5 Hot Spots for Wellness Travel
"Vacation" used to mean time spent throwing back drinks, stuffing your face on an all-you-can-eat cruise, or lounging on the couch. Gone are those days. Today, a growing number of people are using time off as a chance to tune into wellness by seeking out places where they can relax, eat healthy foods, and boost their fitness levels. Forget party hangovers—the new trend is coming back well rested, relaxed, and feeling more in shape than ever. Looking to hop on the healthy bandwagon? Pack your bags (be sure to throw at least a few pairs of active wear into a Pack-It™ Sport) and get ready to check out these wellness hot spots.
1. Fusion Maia Resort: Da Nang, Vietnam
The inclusiveness of an all-you-can-eat buffet is a major plus for people who are looking to kick back and pig out on a cruise, but what if wellness travel could have the same draw? If you’re tired of ordering your health services a la carte, a trip to Fusion Maia Resort in Da Nang, Vietnam could be for you. Vacationing here means that all spa services are included in your stay. Rejuvenate at your leisure by taking a stroll through the tropical gardens or a dip in the swimming pool before choosing a treatment. Treatments include energy experiences that are designed to clear tension and re-establish emotional well-being and inner beauty rituals like an aromatherapy facial or lotus-and-oat scrub. A stay at Fusion Maia Resort could be just what you need to re-center yourself.
2. Asclepios Wellness and Healing Retreat: Alajuela, Costa Rica
Named for the ancient Greek god of healing, Asclepios Wellness and Healing Resort is a wellness center that is located in the hills near the Central Valley town of Alajuela in Costa Rica. Here, you can relax and detox, delve into a tension-relieving Swedish massage, or enjoy the power of healing stones that are designed to fight pain, relax the body, and expand blood vessels while revitalizing the skin. The center boasts a full spa, lush landscape, organic restaurants, and nutritional consultations. If you’re looking to break a sweat, Asclepios’s four-night “Wellness, Fitness and Adventure Program” could be right up your alley. Not only does it include all meals, but also your choice of classes including yoga, acuafit, pilates, and cardio circuit.
3. Mukul Resort and Spa: Rivas, Nicaragua
With a picturesque view of the Emerald Coast, Mukul Resort and Spa is a wellness paradise that is regarded as one of the finest beach hotels. Even the smallest rooms have travertine marble bathrooms, private plunge pools, a veranda, and floor-to-ceiling windows with views of the ocean and tropical coast. Forget cookie-cutter furnishings—all items (such as sugarcane twig headboards and carved teak tables)—are custom made by Nicaraguan artisans.
When you’re done lounging on the beach, indulge in one of six traditional spa experiences or play 18 holes on the golf course. If you’re worried about your carbon footprint, you can rest assured knowing that this resort puts sustainability first. Before it was built, six years were spent determining how to best minimize the resort’s environmental impact. It’s a win for both your body and the land.
4. Hotel Komune: Keramas, Bali
Find the perfect mix of activity and relaxation at Hotel Komune on Bali's east coast. When you’re done spending the day catching waves, relax at the Joglo Spa. If you’re looking for an active escape, Hotel Komune offers a yoga, surf, and fitness retreat. Their “Eat, Play, Surf and Health Hub Retreat Packages” range from seven days to five nights and include unlimited group fitness and yoga classes, fresh juices, smoothies, and coconut water, and one private yoga session and spa treatment.
5. Sandos Caracol Eco-Resort: Playa del Carmen, Mexico
If your idea of wellness includes cleansing your aura, ancient Mayan temazcal rituals could be for you. Temazcal is Mayan for sweat lodge (consider that an approximate translation). The hot ritual takes place in an igloo-like hut—think a concrete dome that's about 12 feet in diameter—where a shaman uses heat, steam, aromatic herbs, and ancient prayers and chants to connect people with forces of the physical and spiritual world. While other resorts offer temazcal, this location (which is on an archeological site that has ruins dating back over 2,000 years) is an ideal spot to host the ceremony that's designed to cleanse your mind and aura, help rid your body of toxins, and benefit your skin.
Have you ever been on a wellness retreat? What is your favorite spot? Share your thoughts in the comments, below.
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