The best Holistic Health Centres around the World can be found up mountains, on beaches in cities, and even in forests. If you need to relax and rejuvenate, we have 5 brilliant retreats that are both near and far from home.
Indulge for the day, or heal your soul over a week, in a community of like-minded people. Whatever your preference, here are our top picks:
1. SOUKYA International Holistic Health Centre
SOUKYA International Holistic Health Centre offers retreats of varying lengths in their International Holistic Health Centre in Bangalore, India. This retreat is popular with HRH The Prince of Wales and HRH Camilla the Duchess of Cornwall and Hollywood Actress Emma Thompson. In fact, they keep going back. Camilla has been five times and Archbishop Desmond Tutu has been three times.
SOUKYA is owned and managed by world-renowned holistic health practitioner Dr. Mathai who has treated guests from over 100 countries, and it is also host to some of the best medical doctors and therapies from around the world. SOUKYA is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Soukhyam’ which means wellbeing and a harmonious state of mind, body, and spirit.
This Holistic Health Centre offers traditional Indian cures for conditions including hay fever and diabetes and strives to “restore the natural balance of your mind, body and spirit”. This unique facility treats medical and wellness conditions by integrating traditional and time-tested systems of medicine such as Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Yoga, massage, and Naturopathy and over 30 complementary therapies like Reflexology, Acupressure, Acupuncture, and Dietetics. At the more hardcore end is the three-week-long ayurvedic detox involving enforced vomiting, enemas and leech therapy.
This exclusive residential facility lies on a 30-acre certified organic eco-friendly farm and has been built in a traditional Indian architectural style with South Indian inner courtyards. Each structure, including the spacious rooms with private gardens, and have been built to promote wellness of the mind, body, and spirit.
SOUKYA International Holistic Health Centre lies in beautiful in Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka in South India (about 50 minutes from the airport). It’s known for its warm climate throughout the year as it is located 900m above sea level. The area enjoys stunning lush greenery with flowering trees in bloom right throughout the year, which has earned the city the title of ‘The Garden City of India’. It is also known as the ‘Silicon Valley of India’, making this cosmopolitan young city a very popular destination indeed.
2. BEAUTIFUL NOMAD Oaxaca Retreat
On the Pacific Coast of Oaxaca is BEAUTIFUL NOMAD Retreat, a 5-night fully immersive retreat offering holistic rituals and mindfulness. This retreat is set in neighboring beach homes which fuse clean, concrete geometry with the lush environment and the sandy beach.
Oaxaca is often referred to as Mexico’s ‘last coast’. The rugged Sierra Sur mountains serve as a backdrop to a jagged coastline of beautiful bays and inlets. This retreat includes leisurely dips in the pool and the sea and daily adventures along this truly majestic stretch of coastline.
Guests will enjoy traditional Oaxacan cuisine with a hippy flair as well as a cooking class with their private chef. Classes include Pilates with Colleen Ferguson of Atwill Pilates, Chinese Medicine infused yoga and resistance stretching with Bonnie Crotzer. Local tradition is celebrated with an artisanal workshop, colorful markets, and a Temazcal cleansing ceremony.
3. BEAUTIFUL NOMAD Mallorca Retreat
BEAUTIFUL NOMAD also offers a Mallorca Retreat in a converted 13th-century monastery tucked high in the hillside amidst Mallorca’s stunning Tramuntana mountain range, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
They say: “The thick stone walls, pebbled floors, beamed ceilings, cozy communal spaces, tiered outdoor terraces and pool . . . every last altar, tabletop, and nook creating beautiful, almost sacred vignettes. The historic monastery is surrounded by cascades of ancient olive groves and boasts some of the most breathtaking views of the Mediterranean.”
This six-night stay at Son Rullan is near the charming village of Deià where you can dip in and out of art galleries, taste the local fare, and make your way down to the emerald-hued calas, or coves, for that perfect afternoon swim.
Activities include Pilates classes with Colleen Ferguson of Atwill Pilates, Chinese Medicine infused yoga and resistance stretching with Bonnie Crotzer, and a creative workshop with a local artist.
4. Mama Medicine Retreat
Our Mama Medicine Retreat top pick is her Italian Retreat based in the sacred Mottarone mountain range. Wake up every morning to the healing power of the sun, the calming water of Lake D’orta, and the nurture of the wooded mountainside.
Here, you will be among the elements, breathing in sacred air, walking on sacred ground, sleeping under the sacred sky. In this extraordinary landscape, Mama Medicine will harness the elements to guide us through an immersive and expanded version of her Medicine Readings, shamanic ceremonies that integrate ancient healing traditions for modern life.
5. Aman: A Mindful and Cultural Journey
Finally Aman hotels have embraced the retreat offering with A Mindful and Cultural Journey. Up to 18 guests can join this exclusive expedition across Asia, traveling west from China to Bhutan and India, then south to Sri Lanka by private jet and staying exclusively in Aman properties.
Experience the dynamic vibrancy of Shanghai and the peace of a Zen-infused camphor forest on its fringes; breathe in the pristine air of the Himalaya’s sole-remaining Buddhist Kingdom as you explore Bhutan’s forested valleys, revered temples, and lofty mountain peaks; discover the exotic colors, famed cuisine and tiger-inhabited wilds of Rajasthan; and stop time on Sri Lanka’s south coast through the colonial grace of Galle Fort and Tangalle’s balmy beaches.
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