TripAdvisor®, the travel planning and booking site, today announced the top wellness travel destinations around the globe. TripAdvisor identified zen destinations where travellers can retreat to focus on well-being, yoga, meditation and self-care based on destinations seeing the greatest amount of related search terms on TripAdvisor.
Wellness tourism is a growing trend where travellers are seeking health and spiritual wellness on their trips. According to a study by the Global Wellness Institute* world travellers made 691 million wellness trips in 2015, 104.4 million more than in 2013. The trend continues, with 25 percent of travellers saying they plan to take a wellness trip in the next 12 months, according to a recent poll of TripAdvisor’s global Facebook community.
“For travellers looking to improve their spiritual or physical health, or just an escape for digital detox, these destinations offer a wide variety of zen accommodations and experiences to revitalise the soul,” said Brooke Ferencsik, senior director of communications for TripAdvisor.
To help travellers on their journey to feeling centred, TripAdvisor also surfaced highly rated spa hotels, wellness experiences and healthy restaurants for maximum mind and body harmony.
Top 10 Global Wellness Destinations
The island of the gods is a tropical paradise where you start to unwind the minute you arrive. Whether you soak up the sun on a stretch of fine white sand, dive along coral ridges or invigorate your mind and body in a yoga class you will return home a new-born person.
- Spa Hotel: Warwick Ibah Luxury Villas & Spa, Ubud – from $251 on TripAdvisor
- Wellness Experience: Ubud Yoga House
- Healthy Restaurant: Moksa Plant-based Cuisine & Permaculture Garden, Ubud
The holy city in the middle of the Himalayas has a deep cultural and spiritual significance for local Hindus. Take a yoga retreat to pamper your soul or switch it off and take a reflective hike or an adventure rafting tour.
- Spa Hotel: Aloha On The Ganges by Leisure Hotels – from $119 on TripAdvisor
- Wellness Experience: Yoganga Healing Retreat
- Healthy Restaurant: Ramana’s Organic Cafe
Located in the middle of the Arizona desert, Sedona is a true oasis where vacationers can take time out to re-charge batteries. Indulge in the beautiful nature and make sure not to go to bed too early. When the sun goes down, you can see the best show in Sedona: the starry night sky.
- Spa Hotel: Kimpton Amara Resort & Spa – from $374 on TripAdvisor
- Wellness Experience: Sedona Soul SPA
- Healthy Restaurant: Indian Gardens Cafe & Market
Located in the middle of the largest concentration of mineral springs in Australia, Hepburn Springs is known as spa town. Visitors can sample the local mineral waters and enjoy spa or massage retreats.
- Spa Hotel: Shizuka Ryokan Japanese Country Spa Retreat – from $251 on TripAdvisor
- Wellness Experience: Hepburn Mineral Springs Reserve
- Healthy Restaurant: The Surly Goat
The charm of this former fishing community lingers. Zone out by soaking up the local culture, visiting a Buddhist temple or spending a lazy day at one of the many spas.
- Spa Hotel: Vana Belle, A Luxury Collection Resort, Koh Samui– from $454 on TripAdvisor
- Wellness Experience: Tamarind Springs Forest Spa
- Healthy Restaurant: Supattra Thai Dining
Travellers looking for a place to improve mental and physical well-being should think about Costa Rica as their next destination. Experience relaxation techniques such as body wraps or hydrotherapy or put yourself in close contact with nature by trekking or walking barefoot on the sand.
- Spa Hotel: Nayara Springs – from $719 on TripAdvisor
- Wellness Experience: Tabacon Hot Springs
- Healthy Restaurant: Organico Fortuna
Unwinding on Goa’s sandy coast is a perfect start to a detox vacation. Start your day with a yoga class or nestle into a cushioned chair and stop worrying about your daily routine before diving into the culture with a traditional cooking class.
- Spa Hotel: Park Hyatt Goa Resort and Spa – from $198 on TripAdvisor
- Wellness Experience: Rita's Gourmet Goa
- Healthy Restaurant: Zest
A car-free village, luxurious chalets that offer a variety of spa treatments and breathtaking nature – doesn’t that sound like a place to rejuvenate? You can find all of that when visiting Zermatt, at the foot of the Matterhorn. Simply looking at the iconic mountain will let the healing begin.
- Spa Hotel: The Omnia – from $422 on TripAdvisor
- Wellness Experience: The Matterhorn
- Healthy Restaurant: Restaurant Chez Vrony
Picture yourself sitting in a cozy beach chair, putting your sandy feet up after taking a soothing walk along a white beach on one of the enchanting islands of the Maldives. If you need more than a daydream to start feeling at ease, you should put a visit on your wellness bucket list.
- Spa Hotel: Baros Maldives – from $813 on TripAdvisor
- Wellness Experience: Duniye Spa
- Healthy Restaurant: Just Veg by Atmosphere
Far away from the buzzing party spots, you will find yoga retreats in traditional farmhouse locations. Or you can stay at one of the many beautiful seaside resorts and enjoy a sunrise Pilates class. Not into yoga? There are spa hotels all over the island or rural Fincas for agricultural vacations.
- Spa Hotel: Ca Na Xica – from $479 on TripAdvisor
- Wellness Experience: Yoga Pilates Ibiza
- Healthy Restaurant: La Mesa Escondida
Methodology
Wellness destinations based on destinations seeing the greatest amount of related search terms on TripAdvisor, such as wellness, spiritual or yoga retreat. Spa hotels and wellness experiences are all highly rated on TripAdvisor.
Healthy restaurants based on those highly rated on TripAdvisor and popular for having Farm-to-Table, Healthy, Organic, Vegan or Vegetarian options.
Note to editors
* https://www.globalwellnessinstitute.org/press-room/statistics-and-facts/
