Hello, Bases & Flyers!

Last week, I tagged along on a fun little acro group trip to Sticky Waterfall outside Chiang Mai, the kind you can literally climb up like Spider-Man, a different kind of defying-gravity.

A lot of familiar faces also headed off to BAC this past weekend, and while I sadly wasn’t one of them this year, it’s firmly back on my list for next time.

I’ve gotten some thoughtful feedback lately asking for longer planning timelines, especially for festivals/retreats. Since these take a bit more coordination to commit to, I’m trying something new this month: a retreats edition that looks six months ahead.

If this feels helpful — or overwhelming — let me know. I’d love for you to reply to this email as I’m genuinely curious how far out you’d like to see things.

So expect in today’s issue:

• 🗓️ All events coming up in the next three weeks

• 🎪 Featured retreat highlight

• ✈️ Plan Ahead: AcroYoga retreats through June

• 🧳 My favorite travel tools

• 🎉 Beyond Acro: Cultural Festivals You' Can’t Miss

— Cat Xu @acroinsiders

🕒 COMING UP SOON: January 13 – February 2, 2025

(For the spontaneous among us — these all start in the next three weeks.)

• Jan 13–18 — APAC (Australian Partner Acrobatics Convention) | VIC, Australia 🎪

• Jan 16–20 — Acro Natural Festival | Lake Como, Italy 🎪

• Jan 16–26 — DAP Asia (Dynamic Acrobatics Program) | Chiang Mai, Thailand 🧘

• Jan 17–18 — AcroYoga Intensive with Dasha Kalinikina | Concepción, Chile 🏋️

• Jan 17–24 — Acrospirit Training Program (Level 2 – Int/Adv) | Ubud, Bali 🎓

• Jan 23–25 — FestiAcromillas Winter | Santiagomillas, Spain 🎪

• Jan 23–25 — Great Acro Exchange Part 22 | Hobart, Australia 💫

• Jan 23–25 — Acro Camp Weekend in Dubai | Dubai, UAE 🧘

• Jan 29–Feb 1 — Play Pai | Pai, Thailand 🎪

• Jan 30–Feb 2 — Acro Panchito Fest | San Pancho, Mexico 🎪

• Jan 30–Feb 1 — Vancouver AcroFest | Vancouver, Canada 🎪

Symbol Guide

🧘 = Retreat | 🎪 = Festival | 🏋️ = Intensive | 💫 = Event
🎓 = Teacher Training | ⭐ = Popular | 😿 = Sold Out

🌐 FEATURED RETREAT OF THE WEEK

📍 Spring Upside Down Retreat | Pula, Croatia | May 23–29

Set on the Croatian coast among olive groves and Mediterranean herbs, this week-long AcroYoga retreat blends focused training with space to actually rest and reset. Expect up to 8 hours of daily practice, spanning AcroYoga, Partner Acrobatics, Functional Movement, Contact Improvisation, Thai Massage, Yoga, and Ecstatic Dance.

You’ll stay in beautifully renovated 200-year-old farmhouses (or camp onsite), with two swimming pools and the ocean just five minutes away.

Want your event featured here with a longer blurb? Sign up here.

✈️ PLAN AHEAD: AcroYoga Retreats Through June

🌍 Middle East

• Jan 23–25 — Acro Camp Weekend in Dubai | Dubai, UAE

🌍 Europe

• Feb 27–Mar 1 — Acro & Ski Retreat | Campo di Trens, Italy

• Mar 31–Apr 5 — Granada Easter Acro Training | Granada, Spain

• Apr 2–5 — Easter Yoga Retreat | Valencia, Spain

• Apr 13–May 31 — Acro House Mallorca | Mallorca, Spain

• Apr 27–May 2 — AcroVerde Acro Retreat Portugal | Pedralva, Portugal

• May 8–11 — Women & Non-Binary Acro Retreat | Huddersfield, UK

• May 23–29 — Spring Upside Down Retreat | Pula, Croatia

• Jun 22–28 — Acro Fever Retreat | Poland

🌏 Asia

• Jan 16–26 — DAP Asia (Dynamic Acrobatics Program) | Chiang Mai, Thailand

• Feb 23–Mar 1 — Acro & Adventure Retreat | Bali, Indonesia

• Mar 29–Apr 5 — Yoga & Adventure Retreat | Bali, Indonesia

• May 7–21 — Vietnam AcroYoga Retreat | Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

🌎 South & Central America

• Feb 13–19 — Movement & Acro Retreat in the Amazon | Ecuado

🌎 North America

• Feb 20–23 — Acro Ski Retreat Colorado | Summit County, Colorado, USA

  👉 View All Upcoming Retreats →

Want to submit an event for our next edition? Fill out this form.

🎉 BEYOND ACRO: Cultural Festivals You Can’t Miss

Nice Carnival | Nice, France | Feb 11– March 1, 2026
One of Europe’s largest carnivals, known for its oversized floats, street parades, and flower battles along the French Riviera. Festive without being overwhelming, and easy to pair with southern Europe travel.

Quebec Winter Carnival | Quebec City, Canada | Feb 6–15, 2026
A deep-winter celebration built around ice palaces, snow sculptures, parades, and outdoor parties. Unapologetically cold , it’s a very Canadian way to embrace winter.

Tapati Rapa Nui Festival | Easter Island, Chile | Feb 3–14, 2026
A two-week celebration of Rapa Nui culture featuring traditional competitions, dance, music, body painting, and ancestral rituals. One of the most culturally specific festivals in the Pacific, set in an incredibly remote landscape.

🧳 TRAVEL ESSENTIALS — What I Actually Use

I get asked a lot what I pack, book, and use on the road. Here’s the shortlist all tested over years going around the globe.

• Booking.com – My default for hotels and guesthouses worldwide.

• Agoda – Especially good for Asia deals.

• Discovercars.com – Best rental car aggregator.

• Skyscanner – Still the fastest way I find cheap multi-leg flights.

• Travel Insurance via SafetyWing – Month-to-month coverage for when plans change last-minute.

✈️ Want help planning a bigger trip?
I also offer custom itinerary planning for people trying to stitch together their next travel adventure, and just want someone else to think through the logistics.

If you’re planning something epic (or slightly overwhelming), you can check that out below.

Some links are affiliate — they help keep Acro Insiders running at no extra cost to you.

Thanks for reading! If this issue helped you plan your next acro adventure, forward it to your crew — the more of us on one list, the better it gets.

📬 Have an event, retreat, or training to promote?
→ Submit it here or reply to this email for sponsored placement.

🎟️ Not yet subscribed? Join Acro Insiders →

Next week: Festival-hopping destinations for anyone avoiding winter blues.

Until then, warm up before the weird stuff and enjoy the season.
— Cat Xu
Connect with me? @acroinsiders