Everyone can use an extra TLC these days. We’ve all been through a lot in the past year. Prioritizing self care has become more important than ever. When it comes to planning that much needed trip (for when it’s safe of course), a wellness vacation is the perfect style of travel for your mind, body and spirit.
What is a Wellness Vacation?
A wellness vacation has an itinerary targeted at boosting your health and well-being through physical, mental and spiritual activities. Unlike a generic vacation where buffets and happy hours are your daily routine, a wellness vacation will leave you feeling actually refreshed and energized instead of tired and bloated. Yoga classes, spa getaways, surf camps or silent meditation retreats fall under this category. A wellness vacation allows you to travel the world while fuelling your healthy lifestyle…win-win!
Wellness travel isn’t anything new. In fact, this style of travel has been my preference since I started hopscotching around the globe 15+ years ago. I’ve stayed in an Ashram in India, participated in a yoga and self-development retreat in Belize, expanded my mind and moved my body at Envision Festival in Costa Rica, trained in Muai Thai in Thailand, and most recently completed a yoga and surf retreat also in Costa Rica. All of these experiences have given my travels more purpose. They’ve also helped me to grow into a healthier and calmer version of myself.
You Deserve a Wellness Vacation
You owe it to yourself and to the body that works so hard every single day. Whether you’re a parent, caretaker, older sibling or grandparent with dependants, it’s oh so common to forget to take care of ourselves. Am I right!? Since becoming a mother, I notice how easy it is to fall into a cycle of self-love deprivation. The truth is, we all could use more me-time. YOU deserve it! Truly. When you take care of yourself, you become a better caretaker for others.
This past week, I was at Lucero Surf Camp in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica. When I caught those waves, my mind locked into my body with the ocean. I wasn’t thinking about my daughter Kai (Lucero Surf Camp provides baby-sitters), my husband Siya, social media or any of life’s endless priorities. My mind was clear and present. I paddled out again. Waves crashed against my chest and face. My arms were exhausted, lips salted and eyes focused as I searched for my next ride to shore.
Paddle! Paddle! Pop-Up! Balance…balance…doing good….wipeout! Get up and do it again.
When I neglect my wellness, I notice my emotions run wild. I become irritable, anxious, tired, and not so nice to be around. So, if you need an extra push to take a wellness vacation, do it for your loved ones.
Can’t I Just Do This At Home?
Someone could argue that you don’t need to travel across the world to take a yoga class or try a little meditation. While this is true, wellness travel offers more than just what you may find down the street from your house. Separating yourself from familiar faces and places might be just the thing to deepen your wellness experience.
What If I’d Rather Not Travel Far?
That once-in-a-lifetime experience could happen closer to home. A wellness vacation can also be a staycation. Wellness travel also doesn’t have to be as grand as spending a weekend with the Dalai Llama. It can also be a spa getaway that involves staying at a luxurious resort, getting daily massage, spending afternoons in hot springs, getting that much needed facial and ordering room service every night. How good does that sound right about now? The beautiful part about this kind of wellness vacation is it can be done safely during a pandemic without needing to go to an airport or see many people. A wellness staycation vacation can still give you the getaway you desire and leave you feeling like a new person.
7 Comments
Lovely take. I am going to Kerela for an Ayurveda retreat and soon will have my own views on wellness cation.
YES! That sounds amazing. I love Kerela. Will you have time to explore other parts of India too?
I am an Indian and have already explored quite a lot of cities in India.
By the way, my Ayurveda retreat experience in Kerala was out of the world. Here is the post, in case you want to check out – https://bulbulonthewing.com/wellness-staycation-the-nattika-resort-kerala-india/
So true! I would love to here some of your fav family friendly well ness trips! Being a new mom, I feel so lost especially since we haven’t traveled much because of the pandemic. We’re both itching for a trip SO BAD!
Hi Giada! I hear you. I’ve often felt lost being a new mom and trying to balance time for myself and going things I enjoyed doing before becoming a mom. The just did a surf and yoga retreat in Santa Teresa (I mention it in the post), and they provided child care so Siya and I could surf together and not have to worry about Kai. It was such a treat! We will be exploring more wellness travel for families like this and continue sharing the experiences.
Love this post, it’s so true about how important a selfcare break is. It can be easy to get lost in the daily grind, being preoccupied within the to do’s mindset. A reminder that your mental health and wellbeing is so important, “body mind and spirit”
Yes! You get it. I bet you’re excited to more of this once you retire next month 🙂
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