Wellness and wanderlust: Finding balance on an international retreat

In today’s non-stop world, making time for our mental health is proving ever more difficult. Around one in four people in the UK experience a mental health problem each year, costing the country around £118 million per year. If you’re finding it tough to make space for your mental health though, have you ever considered heading on a retreat abroad? In this guide, we look at what international retreats are, why they’re good, how to prep for one, and some of the best around.

Why choose an international retreat?

International retreats are a way of getting away from it all. Different to your traditional holiday, they involve going to a wellness-focused resort where guests take part in activities and enjoy treatments, all while enjoying healthy, delicious meals.

There are all sorts of benefits to heading on a trip of this sort, including recharging your mental health batteries, learning healthy pastimes, breaking old habits, and gaining a new perspective. You’ll also meet lots of like-minded individuals, which can help reaffirm the changes in your life you want to make.

What do wellness retreats usually include?

The specific features of a wellness retreat depend on lots of different things, including where they are, the focus area of the retreat, and the aims of the retreat. Generally, though, there will be a big focus on community, mental health support, wellness activities, and physical fitness. There will be plenty of relaxation, but not the sort of aimless chilling that we typically get up to while on a normal beach holiday.

Before you go

So, you’ve decided to head on an international wellness retreat, but what do you need to do before you go? First things first, streamline your travel by departing from an airport with a connecting railway: it’s much more relaxing and you won’t have to worry about traffic or parking. Also make sure to find out what you need to bring to your retreat, as some will have a specific packing list they like their attendees to bring.

Some of our top retreats

Looking for a place to indulge in wellness? You won’t go wrong with these three:

SENSES, Mallorca, Spain

Famed for its rejuvenating practices and wellbeing protocols from across the globe, SENSES Wellness Retreat Clinic is one of the best wellness retreats in the world.

Surrounded by stunning views of Mallorca, you’ll have every opportunity to relax and re-centre with the guidance of highly-qualified professionals specialising in various wellness and holistic practices, including mental and physical wellness, women’s wellness, and primary care.

Senses offers an array of programmes so you will be sure to find what works best for you. A few examples include:

Detox
Meditation
Yoga
Couples
Weight loss

Deepak Chopra Infinite Possibilities Retreat

Following the success of his bestseller self-help book, Perfect Health, Deepak Chopra founded the Infinite Possibilities Retreat with a vision to advocate peace and healing to the world.

Guests at the Infinite Possibilities Retreat will learn the art of mindfulness through deep breathing and meditation, along with a focus on personal well-being through sensory experiences, practical health science research and ancient wisdom.

The retreat provides its residents with peaceful, on-site accommodation situated within the Sonoran Desert and plays host to a varied choice of classes and therapies for guests to enjoy including:

Sound healing
Yoga
Cycling
Hydro-therapy
Ayurvedic spa treatments

What’s more, during your stay, you can take part in a 1 on 1 consultation with a certified physician to help tailor your visit so as to get the most out of your stay.

Sensei Wellbeing Retreat, Lānaʻi, Hawai‘i

The Sensei Wellbeing Retreat takes its home at Lānaʻi, the sixth-largest of the Hawaiian Islands and is known for its serene and natural beauty. The island itself offers visitors a more secluded and intimate experience compared to some of the more touristy islands so is the perfect place to relax and recentre oneself whilst enjoying stunning landscapes, beautiful beaches, rugged cliffs, and lush forests.

The Sensei Wellbeing Retreat prides itself on helping guests to reconnect with themselves through holistic treatments, wellness classes, new experiences, nutrient-rich catering and private consultations regarding personal diet and nutrition. The retreat also hosts an array of onsite facilities for residents to enjoy including: