Wellness travel has evolved beyond the traditional hotel spa experience, offering travelers opportunities to immerse themselves in healthy habits, indulge in local cuisine, and engage in de-stressing or invigorating activities in pristine natural surroundings. These experiences allow us to recharge, reset, and bring home a fresh perspective on life.
For our annual Best of the World list, National Geographic’s global community of editors, writers, photographers, and explorers has selected the most innovative and exceptional destinations for relaxation and rejuvenation. Each of these spots offers a unique experience that can help you unwind and find a renewed sense of well-being.
From meditative hikes in lush forests to the calming presence of the ocean waves on pristine beaches, these destinations offer a perfect blend of tranquility and adventure. Explore wellness retreats that focus on holistic health practices and sustainable living, from yoga and meditation to nature therapy and spa treatments using local, natural ingredients.
Whether you choose a serene escape in the mountains or a tropical retreat by the sea, these exceptional places can help you tap into a new level of relaxation and rejuvenation. Let these experiences inspire you to embark on your own wellness journey and bring a fresh perspective back home.
U.S. & Canada
QC NY Spa, located on Governors Island in New York City, offers a unique day spa experience where visitors can indulge in wellness treatments while enjoying breathtaking views of the New York City skyline. The spa is housed in a 1930s army barracks and features a range of indoor and outdoor pools, saunas, and steam baths, providing a relaxing oasis just a quick ferry ride away from Manhattan.
Once you arrive on Governors Island, a car-free destination, you can explore the island by hiking or biking before your spa treatments. The natural beauty of the island, combined with the luxurious amenities at QC NY Spa, makes for a perfect day of relaxation and rejuvenation. Whether you choose a soothing massage or a refreshing dip in one of the pools, the experience is sure to leave you feeling refreshed and recharged.
Othership, Toronto, Canada
Othership, located in Toronto, Canada, offers a refreshing approach to wellness, particularly appealing to sober-curious travelers. Founder and CEO Robbie Bent drew from his own experiences in recovery to create a unique bathhouse experience that encourages guests to replace alcohol consumption with healthier, transformative activities.
The bathhouses, situated in Toronto’s Yorkville and Adelaide neighborhoods, offer a variety of ways to «shift your state» and promote well-being. Guests can enjoy steamy saunas and invigorating ice plunges, as well as engaging classes that focus on breath work, chants, and dancing to house music. These activities are designed to help participants find balance, relax, and rejuvenate.
Whether you’re seeking an alternative to traditional nightlife or simply looking for a unique wellness experience, Othership provides a welcoming and innovative space to connect with yourself and others.
Kosa Spa, Madison, Wisconsin
Kosa Spa, located in Madison, Wisconsin, is an artful Ayurvedic spa that offers guests a transformative wellness experience. One of its signature treatments is abhyanga, a full-body massage that utilizes two bowls’ worth of fragrant, warmed oil sourced from Kosa’s own line of skincare products.
Founder Shilpa Sankaran explains that the word for oil in Sanskrit is «sneha,» which also translates to the word «love.» As such, the treatment is about saturating the body in love, promoting deep relaxation and rejuvenation.
Situated in Madison’s historic Garver Feed Mill, Kosa Spa goes beyond traditional spa treatments by serving post-treatment seasonal foods and detoxifying teas. These offerings are created using the principles of Ayurveda, a 5,000-year-old wellness tradition that originated in India. The spa’s holistic approach helps guests restore balance and harmony to their bodies and minds.
Caribbean
Cayo Levantado Resort, Dominican Republic
Cayo Levantado Resort, located in the Dominican Republic, offers guests a unique wellness experience on a private island. Visitors can choose from four distinct wellness paths tailored to their preferences: «relax» (featuring yoga and meditation), «refresh» (incorporating boot camp sessions and adventurous hikes), and more.
Named for the Indigenous Taino word for whale, the resort’s thatch-roofed Yubarta center specializes in designing personalized physical and spiritual fitness programs for each guest. These programs aim to help visitors rejuvenate their bodies and minds through customized activities and experiences.
Amenta Wellness Journeys, Antigua and Barbuda
Amenta Wellness Journeys in Antigua and Barbuda offers daylong «nature walkabouts» around Antigua’s volcanic highlands, providing guests with a chance to immerse themselves in the island’s natural beauty. Hike to the top of Green Castle Hill, and then enjoy a yoga class and vegan picnic on Seaforth Beach.
Founders Ashante Lindsay and Malique «King» Williams designed the tours to introduce guests and residents alike to lesser-known parts of the island. Lindsay emphasizes the relaxed, local feel of the experience: «We spend a beautiful day sharing stories, eating, and liming [hanging out] like a local.» These tours offer a unique blend of outdoor adventure, mindfulness, and cultural immersion.
Rockhouse Hotel, Negril, Jamaica
Rockhouse Hotel in Negril, Jamaica, has introduced a unique wellness experience at its new wellness pavilion. The resort offers two-hour meditative sessions that incorporate psilocybin, a psychedelic mushroom known for its temporary mind- and senses-enhancing effects. Jamaica is one of the few countries in the world where the hallucinogenic mushroom is legal.
The sessions begin in the hotel’s lush garden, where participants eat a chocolate square infused with psilocybin. They are then guided through breath work and an immersive sound bath, created by a therapist who uses brass bowls and other instruments to produce soothing sounds. This transformative experience aims to elevate relaxation and promote mindfulness in a serene, natural setting.
Mexico & Central and South America
Banyan Tree Veya Valle de Guadalupe, Baja California, México
Banyan Tree Veya Valle de Guadalupe is a luxury resort located in Baja California, Mexico, within the country’s largest wine region. The resort emphasizes wellness with Banyan Tree’s signature «eight pillars of well-being» approach, which includes rest, mindfulness, and nourishment.
Guests can relax and rejuvenate with massages and hydrotherapy treatments that incorporate local medicinal plants such as hoja santa and white sage. The resort also offers movement and grounding rituals to enhance the overall wellness experience.
The property features 30 bungalows designed by modernist Mexican architect Michel Rojkind, providing a stylish and comfortable retreat. Additionally, guests can enjoy wine tasting at the onsite winery, where Grenache grapes grown in the region are blended into delicious wines.
Conveniently located just a 90-minute drive from the United States border, Banyan Tree Veya Valle de Guadalupe offers a serene and luxurious escape for those seeking relaxation and wellness in a beautiful natural setting.
The Shack, José Ignacio, Uruguay
The Shack is a yoga center located in the upscale beach town of José Ignacio, Uruguay. Known for its sea-to-table restaurants and thriving wine scene, José Ignacio offers a picturesque setting for a rejuvenating wellness retreat.
At The Shack, yoga teachers offer classes in both English and Spanish, making it accessible to a diverse range of visitors. The center recently relocated to the Bahia Vik resort on Mansa Beach, allowing American-Uruguayan owner Isabella Channing to host weeklong themed retreats, such as February’s «Yoga for Bad People.»
Classes at The Shack are held three times a day in a barn-like, wood-lined studio with stunning views of the wild Atlantic Ocean. The peaceful atmosphere and beautiful surroundings provide an ideal environment for participants to deepen their yoga practice and immerse themselves in the serenity of the natural setting.
Hotel Nantipa, Santa Teresa, Costa Rica
Hotel Nantipa is a new hotel and retreat located in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica, on the Nicoya Peninsula—a region known as one of the world’s five Blue Zones due to its residents’ longevity and healthy lifestyle. The hotel embraces this designation by providing guests with an immersive experience focused on well-being and connection with nature.
The hotel’s restaurant serves fish- and veggie-forward cuisine, highlighting the fresh and healthful ingredients available in the region. Guests can participate in yoga classes on the sandy beach, offering a serene backdrop for practice.
The accommodations at Hotel Nantipa are designed to promote relaxation, with guest rooms decorated using natural wood and stone elements. Massages are available in open-air cabanas, allowing guests to unwind in the tranquil surroundings.
For those seeking adventure and nature, guided hikes to the nearby Montezuma waterfall provide an opportunity to explore the local environment. Additionally, guests can participate in volunteer opportunities at a turtle hatchery, where they can identify nest locations or assist baby terrapins as they make their way to the ocean.
Overall, Hotel Nantipa offers guests a holistic retreat experience in one of the world’s most beautiful and health-conscious regions.
Europe
Six Senses Rome Spa, Rome, Italy.
Six Senses Rome Spa, located in Rome, Italy, offers a modern take on ancient bathing rituals. Guests can enjoy a luxurious experience dipping in and out of a caldarium (hot pool), tepidarium (warm pool), and frigidarium (cold pool) to help relieve jet lag and soothe tired feet after a day of exploring Rome’s historic cobblestone streets.
The spa is situated within a 15th-century palazzo near the iconic Trevi Fountain. Inside, the treatment and meditation rooms are surrounded by elegant columns and marble-lined spaces, providing a sense of opulence and tranquility. The spa’s programming includes sound baths, yoga sessions, and opportunities to mix potions with a local alchemist, blending tradition with modern wellness practices.
Six Senses Rome Spa is an oasis of relaxation and rejuvenation in the heart of the Eternal City, offering a unique wellness experience inspired by ancient Roman traditions.
Forest Lagoon, Akureyri, Iceland
Forest Lagoon, located in Akureyri, Iceland, is a new thermal day spa that offers visitors a steamy retreat from the cold weather in northern Iceland. The spa’s tree-framed hot spring pools overlook Eyjafjörður, one of the longest fjords in the country, providing stunning views and a serene environment.
The spa’s geometric wood-clad buildings house a Finnish-style sauna and a restaurant serving a selection of locally inspired dishes such as smoked fish and pastries. The cozy restaurant is centered around a circular fireplace, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere for guests to enjoy.
Forest Lagoon serves as the perfect complement to Akureyri’s adventure offerings, such as whale watching and hiking to icy waterfalls, by providing a relaxing and soothing experience for visitors to unwind after a day of exploring the natural wonders of northern Iceland.
Göta Canal Trail, Sweden
The Göta Canal Trail in Sweden offers cyclists a picturesque journey through southern Sweden’s beautiful Blå Band (blue ribbon) region. This new 137-mile (220 km) biking trail follows the Göta Canal, a 19th-century waterway that connects the Baltic coast to Vänern Lake, one of the largest lakes in Europe.
Along the trail, cyclists can pedal past rural farms, crumbling castles, and historic locks, offering a blend of scenic landscapes and cultural attractions. Renting a bicycle from Sustainable Stella or joining a guided trip allows for a convenient and eco-friendly adventure.
As cyclists follow the canal, they can enjoy watching boats pass through the locks, interact with local sheep, and take breaks at charming cafés along the way. Anna Adolfsson, marketing coordinator for the Göta Canal Company, notes that cycling is one of the best ways to appreciate the canal and its surroundings. The trail’s gentle terrain and stunning scenery make it a delightful experience for cyclists of all skill levels.
Bad Ischl, Austria
Bad Ischl, located in the Salzkammergut region of Austria, rose to prominence as a wellness destination in the 1800s due to its rich salt deposits, which have been mined for more than 7,000 years. The therapeutic properties of salt made Bad Ischl’s spa hotels popular among those seeking health and relaxation. Today, visitors can still enjoy the mineral-rich waters at the town’s spa hotels.
In addition to wellness experiences, Bad Ischl offers ample opportunities for outdoor adventures. The BergeSeen Trail, a 230-mile (370 km) network of hikes, traverses the region’s mountains and takes hikers through stunning alpine landscapes, offering breathtaking views of peaks and valleys. During the winter months, visitors can partake in snowshoeing and ice-diving in the crystal-clear, frigid waters of Lake Attersee.
Bad Ischl’s combination of historical wellness traditions and natural beauty makes it an appealing destination for those seeking rejuvenation and adventure. As a European Capital of Culture for 2024, Bad Ischl will continue to showcase its unique heritage and attractions to visitors from around the world.
Middle East & Africa
Kisawa Sanctuary, Benguerra Island, Mozambique
Kisawa Sanctuary, located on Benguerra Island in Mozambique, offers a luxurious wellness experience in the heart of the Indian Ocean. The resort’s thatch-roofed wellness center draws inspiration from Mozambique’s multicultural history, offering a range of treatments such as facials with local coconut oil, Indian Ayurvedic massages, and Chinese foot reflexology.
Guests can participate in yoga and tai chi sessions, which promote physical and mental relaxation, as well as embark on guided hikes to discover the island’s rich natural beauty and diverse wildlife. Benguerra Island is home to around 150 local bird species, including the vibrant lilac-breasted roller and the distinctive curlew sandpiper.
Founder Nina Flohr’s vision for Kisawa Sanctuary is centered on fostering a sense of «reconnecting, rather than disconnecting,» allowing guests to immerse themselves in the natural surroundings and cultural heritage of the region. This unique approach to wellness and relaxation creates a truly memorable experience for visitors seeking rejuvenation and a deeper connection with the world around them.
Zulal Wellness Resort by Chiva-Som, Al Ruwais, Qatar
Zulal Wellness Resort by Chiva-Som, located in Al Ruwais, Qatar, is the largest spa resort in the Middle East, covering three million square feet. The resort offers a range of holistic treatments that combine Traditional Arabic and Islamic Medicine (TAIM) with modern wellness techniques. Among the treatments offered are the Al-Batin, a stomach massage designed to aid digestion, and the Al Ras, a jade stone rubdown that targets the head and abdomen.
«We’re targeting mind, body, and spirit by assisting with stress, negativity, and releasing tension,» says Bibi Ayesha Lockhat, a Traditional Arabic and Islamic Medicine specialist at the Qatari resort.
In addition to these specialized treatments, Zulal Wellness Resort offers wellness programs aimed at families, including nature walks and cultural storytelling. The resort aims to provide a comprehensive wellness experience that supports guests in achieving overall balance and rejuvenation. Through the blend of traditional and modern practices, the resort caters to the diverse wellness needs of its visitors.
Asia
Kamalaya, Koh Samui, Thailand
Kamalaya, located on the white sand beaches of Koh Samui, Thailand’s second-largest island, has been offering Asian healing programs focused on spiritual health for 40 years. This renowned wellness retreat combines traditional healing practices from various Asian cultures to promote holistic well-being.
Kamalaya’s new initiative, Radiant Bliss, specifically targets women’s health issues such as fertility and menopause. The program includes a variety of treatments, such as traditional Chinese cupping and Indian Ayurvedic shirodara, where warm oil is gently dripped onto the forehead to induce deep relaxation.
«We also teach effective ways to better care for your health once you return home,» says founder and chief wellness officer Karina Stewart. Kamalaya provides guests with the tools and knowledge to maintain their well-being beyond their stay, emphasizing the importance of self-care and mindfulness practices that can be integrated into daily life. Through this approach, Kamalaya aims to empower women to achieve long-lasting wellness and a higher quality of life.
Soulshine, Bali, Indonesia
Soulshine, a new «sound and wellness resort» nestled in the lush tropical gardens of Bali, Indonesia, embraces the healing power of music through a variety of experiences such as concerts, DJ dance parties, and musical meditation. Founded by American funk and soul artist Michael Franti, the boutique hotel was created «for the seeker, adventurer, and soul rocker in each of us,» offering travelers a sense of togetherness and introspection in picturesque surroundings.
Guests can find tranquility in a serene rice field, within the yoga room, or on the dance floor. The resort’s guest rooms are named after legendary musical icons like Prince and David Bowie and are decorated with local textiles and outfitted with top-of-the-line Marshall speakers for an immersive audio experience.
In addition to musical and wellness experiences, the resort’s spa provides yoga sessions and Balinese massages. For the adventurous, there are opportunities to go biking or hiking on nearby Mt. Batur, making Soulshine a destination that combines music, wellness, and nature for a truly holistic experience.
Adventure Therapy Treks, India
Adventure Therapy Treks in India offer a unique approach to personal wellness by combining guided group hikes with meditation and mindfulness in the picturesque foothills of the Himalayas. These new multiday treks are led by licensed therapists and are designed to provide participants with short, immersive experiences that energize and refresh them for their journey.
Program leader Izzat Yaganagi describes these treks as offering «the energy lift required to take you on your journey.» The trips incorporate elements of shinrin yoku, or Japanese forest bathing, blending the therapeutic benefits of immersing oneself in nature with physically challenging hikes that lead to heart-pumping summits. Additionally, participants engage in journaling and one-on-one talk therapy sessions to help process their experiences and gain a deeper understanding of their thoughts and emotions.
This combination of adventure, therapy, and mindfulness in the breathtaking landscape of the Himalayas makes Adventure Therapy Treks a transformative experience that fosters holistic well-being and personal growth.
Australia, New Zealand & South Pacific
The Great Rides Network, Rotorua, New Zealand
The Great Rides Network in Rotorua, New Zealand, has expanded with the addition of new cycle trails that offer cyclists fresh experiences in some of the country’s most scenic areas. The network first launched in 2010 and continues to grow, providing opportunities for riders of all levels to explore the natural beauty and cultural heritage of New Zealand.
One of the new additions is the Whakarewarewa Forest Loop, a 20-mile-long trail that leads mountain bikers through lush native forest and alongside California redwoods. Cyclists can take in the diverse flora and fauna, as well as keep an eye out for Māori carvings that highlight the region’s cultural significance.
Another recent addition is the Lake Dunstan Trail, a 27-mile-long route that traverses the Cromwell Gorge, an area steeped in history as a former thoroughfare for Māori hunters, farmers, and gold miners. Interpretive signs along the trail provide educational insights into the region’s history and landscape.
These new trails enhance the Great Rides Network, offering cyclists the chance to experience the stunning landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and outdoor adventures that New Zealand is known for.
Cunnamulla Hot Springs, Queensland, Australia
Cunnamulla Hot Springs in Queensland, Australia, offers visitors a unique wellness experience set in the heart of the Australian Outback. The retreat is situated along the Warrego River and features seven hot-spring pools that draw water from the Great Artesian Basin, one of the world’s largest and deepest underground freshwater resources. These hot springs are known for their therapeutic and rejuvenating properties.
Surrounding the springs are lush gardens that provide a serene atmosphere for relaxation. The gardens are also the site of frequent food and storytelling events hosted by local Indigenous groups. These events offer visitors an opportunity to learn about the culture, traditions, and history of the local First Nations peoples.
Paul Harper-Green, a local tourism advocate, emphasizes that the hot springs serve as a hub for wellness and the transfer of cultural understanding between the local First Nations peoples and visitors. This unique combination of natural relaxation and cultural immersion makes Cunnamulla Hot Springs a destination worth exploring for those seeking a rejuvenating and enriching experience in the Australian Outback.
Bora Hiking Explorer, Bora Bora, French Polynesia
Bora Hiking Explorer offers the first-ever guided hikes on the idyllic island of Bora Bora in French Polynesia. These excursions take visitors through the island’s lush landscapes and rich history, providing a unique perspective on the natural beauty and cultural heritage of this South Pacific paradise.
The hikes pass by ancient temples, revealing the island’s deep-rooted spiritual history. Additionally, travelers can explore historic sites related to World War II, such as old bunkers and remnants from the conflict, offering insight into the island’s role during the war. As guests traverse the jungle trails, they are surrounded by vibrant flowers and lush vegetation.
Django Edwards, the guide, provides an enriching experience by introducing travelers to local tropical fruits directly from the trees and sharing captivating stories and legends from the region. His goal is not just to guide visitors on a walk, but also to offer an opportunity for learning, sharing, and enjoying the adventure. Through these excursions, Edwards helps visitors gain a deeper understanding of Polynesian culture while having fun and connecting with the natural beauty of Bora Bora.