Wellness Retreats
Thailand has long drawn weary travelers looking for holistic wellness solutions. Whether it’s detox and weight loss or a dose of mindfulness and relaxation, the country offers plenty of retreats to rejuvenate mind and body in blissful surrounds.
Here, you can simply sit and absorb the bucolic scenery or you make the most of daily yoga, meditation, and healing sessions
practitioners, available to provide integrated services combining naturopathic and conventional medicines. In the northern province of Chiang Mai,
Museflower Retreat & Spa ( musefloweretreat.com) is a place to slow down, recharge, and learn how to reconnect with yourself again. Here, you can simply sit and absorb the bucolic scenery, emerging from your room to indulge in delicious vegetarian food prepared using organic ingredients from the on-site garden. Or, you can make the most of daily yoga, meditation, and healing sessions—the comprehensive schedule of activities is just as focused on physical health as it is on self-discovery and inner awakening, with spiritual workshops led by talented holistic teachers. In Phuket, Santosa Wellness Center ( santosa
phuket.com) crafts holistic programs and retreats around the individual needs of its guests. Wellness here is not one-dimensional—when you check in you’ll be primed to promote your health on multiple levels, using research-based therapies, treatments, and nutrition as guidance. Santosa specializes in detox retreats, with the goal of all programs to bring back true balance to the body, mind, and spirit. New to the mix is the Emotional Detox, combining holistic health practices, energy work, wellness therapies, coaching, and restorative experiences to support you in finding balance and renewed purpose in life. FROM THE SERENE BEACHES OF ITS south to the lushly forested mountains of the north, Thailand seems almost purposefully designed as the ideal backdrop for rest and recuperation. And not surprisingly, there is any number of world-class retreats that cater to solace-seeking guests.
Take Kamalaya ( kamalaya.com). Perched on a steep outcrop above one of the most tranquil beaches in Koh Samui, this beautiful property is unlike anywhere else. It’s part luxury resort, part holistic wellbeing retreat, with just the right mix of indulgence and healing. Into the usual spa menu of massages the company has stirred a blend of Eastern and Western therapies: TCM, homeopathy, naturopathic treatments, hi-tech diagnostic procedures, Pilates, qi gong, pranayama, and many others. It’s paired with nutritionally balanced cuisine and a daily fitness schedule but if the mood doesn’t strike, you can just book in for a facial and massage if you wish.
Regularly voted one of the world’s best retreats for finding inner peace, Chiva Som ( chivasom.com) is all about understated luxury by the beach. The goal is to create a tailored rejuvenation program based on your objectives and current state of health, and comprehensive programs touch on everything from diet and exercise to rest and relaxation and the treatment of emotional and physical ailments. What sets Chiva Som apart from other Thai retreats is its stellar roster of wellness experts, ranging from consulting doctors and naturopaths to fitness instructors, spa therapists, and alternative health