Wellness travel trends for 2020 reflect an increasing awareness about health issues and offer a chance to take time out and rebalance in pretty spectacular locations where it would be hard not to heal. From helping women navigate through the menopause to changing our diet, wellness travel trends focus on improving key aspects of our health and wellbeing and that can only be a good thing.

5 Top Wellness Travel Trends for 2020

1. #Mumcation
‘Mumcation’ can be a slightly annoying word but the concept is taking root and now even has its own hashtag. Common sense says that mums need time to recharge and psychology professor Dr Nava Silton made it official in an interview with Fox5NY (2-minute video). A healthy break without children can be essential to a mother’s wellbeing and therefore good for the children too. Whether just indulging in child-free time to read, walk and sleep or immersion in holistic therapies, Mum’s get to focus on themselves free from the day-to-day responsibilities of parenting and ideally return relaxed and refreshed for family life again.

2. Menopause Relief
At long last, there’s a greater awareness and new openness about discussing this old-as-the-hills process women go through. New retreats specifically aimed at helping women with health issues including the menopause, hormonal imbalance and weight gain are gaining momentum. Remember also that meditation, yoga, tai chi and mindfulness can help alleviate symptoms. Hopefully in the future, retreats offering support for menopausal women will be as common as going to a spa for a massage or facial.

3. Sugar ‘Detox’
The harmful effects of consuming too much sugar have been known for many years but there’s a growing awareness about its effects, like bloating, IBS, headaches, lack of energy and weight gain. You can read more about it in our blog on Easy tips for going sugar-free. The new debate also features in our blog on Sugar or fat, which is worse?
If you would like a bit more help reducing or even eliminating sugar from your diet, there’s a range of healthy and detoxifying holidays designed to make it easier to kick the ‘sugar habit’. Detoxing here doesn’t mean going without food just ridding the body of sugar and the cravings that accompany it. If you’re going to go cold turkey why not do it in amazing surroundings nourished by health experts, healthy organic foods and holistic treatments?

4. Sound Therapy
Sound therapy works through the healing power of sound vibration and frequencies. It follows the understanding that all of us have our own natural frequencies (including heartbeat, and other neurological and chemical body functions). When we are exposed to the external frequencies of singing bowls, gongs, tuning forks etc, the natural healing of both the body and mind can begin. For a deeper discussion including my personal experience of this, read our recent blog on sound therapy.

5. Colour Therapy
Similar to sound, light is a frequency; and the various colours in its spectrum have different frequencies. Colour therapy works through the healing power of light vibration and frequencies. It works on the theory that our energy centres, or chakras, throughout our body are activated and rebalanced by colours.
Colour therapy, also known as chromatherapy, has been practised since ancient times. Now an increasing understanding of the benefits of colour therapy is gaining momentum. Some yoga studios steep their classes in colour, sound and even scent, and a new hotel in St Louis, Missouri even has rooms entirely in one colour to channel specific moods, for example, red for passion, yellow for happiness and so on.

Many of the wellness travel trends for 2020 are achievable and sustainable practices, which you can find in our retreats.

Here’s to a happy and healthy year ahead!

Jo Fernandez is a leading UK travel journalist, with much of her career spent working for the London Evening Standard where she was Travel Editor until 2015. Now a freelance travel journalist and copywriter, she lives in Essex and has one daughter. As a travel expert, she still enjoys jetting off to write travel pieces, with favourite destinations including Mexico, Croatia and, of course, Essex.

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Let’s help you find where to go on holiday in September – we’ve rounded up some of the best places.

Summer isn’t over yet in September. In fact a holiday in September is best in the Mediterranean for example if you want to avoid the backing heat, yet temperatures are comfortable for the occasional excursions and also sunbathing on the beach and swimming in the sea. The water has gradually been warmed up throughout the summer, and still feels very pleasant even with a gentle breeze.

Besides, with kids back at school, the crowds have disappeared and prices have come down. You are lucky if you can go on holiday in September to benefit from more pleasant temperatures, lower prices, and less crowded places. It’s indeed a good choice to go on holiday in September and enjoy those benefits.

And if you don’t want to fly to the Med there are also home-grown destinations with so much to offer. Whether it’s Ayurveda massages in Wales or outdoor hot tub and spa in Yorkshire, there are plenty of retreats where you can immerse yourself in peaceful seclusion.

If you want to check local temperatures we recommend the BBC weather website for weather reports about two weeks in advance. Once you are away the Met office site provides also useful local details.

Here is our selection to help you find your holiday in September:

In the UK

Ayurveda in Wales: head to South Wales to unwind and relax with a combination of yoga and Ayurveda. Enjoy outdoor hot tub and infra-red sauna, walks in AONB and by the beach. From £570pp for 3 nights, pick your days. (See also photo at top.)

Yoga Cleanse in Cotswold: in early September Rina Golan offers the opportunity to let yourself be nourished, go inwards and pay attention to your needs. Cook together, practice yoga, meditate, walk in nature. From £295pp for 2-night weekend, in early September and October only.

Be Healthily Happy in Yorkshire: Relax with Kundalini yoga, unwind with meditation, refresh and rejuvenate with healthy raw food cuisine, plus enjoy the hot tub and sauna. These are women only retreats offered by Raw Horizons. From £1,095pp for 5 nights, full board.

In Europe

Yoga in southwest Turkey: Huzur Vadisi, one of the country’s best-known yoga retreats is waiting for you, nestled in a peaceful valley amongst olive groves near Turkey’s Turquoise Coast. From £525pp per week.

Fun holidays near Toulouse: get inspired with one-week holidays focusing on yoga, music, dance, cookery or art. From £640pp per week.

Luxury Yoga Retreat in Pelion, Greece: at the foot of the magical Pelion forest where crystal clear water laps rhythmically at the water’s edge. Enjoy vinyasa flow yoga and massages. September only, from £790pp per week.

Further afield

Ayurveda, yoga, beach, and up to 50% discount: If you are craving perfect white sandy beaches, palm trees and warm seas, West Coast Ayurveda Resort in Sri Lanka is located right on tropical beach with a natural lagoon. Treat yourself to a uniquely luxurious holiday with full body massages. Enjoy up to 50% discount on full board accommodation, until 7^th November.

Swim with Wild Dolphins, Bimini, Bahamas: this is a once in a lifetime holiday, the ultimate sacred journey retreat with WildQuest. Plus yoga, healthy food and warm, turquoise ocean. Selected dates in September, from $1,695pp for 6 nights, approximately £1,200.

For more inspiration of holidays in September check our calendar and also all year holidays.

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The weather outside is frightful – cheap retreats would be delightful…

Sorry, we just couldn’t help ourselves – and yes, winter has been incredibly mild this year, so, really, that first bit just doesn’t hold.

But maybe this does: the wallet feeling not a little light after Crimbo. Don’t let that stop you. At Neal’s Yard Holidays we’ve got wellbeing holidays to suit everyone, even those of us looking to escape on a shoestring in the new year. Plan ahead to save more with early bird discounts, and don’t miss out due to limited spaces available.

And you don’t have to skimp on choices. From walking on Cotswolds to glorious relaxation in the Canary islands, there’s plenty here to pick from, and even more on our website. Plus see exclusive offers to Neal’s Yard Holidays’ guests.

Getting there doesn’t have to cost the earth either – use our tips for cheap train and plane travel to keep those cheap retreats cheap.

Winter cleanse in the Cotswolds
Rediscover your wellbeing on this idyllic countryside retreat. Learn to prepare raw and cooked, nutrient-rich living organic food and fruit juices. Yoga and nutritional advice is provided by Rina Golan. Mention us to receive two treatments for the price of one, for only £65.
13–15 January 2017, from £295pp twin share room; or £395 single room

West Sussex weekend
With over 20 holistic treatments, yoga, Pilates, detox cuisine and a heated pool, Chillout Retreats’ getaway in Arundel offers luxury that’s value for money. Mention Neal’s Yard Holidays to receive a free 30-minute holistic treatment worth £30.
24-26 February, from £325pp sharing twin room, or from £450 single

Creative holidays with yoga in SW France
La Roane is set in a peaceful 20-acre estate with forest and fields, in rural France, near Toulouse. Enjoy yoga, music, dance or cookery, plus pool and sauna. Delicious vegetarian cuisine by award-winning chef.
23 May – 23 September, from 590pp pwk twin share; add £50 for single room

Wellbeing retreats in sunny Spain
Cortijo Romero is a peaceful haven where you can truly relax and be yourself. Choose walking, meditation, singing or ‘transforming your life’ week, with yoga or tai chi. £60 off for booking 6 months ahead, £30 off for 3 months ahead.
Year round, from £590pp pwk sharing room; single rooms available

Warmth and sunshine in the Canary Island
Stay at restored Canarian finca, nestled amongst dormant volcanoes and with stunning ocean views. Azulfit’s Surya retreats offer a rejuvenating mix of world class yoga, meditation, Pilates and nourishing therapies.
Year round, from €665pp pwk sharing room

For more cheap retreats and other wellbeing holidays, check out our website. Happy 2017!

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Desperate for a break but can’t hold out for the winter holidays?

You don’t need to. Treat yourself to a last-minute getaway and get some much-needed time off by picking one of our November retreats – from relaxing weekends in the UK, to sunny shores abroad.

Choose between weekend, week-long, and even longer holidays, at home and abroad. And if you want to know about upcoming escapes beyond our November retreats, let us update you with our monthly e-newsletter – it takes just a few clicks to subscribe.

Relax in Somerset, UK
At the Manor House near Glastonbury you’ll get the chance to rejuvenate with yoga, meditation and pure relaxation at the hands of AdventureYogi. Got better plans for November? Didn’t think so.
11-13 November, from £295 pp, sharing twin room

3 nights of five-star luxury in Sussex, UK
Head to Arundel in West Sussex for a Chillout Retreat, a special winter-warmer weekend, with Pilates, yoga, meditation, walking, and festive nutrition and a raw-food workshop.
25–27 November, from £350pp, sharing twin room

Weekend away in rural Dorset, UK
As the darkness of November starts to engulf us, Mellulah Holistic Retreats offer healing weekends, yoga, country walks, wonderful vegetarian cuisine, heated pool, sauna, and much, much more.
11–14 November, from £399 shared twin room; single rooms available

Luxury Costa Blanca retreat
This all-inclusive, 6-night luxury fitness bootcamp for women only. Come a life changing natural detox and weight loss, for fitness and wellness at this award-winning retreat and spa, courtesy of the Ultimate Retreat Company.
9–15 November, from £898 for 6 nights in a single room

Swim with wild dolphins in the Bahamas…
… make new friends and give yourself the gift of an unforgettable experience with the help of WildQuest. But hurry – one of our most exotic November retreats is nearly full, so book asap.
6–12 November, from $1,995 pp for 6 nights, sharing double room

Save on Ayurveda in Sri Lanka
Like getting more for your money? Try out the West Coast Ayurveda Resort in November, and get 10% off full-board accommodation. And a re-energising experience worthy of our list of November retreats, of course. Book early, availability is already tight at this popular resort.
8–30 November, normal price from £793 pp per week

This rounds off our list of November retreats that will boost your wellbeing and give you the energy to face the festive season. As always, there’s loads more holiday-browsing to be had on the Neal’s Yard Holidays website.

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Are you looking for a short break, or retreat to recharge this spring? A holiday in May means you can make use of the bank holidays!

May bank holidays always fall on the first and the last Monday in May, in 2016 that’s Monday 2 May and Monday 30 May (Spring bank holiday).

Here’s our selection of where to go on holiday in May. Places where you can go alone without being alone, from yoga retreats to creative breaks.

May is an attractive month of the year to go on holiday – you’ll find blossoms abound with nature and climate at its best in many countries, and flights are cheaper.

Most Mediterranean countries are just starting to welcome visitors. The days are longer but not yet too hot, allowing for exploration of countryside, villages and markets without the summer crowds.

France is a train ride away, or fly to Toulouse in South West France for La Roane – a peaceful and secluded setting in a 20-acre of meadows and woodland. It’s only 3 miles from the medieval market town of St Antonin, location for the film Charlotte Gray with lead actor Cate Blanchett, and also The Hundred Foot Journey with Helen Mirren. In May the meadows display a wide variety of wild flowers including rare orchids; and nightingales enchant with their song!

In romantic Italy, just an hour outside Rome you can stay at Sunflower Retreats in the Sabine Hills overlooking an incredible panorama of olive groves and fruit trees. Stay for 4 or 6 nights and chose from different yoga styles depending on the week. Other optional activities include meditation, holistic treatments, Italian cooking classes, Italian lessons, horse riding, creative writing classes, water colour painting. Make sure you visit the hot sulphur springs.

The above are just some of the options, you find more ideas for a holiday in May under holidays by date.

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If a hangover and a lazy lie-in are not your idea of a well-spent New Year’s Day, then you’ve come to the right place.

Escape from the usual boozy countdown to midnight, and start the new year as you mean to go on. From Sussex and Norfolk to Fuerteventura, our New Year getaways will let you begin with a fresh mind and a spring in your step.

Think we’re giving you too much notice? Don’t be fooled – it may only be September, but New Year getaways are getting booked up fast, so don’t miss out.

You don’t have to go far there are New Year retreats in the UK. And if you’re looking for a Christmas escape too, take a look at our brilliant Christmas retreats.

‘Yoga for happiness’ – a Sussex New Year retreat
Come for daily yoga, meditation practice, walking, and optional holistic treatments to fully relax, plus of course, a fitting New Year’s celebration. Courtesy of The Yoga Root and The Joanne Sumner Studio.
From £445 for 3 nights, full board, sharing (single £550)

Head to Oxfordshire for a peaceful yoga retreat
This winter wellbeing retreat with at a beautiful manor house in Oxfordshire will revive you with its peaceful setting and twice-daily yoga. Quote Neal’s Yard Holidays for a free massage.
From £265 for 2 nights for a couple/friends sharing

Feisty fun on Fuerteventura
One of our top New Year getaways, this retreat makes for a truly exciting start to the new year, with its white sandy beaches, optional surfing, and dramatic volcanic landscape. A chance to rejuvenate and reconnect in a fun and friendly atmosphere.
From €465 for 7 nights sharing (singles available)

Finally, if you need something for after the party, why not relax with yoga and a hot-tub soak at Raw Horizons’ North Yorkshire detox retreat? From £450 pp (single) or £345 pp (sharing) for 2 nights.

Whichever one of our New Year getaways you go for, and whatever you get up to, we wish you a fantastic New Year celebration and a great start to the new year!

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Along with the announcement of quantitative easing and the ongoing debate over Greece’s Eurozone future, you’ve probably picked up recently on the news of the weak euro.

Indeed, despite some positive news, the Euro recently slumped to its lowest value since the middle of 2010. The fall followed the announcement that the European Central Bank would begin a programme of buying government bonds.

The hard-hitting arguments over Greece’s debt and the pros and cons of the single-currency zone will continue to rage for a while. In the meantime, 2015 has already being heralded as a ‘windfall’ year for British holidaymakers, who can expect to save up to 15% on holidays in Europe. American visitors also stand to benefit substantially from the weak Euro.

So if you’re at all wondering how you can make your holiday savings go further… Well, you could make the most of it by picking a European location for your next wellbeing retreat.

There is evidence already that holidaymakers to Italy and Spain are making the most of the favourable exchange rates, with Greece offering plenty of good deals too. And at Neal’s Yard Holidays there’s no shortage of wellbeing retreats in brilliant European locations to help you make the most of the weak Euro. Getaways to choose from include:

• rejuvenation in Costa Blanca
• yoga and surf holidays on Fuerteventura
• yoga and hiking holidays in France
• and more retreats in Europe

And, with no guarantees that the Euro will continue falling, booking a holiday now would seem prudent. The figures speak for themselves: €500 cost us as little as £375 today, as opposed to £440 just a couple of years ago. So go on, cash in on your ‘continental spending power’ and grab the cheapest holiday season in years by the collar.

With a weak Euro seen as Europe’s chance to regain growth, this could be a win-win for both holiday makers and providers. Watch this space.

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Red roses, heart-shaped chocolate boxes, expensive dining, mass-produced Valentine’s Day cards…

You get the picture. One of the most commercialised holidays of the year is just around the corner. Right about now you might be thinking about how best to shield yourself from the usual Valentine’s Day paraphernalia. Regardless of whether you are your own Valentine or there is a significant other in your life.

So we thought we’d help you reclaim February 14 and make the holiday your own. We’ve selected for you some of our favourite wellbeing getaways this Valentine’s Day. More than just an escape, they are sure to help you rediscover romance and time just for you.

Here’s our pick of holidays, to suit different budgets and with a great variety of activities.

Wellbeing escapes for a fulfilling Valentine’s Day

1. Luxury yoga retreat, West Sussex: Love yourself and escape on a five-star Valentine’s-weekend spa break. With holistic therapies and indoor pool. From £325 for 3 nights.
2. Ayurveda and yoga in South Wales: The right combination to help you relax and unwind, surrounded by ancient woods and beautiful countryside. From £495 for 3 nights.
3. Wellbeing yoga retreat in Oxfordshire: Nourishing yoga, meditation and massage in stunning, peaceful surroundings. From £265 for 2 nights.
4. Yoga holiday in Sri Lanka: Ready for some winter sun and yoga? No better place for it than the stunning Bentota Beach. From £725 for 10 nights.

And you can find even more February retreats and Valentine’s Day escapes on our website.

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Later this year, take a yoga holiday in Greece and experience island-hopping like never before.

Hellenic Seaplanes will be launching their fleet of you guessed it – seaplanes – to make travel between the Greek islands faster. The seaplanes will fly from ports all over Greece including mainland Athens and Thessaloniki to the islands of Crete, Mykonos and many more. The seaplanes can take 19 passengers at a time and will have scheduled flights to the various ports. In addition, flightseeing tours of the islands will be available so you can bask in the Greek beauty from the skies.

Our yoga holidays in Greece

The Greek islands are a great place for a yoga holiday and we have quite a few on offer including this luxury yoga holiday in Mykonos. Yoga is done by the sea on a private beach with stunning views all around. The 5-star hotel offers great food, soothing massages and nearby, there’s charming cafes and boutique shops.

This yoga holiday is situated at the foot of the Pelion forest. It’s an exclusive, luxury retreat offering yoga, holistic therapy and massage. Other activities include painting, snorkelling and boating. Just 10 minutes away are tavernas and a village to explore.

We also have this lovely yoga holiday in Crete where you can take part in yoga twice a day by the sea, boat trips, hiking and day trips to nearby fishing villages. The private beach means you can swim in the warm sea in peace. The 5-star hotel has three swimming pools, a luxury spa and breath-taking views of the Aegean Sea.

Greece is a country full of history and culture and there’s no better place to take a yoga holiday than one of its beautiful, sunny islands. If you’re looking for a luxury yoga holiday in the sun, then these are perfect. With the imminent launch of Hellenic Seaplanes, there’s no excuse not to go!

For more Greek holidays including Tai Chi and holistic holidays, see this page.

Don’t forget that the sun gives us a good dose of Vitamin D, which we all need, but take the proper precautions to avoid burning and increasing your risk of skin cancer.

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You may have read our previous blog warning about the dangers of skin cancer during yoga holidays in Europe, (if not it’s here) and while covering up is a must in the sun, we should also be mindful of the amount, or lack of, vitamin D we get.

Why is Vitamin D important?

Our body creates vitamin D when our skin is exposed to sunshine, without it we can become ill. Vitamin D deficiency is a major problem, especially in the UK where sun exposure is rather limited to around two months of the year. In the past, vitamin D deficiency was linked with rickets, but recently it’s become evident that a number of other conditions can manifest including muscle weakness and osteoporosis.  Pregnant women are at risk of their babies being born with serious health conditions if they are vitamin D deficient.

Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency include tiredness and a general feeling of being unwell, muscle weakness and pain when bones are under pressure. Sometimes there are no symptoms at all, which means that serious health conditions such as rickets can develop without warning. Evidence also suggest that those who live furthest from the equator are at higher risk of developing muscular sclerosis, due to lack of sun exposure. Scotland has the highest rates of MS in the world with around 10,000 sufferers.

So while on a yoga holiday in Europe, be sure to cover up in the sun to prevent burning and skin cancer, but make sure you do have some exposure in the mornings and evenings. It is also wise to eat plenty of oily fish. If you are vegetarian or vegan, you are at a higher risk of vitamin D deficiency and so a vitamin D supplement may be beneficial, in particular D3.

Yoga holidays in Europe

We have some yoga holidays in Europe that offer plenty of sun, such as this retreat in a quiet beach town in Fuerteventura. The beach is a short walk away and surfing is available.

There are many other sunny yoga holidays on offer on our website, so you can top up your vitamin D and stay healthy. Remember that sun exposure is necessary for our health but too much can also be detrimental. For more information about health risks due to lack of Vitamin D (and right dosage) you can listen to the BBC Radio 4 Food programme (25min).

Next time we’ll be blogging about yoga retreats for first-timers.

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