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Travelling is an enriching experience. You leave the confines of your home and embark on a journey to widen your perspectives. Vacationing on a far-away land, you get to learn about different cultures, meet new people and take a step back from the hectic day-to-day grind.
Now, there is a new form of travel that is taking root amongst people and that is travelling with a purpose or wellness travel.
What is wellness travel
Wellness travel refers to travelling for your own personal and spiritual growth. It is about putting your physical and mental fitness at the forefront of your trip. These trips are more than just a break from your daily routine, they are tailored-made to re-energize you and introduce you to a new, much healthier way of living.
A lot of travel companies and websites offer Wellness Tourism and this industry is growing exponentially. Wellness tourism, around the world, has seen an annual growth of 6.5 per cent, which is more than twice as tourism overall (3.2 per cent). This industry is expected to hit 919 billion dollars by 2022, so suffice to say, people are genuinely loving this new form of travel.
Perks of being a wellness traveller
Travelling for the sole purpose of growth and detoxification is, in itself, a very fulfilling experience. It is something you should try at least once in your life, and here are the reasons why: –
- Disconnect and detox – You get a chance to break away from the chains of technology and immerse your self in the encapsulating experience of spiritual awakening. Go for a meditation or a spa retreat and give yourself the time and space to detox and destress. We are surrounded by too much anxiety and too many distractions today, retreats like these help you centre yourself and prioritize your life. Disconnecting from the digital cobweb will help you form a deeper connection with yourself.
- Indulgence without guilt – A lot of times, when we go for vacations, we tend to overindulge with tempting food and delicacies. This doesn’t mean that on a Wellness tour, you won’t get tempting food, you will. These trips take care of your nutritional needs and offer you healthier food options. So, you can indulge all you want without any following guilt or regret.
- Support and community – You get a chance to meet people like yourself who will encourage you and support you in your journey. You make a deeper connection not with just yourself but with people with a goal similar to yours and form a community that uplifts one another no matter what.
- Love for nature – Mostly, these types of retreats are situated in the heart of nature, which makes you respect and care for the natural environment more. You learn how to better take care of your surroundings and make better, sustainable choices in life to help the planet.
- Once-in-a-lifetime Experience – This is an experience like no other; it is a life-changing journey, one that you will never wish to end. It elevates you in ways that you cannot imagine. It is a learning curve that you will find in no book or office.
Best places to go
Everyone’s wellness journey is different, which is why these tours are moulded to your requirements. For physical fitness, you can join a weight-loss program or a fitness-focused adventure. For mental peace and calm, you can opt for a yoga retreat where you get an opportunity to reflect on yourself and evolve as a person.
Ayurveda retreats – India is one of the best places to visit for an ayurvedic retreat. Kerala, also known as God’s Own country, has successfully established itself as the most sought after Ayurvedic retreat. Places like Kairali and Mekosha attract travellers from all over the globe for an authentic wellness experience. Their traditional treatments and practices help rejuvenate the mind as well as the body.
Weekend at the spa – A slew of wellness spas promise to destress and detoxify you with heir holistic techniques and practices. Hean Heritage Spa in Japan commits to restoring the natural balance of your body using ancient healing techniques with organic essential oils. Omni La Costa Resort & Spa is another award-winning Spa that offers a holistic healing and an energizing retreat.
Mindful Yoga – Costa Rica offers a huge number of affordable and beautiful Yoga retreats. Unify, is one of the most sought after and pocket-friendly yoga destinations there. It includes daily organic meals, eco-friendly living accommodations, and regular morning yoga practices. Other than that, there are loads of physical activities like ziplining, waterfall treks, horse-riding, etc. to keep you active and happy. El-Sabanero Eco Lodge and Believe Surd & Yoga are also quite popular Yoga retreats in Costa Rica.
Get in Shape – Fitness retreats are gaining popularity amongst the millennial travellers. The Ranch in Malibu, California is one of the most famous retreats in the world. With a guided fitness regime and calibrated nutrition, their program helps in maintaining and improving a traveller’s fitness in a sustainable way. Run Wild Retreats, spread all across the world, are small group retreats that help you in managing stress better through running. They promote mindful running, they teach you healthy running techniques and help you build a foundation of health.
Other resorts like Ananda in the Himalayas in India, Miraval Resort & Spa in Arizona, Lefay Resort & SPA Lago di Garda in Italy, Kamalaya in Thailand too offer unforgettable and transformative wellness experiences.
When you travel for Wellness, you put yourself, and your needs first, and that is as beautiful as it is necessary. So, rather than travelling just for social media bragging rights, or to tick off locations from a list, travel for a deeper purpose, travel for yourself, and not your followers.
Great post 😁