weather for heli-skiing. During these days we saw neither another ship nor any people. There was not a vapour trail to be seen in the sky, no noise except the whispering of our generators, all in bright sunshine and temperatures of up to 10 ºC, which motivated our guests to go water biking and swimming - in dry suits. We travelled as far north as Sisimiut, from where the owner and his guests flew home. Unfortunately, we had to cancel our next trip north to Disko Bay as the pack ice was still too thick for "Kamalaya". However, it was clear that we wanted to return to the Arctic Ocean on another trip. In spring 2016, we made our way to Norway.

We had learnt a lot on our trip to Greenland. This time we were therefore in a much better position. Before we set off from Holland on course for Spitsbergen, we took the precaution of buying a polar bear costume so that we could effectively counter any disappointments our guests might have. More important, however, were the tenders. In Greenland the year before, we had only had our two standard tenders on board, a 6.60 metre open boat from the Meyer yacht yard and a 6.40 metre Pascoe Rescue Boat. Longer journeys in these open boats without wind protection had been a torture before Greenland.

This time we towed our Wajer Osprey 38' from Holland to Svalbard and back to the Mediterranean. In addition to the wind-protected cockpit, the Wajer also has a heating system, which made a significant contribution to comfort. Another bonus was that the bow wave pushed ice to one side, clearing a path for the Pascoe Rescue Boat. We needed this to land our guests on the shore. In future, I would even take a small inflatable boat with an outboard motor with me to make landing manoeuvres easier, especially in swell. A large, heavy tender can be a problem in adverse conditions.

Home to 3000 polar bears

And then we headed for Svalbard, as Spitsbergen is now called in Norwegian. Svalbard is home to around 3000 polar bears. We wanted to find them. At least that was our goal.

This time we hired Jason Roberts as our guide. Jason is the man behind the camera for much of the polar bear and penguin footage for the BBC series Planet Earth and Blue Planet, Frozen World and The Hunt, for example. There is probably no one better at tracking polar bears in Svalbard than Jason and his team. It was a great pleasure to have Jason as my guide for this Svalbard trip. When I asked him what our chances of actually finding polar bears were, he said that he couldn't guarantee a number, but that we would see some without a doubt. Jason turned out to be right, and we saw polar bears on several days, including a mother with two cubs who had just caught a seal.

Icebreaker clears the way for "Kamalaya"

As "Kamalaya" has no ice class and we wanted to go as far as the pack ice limit, we chartered a small icebreaker, the "Havsel", a 35 metre long seal catcher under the command of Captain Bjorn, who had been at sea in the Arctic Ocean for 40 years. This not only gave us the opportunity to navigate in ice fields that would no longer have been passable for us under the Polar Code, but we were also able to draw on the "Havsel" captain's many years of experience.

On "Havsel" we also transported additional equipment that we needed for this trip: ten snowmobiles to search for polar bears on the vast ice fields of Nordaustlandet, the second largest Svalbard island. "Havsel" also took on board rescue equipment that would allow us to survive at least five days off the yacht on the ice. We also completed the drill prescribed by the Polar Code with our guests to practise survival in the ice.

What surprised me on both trips was the fact that the cold played a much smaller role than I had expected. Of course, it was exhausting for the deck crew to wash "Kamalaya" at temperatures of around 0 ºC.

Water sports were also limited, but neither the guests nor the crew complained about the cold. Low temperatures are part and parcel of travelling to the Arctic Ocean. One of our biggest problems was getting the jacuzzi up to temperature. The water in the tanks had cooled down to 2 ºC and we had completely underestimated how long it would take to reach a temperature of 38 ºC. Any other worries? One or two flanges in our fresh water system had to be tightened and loosened again when we reached warmer waters. And nobody had expected that the ice maker for the drinks on the sun deck would be the only piece of equipment that couldn't survive the cold: a plastic part in the water pipe crumbled. We fixed the problem with a chainsaw and a block of ice.

Apart from these events, "Kamalaya" did extremely well on both trips. Some colleagues were nevertheless reproachful: "That's how you destroy a paint system. But: "Kamalaya" did not suffer a single scratch to its paintwork!

The charts we used for Greenland and Svalbard were Transas TX-97 and MaxSea with Jeppsen alongside charts from the Danish and Norwegian Hydrographic Institute. I was impressed by their accuracy. And climate change? The retreat of the glaciers is enormous. Extreme caution is required when leaving the mapped lake areas. In any case, it is advisable to have a forward-looking sonar on board or, what I personally prefer, a WASSP, a Wide Angle Sonar Seafloor Profiler, a multibeam depth gauge that is installed on the tender and transmits the data directly to the bridge of the mother ship via a wireless link.

And the communication?

The last few years have seen a radical change in communication. Everyone, whether owner, guest or crew, now gets nervous quite quickly when internet access is lost. In the high latitudes, the already vexing issue of VSAT becomes even more difficult. The satellites are so low on the horizon that it is easy to lose sight of the geostationary satellites in the fjords. Iridium satellites In low Earth orbit, the data connections are unfortunately still very slow and almost unusable.

However, this fortunately changed in the same year with the next generation of satellites that were installed in 2018. Iridium is also expected to achieve GMDSS certification, which will make the upgrade to GMDSS A4 much easier for yachts.

"Kamalaya" is ideally positioned for voyages to the Arctic Ocean

Through my work for the SuperyachtGLOBAL team, I have now enabled more owners to experience a polar voyage. Although it has become somewhat more difficult to travel to the polar seas since 1 January 2018, the Polar Code certification for yacht and crew is unproblematic. The experience for the owners, their guests and the crew in the Arctic Ocean is fantastic. Every one of our customers has given us the feedback that this trip was the best they have ever done with their yacht. These are experiences that are simply impossible in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean.

Incidentally, "Kamalaya" was the first Amels LE180 to achieve its Polar Code Certificate of Compliance in January 2018. The crew also has their Polar Code STCW endorsement. "Kamalaya" is now ideally positioned for voyages in the Arctic Ocean.

Technical data

By SuperyachtNews 21 Jun 2016

Kamalaya sails to the polar regions

Captain christoph schaefer recalls what he describes as an "epic" trip 81 degrees north on board superyacht kamalaya - a 55m motoryacht that was never designed as an expedition yacht.….

81 degrees north, 12 degrees east; an easterly ground swell of 0.5m is running and the fragmented pack ice is undulating gently. To the south lies the fog bank through which we just sailed, visibility within dropping below 50m. The sky is blue but there is no warmth in the Sun. There is an eerie feeling of emptiness this high north. The only sound we hear is the crackling of the ice, the humming of our generators and the roaring stillness of the Arctic. Our world is void of smell and colour; a monochrome world, with a blueish tint and a freshness in the air that numbs your nostrils. We have not seen vapour trails of aircraft for days, and have only seen one other boat two days ago.

Yet we are not alone. Having pushed through a 100m-wide belt of fragmented first-year ice, we shut down the engines and drift in open 2,200m-deep water, less than 1,000km from the North Pole. Two cables to the north, the pack ice stretches as far as we can see; too dense, hard and thick for Kamalaya to enter. The uniform surface of the pack ice is only broken by shards of ice having calved from some unnamed glacier somewhere to the east, possibly from the White Island Glacier, where the Andrée Expedition so tragically ended with the death of its three members in 1897.

Through the fog bank the ghostly outline of Havsel appears. A sturdy 35m ice classed sealer that can break ice of up to 0.75m thick is accompanying us on our trip into the ice, in our search for polar bears. I step outside onto the bridge wing. Good Lord, it is cold. I hate the cold. 0 degrees celsius air temp and minus-one degree celsius water temperature. Thank God there is no wind to speak of. More than half my life I have lived in the tropics. At the age of eight, just having returned from Africa, my only early childhood memories of Germany being warm balmy summer days, I managed to fall into a creek. By the time I was home I was half frozen to death, and I swore to leave this miserable cold country the moment I was old enough to make my own decisions. The day after I finished school I joined the merchant navy and quickly learned to hate the cold North and Baltic seas, and it was only a short time before I ended up running yachts in Southeast Asia. How did I manage to end up here at 81 degrees north?

The answer, I suppose, is quite straight forward: in search of adventure. In search of places we do not have to share with crowds. In search of the wonders of the world that are only accessible to those fortunate enough to have a boat.

The owner's brief was simple: let’s go to some place with a spectacular landscape.

The owner's brief was simple: let’s go to some place with a spectacular landscape. “What do you think of Norway, Captain?” It certainly sounded attractive, and when I suggested that we push north to Svalbard, a mere 500 miles north of Norway, the owner enthusiastically agreed. The prospect of seeing polar bears in the wild was simply too tempting to pass up.

Svalbard is probably the one destination in the Arctic that is quite accessible to your average yacht. Once in Northern European waters, it is essentially coastal sailing bar the 500-mile open ocean passage from Tromso. Even on this stretch, a port of refuge is available with Bear Island, offering limited protection at about halfway distance. The west coast of Svalbard is pretty much ice-free all year round. The Gulf Stream can still be felt this far north, and even during the coldest winter months, the approaches to Longyearbyen, the capital of Svalbard, remain accessible.

Kamalaya is a standard Amels LE180 55m motor yacht, and not ice classed. This was our second trip into polar waters and, again, we encountered no issues with the boat, except for the sun deck ice maker breaking down once we passed 79 degrees north; a problem that my crew managed to deal with in a professional manner - a chain saw and a growler.

Wanting to push into the ice this time round, we considered it prudent to have a support vessel. Henry Cookson Adventures (HCA) introduced us to Jason Roberts of JR Productions (JRP). Jason has lived in Svalbard for 26 years and was involved in the production of well-known films such as the BBC's Planet Earth Ice Worlds , Frozen Planet and The Hunt . JRP provided logistical support. Through JRP, we charted the ice breaker Havsel , run by owner-captain Bjørne Kvernmo, who has sailed his entire career in the polar seas. Also on board were arctic guides Oskar Strøm and Einar Elissen; both worked with Jason on the BBC productions and numerous other projects, and Geordie Mackay-Lewis of HCA. Having Havsel at our side added not only a huge amount of local knowledge to our trip, but also peace of mind. Whenever the ice got too thick Havsel paved the way for us. Many of my colleagues have wondered on what impact the ice had on our paint and antifouling, and I am happy to report that the antifouling is still in place and there is not a single scratch on the paint.

Many of my colleagues have wondered on what impact the ice had on our paint and antifouling, and I am happy to report that the antifouling is still in place and there is not a single scratch on the paint.

Going through the open ice we did have the odd contact with a growler but nothing out of the ordinary, and quite comparable to the thumps one experiences when operating in the Amazon or along the coast of Borneo, where one encounters quite large trees that are often hidden just below the surface. Incidentally, it is prudent to look out for large logs in the water around Svalbard; the aptly named Woodfjorden is packed with drift wood washed out to sea from the Siberian rivers.

Besides breaking ice, the Havsel also brought along her snowmobiles. Having broken into the fast ice, the snowmobiles were launched and gave our guests the added mobility to explore the vast expanses of the frozen world. Much to their delight, this paid off on the very first day the snowmobiles were used. Some 10km from the boat, the group came upon a bear with her cubs feeding on a freshly killed seal.

Even with 24 hours of daylight, and little sleep, we only managed to scratch the surface of what there is to see and experience in Svalbard. Being very early in the year, we missed out on belugas and narwhales. We did not dive with the guillemots under the bird cliffs or snorkel with the humpback whales. After seven days and 750 miles sailed around the archipelago, we returned to Longyearbyen to see off our guests. Everyone on board felt sad that this epic voyage at the top of the world had gone by like a blur. While I still prefer the warm weather to the polar temperatures, I must admit that the frozen world has totally enchanted me and I am looking forward to more adventures in the high north or the deep south. There are plenty of destinations to visit, and you do not need a specially equipped exploration yacht. More than anything else, the will of the owner and the crew to go places dictates just what you can do with your yacht.

Don't miss our article on Polar Code training for crew in issue 79 of The Crew Report - pick up your copy at the Monaco Yacht Show.

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Yacht, IMO 1012103

• VesselFinder
• Miscellaneous

The current position of KAMALAYA is at US East Coast reported 17 mins ago by AIS. The vessel is en route to FORT PIERCE FL. , and expected to arrive there on Feb 22, 18:00 . The vessel KAMALAYA (IMO 1012103, MMSI 319165000) is a Yacht built in 2013 (11 years old) and currently sailing under the flag of Cayman Islands .

Position & Voyage Data

Map position & weather, recent port calls, vessel particulars.

KAMALAYA current position and history of port calls are received by AIS. Technical specifications, tonnages and management details are derived from VesselFinder database. The data is for informational purposes only and VesselFinder is not responsible for the accuracy and reliability of KAMALAYA data.

2013   Amels    180ft  /  55m

Unavailable

KAMALAYA private yacht

The luxury motor yacht KAMALAYA is a private yacht and is not available to charter.

KAMALAYA was built by Amels and delivered to her owner in 2013, she later underwent a refit in 2018.

KAMALAYA can accommodate 10 guests in 5 cabins consisting of a primary suite with a king size bed and en-suite bathroom facilities, a cabin with a queen size bed and en-suite bathroom facilities, 2 cabins with a double bed and en-suite bathroom facilities and a cabin with a twin bed and en-suite bathroom facilities.

Amenities on board include Air Conditioning, Beach club, Bicycles, Cinema, Exercise equipment, Gym, Helipad, Jacuzzi on deck, Outdoor audio system, Stabilisers At Anchor, Sun pads, Sun loungers, Swim platform, TV outdoor and Wi-Fi.

An extensive list of further amenities and water toys can be seen under the features and amenities section.

You can view alternative similar motor yachts for charter , or alternatively contact your Yacht Charter Broker for information about renting an alternative luxury charter yacht.

• Balearic Islands
• Corsica & Sardinia
• Sicily & Aeolian Islands
• Amalfi Coast
• French Riviera
• South of France
• North Africa
• Air Conditioning
• Exercise equipment
• Jacuzzi on deck
• Outdoor audio system
• Stabilisers At Anchor
• Sun loungers
• Swim platform
• Inflatable Watertoys
• Jet Skis (standup)
• Paddleboards
• Scuba Diving Equipment

Destinations

Frequently Asked Questions

How much to charter kamalaya.

KAMALAYA has a weekly charter price starting at €275,000 and an estimated daily charter price of €45,800.

How many guests on board KAMALAYA?

KAMALAYA can accommodate 10 sleeping guests on board in 5 cabins, with the ability to cruise with up to 10 guests.

Legal Disclaimer

Motor Yacht KAMALAYA is displayed on this page for informational purposes and may not necessarily be available for charter. The yacht details are displayed in good faith and whilst believed to be correct are not guaranteed, please check with your charter broker. Charter Index does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information or images displayed as they may not be current. All yacht details and charter pricing are subject to change without prior notice and are without warranty.

U.S. Customs & Border Protection

The yachting industry has no global listing service to which all charter yachts must subscribe to, making it impossible to ascertain a truly up-to-date view of the market. Charter Index is a news and information service and not always informed when yachts leave the charter market, or when they are recently sold and renamed, it is not always clear if they are still for charter. Whilst we endeavour to maintain accurate information, the existence of a listing on Charter Index should in no way supersede official documentation supplied by the representatives of a yacht.

Specification

Popular related yachts, west mediterranean.

About Kamalaya

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Introduction to Detox

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Blue Zones Retreat at Kamalaya

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KAMALAYA FOUNDERS

Karina stewart and john stewart.

Kamalaya is an expression of John and Karina Stewart’s life experiences and their desire to serve and inspire others. The idea for Kamalaya was inspired by the 16 years John spent devoted to a life of service and spiritual studies in a Himalayan community and Karina’s 22 years in the study and practice of diverse Asian healing and spiritual traditions, including her background as a doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Karina is the creative force behind Kamalaya’s integral health programs and the inspiration for its ongoing evolution. John continues to guide the development of Kamalaya’s vision and services in his role as Chairman.

JOHN STEWART

FOUNDER & CHAIRMAN

Founder and Chairman of internationally acclaimed Kamalaya Koh Samui Wellness Sanctuary & Holistic Spa, John Stewart is a devoted spiritual acolyte, public speaker and inspirational visionary and leader in the global wellness industry.

John was honoured with the Debra Simon Award for ‘Leader in Furthering Mental Awareness’ at the 2018 Global Wellness Summit and to date, Kamalaya has received more than 35 industry awards. The most recent accolade being ‘Worldwide Health & Wellness Destination of the Year’ at the World Spa & Wellness Awards 2022.

Born in Vancouver, Canada, John was introduced to Asian philosophy in his teenage years. He left home at 16 to pursue a path of self-discovery and consciousness travelling through Europe and North America, before arriving in India at the age of 23. For the next 23 years John lived in the Himalayas, 16 years under the tutelage of an exceptional Himalayan master embracing a traditional yogic monastic lifestyle while building a renowned ashram. He embraced community service, constructing rural schools, medical clinics and a remote hospital in the Himalayas and helping to establish local businesses in Kathmandu. It was during his time in Kathmandu that John developed a profound love for Asian Philosophy, a love of art and service as a path to happiness and true fulfilment.

John’s vision for Kamalaya was inspired by his life of service and spiritual studies in Asia. The concept came to life in 2000 when he was recuperating on Koh Samui and discovered a centuries old cave surrounded by densely forested beachfront land. With a history of having been used by Buddhist monks for several hundred years for meditation and spiritual retreat, today the Arjan monk’s cave is at the heart of Kamalaya and open to guests for quiet contemplation.

John continues to guide Kamalaya’s vision and evolution, fulfilling a mutual dream of his and Karina Stewart’s to create a nurturing environment for people seeking life-affirming wisdom with the latest innovations in alternative and contemporary health care.

KARINA STEWART

FOUNDER & CHIEF WELLNESS OFFICER

Founder of the award-winning Kamalaya Koh Samui , Karina Stewart is a renowned authority on holistic health and wellbeing. An acclaimed speaker, author and innovator, Karina has more than 40 years of experience in the study and practice of diverse Asian healing and spiritual traditions.

Named ‘ Owner & Operator of the Year ’ by American Spa in 2018 and ‘ Spa Personality of the Year ’ at the AsiaSpa Awards in 2009, Karina has received more than 35 industry awards on behalf of Kamalaya. Most recently Kamalaya was named ‘ Worldwide Health & Wellness Destination of the Year ’ at the World Spa & Wellness Awards 2022 in London.

As the creative force behind the legendary Kamalaya, Karina’s vision was to create programs and experiences that draw on many of the influences and healing modalities of east and west. Kamalaya is undoubtedly unique because of how all the various healing elements have been curated and brought together in a truly holistic way. Kamalaya opened in November 2005, and from the very beginning, Karina’s wellness concept has been based on the idea of synergy. Karina develops holistic wellness programs that access the healing power within and support harmonious integration of heart, body, mind and spirit. To date, she has introduced 17 bespoke wellness programs at the property.

With her passion for food and healing, Karina has established the philosophy of food for healing, Food as Medicine for Kamalaya. The result is a multi-award-winning cuisine recognized not only for its health impact but also for its exceptional flavors.

Karina has a Master of Traditional Chinese Medicine from Yo San University in California, followed by training across structural therapies including Hellerwork and Cranial-Sacral Manipulation, yoga and Taoist philosophy and practice. She has a B.A. from Princeton University in Cultural Anthropology with a focus on Asian religions.

Prior to founding Kamalaya, Karina pioneered work in the field of medical detoxification, establishing a health centre in Kathmandu in Nepal and collaborated on research projects in the USA. Together with Dr James Dahlgran, an environmental toxicology expert and founder of the B Well Centre, and Dr Maoshing Ni, founder of the Tao of Wellness, Karina developed medical detoxification protocols combining modern medicine, TCM and Naturopathy. She also designed and directed a medical detoxification program at the Hall Centre in California.

Born and raised in Mexico until the age of 15, she then moved with her family to her father’s home state of Texas. Her mother’s interest in natural healing, meditation, yoga and Asian spiritual philosophies sparked an early and enduring interest in self-discovery and healing modalities.

Karina met John Stewart in 1982 while visiting a meditation retreat in India under the tutelage of the same Himalayan yogi master. Together they conceived and developed Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary, a profound expression of their life journeys and deep commitment to service and positive contribution.

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KAMALAYA KOH SAMUI

102/9 Moo 3, Laem Set Road, Na-Muang Koh Samui, Surat Thani, 84140, Thailand

Tel: +66 774 298 00 Email: [email protected]

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Special offer for luxury charters aboard 55m superyacht KAMALAYA

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By Nina Done   14 February 2022

Delivered in 2013 as part of Amels hugely successful 180 Series, with a further refit in 2018, the 55m/180ft yacht KAMALAYA is a well-oiled charter platform boasting a raft of outstanding amenities. Interested? She is currently offering a 15% discounted rate for charters around the Bahamas for the remainder of February and March. 

Helmed by Tim Heywood Design, her elegant lines offer tantalizing glimpses of her spacious alfresco living areas, which include a vast sundeck replete with a Jacuzzi offering 360-degree views, comfortable sunpads and convenient bar for day-long refreshments. By night, this area can be converted into a glorious cinema under the stars.

Her talented and professional crew include a personal trainer for those looking to maintain their fitness regimes whilst onboard, as well as a swim instructor, perfect for the little ones.

Her generous swim platform provides the ideal launch pad onto her vast array of water toys, including eternal crowd-pleasers SeaBobs and electric foiling boards for super-charged adventures under and across the waves.

She can comfortably accommodate 10 guests in 5 well-equipped suites, comprising a full-beam master stateroom featuring a fold-down sea balcony for intimate breakfasts à deux, private study and en suite with a tub.

On her lower deck, you'll find a further 3 doubles and one twin cabin, which can be converted into a full-beam VIP with one of her amidships double cabins, offering fabulous versatility for yacht charters.

Interested in booking a luxury yacht rental in the Bahamas?

The Bahamas is a yacht charter paradise offering an exquisite chain of lush emerald islands boasting powder fine sands and heavenly turquoise waters teeming with tropical flora and fauna, perfect for island hopping by yacht.

From swimming pigs to glorious pink sand beaches, there is something new to discover on every tropical island you encounter. 

To find out more about chartering in the region, check out our in-depth Bahamas yacht charter guide for more information.

If you’d like to learn more about chartering M/Y Kamalaya, please contact your yacht charter broker .

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