HEALING HOLIDAYS

From rediscovering the joys of sleeping to prepping one’s mind and body to cope with the ravages of time, the best self-care trips can take on different forms depending on what you like. Take your pick from five of our favourites.

REVIVE IN JOIE DE VIVRE 

Who says wellness retreats are all about abstinence? Spread among olive groves, grape vines and cypress trees, Coquillade Provence, still fresh from a multi-million facelift in 2022, strikes the perfect balance between reboot and pleasure. Founded by late Swiss billionaire Andy Rihs, who owned a bike brand and racing team, the resort, a member of Relais & Château, is equipped with state-of-the-art cycling facilities favoured by Tour de France athletes. It also offers well-curated guided bike tours through the vineyards of Luberon. Gruelling triathlon training programmes are also on the menu. In the evening, choose to relax from spa treatments that promise to reduce you to putty, or indulge in a round or two of wine tasting. Or do both. 

BASK IN RESTORATIVE NATURE

Nestled within the Hudson Valley just under two hours away from New York by car, the 57ha Wildflower Farms, Auberge Resorts Collection, is a luxury resort and a working farm. This is a place for well-heeled hippies who love hiking through tall grass and getting their Dubarrys wet with morning dew. Here, off-kilter digestive systems are nourished with fresh produce grown or foraged on-site or nearby, while weary bodies are restored by skillful hands in a spa that offers treatments that incorporate botanicals.

DIP HOT AND COLD

The Asa Maia, which opened in 2021 in Uluwatu, Bali, is a bijoux resort with just 10 well-appointed traditional Indonesian teak wood houses transported from East Java and re-assembled on-site. Here, treatments are prescribed with kindness alongside a pescetarian-biased menu.