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.
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.
- Ute Junker
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.
- Ute Junker
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.
- Julie Miller
Diagnosed with severe stress, I managed to unwind thanks to this resort
Stripped down to my underwear, I’m standing in front of a machine that resembles a plush, white Tardis.
- Jordan Baker
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.
- Emily McAuliffe
Rainforest retreat gives frazzled urbanites a place to escape the daily grind
Here’s a camp challenging burnout culture by providing rest and restoration in an immersive nature retreat, where all the work is done for you.
- Nina Karnikowski
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.
- Penny Watson
The unique natural feature that powers New Zealand’s biggest spa
Rotorua’s Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa is a calming retreat that blends Maori cultural traditions and geothermal water.
- Tatyana Leonov
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.
- Penny Watson
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.
- Brian Johnston
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.
- Julie Miller
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.
- Lee Tulloch
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.
- Ute Junker
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.
- Belinda Jackson
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.
- Louise Southerden
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.
- Ben Groundwater
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.
- Andrew Bain
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.
- Paul Chai
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'.
- Nina Karnikowski
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.
- Penny Watson
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".
- Lee Tulloch
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.
- Dilvin Yasa
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.
- Nina Karnikowski