Well-being

The average mum roughly gets about 17 minutes for herself every day, a study reveals [1]. This doesn’t come as a surprise because motherhood, while a source of joy and fulfillment, is a full-on 24/7 job. So, it’s a given, every mom deserves a healthy retreat — but not just any kind of getaway. What they need is now being dubbed as a ‘mumcation’, typically a two-day to a week’s worth of holidays without the kids, spent with friends or even better, other mums who understand the need for me time.

I've had quite a few spa experiences in my life but nothing quite so extraordinary as my visit to the famous Gastein Healing Caves in Austria. It was whilst I was on a wellness holiday at leading luxury spa, Grand Park.  One of their top physicians, Dr Liane Weber is one of the visiting consultants at the caves and consequently, Grand Park has the most fantastic Gastein Healing Cave Treatment Programme.

Travel is our passion and your well-being is our inspiration and as we begin a new chapter, our mission still remains—to improve lives through wellness travel. Throughout the years of delivering exceptional travel experiences with our wide range of healthy holidays, we strive to evolve in order to provide the best service and expand our offerings to meet the diverse needs of our customers.

Kick-start 2013 with a flexible approach to fitness. We launch our new Fusion Fitness™ Holidays created exclusively for clients looking for the perfect tailor-made luxury fitness holiday. Choose your ideal destination from the Far East to the Caribbean.

Take a short break away with a distinctly healthy approach designed to keep you active and improve your sense of well-being.We are pleased to introduce our new healthy breaks for people who are time pressured, burnt-out and in need a quick healthy getaway to recover.

Are you looking for the perfect place to recharge your batteries this New Year?  Or perhaps you would like to fulfil a New Year's resolution to get fit or lose weight? We recommend our top 5 healthy holidays to detox, get fit, lose weight, de-stress and re-energise.

Words: Dr. Ken Wong

We all lead very busy lives and this can lead to neglect of our diet and exercise habits.

Healthy eating combined with regular exercise is the best way to look and feel healthy inside and out. There are a lot of different healthy eating  diets available to try on a nutrition friendly retreat including juice detoxing, alkaline, raw, macrobiotic or an Ayurvedic diet, but despite their differences the same principle rules for eating healthily usually apply. There is no need to cut out your favourite foods to help you lose those pesky pounds, simply follow our advice below and know that cutting out some foods altogether can actually be bad for you.

What is Amatara and who’s it for?

Amatara is a place for anyone seeking to restore their inner balance. As a destination spa in Phuket, it offers luxe accommodation, and what the General Manager Eric refers to as a ‘middle way’ approach to wellness. For guests who love to indulge in 5 star resort facilities and enjoy fine dining, although would like to also immerse in a wellness program, Amatara is the place! The programs offer weight management, detox, relaxation, fitness, yoga or anti-ageing. Or you can simply enjoy the luxury resort setting, sit by the pool and chill out. There is no-one there to enforce guilt for not sticking to a program, digital detox or to refrain from drinking alcohol – the choice is yours to make. This approach works well, and I found the guests merged nicely particularly as there are areas focused on wellness if one would prefer to eat or relax there only. 

What is Thanyapura and who’s it for?

The question is, who isn’t it for? Thanyapura has something to offer everyone! You will be surrounded by world-class fitness facilities, an Integrative Health Centre plus a Wellness Centre, set amidst a lush tropical backdrop. Not to mention, an Olympic size swimming pool and multiple tennis courts (some shaded to protect you from the sun).

The success of Team GB at the London 2012 Olympics has boosted sales of health and fitness holidays and is set to continue. Active and wellness holiday experts Health and Fitness Travel has seen a remarkable increase in enquiry levels for tennis, water sportsand active breaks, demonstrating the nation's growing appetite to combine fitness and well-being by participating in exciting sports.

What is Forte Village and who’s it for?

Set in a 116-acre green park Forte Village is a rare place designed for both adults and children. The expansive resort stretches out across the white beaches of Sardinia’s south coast and is home to eight distinct hotels, an array of sports academies, shops, restaurants and entertainment facilities which are sure to keep the whole family entertained. This exquisite resort also offers the opportunity to discover nature’s most powerful detox at Acquaforte Thalasso and Spa where you can enjoy the ultimate spa holiday and wellness experience.

Having spent seven days in Thailand including a two night stopover in Bangkok, I was ready to begin my healthy holiday at Kamalaya in Koh Samui. Voted as Destination Spa of the Year in Asia and Favourite Spa in Thailand, I was looking forward to spending one week re-energising myself at this stunning Wellness Sanctuary and Holistic Spa. 

What is Six Senses Kaplankaya and who’s it for?

Nestled in a secluded bay along the magnificent southern Aegean coast, the luxurious Six Senses Kaplankaya offers the ultimate private retreat. If you’re looking for a high degree of personal comfort, exceptional service and the chance to indulge in a relaxing wellness break then Kaplankaya is the place for you. This Mediterranean gem opened in May 2018 and is the perfect healthy holiday destination for both adults and children looking to relax and rejuvenate in the Turkish sunshine.

From bootcamps to cycling breaks, a fitness holiday is guaranteed to help you shape up and get fit. Although you will be provided with all the advice and training you need when there, it is a good idea to prepare for your fitness holiday in advance. Working on your fitness levels and improving your diet before you head off will enable you to make the most out of your trip and ease into it without any problems. 

Physiotherapist and personal trainer Em Esslemont shares her quick and easy workout ideas to do on your next holiday. She's a fitness and food fanatic with the passion for helping others live a healthy lifestyle. She splits her time working on her health and fitness website, Wellbeing Worldwide and food blogging among many endeavors.

Tell us about the resort, what makes Ayii Anargyri special?  

Set in a beautiful, peaceful location in nature, surrounded by mountains is Ayii Anargyri Natural Healing Spa. I found Ayii Anargyi a particularly special place and as soon as I arrived I felt a deep sense of calm. It has a homely, unpretentious feel to it, I felt comfortable as soon as I arrived and would highly recommend it to solo travellers. It was a total joy to be able to visit and a special place that I hope to return to soon.

According to new research released today in the latest edition of The Psychologist, the positive effects of a holiday fade in just two weeks; however The Psychologist believes we should be taking more time off from work to keep us healthy and happy, but is this realistic?