#spa-towns

#spa-towns

"It's not exactly a dream vacation to come and be harassed by mosquitoes," says Hervé Bossin, director of the medical entomology laboratory at Tahiti's Institut Louis Malardé.

Sensei Porcupine Creek, located in the Santa Rosa Mountains, offers a tranquil environment with luxurious accommodations, a private golf course, and a world-class tennis facility, all designed to promote wellness.

A true wellness gathering is something far more ancient and far more urgent: it's any intentional space where humans are invited to arrive whole, body, mind, spirit, and leave more alive than when they walked in. That's it. That's the whole definition.

Luxury wellness is coming to Westfield London as the Feel the Frequency 'wellness sensorium' is taking over The Village with free immersive experiences designed to reset your nervous systems and boost your moods.

This project is born as a retreat space, conceived from introspection. A personal and private spa in the mountains of Tapalpa, where the architecture deliberately renounces the idea of a facade: there is no gesture towards the outside, no frontal composition. The building seeks not to be seen, but to be inhabited.

Sauna challenges the body in ways that are similar to exercise, researchers say. Confronted with the sudden increase in heat, your cardiovascular system is put to the test—blood vessels dilate, heart rate increases and blood gets pushed to your skin, where it can be cooled more easily by sweat.

When you immerse yourself in cold water, your circulation increases as your body works to keep your vital organs and your core warm by constricting blood vessels and increasing your heart rate. At the same time, there is decreased blood flow to the skin, so when the cold water stops there's an increase in blood flow to the surface of the skin. This increase in circulation can have a number of benefits, including improved heart health, brain function, sleep quality, and immunity.

Well-being has never been more at the forefront of our minds than now, and there have never been more excuses to practice wellness on a daily basis. From sound baths in the Maldives to recovery lounges in Napa Valley, 2026 is set to see boundary-pushing wellness trends in the travel world.

In China, the 30 to 40 days after a woman gives birth are sometimes referred to as zuo yuezi, which means 'The Sitting Month' - a postpartum confinement where you stay at home, care for your baby and recuperate.

Back in chilly February, when you were bored at work, you didn't think twice about booking a wine tasting and zipline excursion back to back. By the time reality hits in July, you're desperately chugging water to try and stave off heat stroke. Just like that, your 'relaxing' getaway is not so relaxing at all.

If you had told us five years ago that London's population would be dunking themselves in ice baths and sweating it out in scorching boxes for fun, instead of going to the pub, we wouldn't have believed you. But in 2026, dear reader, that is very much the case, because Londoners have gone absolutely bonkers for saunas. A new map, created by Sauna\\Wave, has revealed all the best locations in south London to take part in the Finnish tradition.

The hot springs at Quinn's are valued for their mineral content and are considered "Silica Springs" due to the high concentration of silica, a mineral used in skincare that is said to improve skin texture, support collagen production, and promote elasticity. The natural mineral water also has high levels of sodium, which helps maintain blood pressure levels, and sulfate, which is said to help rid the body of toxins and promote healthy hair, skin, and nails.

Yoga retreats are admittedly amazing. Imagine an entire block of time to tune in to your mind and body as you move, reflect, and perhaps explore your surroundings while honing various elements of your yoga practice. There's a reason the global yoga travel market is projected to reach $222 billion by 2030. That said, you may be seeking a vacation that includes a collection of friends or loved ones-including non-yogis.

Playfulness is at the heart of the Art and Play holiday, based on a farm outside the Bay of Kotor. A family-friendly retreat designed to reignite joy and reconnect with the inner child, it's one for solo travellers and couples as well as parents with kids. There are creative sessions on everything from dance to painting, as well as time to enjoy the farm feeding the animals, collecting eggs or helping harvest vegetables for farm-fresh meals.

A great deal of travel advertising targets the newlywed couple, the blithesome pair in search of that perfect honeymoon hotel, where a stay will ensure a happy marriage to come. But what if you just got out of one? Where is 2001 Nicole Kidman going, after signing the divorce papers from Tom Cruise? ( This meme has since been debunked by Kidman herself, but that's besides the point.)

In 2025 the University of Oregon concluded from their research that "... hot-water immersion produced measurable changes in inflammatory markers. These effects can persist beyond the session, suggesting a sustained health benefit." Long before this the Romans knew that a good soak in hot water had therapeutic benefits for the body and mind. Hot tubs, spas, aren't considered just a luxury anymore, they're great for wellbeing as well as for fun, family time and a lot of je ne sais quoi to life in France.

Thailand is Asia's big-hitting wellness destination, with a clutch of grande dames and newcomers on the well-established spa scene keeping the country at the top of many people's must-visit list.

From the private spa suite at the Vista Blue Spa on the top floor of the Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa, you and your loved one can enjoy panoramic views out over Monterey Bay. The suite is equipped with large soaking tubs and a rain shower, and they can set you up with extras like a charcuterie board, Champagne, and fruit. Choose from a variety of different baths including coconut milk, Himalayan salt with lavender, or the custom-blended chamomile, lavender, lemongrass, bergamot, and Epsom salt.

At the start of the year, the most activity I can manage is to pop on a podcast and haul myself into a bubble bath. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. It's a comfort that has made me an expert in every bath cream, foam and salt on the high street. I am practically incapable of passing a shelf without popping a new one in my trolley.