Recharge Your Health & Wellness on a Thailand Vacation

If you love green curry and good coffee as much as I do, Thailand’s food alone would have you dreaming about your next trip to this beautiful, friendly, and affordable country. Add in the dazzling turquoise waters of the Andaman Sea, white sandy beaches, hot springs, and mountain villages, and you have the perfect Thailand vacation as part of an Asian escape. However, if you are truly looking to unplug, melt away unwanted pounds, or turn over a new leaf, Thailand offers a whole other level of wellness vacation – a stay at one of the world’s best spa resorts and healing centres. Chiva-Som International Health Resort in Hua Hin, three hours by private vehicle transfer from Bangkok, is the only destination spa in the world to have consistently been ranked in the top 3 for the past 10 years by Conde Nast’s readers. This beachfront health resort is nestled within seven acres of tropical gardens on the Gulf of Thailand, offering a secluded world of beauty and serenity on your Thailand vacation. Award-winning spa cuisine features organically-grown fruits and vegetables from Chiva-Som’s garden. Every stay includes a health and wellness consultation on arrival, daily massage, fitness and leisure activities, and use of the water therapy suites. Guest rooms offer the beauty of Thai architecture, with the luxury and comfort of Western standards.

Looking north to Chiang Mai, The Dhara Dhevi, located just outside the city on a gorgeous 60-acre property, offers daily activities which immerse guests in the art, food, and wellness traditions of Northern Thailand. The Dheva Spa includes a dedicated Ayurveda centre and a range of holistic treatments. A fully-equipped fitness centre and jogging paths throughout the grounds enable guests to exercise and recharge from within this secluded setting in the countryside, just a 15-minute drive from the old city of Chiang Mai. Flying south to Phuket, two first-class eco-resorts deserve your attention: The Vijitt Resort in Phuket and Santhiya Resort Koh Yao Yai. Both are passionately committed to the natural environment and have taken steps to ensure that construction and operations are ecologically friendly and blend harmoniously with the beautiful surroundings. The Vijitt Resort offers daily wellness activities which include Thai meditation and yoga, Pilates, botanical walks, and arts and crafts workshops. Santhiya Resort Koh Yao Yai includes a secluded white sandy beach, spectacular waterfall swimming pool, the Ayurvana Spa, and free kayaking and paddle-boarding.

Finally, you can even recharge in Thailand’s bustling capital by staying at a wellness-focused first class hotel, and exploring Bangkok on foot and by bicycle to get off the beaten track. Then, unplug completely by making a journey to Kanchanaburi for a one-night stay at a floating lodge on the River Kwai.

Every journey to Thailand is bound to be healing in some way, due to the thousands of years of healing traditions found in the food, herbs, yoga, and massage - all while being accessible even to budget travellers. But for those who crave exclusive pampering or a once-in-a-lifetime experience, Thailand’s luxury spas offer seclusion, gorgeous natural settings, and sensational healing treatments, all at excellent value. 

By Tim Haig