Wellness

Travel Specialist Samantha spent 72 hours at Phuket Cleanse and this is her snapshot review…

Less than an hour from Phuket airport is a health and fitness haven Phuket Cleanse, owned by husband and wife team Stanton and Melanie Proctor. The private retreat is situated on a private property with 18 rooms split across three blocks. Each room is air-conditioned and optimised for sleep and features either a king-sized or twin beds, bathroom, fan, towels, and organic toiletries.

Como Point Yamu is undeniably luxurious and sits in one of Phuket's more serene areas, just 25 minutes from the International airport. With the emphasis on wellness that the COMO brand is famous for, the vibe is electric and tranquil at the same time, expect top quality service with just 79 rooms, including 50 suites.

Here you can enjoy complimentary daily classes, as well as the luxurious Shambhala spa and cuisine if you choose or opt to dine on divine Italian fare or heavenly Thai cuisine. The perfect destination for a short break, a luxury healthy honeymoon or if you like to begin the day with yoga and watch the sunset over cocktails!

A modern twist on the traditional Balinese hotels, COMO Uma Ubud is a tranquil haven on the edge of the bustling village, just an hour away from Denpasar International airport and 5 minutes from the city centre you will find the 46 contemporary rooms, suites and villas, poised on the side of the lush green Tjampuhan Valley, the Uma Pool Villas offer mesmerising views to the river below. All rooms are elegantly decorated and infused with the signature scent of eucalyptus and peppermint complemented by the softness of lavender and geranium. It’s perfect for a solo spa retreat or an indulgent healthy honeymoon.

Kinder on the bank balance than a divorce, troubled couples who don’t want to give up on their relationships are opting for what’s becoming known as the ‘save-cation’. However, save-cations where you just sit by the pool and complain isn’t going to help reignite that spark. Cue the Couples Wellness Retreat. Whether you’re hoping to talk honestly about your issues during formalised relationship counselling or reconnect as you hike the Himalayas together, we believe that a personalised couples' wellness retreats is the best path towards saving your relationship.

80% of heart disease, stroke and Type 2 Diabetes, and over one third of cancers can be prevented with self-care: removing risk factors such as tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical
inactivity and excess alcohol consumption.

I was very excited about visiting SHA Wellness Clinic to rejuvenate and energise for a few days in Spain. It's making quite a name for itself and with regular visits from the likes of Kylie Minogue, Simon Cowell and Naomi Campbell, it seems everybody wants to reap the rewards from coming here.

Located in the untouched south of Mauritius, set in a tranquil bay on a curving lagoon of white sand Shanti Maurice is the ideal holiday destination to rejuvenate mind, body and soul. With a choice of many other luxury resorts in Mauritius, I considered myself lucky to have found this gem of a place.

Global Wellness Summit has predicted silence as the new luxury. In today’s highly urbanised society, the saying ‘quiet the mind and the soul will speak’ couldn’t be more relevant. Finding peace and quiet has become one of the most sought after commodity. Since the dawning of the information age, we have swiftly plunged into the rabbit hole of digital noise, filling most of our time shackled to the internet, checking our emails and social media almost every waking hour. We are now bombarded with unthinkable stress. In fact, roughly 75% of adults are reported to have moderate to high levels of stress in the past month and nearly half reported that their stress has increased in the past year [1]. Alarmingly, mental health (i.e. anxiety, depression) has ranked number two health issue currently impacting women 18 years old and above, just behind cancer ^[2].

Our Top 5 Solo Friendly Healthy Holidays

There is often a stigma attached to travelling solo. People are afraid of appearing lonely and feeling unsafe and the issue of the single supplement can be off putting. But an estimated 15 million singles now live in Britain and many more people are choosing to bite the bullet and travel by themselves. Solo holidays are fast becoming a popular option because they allow for the exact type of experience desired. In 2009, as many as 5 million Brits took to the skies alone so they could enjoy holidays catering to their personal tastes and needs.

If you were to dream up the ultimate sporting playground and transport it to an idyllic setting among the palms and rubber trees of Thailand, Thanyapura Phuket should come pretty close to your vision. Thanyapura Phuket is a 23-hectare athlete's playground, catering to world-class competitors, weekend warriors, school children and everyone in between and it is well on its way to becoming Asia's premier sporting hub.

With warm temperatures in Spain still around 23 Celsius in mid-October; I decided to take a short healthy holiday to SHA Wellness Clinic in Spain for a sunny detox retreat.

Forecasting the next big trends in wellness travel for 2017, we share the best travel trends in the spa and wellness industries. From holidays for a healthy mind, to stop-smoking-holidays and full body-MOT escapes, discover the hottest new trends that will influence the wellness and spa worlds. 

Stop Smoking Retreats

Forecasting the next big trends in wellness travel for 2017, Health and Fitness Travel, live up to their reputation as the leading experts in wellness holidays worldwide. From holidays for a healthy mind, to specialist stop smoking retreats and full body-MOT escapes, discover the hottest new trends that will influence the wellness and spa world in 2017. 

Top 3 Destinations: SHA Anti-Tobacco (Spain), Kurotel Anti-Tobacco (Brazil), Marbella Club Anti-Tobacco (Spain)

Optimal Health for the Modern Man

Following an increasing move away from the ultra-masculine man towards the Modern man, more men than ever are now going to spas and wellness retreats. In today’s ever more liberal society, it’s becoming more socially acceptable for men to escape on a wellness holiday where they can take part in masculine activities, like boxing and HIIT, before recovering with a massage or spa treatment. With men, still significantly less likely than women to make time to consult a doctor, wellness retreats catering to men also offer a more approachable means of addressing health issues.

Top 3 Destinations: Chiva Som (Thailand), Komune Resort (Bali), Marbella Club (Spain)

Healthy Mind and Emotion Healing Holidays

With more of us looking for ways to boost self-confidence or learn how to manage stress, it is little wonder that mind and emotion healing holidays are a rising trend in the wellness world. With a growing understanding that a healthy mind leads to a healthy life, retreats offering coaching in mindfulness, meditation and yoga, are helping sufferers of modern-living burnout to reconnect their mind, body and soul.

Top 3 Destinations: Shreyas Silent Retreat (India), Marbella Club De-Stress Emotional Rebalance (Spain), Kamalaya Embracing Change (Thailand)

Post-Cancer Recovery Retreats

No longer shying away from the complexities of treating a cancer sufferer, a rise in wellness spa retreats creating specialist post-cancer recovery programmes offers a sanctuary for cancer survivors to recharge and rejuvenate. Helping you to feel like the best version of yourself again, a range of holistic spa therapies and alternative natural medicine treatments, from acupuncture to Ayurveda, will nurture and resort your well-being. Combined with expert consultations from psychologists, nutritionists and physiotherapists, regain your appetite and your strength as you rejuvenate your mind, body and soul in a luxurious wellness sanctuary.

Top 3 Destinations: Chiva Som Cell Vitality (Thailand), Kurotel Post-Cancer (Brazil), The BodyHoliday BodyScience (St Lucia)

Full-Body MOT Holidays

Every year, drivers spend thousands taking out MOTs on their cars, so why not spend the same amount of money and loving attention on your own body? After all, it’s the only one you’ll ever have. Enter full-body MOT holidays where fitness training, wellness activities, spa treatments and diet plans are personalised to your body. Taking personalised wellness one step further, some even offer DNA analysis, to really tailor the treatment plan to your health needs.

Top 3 Destinations: The Body Camp (Ibiza), The BodyHoliday BodyScience (St Lucia), 38 Degrees North Healthy Hedonism (Ibiza)

Eat-Well Detox Holidays

Gone are the days when a detox holiday entails a punishing regime of fasting and tiny portions; time for the eat-well detox. Foodie lovers in search of a cleansing detox will be pleased to know that on an eat-well detox you’ll be able to refuel with well-proportioned nutritious meals throughout the day, that won’t leave you going hungry. Focusing instead on eating a generous amount of healthy food, try a more satisfying experience for those looking to detox without forgoing food.  

Top 3 Destinations: Ti Sana Liver Detox (Italy), Kamalaya Comprehensive Detox Rejuvenation (Thailand), Como Shambhala Estate Detox (Bali)

Zen Adrenaline Junkies

The idea of zen and adrenaline might seem like an odd combination, but more and more of us are now embracing ‘adrenaline-après’ holidays where we can satisfy a thirst for high-octane adventure with kite-surfing and paragliding, before relaxing with spa treatments, meditation and yoga.  A great way to train your body and mind to let go of stress and enjoy living in the moment, embrace the mind-body cocktail of zen adrenaline and return home ready for anything.

Top 3 Destinations: Zighy Bay Sense of Adventure (Oman), The BodyHoliday Fusion Fitness (St Lucia), Maya Ubud Adventure (Bali)

Physical Therapy Holidays

Everyone puts their bodies through a lot of stress. Whether from being hunched over a desk or working out to the extreme, muscles are frequently being strained, pulled or teared. Answering the call for worn out bodies, the rise of physical therapy holidays provides opportunities for recovery from your injuries and to re-train your body to peak perfection.  Heal your body with a wide variety of treatments, from expert consultations with physiotherapists to aquatic therapy and posture alignment. 

Top 3 Destinations: Chiva Som Physical Renewal (Thailand), Lefay Sports & Posture (Italy), Amatara Fitness(Thailand)

Family-Wellness Holidays

Following the rising realisation that the next generation of spa goers are the younger generation, more spa and wellness retreats are now offering family-wellness holidays. No longer a no-go zone with the children in tow, with an array of mini spa treatments designed especially for children, now the whole family can be pampered from head to toe. Also focusing on drawing the kids away from their iPads and video games, action packed kids clubs encourage children to experience new sports and activities, as they swap their smartphones for bicycles, tennis and water sports.

Top 3 Destinations: The BodyHoliday WellFit Families (St Lucia), Fusion Maia (Vietnam), Terre Blanche (France)

New Waves in Wellness

With 71% of Earth being covered in water, it only makes sense that we’ve taken to board sports like ducks to water. Riding a new wave in wellness, more of us are now turning to board sports as a fun way of toning up and shaping up. From stand-up paddle boarding to indoor board fitness classes and surfing, board sports offer a great workout for training your core and legs.

Top 3 Destinations: Epic Sana Sup Fitness (Portugal), Komune Yoga & Surf (Bali), Paradis Plage Surfing (Morocco)

Preventative Health to Lower Your Biological Age

Already highly popular with the Baby Boomer generation, the appeal of preventative health holidays offering the chance to help slow down the clock are also rising in popularity with Generations X and Y.  Proving that age really is nothing but a number - whether pressing pause on ageing by learning to let go of stress or sweating your way to a more youthful you, reducing your biological age is the new mantra of the ‘ageing gracefully’ gurus.

Top 3 Destinations: SHA Rejuvenation (Spain), The BodyHoliday Healthy Ageing (St Lucia), Longevity Anti-Ageing (Portugal)

Social Group Fitness Holidays

If you’re a social butterfly and like to make friends wherever you go, then you’re probably a part of the ever-rising number of people escaping on social group fitness holidays.  Whether a group of friends or the solo traveller who doesn’t want to train alone, with the added support of individuals going through the same process, you’ll soon reach your fitness goals. Offering the opportunity for you to train in groups where you can learn from each other, you may even make some lifelong friends.

Top 3 Destinations: The BodyHoliday September Solos (St Lucia), Wildfitness Zanzibar (Tanzania), The Body Camp (Ibiza)

Workplace Wellness

If you’re a social butterfly and like to make friends wherever you go, then you’re probably a part of the ever-rising number of people escaping on social group fitness holidays.  Whether a group of friends or the solo traveller who doesn’t want to train alone, with the added support of individuals going through the same process, you’ll soon reach your fitness goals. Offering the opportunity for you to train in groups where you can learn from each other, you may even make some lifelong friends.

Top 3 Destinations: Ultimate Luxury Around The World Wellness Trip (Worldwide), Lefay (Italy), Kamalaya (Thailand)

Eco-Friendly Wellness Retreats

With a rise in green conscious travellers in search of a wellness holiday that is as kind to the planet as it is to you, there has been a growing emergence of eco-friendly wellness retreats offering a trip, without the guilt trip. Return home an expert on the local fauna and flora with educational eco-forest walks, indulge with all-natural spa remedies and refuel with healthy organic cuisine from onsite gardens.

Top 3 Destinations: Karkloof Safari Spa (South Africa), La Clairière (France) Aro Ha (New Zealand)

For advice, guidance and booking visit www.healthandfitnesstravel.com or call 0203 397 8891 

One of our newest partners, REVĪVŌ Wellness Resorts, located south of Bali, is hosting an exclusive Ketogenic Retreat from 18th to 24th November 2018, as part of the new luxury wellness resort's series of mind and body programs. The 7-day retreat will be led by Primal Health and Pilates specialist, Azza Keith, who will impart valuable insights on the benefits of a ketogenic diet paired with tailored exercise plans to help guests develop a sustainable healthy lifestyle. Azza has a Masters in the Science of Exercise and Nutrition, as well as a qualification in health coaching. She also completed personal transformation training and has led seminars in personal growth and on achieving career and personal aspirations.

When offline is the new luxury, log off and spring clean the mind at these stunning unplugged wellness retreat hideaways.

Going on holiday doesn't mean that you have to give up your health and fitness regime in favour of partying and over indulgence (although you most certainly can if you wish).

If you want a break from your usual gym routine, then get away from it all and have fun keeping fit ensuring you come home looking healthier, lighter and more rejuvenated than ever. Staff at flight comparison site Skyscanner, reveal their favourite ways to eat well and exercise whilst on holiday.

With smoking rates continuing to fall each year, and over 250,000 smokers having taken part in last year’s Stoptober, we have seen a rising trend in specialist stop smoking retreats designed to help you quit long-term. Smoking is still the biggest cause of preventable illness and premature death in the UK, but quitting on home turf, whilst surrounded by all of your old haunts and habits can be tough.  Why not take your first steps towards breaking the bad habit on one of our specialist spa breaks, if the thought of quitting smoking by going cold turkey has you reaching for your lighter.

When people think of 'fitness', most think of running, cycling and essentially losing weight. However, emotional fitness is just as important as physical, and keeping mentally healthy is a pursuit we should all be trying to achieve. When we live an emotionally unbalanced life, it can overflow into all areas of our health and well-being; causing stress, anger, anxiety and lethargy. These harmful feelings can be addressed with emotional exercise; just as we work out in the gym to improve our cardiovascular fitness, we can work on our mental strength with a routine of healthy living.

Without a doubt Sugar Ridge is the best place to stay in Antigua. It is a private, beautiful retreat that in my opinion is a well-kept secret. It stood out to me amid other luxury resorts on the island because of its stunning hillside location and renowned state of the art fitness centre.

The excitement is killing me; it's nearly here, Aslan is but a couple of weeks away…

On June 21st we not only celebrate the longest day in the year but, in doing so, WE WELCOME THE SUMMER.

It's Sun Awareness Week now until May 6th, which means it's time to remind oneself the importance of protecting your skin from dangerous things such as skin cancer. With the ozone layer eating holes into our protective atmosphere, the risk of overexposure to UV rays and health issues are on the rise.