When they hear ‘company training’, many employees first think of drinks after a session in a lecture hall. More recently, as more companies have come to value time for rest and recharging during staff training, these programmes have begun to change. Now that change has reached the sea.
Hyundai Yachts, the marine leisure arm of the HLB Group, announced on 27 October that it is developing Yacht Nidra, a relaxation meditation programme held aboard a yacht, for companies and groups. Participants make their own aromatherapy oils before boarding a sailing yacht for meditation at sea. The company plans to tailor the programme to corporate workshops, staff training and VIP events, including options to charter an entire yacht exclusively.
Make your own scent and hoist the sails: the three stages of Yacht Nidra
Yacht Nidra brings together sailing, an aromatherapy experience and relaxation meditation. Participants first make their own aromatherapy oil. They then board a sailing yacht and head out to sea, where they take part in a relaxation meditation session, directing their attention in turn to the sound of the waves, the sea breeze and the movement of the water. The company describes it as meditation through the five senses.
The programme’s name comes from yoga nidra. Also known as ‘yogic sleep’, yoga nidra is a form of meditation in which people lie comfortably and follow a guided voice, becoming aware in turn of different parts of the body and of their breathing as they rest deeply. It is often presented as an introductory form of meditation because, rather than asking people to sit still and empty their minds, it guides them through physical sensations one by one, making it relatively easy for beginners to follow. Yacht Nidra adds scent, the sounds of the sea and the gentle rocking of the boat to this process of relaxation.
A whole yacht to suit your numbers and budget: workshops become private charters
The announcement centres on a bespoke charter service. Hyundai Yachts said it can tailor programmes to the purpose, group size, budget and schedule of each event, combining an exclusive yacht charter with a private meditation session. The aim is to let different kinds of gatherings—from departmental workshops and executive training to events for invited clients—take shape in their own way aboard the same vessel.
A company representative said the programme lets participants enjoy meditation and relaxation at sea amid the scenery of the west coast, adding that the company would expand its services to meet a range of needs, including corporate workshops and VIP events. However, prices, duration and the maximum number of participants have not been disclosed. Yacht Nidra is not listed as a separate product on Hyundai Yachts’ integrated booking website, so companies and groups interested in taking part will need to contact the company directly to discuss arrangements.
Incheon in 2021; Yeongjongdo’s waters selected by the Korea Tourism Organization in 2023
The programme is based at Wangsan Marina on Yeongjongdo, Incheon. Hyundai Yachts Incheon, which runs yacht charters from the marina, was established as a joint venture between Hyundai Yachts and Greek yacht charter company Cosmos Yachting, according to Incheon’s tourism information. The company has offered yacht experiences such as workshops and sunset sailing at Wangsan Marina and on the Han River in Seoul. The same information says it was selected as a wellness tourism destination by the Incheon Tourism Organization in 2021 and was additionally selected by the Korea Tourism Organization in 2023.
Hyundai Yachts said it would expand operations beyond Wangsan Marina to major marine destinations across the country and step up promotion of K-marine wellness to foreign residents in Korea and overseas visitors. Just as temple stays and meditation at Buddhist temples have become familiar expressions of Korean meditation for foreign visitors, it remains to be seen whether meditation combined with Korea’s coastline can offer them another K-meditation experience.
An option for those who struggle to sit still—but the sea is not for everyone
For office workers surrounded all day by screens and notifications, sitting with their eyes closed in a quiet room can be harder than it sounds. When the body is barely moving but the mind cannot switch off, being told to sit still and look inwards can feel like yet another burden. Choosing a scent by hand, boarding a boat to feel the breeze and listening to the waves can give people like this a way into meditation through the senses rather than the mind. Sharing the experience of being on a boat with colleagues can also change how a team spends time together.
It will not suit everyone. For people who suffer badly from seasickness or feel uncomfortable on the water, a rocking boat may bring tension rather than rest, and an outdoor programme at sea cannot escape the effects of weather and the seasons. Other ways of experiencing the same relaxation on land include walking meditation along a forest path, sound meditation with singing bowls, or yoga nidra practised lying down indoors. When choosing meditation for a staff programme, companies should leave room for participants to choose what feels comfortable rather than treating one approach as the only right answer.
It is too soon to know how widely training sessions with the sea in front of participants instead of a glass in hand will catch on. What is clear is that meditation is moving beyond mountain temples and meditation centres and into company training schedules—and that the ways in are becoming increasingly varied.
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