Return to Your Breath
Ordinary
Wonder
You come for a retreat and find a rhythm worth keeping. Arrive any day, stay as long as you wish, and live the days with us on nine acres of upland garden.
The wonder is already here. In the steam off the tea, the dirt under your nails, the laughter at dinner. I invite you to slow down enough to notice it.
Ryan, founder and guide
The Rhythm
Life here is simple.
The shape of each day stays the same. What fills it changes.
Some days are full and alive. Others unfold slowly and quietly, shaped by the people, the weather, the island, and the moment. You arrive into a rhythm already moving, and together we build it.
A peaceful, secluded room for meditation, yoga, and reconnecting with yourself.
A hot outdoor shower for when you choose nature — warm water, fresh air, and the quiet presence of the land all around you.
Meditation in the landscaped Sanctuary grounds — a quiet way to connect with yourself, with others, and with the land.
A peaceful, secluded room for meditation, yoga, and reconnecting with yourself.
Dawn
Meditation
We sit together as light comes up.
Midday
Brunch Together
One table, everyone at it.
Evening
Dinner Together
We cook, we eat, we stay at the table.
Morning
Coffee & Tea
With fresh squeezed juice from the land.
Afternoon
Rest and Solo Time
Nap, read, wander the trails, write.
Some Nights
Music and Dance
Or music and games.
Morning
Hands in the Garden
Therapeutic Horticulture.
The land comes first here.
Late Afternoon
Group Practice
Qi gong, somatic breathwork, and more.
Some Nights
Fire Ceremony
Or simply stars and quiet.
Always optional.
Your first day: a walk through the land with a guide, and a welcoming circle at dinner where you meet everyone here.
“As a solo traveler, I always had a balance between enough privacy, but also the feeling of being part of a community. On the last evening, we held a fire ceremony, which touched me deeply.”
“When I arrived I was greeted in a friendly way and shortly after my arrival we did a meditation. I’ve met great people and Ryan is a great person with good values. The animals also made the stay great. 100 percent recommendation!”
Tanja · September 2025
Stay
Arrive any day. Stay as long as you like.
The morning starts with birdsong and the smell of flowers drifting through the window.
Someone has the kettle on. Aries and Snoopy find you before you find your shoes, and Angel Beaming, our young rescue duck, comes waddling over to meet whoever is new.
Then the rhythm picks you up. You sit with us as the light comes in. You kneel in the garden beside someone you met at dinner last night. You pass the fruit at brunch. By the third morning, your body knows the day before your mind does.
Everything here is tended by hand: the soil, the beds, the meals, the animals, each other. You feel that care in a hundred small ways. And somewhere in the middle of an ordinary morning, you take a breath that goes all the way down.
:A full outdoor kitchen with multiple stoves, plenty of prep space, and a large dining table — perfect for cooking and sharing meals in the open air.
Fresh citrus and veggies from our organic gardens — make nourishing juices right from the land during your stay.
Healthy, nourishing food made with love — enjoy what’s offered, create your own meals, and share in the warmth of community.
:A full outdoor kitchen with multiple stoves, plenty of prep space, and a large dining table — perfect for cooking and sharing meals in the open air.
A cherry-wood chef’s kitchen with big garden-facing windows — fully equipped with everything you need for beautiful meals.
A clean pantry with neatly arranged spices, grains, and legumes — all available for your use during your stay.
A bright, clean bathroom with extra towels, a touch-up mirror, and fragrant flowers just outside the window.
A cherry-wood chef’s kitchen with big garden-facing windows — fully equipped with everything you need for beautiful meals.
“The sounds of nature at night, with incredible bright stars. You can see the Milky Way, and the aroma of the flowers on the property is just incredible!”
“The room looks like a Japanese temple and the bed is soooo comfy, the pillows and blankets super high quality. Ryan is great! The animals on the property are very special. What a treat to stay here! Truly Aloha.”
Simona · Michigan · August 2025
The Loft · Shared · Women only
This is where the magic starts. A shared, light-filled space for women, with every meal at the common table. Slow mornings with tea, barefoot walks through the garden, cooking together, and the kind of conversations that only happen when you share a roof.
A spacious loft lounge designed for connection — gather for games, conversation, or simply relaxing.
Cozy loft beds separated by soft divider-style storage units, with a tall loft ceiling that keeps the space open, bright, and comfortable.
A full loft bathroom with a hand-carved door and a beautiful stone sink — simple, clean, and crafted with natural detail.
A spacious loft lounge designed for connection — gather for games, conversation, or simply relaxing.
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The LOFT
For Women
“Very thoughtful sleeping area set up and amazingly clean and tidy for a shared space. Ryan really installed a great culture around that.”
“He also hosts small events like dinners and bonfires here and there, which were a pleasure to attend and made me feel like home. Loved being able to pick bananas straight from the tree and going foraging for avocados. Lastly Angel Beaming, the young rescue duck, is an absolute treasure! She even joined the bonfires :)”
Franziska · Honolulu · October 2025
Two private rooms right beside the Loft. The house has its own library, living room, bathroom, kitchen and lanai, all shared. It’s ten seconds to the outdoor kitchen, the outdoor shower, and the place where our dogs and cat live.
The private rooms are divided by thin walls. Please respect the peace.
Cozy room with diamond windows, fresh flowers, and soft twinkle lights — fall asleep under the stars and wake in gentle morning light.
Vintage dark hardwood paneling from the 1970s with a mermaid sconce, unique books, and a spiral shell at Hamakua Sanctuary.
A light-filled room with nature-inspired architecture, floor-to-ceiling windows, and French doors that open directly into the gardens.
Cozy room with diamond windows, fresh flowers, and soft twinkle lights — fall asleep under the stars and wake in gentle morning light.
The Heart House · Private Rooms
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Belonging
Everyone here takes part. Guests cook, garden, and sit at the same table as the people who live here. Faces change from week to week, and the rhythm carries on.
Many people arrive as strangers and leave as ʻohana.
ʻOhana rate: returning guests and Hawaiʻi residents take 20% off at checkout, on top of the weekly discount. Hawaiʻi ID or a past stay confirmed on arrival.
Use Code
Ohana20
Who Thrives Here
You’ll feel at home here if...
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You like waking early and feeling the day begin.
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You’d rather pull weeds beside someone than lie by a pool alone.
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You’re happy at a long table with people you met yesterday.
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You’re ready to put your phone down for a while.
Some come to rest. Some come to explore. Most find a little of both.
Your presence is part of this place.
The beds you plant are still growing when the next guest arrives. The song you bring to the fire stays with whoever sat beside you. What you give here keeps living after you go home.
What People Say About The Sanctuary
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Beautiful property, welcoming people.
Stayed here a few nights solo. Ryan was more than welcoming, as was everyone else. You will have opportunities participating in meditations and activities, or free to chill and take it all in. Super beautiful property, clean hostel room. They provide a list of things to do and places to go. Couldn't have asked for a better experience in my introduction to Hawaii
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A perfect balance of comfort and nature.
This place is the perfect balance between nature and comfort. Our room was beautiful and surrounded by local trees, the bathroom and kitchen feel luxurious and outdoorsy at the same time. It is a really wonderful place to spend your time on Hawaii. Ryan is the most welcoming host, always happy to share the fruits he is growing in the garden
A peaceful space to reflect and reconnect.
Such a beautiful space and people! Glad we had a chance to spent time here. Highly recommend for the folks who wants to take a time to reflect and reconnect:)
A cozy hallway library tucked behind a soft blue curtain — shelves of books to explore during your stay.
A screened, open-air lanai with 360° views of nature — a peaceful spot to eat, read, or simply breathe in the landscape.
The Heart Lounge with elegant curved furniture, plants, and instruments — a peaceful space to rest, play, and connect.
A cozy hallway library tucked behind a soft blue curtain — shelves of books to explore during your stay.
A True Sanctuary for the Soul.
This place truly is a sanctuary. This was our accommodation for a couple days and the property itself was an experience on our trip! Be sure to spend some time wandering the gorgeous property, smell the flowers and feed the ducks. There is beautiful sunlight all through the home, the bed was soft, we felt well rested and relaxed. be sure to also check out the meditation room!
An incredible experience with amazing people.
I volunteered at this sanctuary for a little over 2 weeks and it was the best!! The property is so beautiful and clean. I met so many amazing people and had many incredible experiences. I will definitely be back!!! Thank you so much Ryan!! <3
Soulful and nourishing.
Hamakua Sanctuary is nothing short of amazing! Whether it’s the amazing people you meet there, the peace and serenity, spectacular land and gardens, or the wondrous rooms and structures, every aspect of the sanctuary is artistic, soulful and nourishing.
The land comes first.
Hamakua Sanctuary is a nonprofit, and every stay helps care for these nine acres. Your hours in the garden, the gifts you share around the fire, and the stay itself all feed the land, and the land feeds everyone who comes after you.