5 Wellness Retreats Worth Travelling For From the Alps to the Maldives

Days ago, I was listening to a wellness podcast talking about how sitting for long hours is slowly killing us. Ironic, I thought since I was sitting on a park bench listening to it.

A few days earlier, a friend had told me he was planning his next vacation at a wellness retreat. Lately, it has struck me how completely wellness has colonised our vocabulary and, increasingly, our lives. It has become a status symbol to be able to afford a good life. We're obsessively fixated on counting our steps, optimising our sleep. tracking our heart rates, even surviving through cold-plunges to make ourselves mentally and physiological healthier.

A wellness retreat combines that need for luxury of a holiday with need for wellness perfectly. It brings together everything we increasingly crave from a getaway: better sleep, good food, movement, mindfulness and, ideally, a few days away from the relentless hum of everyday life.

From Ayurvedic escapes and holistic health resorts to longevity programmes, meditation retreats in Maldives and alpine hideaways, there is now a wellness retreat for almost every kind of reset. If you’re looking for the best wellness retreats to book for your next holiday, these are the destinations worth putting on your radar.

Situated at The Palace Estate in Sakalana in Uttarakhand, Ananda In The Himalayas offers holistic wellbeing and traditional Ayurvedic techniques to help your emotional and physical wellbeing.

Surrounded by forest and overlooking the Ganges Valley, this tranquil spa resort is 25 km from Rajaji National Park and 30 km from Parmarth Niketan Hindu temple. Ananda in the Himalayas was founded by Ashok and Neelam Khanna and is guided by executive leadership and international wellness seekers. The luxury sanctuary has famously attracted international celebrities, spiritual leaders, and royals on wellness journeys, including Oprah Winfrey, King Charles (UK) and more.

Chiva-Som, Hua Hin is your tropical home by the sea, a tranquil Thailand resort where you can experience a holistic approach that supports meaningful life change. 

Surrounded by the beauty of Hua Hin district's coastal environment, the sanctuary offers a one-of-a-kind and enriching experience. From Kick Boxing to yoga to Cell Vitality retreat, Chiva-Som has over 12 different retreats under one hub for your to experience.

The SHA Wellness Clinic in Alicante in Spain ranks as one of the absolute best global wellness and longevity retreats, specialising in advanced diagnostics and integrative health. A perfect place to detox from your stressful everyday routine,The SHA Wellness Clinic combines advanced preventive medicine with lifestyle optimisation in a setting designed to support recovery, transformation and long-term wellbeing.

Nestled between the Sierra Helada Natural Park and the Mediterranean Sea in El Albir, Alicante, the wellness retreat is roughly a 45-minute drive from Alicante International Airport and features 93 minimalist, luxury suites and residences with panoramic sea or mountain views.

Famed for pioneering longevity diagnostics, cellular therapy, and preventative health programmes set against Lake Geneva in Montreux,, Clinique La Prairie in Switzerland is a world-renowned institution founded in 1931 by Dr. Paul Niehans, a pioneer of cellular therapy.

Guests receive deep health assessments, including advanced genetic testing, DNA diagnostics, and biomarker tracking perched on the shores of Lake Geneva with views of the Alps. The retreat centre has also extended its base in Phuket, Anji, and Amaala.

Named after the forest we take refuge in, Six Senses Vana in Dehradun aims to protect and nurture, providing space to discover and flourish. Ayurveda, Yoga, Tibetan Medicine, and Natural Healing Therapies combine with a kind-hearted team and personalized support.

Six Senses retreat in Dehradun includes full-board accommodation with all meals provided and prepared with guided nutrition; daily retreat activities such as yoga, meditation, workshops, and functional fitness; wellness consultation and screening; daily treatments; airport transfers; and attire to wear.

Located on Bodufushi Island in Raa Atoll, JOALI BEING takes travellers of all ages on a transformative journey to discovering the Joy of Well-living. The programmes at JOALI BEING focus on mind, skin, microbiome, and energy to give guests a true feeling of physical and mental weightlessness and features unique facilities like KAASHI (hydrotherapy hall), SEDA (sound therapy hall), and an interactive Discovery Sound Path.