Wellness & spas

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Wellness & spas
Holiday guide

Wellness & spas

Don’t just take time out from your life – change it by heading to one of these feel-good destinations. Switch off, relax and make lasting improvements with these unique getaways.

Steaming geysers, icy glaciers and black sand beaches are just some of the otherworldly sights that will leave you astounded in Iceland.

Breathe easy: The world’s 15 greatest feel-good destinations

Whether it is down to their exhilarating outdoor activities, their deep spiritual practices or their awe-inspiring beauty, these places are guaranteed to get you feeling good.

  • by Ute Junker
Ten incredible, life-changing wellness resorts

Ten incredible, life-changing wellness resorts

No longer just about taking time out, wellness resorts increasingly aim to help you make lasting improvements to your life.

  • by Ute Junker
Treat yourself: Australia’s 10 best hotel spas

Treat yourself: Australia’s 10 best hotel spas

Unless I specifically ask for an air fryer or a mini chainsaw, this is what I desire – time to myself, and to be pampered.

  • by Julie Miller
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Gwinganna has the largest spa in the southern hemisphere.

This Australian retreat aims to extend your lifespan. I gave it a try

The fountain of youth may be a myth, but this Queensland resort wants to teach you to build your own.

  • by Emily McAuliffe
Soulshine Bali, Ubud.

How Bali became the world’s best place to rejuvenate and relax

After the pandemic, Bali has become entrenched as a destination focused on the importance of self-care.

  • by Penny Watson
Traveller cover - solo travel by Kristie Kellahan
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credit: Escape Haven Bali(handout photo supplied via PRjanaya@swaycommunications.com.au for use in Traveller, no syndication)
Escape Haven Bali

This women-only resort lets guests break free from domestic drudgery

Part of the philosophy of this resort’s women-only wellness retreats is for guests to give themselves permission to be completely nurtured and cared for.

  • by Penny Watson
Bathing pool at Kurokawa onsen.

The hidden Japanese town that time forgot

Big hotels are banned and the buildings that are here are camouflaged in a dense valley of trees.

  • by Brian Johnston
Architecture blends in, rather than competes, with the lush surrounds.

Can’t sleep? This retreat has a dreamy solution

Whether stressed or simply tired, a retreat in the misty heights of Sri Lanka may be just what the doctor ordered.

  • by Julie Miller
RAKxa  ... not your everyday spa.

Forget simple massages, this Thai retreat will set you on fire (literally)

The Thai doctor sets fire to my belly, and I don’t even flinch.

  • by Lee Tulloch
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Handout image supplied by <Merryn.Skipper@ccc.govt.nz> for use in Traveller
jan8cover wellness 2022 ; text by Ute Junker
Sunrise soak at He Puna Taimoana Christchurch Hot Pools New Zealand 

13 health retreats and spas using a science-based approach

Wellness resorts around the world are reporting a spike in bookings. After the year (make that two years) we've all experienced it's hardly surprising.

  • by Ute Junker
How Victoria became the spa star of Australia

How Victoria became the spa star of Australia

Run your finger along a map of Victoria’s coast, and you’ll find aquifers aplenty. Immerse yourself fully in our essential guide to its Steamy Seven.

  • by Belinda Jackson
Lesson one for a Turkish bath: Leave your undies on

Lesson one for a Turkish bath: Leave your undies on

Hammams have been experiencing a resurgence recently as spa-like retreats, particularly in Antalya. Here’s our guide to visiting them.

  • by Louise Southerden
This Japanese town is like one giant onsen

This Japanese town is like one giant onsen

Foreign tourists and domestic travellers alike come to Kinosaki's onsen to connect with traditional Japanese culture.

  • by Ben Groundwater
If you think Tasmania seems cold, try this

If you think Tasmania seems cold, try this

If nature is the ultimate wellness, this collection of chalets, cabins and glamping tents, is a promising foundation.

  • by Andrew Bain
Alba is a restorative thermal springs of Brutalist beauty.

What to expect at Alba Thermal Springs and Spa, Mornington Peninsula

If there is one thing better than diving into a restorative thermal spring, it is diving into a Karen Martini poke bowl.

  • by Paul Chai
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Not a hotel, but ‘a place for new beginnings’

Not a hotel, but ‘a place for new beginnings’

India's Mandala Retreat Home characterises itself as 'a place to practice rituals that blossom consciousness and remind us of who we are'.

  • by Nina Karnikowski
This harsh environment is surprisingly relaxing

This harsh environment is surprisingly relaxing

Iceland is an astonishing place where the land bubbles and trembles, flows and erupts, smokes and mists, and it’s surprisingly nurturing.

  • by Penny Watson
This Tassie spot tops ‘hot list’ for wilderness wellness

This Tassie spot tops ‘hot list’ for wilderness wellness

Tasmania's Lake St Clair may be one of the world's best destinations to lose oneself in nature and go "wilderness seeking".

  • by Lee Tulloch
The health benefits of holidaying with animals

The health benefits of holidaying with animals

There's no denying the joy that comes with seeing creatures in their natural environment. Best of all, there won't be a single mangled shoe in sight.

  • by Dilvin Yasa
The retreat’s sauna.

Can a wellness retreat cure a midlife crisis? I gave it a try

My friend and I are in prime existential crisis territory, since we’re both celebrating our 40th birthdays this year.

  • by Nina Karnikowski