Soften: A Women’s Retreat in a Cloud Forest on the Big Island of Hawaii

Soften is a women’s retreat held in a rare cloud forest on the slopes of Hualalai,where mist drifts through ancient trees and the earth smells of bark and rain.We’ll wander quiet trails,unplug while the forest breathes around us,and feel ourselves soften.​​

Full retreat details here: wildwomenhawaii.com/soften

There you’ll find:

• The daily rhythm

• Clear terms & boundaries

• Answers to common questions

• 3 nights in our private retreat home, nestled in a rare cloud forest on Hualalai on the Kona side of the Big Island
• Daily nourishing vegetarian meals by one of Hawaii’s most exclusive chefs
• Digital detox — a break from overstimulation
• Welcome gift with grounding items to support your retreat journey
• Nature-based ceremony to open the retreat with warm intention
• Slow, sensory forest experiences each day, including:

◦ Introductory forest tour◦ Guided forest therapy◦ Silent nature walk◦ Sensory trail exploration focusing on forest medicine

• Afternoon tea and handwork — creating a gemstone suncatcher or forest-inspired tree jewelry
• Reflection journaling, woven gently into our group rhythm
• Pressure-free sharing circles by candlelight
• Somatic grounding practices to help regulate and restore your nervous system
• Closing celebration with movement, music, and embodied joy

Airfare to Kona Airport (KOA)

CFAR Travel Insurance (recommended)

Special Bonuses (for a short time):

• Hawai‘i Island guests: Receive 3 months in The Hearth Circle—a gentle, in-person women’s gathering held monthly in my Hilo studio.

• Off-island travelers: Enjoy complimentary airport pickup and drop-off from Kona (KOA).

🌿 Early Pricing begins at $2,700Current pricing reflects our early launch. These opening rates are available for a short window.

We’ll be a small group of up to 8 women. All rooms include 3 nights, 8 chef-prepared meals, snacks and non-alcoholic drinks, and all retreat activities.

Private King Room (2 available)

• A serene private room with a King bed

• Best for those craving full solitude

Shared Studio Suite (1 available)

• 2 women booking together (Queen + Full trundle)

• Full-length privacy curtains; shares hallway to bathroom

Shared Bunk Room (4 beds)

• Shared room with 2 bunks

• 2 Lower Queen bunks and 2 Upper Twin bunks

All prices include Eventbrite fees. Hawai‘i GET tax added at checkout.

This listing holds booking info only. For full retreat details, terms, FAQs, and more photos:

👉 wildwomenhawaii.com/soften

1 guest

Private King Room - 2 rooms available

A fully private room for women who need more space or solitude. Whether you’re navigating health needs, sleep sensitivities, or simply prefer quiet restoration, this room is offered to support your peace of mind and body.

2 guests

One queen bed + one full-size trundle

Please select 2 tickets at checkout to reserve the full suite.

Tucked just off the main lanai, this spacious forest-view suite is filled with soft light and quiet beauty. It’s a peaceful nook designed for two women booking together looking to share a cozy nest.

The suite includes a queen bed and a full-size trundle tucked below. Think sleepover vibes with better lighting and more comfort. You two can decide who gets which bed—or trade off halfway through for fun. This is a soft cocoon wrapped in forest air, best suited for those who already are at ease together.

The suite is a fully dedicated sleeping space during your stay with heavy privacy curtains drawn. Outside of the curtained space, it shares hallway access to the bathroom with a washer/dryer nook that may be used during the day. Your curtained suite remains private and untouched throughout. No one will enter your space, and the heavyweight full-length curtains create a peaceful sense of enclosure and rest. The bathroom is shared with one of the king bedrooms.

Studio Suite layout — The curtain-drawn bed space becomes fully private during the retreat. The bathroom (shared with one King Room) is accessed externally through the King Room or hallway and not through the sleeping area.

Lower Bunk (Queen) or Upper Bunk (Twin)

This shared room is for women who genuinely want to be in community.

Cozy and welcoming, the Sisterhood Room is ideal for those who feel nourished by presence—by quiet conversations, shared rhythms, and the simple comfort of not being alone.

The space includes two queen lower bunks and two twin upper bunks, arranged with care.

The shared bathroom is located just off the covered lanai, through the French doors (pictured).

This retreat is led by Michelle Gallagher Escobar, a longtime Hawai‘i resident, women’s circle leader, and somatic anxiety coach. With a gentle, grounded approach, she weaves together body-based practices, forest therapy, and nervous system wisdom to create an environment where women feel safe to exhale, reconnect, and soften into themselves again.

Meals are crafted by Chef Bethany Reid, one of the most sought-after private chefs on the island. Each dinner is a multisensory experience—colorful, nourishing, and made with intention. From her years of private chef work to her intuitive culinary style, Beth brings warmth, creativity, and the kind of quiet luxury that makes every meal feel like a celebration. All meals are proudly vegetarian. This is not a “health retreat menu.” It’s deeply satisfying, memory-making food—designed to support your body and spirit.

Soften is a small, peaceful women’s retreat held with great care in Hawaii’s Kona Cloud Forest Sanctuary.

This page holds your booking options.

To explore the full retreat experience, please visit:🌿 WildWomenHawaii.com/Soften

There you’ll find:

• A sample daily rhythm

• Clear terms & boundaries

• Answers to common questions

______________

The retreat takes place in one of the most extraordinary ecosystems on Earth—the Kona Cloud Forest. This private sanctuary, nestled on the slopes of Hualālai, is home to towering trees, rare mosses, and a soft mist that drifts through the forest like breath. It's a place where time slows, the nervous system unwinds, and something ancient begins to stir inside you.

You won’t find this forest on a typical tourist path. This is a protected sanctuary—quiet, alive, and deeply restorative.

Take 15 minutes to breathe with the cloud forest. The meditation video below was filmed by the Kona Cloud Forest Sanctuary—the same sacred place where Soften will be held. As the caretakers describe it:

Kona Cloud Forest Sanctuary is a heart-centered, family-led reforestation project and nature sanctuary within the only tropical cloud forest in the United States. For over 40 years, we’ve been restoring and protecting this unique ecosystem by planting trees while offering mindful forest experiences. We invite guests to connect deeply with the land through regenerative ecological tours and wellness experiences. The Sanctuary is home to an extraordinary diversity of trees and plants—featuring native Hawaiian species as well as sacred and rare flora from tropical forests around the world. Rooted in ecological stewardship, cultural reverence, and community connection, KCFS offers transformative experiences that inspire awe, healing, and a renewed sense of harmony with the Earth.

Also check out other Health & Wellness events in Kailua-Kona, Food & Drink events in Kailua-Kona, Trips & Adventurous Activities in Kailua-Kona.