When I learned about TravelDave‘s Blogger Retreat in Koh Phangan last year, it sounded too good to be true. A week-long getaway at a resort on a beautiful Thai island, surrounded by other bloggers and digital entrepreneurs, jam-packed with seminars and discussions, activities and social events?
And it was all happening in the week leading up to TBEX Asia, the original reason I’d returned to Thailand in the first place, on an island a mere two-hour ferry ride away?!
I. Could. Not. Say. No.
Okay in all honesty, I did say no–at first. But I’ve learned some big lessons about entrepreneurship this year, one of them being that it truly does pay to invest in myself. Blogging and freelancing haven’t come naturally to me, and so I’ve finally come around to the idea of putting time and money into learning new skills and developing as a businessperson and entrepreneur.
Needless to say, a month or so after learning of the retreat, I’d sent my hard-earned money on over to Dave and was becoming giddy with excitement at the fun and personal growth (and fun…did I mention fun?) that were about to take place.
The Lowdown on TravelDave’s Blogger Retreat
Now, it may seem like all that goes on when a bunch of bloggers get together is a whole lot of partying and shenanigans. This assumption wouldn’t be entirely wrong…but it’s not entirely accurate, either.
TravelDave (henceforth simply referred to as “Dave”) organized an awesome week for an intimate group of a little over 30 bloggers that really was centered around knowledge exchange, helping each other set and begin working toward lofty goals, and building upon our existing skills as bloggers, writers, photographers, and freelancers.
The setting was the idyllic Buri Beach Resort on the island of Koh Phangan. This particular island has a reputation for partying thanks to the infamous full moon parties that have made it a major hotspot on the Southeast Asia backpacker circuit, but trust me when I say this island has SO much more than parties on offer. Buri Beach is actually situated within walking distance of Haad Rin, the beach where the monthly parties take place, and while we weren’t actually on the island during a full moon I have no doubt the event wouldn’t have disrupted our relaxing stay.
Each blogger or blogging pair had a private bungalow all to themselves, perfect for getting work done between talks and events and for escaping the unrelenting island heat.
Of those in attendance, a handful gave talks on a topic within their expertise. The topics that were covered at the inaugural retreat included, among others: photography, starting a podcast, SEO and keyword research, conveying your personality through your writing, and working with brands.
In the afternoons, roundtable discussions were held on additional topics that were either chosen by Dave or suggested by attendees. This allowed us to collaborate and create workshops that were as useful to as many people as possible rather than sticking to a rigid schedule. Roundtable topics included how to use Periscope, using Lightroom to organize and edit your photos, and how to perfect your beach volleyball serve.
Er, wait…now I’m confusing work with play! Easy enough to do at this blogger retreat, though. Following the roundtable discussions, our afternoons were reserved for play. And play we did!
Activities included hiking to a beautiful viewpoint, an afternoon of beach volleyball, a sunset yoga session, a photo walk through a local street market, or whatever else our little hearts desired. What I truly loved about this retreat was that none of the events were mandatory, meaning if you had your own work to do (and most of us did, at one point or another) you could easily opt out of an activity and re-join the group when it was convenient. Events like this don’t always allow for such flexibility, but it was something I really appreciated.
And, unlike larger events like TBEX where there are hundreds of bloggers and industry reps in attendance, at TravelDave’s Blogger Retreat, we all had plenty of time to get to know one another and form real bonds and friendships. Networking is invaluable in this industry and building a solid community of people I can call on for advice, encouragement, and support might just be the most powerful thing I took away from this week in paradise.
But I did also enjoy the opportunity to revisit this island and discover how multi-faceted (and beautiful!) it truly is. 
If you’re a travel blogger and looking for an opportunity to connect with like-minded people in an intimate, supportive environment all while learning new skills and building upon those you already have, you’d be wise to consider securing yourself a spot at next year’s Travel Blogger Retreat by TravelDave. An investment in yourself is always a wise decision, and in this particular case, you’ll have a hell of a lot of fun doing it.
Have you been to a professional or skill-building retreat before? Was it worthwhile?
