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Finding travel that feels supportive, happy, and well.

10 Simple Wellness Tips Anyone Can Travel With

July 3, 2020 //  by  Ciara //   9 Comments

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“Travel is more than the seeing of sights. It is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the minds of the living.” Miriam Beard

After recovering from a traumatic brain injury and finding out I have food allergies (now I’m a dairy-free and gluten-free traveler in case you were wondering), incorporating some wellness tips are essential for me to feel the best while traveling. Being a health-conscious traveler has opened up a ubiquitous haven to focus on a wellness lifestyle that extends beyond borders, countries, and cities simultaneously.

Now, it’s understanding how to bring the best wellness habits to the travel packing list, sitting hours on long haul flights to immerse myself into the legendary streets of Barcelona , Spain, or the verdant city of Singapore. A panacea answering the big question–

“ How do you stay healthy while traveling and maintain wellness habits ?”

I do have my fair share of times when staying fit and healthy on the road doesn’t seem like a priority. Those tempting gluten-free foods like burgers and pizza loaded high with pepperonis, or delicious dairy-free ice cream, are always calling out to me saying, “Eat me”!

Since I started my wellness journey , learning simple ways to keep those hungry monsters satisfied was vital in creating a wellness lifestyle. Now, those wellness tips travel around with me. While wellness traveling includes the practice of eating well, the ultimate definition is that wellness travel is actively choosing ways to live healthy on the road. It’s about traveling well and feeling good in your mind, spirit and body.

Side Note : If you’re new to the wellness travel world, here’s a simple Beginner’s Guide to Wellness Traveling .

After exploring 29 countries, here are some of the best wellness tips I’ve learned for travels. Be it work travel, a getaway with your loved one, a family vacation, a Disney stay-cation or a girls trip, these easy tips can help you feel good throughout your travels so you can bring that renewed spirit back home after your trip.

Simple wellness tips to follow

Wellness tip #1: prioritize a health and wellness lifestyle.

Living a well balanced life is a mindset. Regardless of traveling or staying home, if you want to stay fit and healthy, you have to prioritize healthy living. After all, traveling is meant to be a relaxing escape from the daily hustle and bustle, a transformative experience, or a connective one, [fill in the blank for what type of travel experience you’re craving] . Try extending your health conscious mindset from your normal routine to your vacation. Consider:

• eat your daily serving of vegetables
• create a workout plan (i.e. yoga , body weight workouts , walking, etc)
• booking accommodations that allow you to focus on your well-being
• bring a journal
• spend time reading a book or some inspirational quotes
• pack a self-care kit with some essential oils. Here’s an everyday essential kit I highly recommend!

Wellness Tip #2: Drink your greens

While going on vacation can bring exciting new food dishes and enticing aromatic flavors, drinking your greens can be an easy way to stay on track with your wellness lifestyle.

Every morning I grab a full scoop of Amazing Grass Greens, original flavor, and dump the dusty green powder into a tall glass of tangy orange juice. Wallah! A homemade healthy juice filled with rich greens, minerals and vitamins.

It keeps your gut healthy and happy, additionally giving your body added servings of your daily vegetables.  Bring your own powder in your carry-on suitcase, or grab a healthy juice at the local grocery store for an extra nutrient-dense wellness boost.

Wellness Tip #3: Stay hydrated

Keeping hydrated is always important. Whether you’re bouncing back from a long-haul flight, finishing up a workout, or at your office working on a project, your brain and body absolutely love water. The human body thrives on this glorious substance with at least 55% -75 % of water making up your weight depending on age.

When traveling, I like to make sure I’m keeping myself hydrated by drinking a glass of lemon and ginger water first thing in the morning. I enjoy adding lemon for taste, but you can simply drink water, or add another fruit if you’re feeling like spicing up your water. Likewise, I also carry a reusable water bottle to encourage drinking more water throughout the day.

Wellness Tip #4: Eat real food  

Do you ever tell yourself, “make sure to eat well” whenever you travel? Well, you’re not alone! I try to follow this wellness habit all the time. Sometimes, though, I would fall off the bandwagon and eat whatever is most convenient, which can sometimes be the most processed item. While convenient is easy when you’re on a time crunch, eating well is about choosing real food to eat whenever you can. For example, if you need a snack, choose a ripe apple over a bag of potato chips, incorporate some raw vegetables with your extra cheesy pizza, or whatever real food you can eat.

Remember that balance is key! After all, you are on vacation, so enjoy your comfort foods, but carve out space to integrate vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts and lean meats at your travel destination.

Similarly, you can look for accommodations with a cooking space so you have more control over your foods. You can also opt to pack healthy snack options so you’ll always have healthy food options readily available. Choosing real food can help you maintain your health and wellness while on vacation. That way, you can return home from your travels feeling better than when you left.

Wellness Tips #5: Get stretching

I often overlook the power of stretching exercises , but it can do wonders for your body! Moving your limbs gently, feeling the slight tug and pull of your muscle relaxing as they lengthen.

Research suggests these magical movements ease your body and mind, improves sleep quality, and releases tension while increasing energy. It can also improve posture— this is especially important when traveling if we find ourselves doing novel activities.

Side Note : Pick a couple of exercises and aim for stretching twice or once a day. Either first thing in the morning, or right before bed.

Wellness Tips #6: Stay active

Staying active on your trip can help you maintain your fitness and health goals. Before your trip, set your expectations about how you want to stay active.

• Do you plan to hit the gym and weight lift just like you were at home?
• Can you bring an at-home workout with you?
• How about a quick yoga flow in morning?
• Or do you plan to walk to some of your destinations?

As long as you are intentional with staying active, you will be. I normally stay at an Airbnb or hostels where gyms aren’t typically accessible, so physical activities are usually planned throughout my day. From hiking the luscious green terrain up the mountainside of Montserrat, to adventuring the sea in Ibiza , Spain’s turquoise green waters, or taking leisurely walking tours to discover the city’s hidden secrets, there’s plenty of ways to stay active while traveling.

Wellness Tips #7: Enjoy quality R & R

Whether you’re sleeping in till 10 am everyday, getting a massage, or lounging on the sandy blue shores, rest and relaxation are vital for boosting your wellness and health on vacation. On the other side, I’m an adventure traveler who loves the bustle of trying new activities at an off-the-beaten path destination.

However, giving yourself that extra time to sleep and relax makes adventuring and exploring that much sweeter. If you’re an adventure seeker like me, consider giving yourself 1-2 days during your trip to completely rest. While it’s fun to explore, you do want to come back from vacation feeling rejuvenated and better than before.  

Wellness tips : I love packing lavender essential oil or a calming blend to help me get a good nights rest anywhere.

Wellness Tips #8: Make time for self-care

Bring on the creamy beauty masks, sunset walks, or chocolatey vegan ice cream! Traveling gives you an extra reason to make time for self-care. While routines shift when traveling, try to keep some type of routine for self-care. Check in daily with how you’re feeling and listen to what your body needs, then plan your self-care time accordingly.

Wellness Tips #9: Take a break from technology

Did you know 28% of adults in American are constantly connected online? While technology has a multitude of benefits, unplugging has health benefits as well. It can do wonders for your physical well-being and mental health by bringing mindfulness, decluttering your mind, and possibly improving sleep quality.

I had the “fortunate” (or not so fortunate, depending how you look at it) opportunity to test this out when I visited the charming vibrant city of Barcelona. During my visit, I suddenly found myself searching high and low for my iPhone that was abruptly stolen at an Asian fusion restaurant.  Trying to make the most of the situation, I decided to do a digital detox for a couple days—I’ll spare the details, but click here for the digital detox experience abroad. Honestly, it was nice to unplug a little while traveling, focusing more on grounding in nature and journaling about my current trip.

Wellness Tips #10: Practice deep breathing or meditation

Take time each day to breathe deeply during your vacation. Breathing deeply or meditating can provide a profound sense of relaxation. It allows you to disconnect and bring more clarity in your life. Try it now if you can! Pause from reading, then simply close your eyes.

Pay attention to your breath, then relax. Counting to five as you breathe in and five as you breathe out. I normally practice this wellness habit in the morning before I get out of bed, releasing yesterday’s energy and welcoming today’s energy with more clarity and vigor. Depending on the day, I’ll even add an essential oils to my wrist!

Travel well. Find balance with these wellness tips. Have fun.

While setting up a routine or knowing your expectations around travel can help you bring excellent wellness tips to your trip, don’t forget to live in the moment! Enjoy your trip and give yourself grace. Don’t worry if you happen to miss a couple workouts or skipped eating real foods for the day. Each day is a new day, and your travel holiday is meant to be enjoyed. 

What’s some wellness habits you take with you on vacation?

Additional wellness tips resources

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Reader Interactions

July 4, 2020 at 9:56 pm

It is so important to keep practicing wellness even when you’re traveling. Oooh staying hydrated is so important. Eating real food goes a long way with your energy and overall health. Thanks for sharing these amazing tips!

Nancy ✨ exquisitely.me

July 10, 2020 at 9:10 am

Great post with some very helpful tips! I think drinking your greens is a tip a lot of people could find useful- such an easy way to get goodness into your body without having to hunt down a smoothie/juice bar!

July 11, 2020 at 6:47 am

I love these tips, so practical and easy to apply while travelling

July 13, 2020 at 9:37 pm

Omg those are such good reminders and tips…I always forget to drink enough water when on the road and for sure don’t eat enough greens. I get too distracted with the new sights and things. Tried doing yoga once on a trip when we were in Mexico and almost passed out from the heat (it was at 8am and outside).Other than that I don’t work out when traveling but I do walk a hell lot!!!

July 22, 2020 at 11:20 pm

This is incredible information! I always find it hard to stay balanced and healthy when I travel, because my normal daily routine is blown up. So thanks for these tips. I already have some Amazing Grass Greens on the way!

July 22, 2020 at 11:27 pm

This is such a great post! I will definitely incorporate these tips into my next travels! Thanks for suggesting the green powder to take while traveling, that this great to know.

July 23, 2020 at 1:01 pm

Making time for self-care is my favorite!! ;p Great post. Lots of great reminders to add to our daily routine, thanks for sharing!

July 24, 2020 at 12:15 am

This post has such great advice. I think we all get so caught up when travelling that we forget to take time out to focus on ourselves, and we often feel like we need a vacation, to recover from our vacation! Putting aside time to read, stretch and meditate is so important.

July 25, 2020 at 5:46 am

I love this post!! Staying active, hydrate.. after a few years I realized how much these advices are so important for good health, and you’re right there’s everything to do with traveling.. we walk so much while traveling sometimes, in a better shape, you can certainly go further! Nice tips 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

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The Biggest Wellness Travel Trends for 2024

By Jen Murphy

Wellness used to be as one-dimensional as a spin class and a smoothie. Diet and exercise are of course still fundamental, but we’ve finally started to embrace a more holistic approach to achieving better health. This means focusing on long neglected areas like a solid sex life, socializing, rest and recovery, and emotional and mental wellbeing. Feeling good now trumps looking good and healthspan—the quality of our years—has become just as important as lifespan. Longevity, the concept of living a longer and healthier life, will be the biggest buzzword of 2024, with wellness clinics as well as sybaritic beach retreats offering the latest biohacks (cryotherapy, infrared light treatments, poolside vitamin IV drips) to optimize our performance. Tantra gurus and sex therapists will be the new must-have in-house expert and artificial-intelligence empowered smart beds are fast becoming an expected amenity.

Wellness tourism is expected to hit $1.3 trillion by 2025 . Anticipating that the next generation will continue to fuel that growth, acclaimed adults-only retreats are finally opening up to kids and teens and even offering multi-generational spa retreats . With health-conscious offerings infiltrating every type of travel— family vacations , couples getaways , fly-and-flop beach escapes —it’s easier than ever to be well on your next trip . Here are the wellness travel trends and destinations, resorts , and retreats that promise to boost your health in 2024.

At Tucson's Miraval resort, one-on-one sessions on embracing pleasure address subjects like the female orgasm.

Sexual Wellness

According to research from the World Health Organization, boosting your sexual wellbeing is key to improving overall mental, physical, emotional, social, and spiritual health. Yet, for years, experts have touted the importance of honing a mind-body connection without mentioning the word sex. Forward-thinking wellness retreats are helping shatter the taboo with new programs focused on exploring intimacy and desire . Tantra sessions are primed to be the new couples massages with properties like Hotel Wailea in Maui introducing tantra classes rooted in themes such as exploring sacred sensuality. Hotels like Shou Sugi Ban House in New York have started hosting sexual and emotional intimacy retreats led by tantric experts and clinical sexologists. At Miraval resort in Arizona , workshops on sex and desire and one-on-one sessions on embracing pleasure address topics like low libido and the female orgasm. Earlier this year, SHA Wellness Clinic in Alicante, Spain, launched a sexual health unit staffed with gynecologists, hormonal experts, and urologists. SHA Mexico , which debuts this January in the Yucatán Peninsula , will also have a dedicated sexual health unit offering similar therapies and diagnostic testing capabilities. In October 2024, private island wellness resort Aerial BVI will host its first Elevate Love Summit, a four-day retreat rooted in love-language mastery and rekindling physical and emotional intimacy.

For a different kind of room service, try Susurros Del Corazón's soon-to-launch in-room IV infusions that aim to strengthen immunity.

Biohacking Beach Vacations

Islands you once escaped to for sybaritic pleasures are now attracting a health-conscious crowd in search of more than vitamin D and salt air. Beach vacations now deliver the latest biohacks to boost longevity (or at least help you recalibrate after a full moon party). Guests at 1 Hotels Hanalei Bay in Kauai are welcomed with a vitamin B 12 shot rather than a traditional mai tai and an exclusive collection of Within Wellness rooms and suites are equipped with recovery tools like infrared PEMF mats that stimulate cell regeneration. ONDA, the just-opened spa at Susurros Del Corazón, Auberge Resorts Collection in Punta Mita , Mexico has a "wellness library" stocked with loaner Theragun massagers and compression technologies to improve circulation, and guests will soon be able to request in-room IV infusions that aim to strengthen immunity.

Katikies Kirini in Santorini has supplemented its spa with an outpost of a ZOE Bio Regenerative Wellness Clinic where guests can get live blood analysis or book hyperbaric oxygen chamber sessions. Six Senses Ibiza recently teamed up with biotech company RoseBar to offer guests full diagnostic testing that can inform biohacking treatments like localized cryotherapy and Soneva Soul wellness centers at Soneva Jani and Soneva Fushi in the Maldives will soon be offering stem cell therapy. Through a partnership with Next/Health longevity center, Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea has launched a multi-day Longevity Protocol package that includes everything from stem cell therapy to NAD+ (aka the fountain of youth) IV drips.

Intergenerational wellness programs are on offer at Zulal Wellness Resort in the heart of Qatar’s desert landscape.

Multi-Gen Wellness Getaways

Wellness has long been an individual pursuit with adults-only health retreats forcing parents to leave the kids at home and focus on self-care. Now, wellness vacations are becoming a family affair. At the 2023 Global Wellness Summit Krip Rojanastien, CEO of Chiva-Som International Health Resorts, noted it’s “crucial that wellness knowledge and understanding be built into early education” and as knowledgeable professionals we are “well-placed to provide guidance on physical and mental health at all ages.” To that end, Zulal Wellness Resort by Chiva-Som in Qatar has introduced family bonding retreats aimed at fostering healthy eating and exercise habits as well as intergenerational retreats for grandparents and grandkids that involve healthy cooking classes, family fitness activities, and intergen spa time. Health retreat pioneers, Miraval and Canyon Ranch, will both welcome guests of all ages for the first time in 2024. Miraval Berkshires resort in Massachusetts will host a Spring Break family week and in July, Canyon Ranch Lenox , also in Massachusetts, will run a week-long family summer camp complete with kid-friendly spa treatments and outdoor family adventures.

By Jessica Puckett

By Matt Ortile

By Olivia Morelli

By Alex Van Buren

Grief-focused retreats include everything from surf therapy to hypnotherapy.

Grief-Related Wellness

The last few years have been heavy, and many people have struggled to cope with the overwhelming weight of the world. Experiencing fleeting feelings of sorrow is normal, but when grief lingers it can have serious physical and emotional repercussions such as depression, anxiety, and chronic stress. Talk therapy sessions are no longer the only option to move past the loss of a loved one , the end of a relationship, or a traumatic event. New grief-focused retreats prescribe everything from surfing to chakra realignment. The grief recovery program at New Life Portugal, a wellness center in Serra da Estrela Natural Park, incorporates meditation and yoga and workshops on topics like transitions and wonder and awe. In the UK, the Grief Space taps into the healing powers of nature during its five-day Grief Alchemy retreat on the bucolic grounds of Erth Barton manor in Cornwall. Wave riding is the foundation of trauma resolution retreats hosted by surf therapy company, Resurface. Week-long trips in Sri Lanka and Morocco include daily surf lessons as well as mindfulness practices and group therapy sessions.

For those hesitant to share their feelings in a group setting, Carillon Miami Wellness Resort ’s resident hypnotherapist taps into the subconscious to help guests manage grief and release emotional blockages. Hotel Las Torres in Chilean Patagonia recently introduced grief-relieving massages designed to release oxytocin (the mood-boosting hormone) and L’Auberge de Sedona ’s customizable Pursuit of Peace experience taps into aromatherapy, reiki, sound healing, and chakra reboot sessions to help guests find closure—no talking required.

Emulating the lifestyle of the longest-living people on the planet includes learning how they cook and what they eat.

Blue Zones Retreats are the New Bootcamp

Netflix’s hit series Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones reignited our obsession with discovering the fountain of youth. This fascination with longevity will likely bring a boom in tourism to the five Blue Zones: Okinawa, Japan , Sardinia, Italy , the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica , Icaria, Greece , and Loma Linda, California . Italian tour company Tourissimo has already designed a Blue Zone Diet, chef-led cycling itinerary in Sardinia . This summer, Andaz Costa Rica Resort at Peninsula Papagayo will host a six-day Blue Zones retreat that explores the secrets of regional centenarians. And pioneering wellness sanctuary Kamalaya in Thailand has developed a Blue Zones group retreat rooted in plant-slanted meals inspired by these regions’ traditional diets, natural movement, and other Blue Zones Power of 9 lifestyle habits.

Sleep suites at the Malibu Beach Inn come with smart beds and sleep masks fitted with biometric sensors.

Sleep Is Still in the Spotlight

The quest for improved sleep hygiene has become such a top priority that resorts are designing dedicated suites and retreats to help insomniacs embrace better habits. And they’re enlisting the help of artificial intelligence-powered smart bed companies to ensure guests get a solid night’s rest. Select rooms at California’s Mission Pacific Hotel now have Eight Sleep smart beds which leverage AI to dynamically cool and heat the body to keep guests snoozing and the Malibu Beach Inn ’s new sleep suites feature Sleep Number smart beds and heated eye masks equipped with biometric sensors that calm the heart rate to induce a state of relaxation. Carillon Miami Wellness Resort recently partnered with high-tech mattress company Bryte to launch a four-night Sleep Well Retreat that includes a luxury apartment with a Bryte Balance Smart Bed, plus a Sleep Well Circuit of treatments such as quantum harmonic sound therapy table sessions and vibroacoustic, electromagnetic, and infrared therapies.

Innovative light and sound therapies are hallmarks of the latest sleep aids. The new six-plus hour Dream Like Relaxation treatment at the spa at T he Logan Hotel in Philadelphia takes place in a room with specialized lighting to mimic the night sky. In January, Swiss wellness brand Chenot will introduce an option for guests to enhance their detox program with a Sleep Cycles module focused on increasing time spent in deep sleep. Specially designed sleep suites are equipped with technology that mimics the natural acoustic environment (panels on the ceiling filter sound like a leafy tree canopy), and light sequences mimic a natural sunset and sunrise. And nanobionic bed linens emit far infrared light (the longest wavelength that penetrates deeper into the tissue) for a more restorative sleep. Treatments, such as photobiomodulation, neuro acoustic deep relaxation, and cryotherapy are specifically timed to each guests’ chronotype and circadian rhythm.

Women’s health retreats, particularly those targeting menopause, will be a big area of growth in 2024.

Menopause Retreats

By 2025, around 1.1 billion women globally will have experienced menopause. The wellness industry has taken note, catering to this audience with programs designed to help women cope with symptoms like hot flashes and mood swings. 02 Beach Club & Spa in Barbados has an in-house menopause specialist and works with the nearby Bioconnect Medical Centre, one of the few clinics in the world specializing in perimenopause and menopause. Week-long menopause retreats at Preidlhof Wellness Resort in South Tyrol, Italy feature acupuncture and massage as well as holistic coaching sessions. Diet is the focus on perimenopause and menopause retreats at Marine North Berwick in Scotland . The hotel has partnered with nutrition expert Amanda Hamilton to offer detox-style meals focused on metabolic and gut health. When Longfellow Hotel opens in Portland, Maine in the spring of 2024, women’s health, particularly menopause, will be a focus of its programming.

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What Is Wellness Tourism? A Complete Guide to Taking a Health-Inspired Vacation

Practicing health and wellness in our daily lives isn’t enough for many of us — we seek well-being when we travel, too.

Enter: wellness tourism, a concept that the U.S.-based nonprofit organization Global Wellness Institute (GWI) defines as travel associated with the pursuit of maintaining or enhancing overall personal well-being.

It’s important to note that, though “wellness”’ and “well-being” are often interchangeable and related terms, they have slightly different meanings. According to Gallup , wellness is a part of well-being and describes a healthy lifestyle beyond acute illness, whereas both Gallup and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) define well-being in a broader life context — feelings of contentment and satisfaction, and positive function in career, social, financial, physical, psychological, and other frameworks — which are important for personal and public health.

Wellness tourism, as a mechanism to support overall well-being, comes in a variety of forms.

For some, it may entail a trip or destination exclusively for wellness purposes, like a yoga retreat in the mountains, and for others, it may involve incorporating healthy habits and experiences into established trips. For example, you might bring your family to a hot spring during your annual vacation, or stop in at a spa for a massage in between sessions at a work conference.

For others still, immersion-based wellness travel, such as a pilgrimage, intensive yoga training, a visit to a humanistic integrative education center (like the nonprofit Esalen Institute ), a silent vipassana meditation retreat, or an indigenous-informed plant medicine retreat, may help deepen a spiritual, self-inquiry, or purpose-driven path.

The main point? These types of trips and health-forward activities aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. The global wellness tourism market value currently sits at $451 billion, but a 2022 report by Grand View Research reveals that it’s expected to jump to $1.02 trillion by 2030.

Here, we unpack how wellness tourism works, the possible benefits, and how to plan your next health-inspired getaway.

Common Questions & Answers

History of wellness tourism.

Wellness tourism may be everywhere today, but people have traveled with health or wellness as the primary focus for centuries.

According to  Health-Tourism.com , most ancient civilizations recognized the therapeutic benefits of mineral thermal springs , and many built healthcare facilities around them.

Ancient Greek, Egyptian, Roman, Celtic, and Hebrew cultures created health centers that attracted travelers from all over the world, per past research . Baths of different temperatures, swimming pools, exercise rooms, and rooms for massage and other health treatments became a mainstay in Roman culture, according to the World History Encyclopedia . And as early as 5,000 years ago, people trekked to India to seek benefits from Ayurvedic medicine , a holistic approach to physical and mental health.

But while traveling for wellness dates back thousands of years, wellness tourism as a global industry is relatively new, notes the Wellness Tourism Association (WTA) .

“In the early 2000s, the spa industry’s marketing message went from ‘pampering’ to ‘prevention’ and that, along with the so-called ‘wellness revolution’ was the beginning [of wellness tourism],” says Anne Dimon , the Denver-based cofounder, president, and CEO of the WTA , and the editor of TraveltoWellness.com .

These days, the wellness-travel offerings are practically endless. Whether your interests lean toward yoga and meditation, spa experiences, weight loss, hiking, or even treatments purported to be customized to your DNA — like the Chenot Palace Weggis health and wellness retreat in the Swiss Alps — there’s a trip to suit your needs.

How Wellness Tourism Works

Do you ever feel like you need a vacation after a vacation? That may not be the case with wellness tourism. Whereas traditional vacations are often busy and stressful, wellness trips aim to relieve stress and promote health, so you can reenter everyday life feeling rejuvenated and grounded.

“[Wellness tourism] provides an opportunity for people to take a break from their lives and focus solely on themselves and their well-being,” says Jeanette Lorandini, LCSW , a New York City–based licensed clinical social worker and the owner of Suffolk DBT. It can allow you to de-stress and relax without any, or few, distractions.

Many people also find that they’re more open to changing their behaviors when they don’t have to worry about everyday responsibilities. “For the most part, people try to make their lives as orderly and predictable as they can, because the less you have to think about your normal day-to-day life, the easier it is to manage,” says Michael Brein, PhD , a travel psychologist living on Bainbridge Island, Washington. “All that goes out the door when you travel.”

Being in an environment where you don’t have to make everyday decisions may allow you to experiment with new behaviors or focus on cultivating ones you’ve neglected. This can help you create healthy habits, like sleeping better, eating well, and exercising daily, that you want to follow once you return home. A small observational study out of Australia, published in the February 2017 Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found weeklong retreat experiences may lead to substantial improvements in multiple dimensions of health and well-being, maintainable for six weeks after the fact.

Plus, many wellness trips provide access to services that can positively affect mental and physical health, such as massage therapy , yoga classes , and nutrition consultations. These experiences can help you return home feeling refreshed and better equipped to handle day-to-day stressors, Lorandini notes.

Many people plan their own wellness-travel experiences, but you can hire a travel adviser if you don’t have time or need to pull it off, or need help finding high-quality options. The WTA offers a member directory where you can find vetted travel advisers who specialize in wellness tourism.

Types of Wellness Tourists

According to the GWI, wellness tourists fall into two main categories.

This traveler is mainly motivated by wellness when choosing their trip or destination. For example, they may book a weekend at an all-inclusive health resort or go on a dedicated meditation retreat.

This traveler seeks to maintain wellness while traveling, no matter what kind of trip they’re on. For example, they may take a yoga class during a family vacation or visit a spa during a business trip.

Possible Benefits of Wellness Tourism

Most of the health perks of wellness tourism are anecdotal and can’t be backed up by research. Moreover, existing research primarily focuses on general travel, not wellness tourism. That said, we may be able to pinpoint a few potential benefits of wellness travel.

1. It May Boost Happiness

New experiences and changes in scenery can give some people a mood boost. In a study published in July 2020 in Nature , people with more variability in their day-to-day location tended to be happier. Meanwhile, a past study found that women who vacationed twice a year were less likely to suffer from depression and chronic stress than women who vacationed less frequently.

2. It Provides Lasting Stress Relief

A wellness-inspired getaway enables you to escape the stress of everyday life and focus on activities and experiences that promote well-being. And the stress-relieving benefits of this kind of travel are almost immediate. According to a nonacademic online survey by Expedia referenced in 2018 by the Global Coalition on Aging , 88 percent of U.S. respondents reported feeling more relaxed and less anxious after being on vacation for just a day or two, and the same percentage felt optimistic and positive after a trip.

Time spent disconnected from daily stressful situations can also lower your overall stress once you return home.

Even a short trip (including to local venues) can potentially offer lasting stress relief. In one small study published in 2018 in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health , researchers had 20 midlevel executives spend four nights in a hotel outside their usual environment, while a control group of 20 spent their vacation at home. While both groups noticed immediate improvements in stress and well-being, the hotel cohort saw greater benefits. What’s more, the positive effects could still be felt 45 days post-vacation.

3. It May Improve Heart Health

The stress-lowering effects of travel may have benefits for your heart.

In a past study , middle-aged men at high risk for heart disease who reported that they had taken a vacation in the past year were 17 percent less likely to have passed away than men who hadn’t traveled, in research conducted over a nine-year period.

That said, the authors of the aforementioned study note that, while vacations may improve heart health by lowering stress, it may be that healthier people are more likely to travel. More research is needed to determine if and how travel benefits the heart and mortality risk. If you have a heart condition, be sure to consult your physician before you take a trip.

4. It May Enhance Brain Health

Exposure to new behaviors and environments through travel may stimulate the brain in new ways, potentially helping you stay sharp, according to the report from the Global Coalition on Aging.

In fact, when the authors of a past study followed more than 2,000 older adults for three years, they found that those who regularly participated in social or leisure activities, such as traveling, had a lower risk of dementia. According to the CDC , dementia is a general term for when the impaired ability to remember, think, or make decisions interferes with everyday life. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia , and it mostly affects older adults, per the CDC.

Wellness Tourism Risks

Travel of any kind comes with risks. You may face personal safety or environmental risks, such as altitude challenges, heat and humidity, foodborne and waterborne illnesses, and diseases carried by animals and insects, notes the World Health Organization (WHO) .

Traveling with a medical condition can also be risky. Air travel in particular can pose risks for people with cardiac failure, heart rate or rhythm disorders, epilepsy, and those who have recently had a heart attack or stroke, according to  Johns Hopkins Medicine .

Consult your medical healthcare provider if you plan to take a trip so they can offer guidance and support and help you craft an experience that’s appropriate for your healthcare needs.

Who Might Want to Try (and Avoid) Wellness Tourism

Wellness travel is for anyone and everyone. If you have the desire and the budget for a wellness trip, it may make you happier, relieve stress, and potentially improve brain and heart health.

Given the nature of being outside of your daily comfort zone, wellness tourism may be a stressful experience. “People with underlying mental health conditions such as anxiety or depression may find the experience more difficult than someone without these issues, so it’s best to speak with your doctor before making any plans,” Lorandini says.

People with chronic conditions don’t necessarily need to avoid travel. You should see your healthcare provider as early as possible before traveling to discuss any risks and create a care plan, per Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Access to Wellness Tourism

Wellness tourism can be expensive — for example, a seven-day stay at the Chenot Palace Weggis health and wellness retreat starts at $5,722, and tuition at Esalen Institute varies from $540 to $8,000 depending upon accommodation choice and workshop fees. But there are plenty of budget-friendly wellness-travel options out there, Dimon says. Just keep in mind that what’s considered affordable to one traveler may not be to another.

When searching for affordable wellness retreats and other health-inspired travel options, be sure to factor in transportation (airfare, train fare, car rental). Staying closer to home can cut down on your expenses significantly, and as mentioned above, even getting away on a local trip brings possible health benefits.

Depending on where you stay and what you do, you may also save money by designing your own wellness vacation; no rule says you have to sign up for a weeklong all-inclusive trip. “Think about it,” Dimon says, “Someone could enjoy a self-guided wellness vacation at a three-star hotel, reading, relaxing, walking in nature, making healthy food choices, getting a good night’s sleep, and simply being away from the stress of their everyday lives.”

Creativity and wellness tourism go hand in hand. With endless options available, you can craft a wellness trip to fit any budget.

4 Tips for Getting Started With Wellness Tourism

Follow this expert advice for making the most of your next wellness-travel adventure.

1. Start Small

You don’t have to spend a lot of money or time to be a wellness tourist. If you already have a family or business trip on the calendar, look for opportunities to focus on your health and well-being while you’re away. Check out the area you’ll be visiting to see if there are any wellness supportive experiences you’d enjoy. Consider yoga studios, hiking trails, healthy breakfast spots, spas, hot springs, and cooking classes. If you don’t have a trip scheduled, consider planning a self-guided wellness vacation. If you’re working with a limited budget, look for a hotel, AirBnB, or campground you can drive to and spend a few days away from your usual environment.

2. Find Inspiration

Wellness tourism offers so many possibilities that it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Where should you go? Should you sign up for a weekend retreat or try to DIY? Asking friends and family for recommendations is always a good first step. But you can also find inspiration by reading about other travelers’ experiences. TraveltoWellness.com , an online magazine for wellness-minded travelers, offers many articles detailing new travel options and stories from contributors who have visited a particular place. Use this and other online travel resources to help you discern what wellness experience fits you. (Also, see our wellness travel resources section at the end of this article for more.)

3. Identify Your ‘Why’

What’s your reason — or your “why” — for taking a wellness trip? Do you need a relaxing environment where you don’t have to plan anything or make decisions about food or activities? Or do you want to learn more about yourself, a culture, practice, or activity? Setting your intention and articulating your “why” may guide you toward finding and planning the right travel experience for you, says Lisette Cifaldi , the director of behavioral health at Hilton Head Health, a weight loss and wellness resort on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina.

4. Hire an Expert

If you dislike planning trips, you’re too busy, or you’re not sure where to start, reach out to travel advisers who specialize in wellness, Dimon suggests. The WTA offers a directory of travel advisers who offer wellness-travel guidance. Looping in a professional who knows the industry and who can make suggestions tailored to your well-being goals may be a solid starting point.

How to Make the Most of Your Next Wellness Trip

Follow these expert tips for preparing for and winding down from your wellness travel adventures so you can maximize the benefits of taking precious time off.

Before You Go

• Set a goal  Give yourself a goal to focus on during your trip. This way, you can plan your trip around that goal and maximize your time, Cifaldi says. You can also think about how you want to feel after returning home “and use that as inspiration when planning activities or experiences during your stay,” Lorandini says.
• Plan logistics.  Whether you’ve scheduled an all-inclusive experience or you’re DIY-ing, some logistics will be involved. “Read up on the different activities and services available at the destination so you can make informed decisions about how to spend your time there,” Lorandini says. Plan as many logistics as possible beforehand so you don’t have to worry about them during your trip. For example, if you’re doing a self-guided vacation, come up with a list of healthy food restaurants or grocery stores near your place of stay.
• Get support.  Can any friends or family members help with everyday responsibilities (childcare, pet-sitting, plant-watering) while you’re gone? Can your coworkers cover for you while you’re gone? Having a support system in place to handle routine tasks allows you to stay present and relaxed during your trip, Cifaldi notes.
• Practice self-care.  Preparing for a trip can be stressful, but try to take care of yourself mentally and physically in the days leading up to your departure. This means eating nutritious meals, getting enough sleep, practicing relaxation techniques like yoga or meditation, and exercising, Lorandini says.

After You Get Back

• Reflect:   Go easy upon reentering everyday life. Take some time to let the experiences you had on your trip soak in. “Journaling about your experiences can be a great way to process all you learned and hold onto those feelings of relaxation and well-being,” Lorandini says.
• Change your environment.  Continue your wellness journey once you return home by tweaking your environment to encourage the healthy habits you practiced on your trip. “You might clean out your pantry to include more health-friendly options or find a space in your home to dedicate to a daily meditation practice,” Cifaldi says.
• Find a community.  Connect with people who share your wellness interests. Cifaldi suggests starting with group wellness or fitness classes. You may meet people who are walking a similar well-being path and can support you along your journey, she says.

Wellness Tourism Resources We Love

Organizations.

Global Wellness Institute (GWI)

This nonprofit organization advocates for preventative health and wellness worldwide. The Global Wellness Institute (GWI) collects industry research, leads international roundtables, supports wellness initiatives, and offers an online resource where you can find medical evidence for mainstream wellness approaches. Find information about wellness tourism on their website and sign up for email updates.

U.S. Travel Association

The U.S. Travel Association is a national nonprofit organization representing the travel industry. Made up of more than 1,100 member organizations, they work to grow and sustain travel to and within the United States. They offer research, news, and commentary to keep you informed while you plan your trip.

Media and Planning

Wellness Tourism Association (WTA)

Launched in January 2018, the Wellness Tourism Association (WTA) is a global network of destination management organizations (DMOs), hotels, tour operators, travel advisers, wellness practitioners, and media. The WTA is a great place to search for wellness retreats, destinations, and travel advisers. Browse their directory for options.

Travel to Wellness

Travel to Wellness is an online wellness travel magazine founded by Anne Dimon in 2004. Here, you’ll find reviews of wellness offerings, everyday wellness tips, roundups of retreats and vacations, product recommendations, and firsthand travel accounts. Stay updated with their email newsletter and start your trip search with the 2023 wellness retreat guide .

Suite Dreams Travel

Hosted by the wellness travel planner Barbara Tuckett, the Suite Dreams Travel podcast covers various topics. You'll find episodes on must-see sights, travel reviews, what makes wellness travel different from other vacations, and how to handle travel stressors like canceled flights.

Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking

Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy . We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.

• Wellness Tourism Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report by Service, by Travel Purpose, by Travel Type, by Region, and Segment Forecasts, 2022–2030. Grand View Research .
• Wellness Tourism. Global Wellness Institute (GWI) .
• The History of Medical Tourism. Health-tourism.com .
• Roman Baths. World History Encyclopedia . May 2, 2013.
• About. Wellness Travel Association (WTA) .
• Heller AS, Shi TC, Chiemeka Ezie CE, et al. Association Between Real-World Experiential Diversity and Positive Affect Relates to Hippocampal-Striatal Functional Connectivity. Nature Neuroscience . July 2020.
• Chikani V, Reding D, Gunderson P, et al. Vacations Improve Mental Health Among Rural Women: The Wisconsin Rural Women’s Health Study. WMJ . August 2005.
• Destination Healthy Aging: The Physical, Cognitive, and Social Benefits of Travel. Global Coalition on Aging .
• Blank C, Gatterer K, Leichtfried V, et al. Short Vacation Improves Stress-Level and Well-Being in German-Speaking Middle Managers — a Randomized Controlled Trial. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health . 2018.
• Gump BB, Matthews KA. Are Vacations Good for Your Health? The 9-Year Mortality Experience After the Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial. Psychosomatic Medicine . September–October 2000.
• About Dementia. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) . April 5, 2019.
• Fabrigoule C, Letenneur L, Dartigues JF, et al. Social and Leisure Activities and Risk of Dementia: A Prospective Longitudinal Study. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society . May 1995.
• Health Risks When Traveling. World Health Organization (WHO) . April 28, 2020.
• Traveling With Chronic Conditions. Johns Hopkins Medicine .
• Moss G. Water and Health: A Forgotten Connection? Perspectives in Public Health . Sept 2010.
• Cohen M, Elliott F, Oates L, et al. Do Wellness Tourists Get Well? An Observational Study of Multiple Dimensions of Health and Well-Being After a Week-Long Retreat. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine . March 22, 2021.
• Wellness vs. Well-Being: What’s the Difference? Gallup .
• Well-Being Concepts. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) . October 31, 2018.

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9 Ways to Improve Your Balance

Rachel MacPherson is a health writer, certified personal trainer, certified strength and conditioning specialist, and exercise nutrition coach based in Halifax.

Oscar Wong / Getty Images

• What is Balance?
• How to Improve Balance
• Exercises to Try
• Considerations

Balance is a fundamental aspect of daily life, playing an integral role in everything from simple tasks such as walking and standing to more complex activities like playing soccer and lifting weights. It's the invisible glue that holds all movements together, helping you navigate your environment while keeping stable.

Balance involves a complex system using vision, proprioception (body awareness), and the vestibular system (inner ear), all working together to maintain equilibrium. It includes how your body responds to movement, adjusts to various surfaces, and recovers from disturbances to your stability, like when you trip or stumble.

Poor balance increases the risk of falls, which are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries for older Americans, according to the National Council on Aging. Even for younger individuals, a lack of balance can lead to sports injuries and impede overall physical performance. Improving balance is an important part of maintaining good health and longevity for healthy, active aging and an enjoyable life.

Understanding Balance

Balance is a complex process that relies on the coordination of three components: proprioception, vision, and the vestibular system.

• Proprioception , or body awareness, is your sense of self-movement and body position. It involves the ability to sense the position, location, orientation, and movement of the body and its parts. This is necessary for maintaining balance as it allows you to understand where your body is in space at any moment. Proprioception is primarily facilitated by receptors in your muscles and joints that send information to your brain about your body's position and movement, according to Seth Forman , M.Ed., Athletic & Sports Performance Trainer, CSCS and head of education and training for the Kayezen VECTOR System.
• Vision provides critical information to the brain about your environment. It helps you identify obstacles, judge distances, and perceive motion, all of which are essential for maintaining balance. Your eyes continuously scan your surroundings and send messages to your brain about changes in the environment, according to Dr. Caryn McAllister , PT, DPT, CEO of High Quality Home Therapy in Stamford, Connecticut. “This allows us to modify our movement in response to the directions and to predict which way we will move so our muscles can react appropriately to seamlessly maintain balance,” she explains.
• The vestibular system , located in the inner ear, plays a vital role in maintaining balance by providing your brain with information about head position and movement and whether your body is moving up and down or forward at a slow or rapid pace, says Dr. Debbie Dy , Doctor of Physical Therapy and Orthopedic Clinical Specialist at Fusion Wellness & Physical Therapy in Los Angeles, CA. This system works closely with our vision and proprioception to ensure stability and a sense of equilibrium.

These three systems—proprioception, vision, and the vestibular system—work synergistically to maintain balance. Dr. McAllister explains these systems continuously provide the brain with sensory information, which it processes to send appropriate responses to your muscles and joints, ensuring stability and equilibrium. “Muscles contract and/or relax to prevent the body from falling in response to the incoming sensory input,” she says. 

However, balance can be affected by various factors. Age-related changes, for instance, can lead to a decline in these systems, affecting balance. Other factors, such as certain medications, health conditions, and lack of physical activity, can also impact balance. It's important to be aware of these factors and take steps to mitigate their impact, such as regular exercise and maintaining good overall health, says Dr. Dy.

Research has shown that exercise programs can reduce falls that cause injuries by 37%, serious injuries by 43%, and broken bones by 61%.

Simple Strategies for Better Balance

There are several ways to improve balance, such as working on your mobility and strength to improve posture and core engagement, using mindful movement and incorporating single-leg exercises into your routine.

Focus on Posture

Good posture is the cornerstone of balance. It provides a strong foundation, aligning the body in a way that optimizes stability. Forman says that if you have poor mobility, you will struggle to maintain the correct posture necessary for keeping your balance.

Maintaining a neutral spine, with the head aligned over the shoulders and the shoulders over the hips, can significantly improve balance. "Adopting a consistent mobility routine can be very beneficial to reverse the effects that repetitive motions or activities such as sitting, computer or desk work, or texting may have on your spinal posture," says Dr. Dy.

Strengthen Core Muscles

According to Dr. Dy, a strong core is essential for balance since the core muscles provide stability and support for the entire body, facilitating weight transfer from one leg to another and enabling us to navigate uneven terrain. Core-strengthening exercises, such as planks, bridges, and abdominal curls, can enhance balance by improving stability and body control.

Learning how to correctly engage your core , which includes your back, abdominals, and glutes, will also help you keep your balance. If your core is strong and stable, engaging your core can keep you upright when faced with balance challenges such as uneven terrain or stumbles.

Mindful Movement

"Mindful movement entails listening to your body or checking in with your body as you move," says Dr. McAllister. Incorporating mindfulness into daily activities can significantly enhance body awareness and, in turn, improve balance. She recommends a physical activity “diet” where people engage in “movement snacks," which are short stints of activity spread over the day, making incorporating mindful movement activities easier to manage.

Mindful movement involves being fully present in the body and paying attention to how it feels during exercise. According to Dr. McAllister, practices like Qi Jong, Tai Chi, and yoga, which focus on the body-mind connection, can help improve balance, flexibility, strength, and mental health.

Single-Leg Exercises

Single-leg exercises are a great way to challenge and improve balance. Exercises like standing on one leg, leg lifts, and lunges can help strengthen the muscles used for balance, enhance proprioception, and improve stability. These exercises can be included in your regular workout routine for optimal results.

Single Leg Exercises

• Single-leg stance for physiotherapy
• Single-leg deadlift
• Single-leg squat
• Bulgarian split squat

Incorporating balance exercises into your regular routine is essential for lasting improvement since consistent practice helps the brain and body adapt and improve, leading to better balance over time, says Dr. McAllister.

Balance-Boosting Forms of Exercise

Other balance boosting forms of exercise include tai chi, yoga, and using a balance board or wobble cushion.

"The best exercise for an individual is what they enjoy, so preference should always come first. Nobody should do what doesn’t feel good, so it’s important that your body enjoys the activity you choose," says Dr. McAllister.

Tai Chi is a form of exercise that offers balance, flexibility, and mindfulness benefits. This ancient Chinese martial art involves slow, deliberate movements, deep breathing, and focusing on the present moment. According to Dr. McAllister, the slow and controlled footwork of Tai Chi requires strength and good sensory input, naturally shifting your weight back and forth, which can help your body get used to balancing in various positions.

"It's gentle and never uses forced movements, so we tend to see fewer injuries in our adult patients who engage in Tai Chi. She explains that Tai Chi is easily adaptable, so it can benefit people recovering from surgeries or who cannot stand for long periods," she explains. Studies have shown that Tai Chi can reduce the risk of falls in older adults by up to 50%, making it a powerful tool for improving balance and overall health.

Yoga is another excellent exercise for improving balance and core strength . Specific yoga poses, such as Tree Pose , Warrior III, and Half Moon Pose, can target balance by challenging your stability and strengthening your core muscles.

Yoga also enhances body awareness, a key component of balance, by encouraging mindfulness and focus on the body's movements and sensations, says Dr. Dy. "Increasing body awareness is a great step towards strengthening the sensory systems involved with balance," she adds. Regular yoga practice can lead to significant improvements in balance, flexibility, and strength.

Balance Boards and Wobble Cushions

Balance boards and wobble cushions are useful tools for challenging and improving balance since they provide an unstable surface that requires you to engage your core muscles and use a sense of balance to stay upright. According to Dr. Dy, they can help to strengthen the muscles used for balance, enhance proprioception, and improve stability.

"Performing exercises on unstable surfaces can be very beneficial to prepare our body and nervous system to navigate in the real world, as we know that walking surfaces are not always flat and smooth," says Dr. Dy, who recommends Airex pads. "Performing balance exercises on the soft foam will allow for greater reliance on the proprioceptive input from your feet and ankles," she adds. Exercise balls are also a great alternative, particularly since you can also use them for stretches.

Other Considerations

Other factors to consider that play a role in balance are footwear, vision, and hydration.

Your choice of footwear can significantly impact balance. Shoes with good support and traction help provide a stable base. Dr. McAllister says to look for shoes with proper arch support and a wide enough toe box to avoid squishing your toes, which are essential for balance. The soles should grip surfaces well and not slip, and if you're not wearing flat shoes, opt for a low, wide heel. Laces that tie well and don't come undone easily are also beneficial. According to Dr. McAllister, the proper footwear can enhance your balance and reduce the risk of slips and falls.

What to Look for in Footwear for Balance

• Proper arch support
• Wide enough toe box—don’t squish your toes—you need them for proper balance.
• Soles that grip surfaces well and don’t slip
• Low wide heel if not wearing flat shoes
• Laces that tie will and don’t come undone easily

Vision Check-ups

Your balance relies on vision, proprioception, and vestibular senses to relay information from your body and the environment and maintain adequate balance, according to Dr. Dy. "When one of these systems is missing, your body has to adapt and rely more heavily on the other two. This can cause issues with balance and increase your risk of falls," she says. Regular eye exams can identify and address any vision issues promptly, preventing them from impacting balance, especially as you age.

Dr. McAllister says receiving one exam at least every 24 months for those between the ages of 18 and 64. After 64, the general rule of thumb is to have an exam at least every 1-2 years, but some people require it more frequently due to visual deficits

Staying hydrated is vital for maintaining proper muscle function and balance. If you are dehydrated, Dr. Dy says it is common to become dizzy, which can sometimes be caused by low blood pressure. "It can also be caused by changes that occur to the vestibular system with dehydration, as the canals in the inner ear that give input to where your head is in space are filled with fluid," she explains. When the volume of this fluid is not stable, these sensory receptors can be off, causing the feeling of dizziness or vertigo. 

Improving balance is possible using tips such as maintaining good posture, strengthening core muscles, practicing mindful movement, and incorporating single-leg exercises. Balance-boosting exercises like Tai Chi, Yoga, and using balance boards can also be beneficial. Remember to ensure you have proper footwear, regular vision check-ups, and that you're staying hydrated. Prioritizing balance can lead to a safer, more confident, and joyful life. Embrace these strategies and activities to enhance your balance and overall health for years to come.

Falls Prevention Facts . National Council on Aging. 

Balance disorders — causes, types & treatment . NIDCD.

Cao C, Cade WT, Li S, McMillan J, Friedenreich C, Yang L. Association of balance function with all-cause and cause-specific mortality among us adults . JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg . 2021;147(5):460-468. doi:10.1001/jamaoto.2021.0057

El-Khoury F, Cassou B, Charles MA, Dargent-Molina P.  The effect of fall prevention exercise programmes on fall induced injuries in community dwelling older adults . Br J Sports Med . 2015;49(20):1348-1348. doi:10.1136/bmj.f6234

Clark, D.R., Lambert, M.I. & Hunter, A.M.  Contemporary perspectives of core stability training for dynamic athletic performance: a survey of athletes, coaches, sports science and sports medicine practitioners .  Sports Med - Open  4, 32 (2018). doi:10.1186/s40798-018-0150-3

Dizdar M, Irdesel JF, Dizdar OS, Topsaç M. Effects of balance-coordination, strengthening, and aerobic exercises to prevent falls in postmenopausal patients with osteoporosis: a 6-month randomized parallel prospective study . Journal of Aging and Physical Activity . 2018;26(1):41-51. doi:10.1123/japa.2016-0284

Hamed A, Bohm S, Mersmann F, Arampatzis A. Exercises of dynamic stability under unstable conditions increase muscle strength and balance ability in the elderly . Scandinavian Med Sci Sports . 2018;28(3):961-971. doi:10.1111/sms.13019

Khuzema A, Brammatha A, Arul Selvan V. Effect of home-based Tai Chi, Yoga or conventional balance exercise on functional balance and mobility among persons with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease: An experimental study . Hong Kong Physiother J. 2020;40(01):39-49. doi:10.1142%2FS1013702520500055

Chen W, Li M, Li H, Lin Y, Feng Z. Tai Chi for fall prevention and balance improvement in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials . Front Public Health . 2023;11:1236050. doi:10.3389%2Ffpubh.2023.1236050

Ni M, Mooney K, Harriell K, Balachandran A, Signorile J.  Core muscle function during specific yoga poses .  Complement Ther Med.  2014;22(2):235-43. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2014.01.007

Alghadir AH, Zafar H, Anwer S. Effect of footwear on standing balance in healthy young adult males . J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact . 2018;18(1):71-75.

By Rachel MacPherson, BA, CPT Rachel MacPherson is a health writer, certified personal trainer, and exercise nutrition coach based in Halifax.

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We Asked Health Pros How to Stick to Healthy Habits on Vacation — Here's What They Said

These tips will help you eat well, feel rested, and stay active without giving up what you love most about traveling.

• Packing Tips
• Exercise Tips
• Nutrition Tips
• Sleep and Jet Lag Tips

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Who doesn’t love to travel? It’s a great way to explore a new city, learn about a different culture, celebrate a milestone, or just escape from your everyday routine. But if you’re like us, traveling may mean new territory, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you want to abandon your wellness routine completely. That’s why we created this guide, filled with expert-backed ways to keep up with your nutrition, fitness, and wellness routine while on the road. 

From incorporating movement into your travel plans to prioritizing wholesome food and self-care each day, this guide can help you stay on track with your wellness habits — without giving up all the fun stuff you love about going on vacation. 

Pre-Travel Prep

Keeping up with your wellness routine when you're away requires a bit of planning while you're still at home. These tips can help you prep for success.

Do Your Research

If you want to make sure you keep up with workouts on your getaway, book a hotel with a gym inside of it or with a gym nearby, suggests Noam Tamir , C.S.C.S., owner of TS Fitness in New York City. This way, you know exactly what you’ll have to work with equipment-wise and can plan out your workouts accordingly, he says.

If you don't have any luck finding a place to stay near a gym, consider bringing resistance bands and a jump rope to squeeze in some training right in your room. “Resistance bands are your best friend for travel, offering you the ability to indulge in resistance training on-the-go while taking up very little space,” says Kira Stokes , NASM-CPT, celebrity trainer and creator of The Stoked Method , based in New York City. “Toss a jump rope in your suitcase as well to ensure you have a fabulous tool to challenge your cardiovascular fitness."

Consider What You Can Rewear

Tight on space and considering leaving your workout gear at home? Optimize packing space by reusing your workout gear for other activities like hikes, walking tours, or travel days. “You can reuse certain items, like a pair of shorts, depending on how sweaty you get,” says Tamir. “Even if you do end up sweating a lot, cold wash it in your room — most workout gear is made out of materials that dry quickly.”

Bring a Massage Tool

If you have extra space in your luggage and you own a massage percussion gun , massage ball, or recovery boots, consider bringing them along for the journey. “For the super dedicated fitness folks, some recovery boots from Therabody are actually super helpful at keeping you feeling fresh while traveling, especially if you plan to get in [some workouts],” says Sean Light , a former Los Angeles Lakers strength and conditioning coach and the founder of 4A Health Health & Performance Sciences based in New York City. “A massage gun can help pre- and post-workout, as well as after a long day of exploring, too.”

Pack Healthy Non-Perishable Snacks

Yes, there will always be food and snacks available in airports and hotels, but consider packing some healthier alternatives. “In order to stay on track with your daily non-negotiables...dedicate some space in your suitcase for snacks and travel-friendly supplements that you know you enjoy,” says Stokes. Think: low-sugar protein bars, nuts, and protein powder.  These things are all satiating and can generally get through airport security without a problem.

Maximizing Limited Space, Time, and Equipment

Even if you love working out, you may not want to spend a ton of time doing a lengthy or elaborate workout on vacation. These tips will help you fit in a bit of sweat – while leaving you with plenty of time to explore and nab some R&R.

Keep Things Simple

Usually, when you travel, you're dealing with a lot of stuff that you don't usually have to deal with — flight delays, traffic, and many other unknowns. “This means that your total volume of stress will increase, explains Light. “Simplify your training plans, enjoy the lighter workouts, and have some fun with it,” he says. “Don't overdo it on the road.” 

Even something as simple as a very long walk can be a great workout while traveling. “Movement is key, and hitting 20,000 steps can often replace the gym or a run if needed,” says Trevor Franklin , CPT, a New York City-based certified personal trainer and runner. While that number may seem lofty, you may be shocked at how quickly you get there if you're exploring your vacay locall by foot.

Try a Bodyweight Circut

A quick high-intensity circuit workout can give you just the right amount of strength and cardio you need when you’re traveling. “Put together basic exercises, like squats, push-ups, rows, planks, and make them into a circuit,” suggests Tamir. “You can even do them using just your body weight, and then you won’t need a gym or equipment — you can work out in your room.” If you pack resistance bands, you can up the challenge by working those into your circuit, too.

Prioritize Movement Snacks

It’s important to remember that small doses of movement throughout the course of the day, or as Stokes calls them, movement snacks, add up in your “fitness bank” and can boost your energy, endurance, strength, and mobility.

“When traveling, you may not have the time to commit to extensive workouts, but if you take advantage of moments (or places) throughout the day to squeeze in some reps, using the environment in front of you to add ‘money to your fitness bank,’ it all adds up,” she says. “Take the stairs, crush some push-ups whenever you see a bench, incorporate some chair stretches while sitting, or enjoy some glute bridges while laying on the beach.”

Exploring Local Fitness Options

Love to blend movement with your vacation activities? These tips can make the process seamless — and fun!

Make the City Your Gym

Instead of running on the treadmill, use your workout as an excuse to sightsee and get in some miles! “I prefer to run through a new city to explore it,” says Franklin. “It’s not only a good way to explore a new city, but you can also see what’s around the area where you’re staying so you can go back to a coffee shop, wellness studio, or gym that you passed on your route later.” 

Stokes agrees that the best way to take in a new city or destination is by going for a run, walk, or bike ride. “Research your location ahead of time and plan a route that allows you to take in the sights and sounds of the area. This way, you’ll not only be exploring a new place, but you’ll be working towards your movement goal, too.”

You can also ask the concierge where you’re staying if they have any suggestions. Some hotels, like Westin Hotels and Resorts, have dedicated running-related programs to allow those who want to keep up with their miles to do so.

You Familiar Apps

The apps you use for home or fitness findings, tracking, and group class sign-ups can also be helpful when traveling. “I use Strava to find local ideas,” says Kelvin Gary , NASM-CPT, owner of Body Space Fitness in New York City. “As for group classes, I start with ClassPass but also connect with my network of friends in the area if I know of any.” Put a call out on social media platforms to see if friends have any recommendations in the cities you’ll be visiting.

Nutrition and Eating Well

Vacation and dining out tend to go hand-in-hand. But that doesn't mean you can't prioritize nutritious food while also indulging in some local indulgences. Here's how the pros navigate eating out while on the road.

Consider Traveling Sober

Just because you’re on vacation doesn’t mean you have to drink alcohol to celebrate. "While a glass of wine may sound tempting, it's best to pass on alcoholic beverages in flight,” says Hilary Sheinbaum, author of The Dry Challenge: How to Lose the Booze for Dry January, Sober October, and Any Other Alcohol-Free Month , based in New York City. " Flying is dehydrating itself, and alcohol is, too.” And if you’re hoping to get in some workouts or exercise during your travels, hydration is even more important. “Try ordering a water, juice, or even a non-alcoholic beer, cocktail, or wine instead,” says Sheinbaum.

Non-alcoholic options are excellent alternatives to boozy drinks, and now many airports and airlines like Alaska Airlines keep these products in stock. Resorts like the Fairmont Kea Lani in Maui and the Arlo Nomad and Untitled Hotel in NYC also have full zero-proof cocktail menus for travelers who like the taste of these drinks but aren't looking for a buzz — nor the hangover to derail their nutrition and fitness plans the next morning.

Order Only What You're Able to Eat

We tend to overconsume when traveling — whether it’s because we’re celebrating or excited about trying new foods. Be aware and order only what you know you’ll be able to comfortably finish. “Remember, if you’re hungry after, you can always order something else, but this way, you aren’t forced to overindulge — and you’re not wasting food either,” says Tamir.

Prioritize Water and Protein

If you’re going to focus on anything when it comes to nutrition and traveling, stay hydrated and also make sure you prioritize protein during your meals. “A lot of my clients struggle when traveling, especially when it comes to eating,” says Franklin. “Focusing on high-quality proteins and trying to [fit those in] first is usually a good domino effect for the rest of your nutrition habits.”

Managing Stress, Jet Leg and Sleep Quality

Zipping through time zones can leave even the most well-rested traveler feeling sluggish. Here's how to adjust most effectively so you can enjoy your trip and feel up to staying active.

Sweat First, Sleep Later

While your first instinct when you check into a hotel or rental when traveling might be to sit down, relax, and settle in, try getting in a workout — or even just some movement — instead. “I try to sweat as soon as possible,” says Franklin. “I don’t unpack or sit down, but instead head straight to the gym or hit the road to log some local miles. That way, I know I got my movement in for the day, and therefore, I find that I always sleep better afterward.”

Try Binaural Beats

Use technology to help you snooze by exploring the app store and what’s available for jetlag and sleep. “The biggest hack to getting good sleep while traveling is to find an app that utilizes audio technology called binaural beats,” says Light. “This is some fancy technology that will automatically tune your brain to the state of your choice — in this case, a restful state. It works by playing music through your headphones at a different frequency in each ear. When I worked for the Lakers, we would have players listen to binaural beats on the late flights to new cities, so when we got to the hotel, they were ready for a good night's sleep.”

While Light had his “beats” engineered specifically for clients, apps like NuCalm and BrainWaves have similar options.

Pack a Mask

A sleep mask, that is! “The sleep mask can help you find some shut-eye on the flight and extend your sleep past sunrise in the morning, defending against some of the effects of jet lag,” says Light.

Take Time to Meditate

Evidence suggests that mindfulness meditation may improve sleep quality, which is just one of the many reasons Gary recommends adding it to your travel routine. “Meditate, meditate, meditate,” he says. “It’s not only the best way to start the day with a clear mind, but it’s also a great way to wind down after a long, busy day.”

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Travel as Healing

Wellness vacations now go far beyond massages and diet advice, instead offering a respite from physical and mental stress. Here’s what to expect.

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By Concepción de León

Before the pandemic, when Mary Calliste, 32, traveled, she would try to hit as many tourist attractions as she could. But in early December, Ms. Calliste, who works in the financial services industry out of Plainfield, N.J., went to Guatemala and stayed at an eco-friendly hotel called Lush Atitlán . There, she ate vegan meals, walked around the natural reserve and listened to music.

And loved it.

From now on, she said, “I see myself incorporating a lot more of my needs into my travel instead of what I can see.”

As the pandemic lingers into its third calendar year, it’s probably not surprising that travelers are increasingly looking to their vacations to work on their mental and physical wellness. In a recent American Express survey , 76 percent of respondents said they wanted to spend more on travel that improves their well-being, and 55 percent said they would be willing to pay extra for these services or activities.

That has hotels ramping up their wellness offerings, from outfitting rooms with Peloton exercise bikes to adding programs that address mental health. Hilton has created a program called Five Feet to Fitness , which includes an interactive kiosk with fitness tutorials and a gym’s worth of equipment in some rooms.

At Miraval Resorts & Spas locations, guests over the past year have come in “having experienced symptoms of stress that they, quite frankly, were unfamiliar with,” said Simon Marxer, the hotel group’s associate vice president for wellness offerings.

In April, Miraval partnered with the National Alliance on Mental Illness to create Sensory Journeys , a meditation and soundscape series available for free on the Miraval website. It also introduced Journeys With Intention , a customizable wellness program that allows guests to choose from a selection of “journeys” according to their health goals. Among the offerings: self-connection, grief and loss, and mental well-being, as well as more standard spa, adventure and fitness programs.

“What we’re seeing, certainly in hospitality, is the need to serve really the whole person,” Mr. Marxer said.

Spas took a hit

Spas, with their focus on high-touch, one-on-one services like massages and facials, were hit hard last year. Hotel and resort spas experienced a 42 percent dip in revenues, while destination spas, which offer an immersive experience, were down 37 percent, according to a report by the Global Wellness Institute published in December. But the wellness industry has since begun a rapid recovery, the report said, projecting that the spa sector will grow 17 percent annually through 2025.

Still, the downturn forced hotels and resorts — and their guests — to expand their notions of wellness and what activities fall under that umbrella. Before the pandemic, a wellness trip was probably centered on a spa’s traditional services, said Caroline Klein, the chief communications officer of Preferred Hotels & Resorts, a luxury hotel group. Now, hotels may offer nature walks, meditation, yoga or any number of creative offerings.

In some ways, hotels are responding to the lifestyles that many people adopted at the height of lockdowns, including making home-cooked meals and taking virtual fitness classes.

“Hotels are really seeing people bring those new mind-sets, routines and preferences with them as they start to travel again,” Ms. Klein said. “What that creates is a definite shift in expectations and experiences that hotels need to cater to, because they’re not catering to the traveler from 2019.”

Emily Rossin, a spokeswoman for a hospitality group that includes the Ryder, a boutique hotel in Charleston, S.C., said that after seeing the surge in popularity of Peloton bikes during the pandemic, the hotel decided to make them an in-room option for guests.

“We noticed that people were still stuck in their habitual routines from when we were in lockdown,” Ms. Rossin said. “When they’re coming to stay with us, it’s within their same routine and they really don’t have to break that.”

Established wellness hotels are also benefiting from the boom. Alex Glasscock, a co-founder of the Ranch wellness retreat in Malibu, Calif., which offers hours of daily hiking and a vegan menu, has seen an increase in bookings, he said, notably from teenagers and young adults. It’s a significant shift from when he and his wife, Sue, started the company in 2010 and people were confused by the concept of a “luxury boot camp.”

“This is truly a mega-trend,” he said, adding that at the Ranch, “what we’ve noticed from the pandemic is that where people used to book two and three months in advance, now we’re full six months in advance.”

52 Places to Love in 2021

We asked readers to tell us about the spots that have delighted, inspired and comforted them in a dark year. Here, 52 of the more than 2,000 suggestions we received, to remind us that the world still awaits.

Changing travel styles

What people want out of a vacation is shifting said Chris Kam, the president and chief operating officer of Omnitrak, a Hawaii-based research company that conducts regular national travel surveys. While travel has always been a reset, during the pandemic, “the travel experience transformed and became a place to heal — from mental, physical, spiritual stress,” he said in an email. “People travel for answers now about how to feel better.”

Shasha Du, 33, a founder and the creative director of Wild Awake , which organizes retreats for young people of color, said her travel style had changed. “I used to love traveling to cities a lot more,” she said. But looking back at that travel, which she said included a lot of shopping, Ms. Du realized that it “was enjoyable, but it was also not that fulfilling. It didn’t nurture my soul.”

In 2020, she designed two nature retreats for herself and her friends. And in November, she rented a barn north of Sacramento through Airbnb and, for the first time, signed up for an Airbnb experience: a tea-foraging event where she learned about the ancestral medicinal uses of many plants, some of which she’d been seeing all her life.

“It was just a different form of self-care, but I felt that it was really, really rejuvenating,” she said.

Feeling depleted by the pandemic, Ann Chen, 58, an English composition instructor at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., recently booked a wellness retreat with a friend for June 2022 “as a way to keep going — find something positive,” she said. They plan to stay at Ojo Santa Fe in New Mexico, a wellness resort with thermal pools, meals sourced from local farms and a spa. They planned ahead for personal scheduling reasons, but also to give them time to research the area and understand its “culture, attitudes and beliefs,” Ms. Chen said. The idea, she added, was “to be soothed, to work on being calm, to work on eating good food.”

“This kind of resort is getting us back to more of a normal feeling in our lives, where we’re just not so stressed out by worrying about whether we’re going to live another day,” Ms. Chen said.

Industry experts say the wellness travel trend is here to stay. The United States accounted for nearly 30 percent of the global wellness tourism market in 2020, and the sector is expected to grow to $919 billion by 2022 from $735.8 billion in 2020, according to the Global Wellness Institute .

“This is where we were headed,” Mr. Marxer of Miraval Resorts & Spas said. “The pandemic has brought the future forward in an accelerated way.”

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram , Twitter and Facebook . And sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to receive expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places list for 2021 .

An earlier version of this article misidentified a program that Miraval Resorts & Spas partnered with the National Alliance on Mental Illness to create. It was  Sensory Journeys , a meditation and soundscape series available for free on the Miraval website; it was not Journeys With Intention , which is a separate program created by Miraval.

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Concepción de León is a travel reporter based in New York. More about Concepción de León

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14 amazing travel wellness tips: bloggers share all.

FMTC Affiliate Disclosure: Blond Wayfarer contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This disclosure pertains to all affiliate links.

Need the best travel wellness tips? I don’t blame you. Travel wellness is hot right now. In a lot of ways, I feel ahead of the curve, talking are caring for yourself and your mental health way back in 2015, haha. 

High five for me, I guess? 

Anyway, wellness is popular right now for a reason, because, let’s be completely honest with ourselves here. We’re not always the best at making our own needs and mental health a priority in life. With jobs and bills and obligations, sometimes it’s challenging to regain focus on what truly matters in our lives. As a result, our mental health takes a collective hit.  

And to make matters worse, we’re even intensely not prioritizing ourselves on our travels! Ever heard of travel burnout? It’s a real thing.

Table of Contents

Travel Wellness is SO Important!

As I’ve said, I know “wellness” is a trendy term in the travel and lifestyle spaces. And, uh, some wellness advice demands for us to splurge and use our credit cards ad nauseam. Truthfully, I don’t think that’s fair at all. Wellness shouldn’t belong to rich people only, but I’ll save the rant for another day.

Instead I’ve contacted a ton of travel bloggers to put together a realistic wellness list for you to remember on your upcoming adventures. 

And honestly, these travel wellness tips don’t require you to break the bank. 

Let’s do it!

Read More: Places that Have Positively Healed Me

1. Don’t Forget Your Favorite Hobbies

I’m a social introvert, which means I need time at the end of the day to recharge and get back to exploring with the same cheerful and go-with-the-flow personality that gets me through the stress of travel. For a while, I rested by binge-watching Netflix in the evenings. Turning off my brain was nice for a while, but I soon realized it made me feel lonely and indifferent instead of eager to explore. Netflix was an unproductive way to spend my time in a new and exciting city anyway.

Maintaining my hobbies abroad is the best way for me to get back to feeling like me after a long day of socializing and exploring. I love learning languages, reading, horseback riding, scuba diving, and hiking. Thankfully, these hobbies are easy to include in my travels. For at least one hour daily, I turn off my phone and focus on developing my passions.

Hiking, horseback riding, and scuba diving are great ways to get me into nature. Exercise is a fantastic way to make you feel happier because exercise increases endorphins (the stress-fighting chemicals in your brain). Plus, in my opinion, there’s no place better than nature to think through cultural differences I’ve struggled with or other issues I faced on the road.

If you have the time and money, a language course at your destination is a fantastic way to meet locals, get involved in the culture, and meet travelers who share similar interests to you. Personally, I mostly engage in online language learning through platforms like Rosetta Stone, Mango, and Duolingo because they work best for me and how I work through the stress of travel. I still have yet to decide which program is most effective, but they all have helped me learn the local language. Communicating with locals in their language often helps avoid cultural misunderstandings and other complications on the road. Language-learning is a useful way to reduce stress while traveling!

Similarly, reading helps me, too. Not only is reading a great hobby for relaxing, it’s easier than ever with e-readers, such as a Kindle. I borrow digital books from my public library and bring them all around the world with me without all my books taking up valuable suitcase weight. I try to read books about destinations I’m about to visit so I can better understand the important figures in that country’s history and cultural differences I may encounter. I’ve always found that if I understand the local population, I can better navigate it and feel less stress on the road

My hobbies help me navigate stress on the road, but if none of them fit your interests, there are hundreds of options. The important thing is to continue doing abroad what makes you happy and relaxed at home.

— Kendal at Getaway Girl

2. Call Family & Friends

When I travel, particularly when I travel for more than one or two weeks, I tend to get really homesick. It’s always been difficult for me to handle the juxtaposition between my love of traveling and my homesickness.  The two things just don’t seem to go together!

Inevitably, I find myself scanning the travel websites for flight deals and trying to justify the expense of an early flight home.  None of this has ever made any sense to me but it seems to happen on every trip I’ve ever taken.  

In trying to reconcile my love of travel with the   feelings of homesickness ,  I’ve researched and tried many different things to take care of myself when I’m traveling.  One of the commonly suggested remedies was calling home regularly to speak with family and friends.  

At first, I balked at the idea of spending what seemed like a lot of money to make international calls home (this back in the 90s when using land lines to make long distance calls was still the norm!).  But, I was willing to try anything to feel better and talking with my family and friends actually did help a bit.  

With the vast improvement in telecommunication technology in the last 10-15 years, I’ve taken advantage of using Face to Face communication while away, primarily Facetime on iOS, but I’ve also used WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.  This has made a huge difference in my feelings of homesickness!

It’s a completely different experience to see a loved one’s face when you’re away from home than to just hear their voice.  This is particularly true when that family member is young and isn’t so good at speaking on the phone!  I’ve Facetimed my grandchildren from all over the world and it’s almost like being in the room with them.  It really lessens ‘the stress of travel and the ache of homesickness.

With Facetime and other face to face communication costing little or nothing, I now take the time every day or so to talk with and see my family and friends when I’m away from home.  It can be tricky with time zone differences, but I make the time for it as much as possible knowing how much it helps with my feelings of homesickness.

— Lesley at Freedom56Travel

3. Turn on Netflix

If anyone has told you that traveling is all fun and games, they are lying. Traveling can oftentimes be very stressful and demanding on the body. And it is easy to forget that even though you are abroad in this amazing new country, it is okay to not always be on-the-go.

This is especially true for long-term travel. Sometimes, long-term travelers forget what it is like to take care of themselves and just focused on the outside, always thinking of the next coolest spots to see. It’s important, especially for an introverted traveler, to take time for yourself.

Traveling doesn’t mean you have to be constantly on the move, switching from hostels to hostels, meeting travelers to travelers. It is about traveling at the pace you want, whether that means staying in a city longer than usual or spending a day doing absolutely nothing. I find it counterproductive to be always on the move, unable to take the time to appreciate what is really around you.

One of the favorite travel wellness and self-care tips to keep my travel spirit alive is to actually take a day off completely and binge-watch Netflix. A whole season of Stranger Things just came out? No problem. Pair a good Netflix series with a good glass (or bottle) of wine and you will feel much better in no time. Take it to the next level and order some UberEats as well. Why not? This is your day to relax and not do anything. Traveling doesn’t mean sacrificing your guilty pleasure. If you like to watch Netflix at home, then watch it while you are traveling. If you like to eat a tub of cream while doing it, go ahead! Traveling is stressful and everyone should take a day just for themselves and binge Netflix.

— Sean Lau at Living Out Lau

4. Random Acts of Kindness

I often have to work while traveling , which means a lot of time spent isolated in front of my computer. This takes a big toll on my wellness.

I realized that I can get so caught up in MY work, MY plans, My goals, MY schedule, and MY trip…that I forget to notice the lives of the people around me.

One day while walking around the streets in Colombia, I felt like I was in a rut. I turned a corner and almost tripped over a homeless guy sleeping in the street. I’d sort of become desensitized to seeing homeless people all over the place, but this close encounter made me stop and think.

For some reason, I felt compelled to do something nice (even if it was something small), so I bought a bag of fresh bread from a nearby bakery, set it next to his head, and hoped it would be a nice surprise for him when he woke up.

I couldn’t believe how good I felt afterwards.

In just 5 minutes, I completely busted out of my rut. I no longer felt worried or stressed. I was rejuvenated.

From then on, I’ve tried to purposely incorporate random acts of kindness into my everyday life on the road.

It doesn’t need to be anything earth-shattering—carrying someone’s groceries, giving directions to someone who looks lost, sharing an umbrella, helping a fellow traveler set up their tent…sometimes simply offering a genuine compliment to a stranger is all it takes.

The weird thing is, this seems to work best (at least for me) if it’s with a complete stranger. That’s not to say you shouldn’t do nice things for your friends and loved ones, but if you really want that “rejuvenating effect”, I recommend helping someone you don’t know.

So, the next time you get in a rut while traveling, try a random act of kindness. It’s an easy way to eliminate stress and reconnect with the world.

— Mitch at Project Untethered

5. Make Time for Travel Journaling

Before sitting down to write this post, I looked in the cupboard under the stairs for my travel diaries. I found one from 1990 when I was traveling in Thailand and was suffering from Salmonella. I was 22 then and re-reading my journal I am struck by (a) how little my writing style has changed! And (b) how homesick I was and what a big presence in my life my dad was. I also realised that I have written pretty much every day of my life since I was 10. It has been my way of emptying my head of swirling thoughts, especially the negative kind. I have written as a way of dealing with jetlag, culture shock, sickness, homesickness and loneliness.

Looking back through the pages of these early travel diaries I wish I could tell my younger self that it was all going to be OK. That traveling and writing would become such a pleasure and passion for me that I would become an anthropologist and later a travel writer. I was at times so sick and so poor, but I was also so much in love and so free and so young!

As an anthropologist we teach students how to go to strange places where they don’t speak much of the language and how to spend long periods there alone. I teach them to create schedules, local maps, and most of all, to write field notes. Anthropologists write their field notes each night before going to bed. It’s a non-negotiable rule (no matter how much you’ve had to drink!).

Writing field notes and writing travel diaries and journaling throughout all of life’s catastrophes and griefs has helped to reinforce my sense of who I am, what I believe in, what is important to me, and what I find beautiful, empowering and inspiring. I see in those early travel diaries a young woman, naive and perhaps a little gullible, but courageous and curious and setting out on a life of travel and adventure.

So just write whenever the world overwhelms you and wherever you are this evening – pour your heart out into your journals. You’ll feel better afterwards, as if a rain shower has passed, and then you’ll be able to appreciate the rainbow!

— Monique Skidmore at Trip Anthropologist  

6. Don’t Forget Longterm Health

As a digital nomad, being constantly on the go can be both exciting and knackering! The point is that you can only push yourself so much until it starts to take it’s toll on your body. For me, it was my teeth – several cavities after a series of international trips that spanned across a few years with trips back in between. During my trips back in-between I was checking in with friends and family to keep up with mental health but forgetting about physical. I realised I hadn’t been to the dentist for about 3 years!!!! Oooops!

As well as needing my cavities fixed and braces at the age of 35, other aspects of my physical health were suffering. My asthma got quite bad in the large Asian cities such as Manila and Bangkok and my endometriosis was gradually getting worse but I was trying to put up with the pain. I had to progress up to 2 inhalers and have excision surgery when I finally settled back in the Uk. One of my regrets is not keeping on top of health issues during my time abroad.

I now recommend that you make sure that you keep on top of your 6 monthly dental check ups and asthma check ups if needed. Also, even if you are travelling long term check in with a doctor on the road every 3-6 months for a routine check. I have been impressed by medical centres and dentists in Europe and Asia. People from the UK have now started to engage in ‘dental tourism’ travelling to Poland and Hungary to get their teeth done because it’s so much cheaper! Most digital nomad cities have good doctors and hospitals with English speaking staff. If you don’t feel comfortable getting dental and medical treatment abroad, fly home, get yourself an MOT and fly back out! Trust me, it’s worth it.

— Amy at Temple Seeker

7. Take Breaks & Cook at Home

Traveling is awesome, but at times it can be taxing and stressful on the body. You are away from home which usually means your typical routine is interrupted and the things you do to keep yourself healthy might look different. One way that we try and stay well while traveling is to cook at home as much as possible.

We generally enjoy and practice “slow travel” which means we rent an Airbnb with a kitchen for a month or two at a time. This gives us the opportunity to get to know a place better than if we had just stayed there for a couple of days.

We also lean towards this style of travel as it makes it much easier to continue with our daily wellness habits- such as cooking well balanced healthy meals. We find that we enjoy our travels so much more when we are eating well, and having a kitchen is a must to make this happen.

Our favorite part about cooking “at home” while traveling is that we go to the local market to get fresh produce and supplies to cook! That way we get to learn about what produce is local to that country and try new things that we haven’t tried before. We also absolutely love taking a cooking class when we first arrive in a new country. Cooking classes usually include a trip to the local market to pick up the supplies for cooking, so we get to learn where the best local market is and see it from a locals perspective. We also get to learn how to make recipes unique to that country, and we can cook them at home for the rest of the time we are staying there!

— Jessica at Unearth the Voyage

8. Minimalist Packing

Most people often make the same mistake when traveling for the first time: taking too many things with them. Nowadays maybe not so much, because there are multiple online resources with luggage lists for all tastes; but when I started traveling – almost 20 years ago – this was not common. Thus, carrying a lot of weight, anything simple was instantly greatly complicated.

Things like going from the train station of a medium-sized European city to the chosen accommodation (we could be talking about walking 1 or 2 km maximum), were a real pain.

The worst, no doubt, was to get home after the trip and realizing that I hadn’t even used half of the things I had put in my backpack.

To all this, we must add that I suffer from scoliosis and my back was everything but happy with the heavy load.

It was then, a long time ago, when I decided that light travel was the only option for me and I began to use smaller travel bags every time. My journey to minimalism had started.

Today, I travel with a small cabin backpack – even for several weeks trips – and I couldn’t be happier with this decision.

To the benefits of not having to check-in luggage, not carrying weight, and going faster through airports and stations; there is the addition of not having to worry about losing your luggage, of needing someone watching over your stuff while you go to the bathroom, or being able to simply walk around a city where you have a stopover of several hours without leaving your luggage in storage.

Try it, you will not regret it.

— Inma from A World to Travel

9. Protect Yourself from Mosquitos 

Every now and then we go on vacations, to some distant places right in the middle of jungle or beside a lake or maybe an exotic place in some underdeveloped countries. These places tend to act as an magnet for diseases and mishaps happen. Although enjoying vacation is very important, still protecting yourself should given priority too.

Mosquito bites can be more than just annoying and itchy, they cause many diseases like malaria, dengue, west nile virus, yellow fever, chikungunya etc. If treatment is too late, these can also be life threatening.

Some of the best tips to follow while travelling are:

• Wear mosquito repellent in your clothes. This is the best way to protect yourself from mosquito bites.
• Your safest bet is to sleep with windows shut and air conditioning on.
• Always hang mosquito nets, if available.
• Wear protective clothing, like long sleeves, pants and socks.
• Mosquito tend to grow in regions with stagnant water, avoid such places.
• Mosquitoes are attracted sweat, so it’s best to take a shower and freshen up always.
• Pack fly spray, mosquito coils, candles with insecticide.
• Consult your doctor and take proper vaccinations.
• If travelling with kids, drape mosquito nets over prams, strollers and infant carriers.

— Shalini from Eager 2 Travel

10. Reduce Stress & Back Up Photos

Travelling full time and being a full time blogger and content creator means I have a lot of photos at the end of each day. I have had discussions with other people about how they cope with the amount of content they create. I recently travelled with someone who has all their photos on different SD cards and has no idea which one holds which photos from which trip. I also used to be guilty of not backing up photos and having the stress of searching for photos and full SD cards. I had an interview recently with a newspaper and the journalist told me that the last blogger they interviewed had just finished a month long trip and had only then started to back up all their millions of files. They said they spend ages organising files after a trip!

The way I reduce stress and everything piling up at the end of a trip is to do everything on the go! I have a hard drive where I back up all of my photos at the end of each day. Within the hard drive I have all the dates and separate destinations. Within this I have the specific dates. This way, when I write a blog with an itinerary, I know exactly what I did on each day without having to remember. Also, if someone asks me to use a photo, I can easily access the photo and share it. I also use bus and car journeys to begin editing photos throughout the day. I like to share photos on my Instagram stories, and this way I can download them onto my phone quickly and have them edited on my Lightroom app on my phone. Usually I have all my stories and photos edited by the end of the day, and then a back up and I can relax for the rest of the evening!

Some people might ask what is the point. You never know when someone might ask to buy your photo! If you travel full time, the content you are creating might be useful to someone else. My boyfriend who I travel with full time and he sells his photos regularly. Therefore it is important to have the high quality files on a hard drive, as the photos you download onto your phone already lose quality in the process. It is always best to have them on an external hard drive so they are safe and high quality. Overall though, it means you don’t have a huge pile up and have to spend hours at the end of your trip!

— Hanna at Solar Powered Blonde

11. Build in Relaxation Time

I am often guilty of trying to cram too much into a short time. Especially as I travel during my annual leave, I want to make the most of every second of my trip building busy itineraries to make sure I see as much as possible in a short time. This usually means that I go home feeling exhausted.

To avoid this travel fatigue which can end up leading to the travel blues , I am making a concerted effort to factor in more ‘me time’ into my travels. My plan going forward is to allow 2 free days for every trip that I plan, one after arriving in a country to sleep and get over the jet lag and another on my final day to relax and ensure I go home feeling rested.

On my first day in the country, I plan to NOT plan! Instead, I will spend the day relaxing with a book in a coffee shop, catching some rays on a beach or snoozing under a tree in a park somewhere! If I do have any unexpected energy, then I may consider doing a walking tour to familiarise myself with the city ready for the next action-packed day of exploring.

My last day will be spent on a beach or somewhere relaxing, enjoying the scenery and eating my favourite foods before I get on my flight.

By booking 2 extra days, it also allows for adjustments in the itinerary just in case you come across something you absolutely must see but hadn’t factored time for! It also meets you will return feeling like you have actually rested on your holiday!

— Leanne from The Globetrotter GP

12. Experience Nature

All too often when we travel we gravitate towards urban centers, and it’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of world-class museums, attractions, restaurants and nightlife. Then you come home from vacation needing a vacation. The solution? Give yourself a nature break. Connecting with nature elevates our sense of wellbeing and helps us to feel part of a wider world – it can slow us down, re-energize and relax our minds. What’s not to like?

One way to put more nature into your trip is to mix up your city stays with trips to smaller towns where the natural landscape is closer at hand. Best of all are spa towns such as Baden-Baden in Germany or Karlovy Vary in the Czech Republic, as traditionally, gentle exercise such as walking and hiking were part of the spa cure in these historic spa destinations and you’ll find superb walks in the woods around town, often with historical backgrounds, the occasional monument or even a pub.

If you are staying in a larger city, consider a day trip to a nature reserve, national park or popular hiking destination. Even a couple of hours away from traffic and noise will help you renew. If you don’t have time for that, seek out a large urban park. There are plenty of other activities that will get you out into nature: try kayaking, canoeing, swimming in a lake or in the ocean – and there is nothing like a beach stroll at sunset. When it comes to adding nature into your travels, slow travel is best. Stay mindful. Stop thinking about all the things you’re going to do, and think about what you are doing, so that you can let go, soak up the atmosphere and get the ‘calm’ back into your life.

— Carol from Wandering Carol

13. Try Yoga Nidra

Yoga Nidra is a guided meditation technique that brings people into a totally relaxed state of body and mind. It is something that people of all ages can do, and takes only 10 minutes of your time to reach the state of “yogic sleep.” The app that I use is Yoga Nidra – Deep Relaxation Practice by Elizabeth Papadakis, available on the App Store.

Yoga Nidra is not similar to yoga where you are moving your body, stretching limbs and working your muscles. There is no body movement involved, and you should try to lie completely still. It is similar to yoga in that you are concentrating on your breathing, as guided by the app’s verbal instructions. There is also a guided “body rotation”, where while you are in your lying down relaxed state, you focus your mind on, and feel, the different parts of your body as they are mentioned by the instructor. Starting with one thumb and rotating around the entire body to the other side, it is a powerful trance-like experience that brings you in touch with your inner self.

I love to practice Yoga Nirda using this app wherever I am traveling to. Popping in some headphones and doing a 10-, 20- or even 30-minute session of Yoga Nidra will take me to a mentally relaxed state, no matter what my surroundings are, and no matter what kind of stresses I had endured from a day of traveling. Even when I am already feeling relaxed, like on a hostel rooftop alone, or at the beach, or at a park, it’s a great way to re-set your mind and body. While physical self-care is important, often times mentally it is difficult to shake off the stress and anxiety of travel. I think Yoga Nidra for me has long-lasting effects of self-confidence, mental sharpness, and being in tune with myself.

— Erika from Ericka’s Travelventures  

14. Indulge in Local Retreats

Traveling long term is fun and exciting, however it can definitely take a toll on your physical and mental health over the months. In fact, even a quick trip can be stressful! One of my absolute favorite ways to practice self care on the road is by attending local yoga classes. This can either mean a single class at a new studio or a multi-day yoga retreat. A multi-day retreat can be an awesome way to hit the pause and reset buttons, practicing slow travel for a bit.

Yoga is an amazing practice that has been known to heal the body and de-stress the mind, my kind of self-care for sure! Yoga is a combination of physical, spiritual, and mental sequences that are practiced on the mat. Many times those traveling long term spend endless days walking and hiking to new sights, often carrying a heavy bag or luggage. Taking the time to stretch out those muscles is a great way to relax physically, as well as mentally.

Taking a class at a studio abroad is also an amazing way to immerse yourself in a local community, and perhaps get to know the culture a bit better. Some of my favorite international yoga experiences a private session on a local farm in Southern India, a small, hip studio in Malaysia, and a beachfront session in Mexico.

For those of you looking to practice yoga internationally, I recommend visiting countries such as India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and Mexico, where studios are abundant.

— Taylor from Taverna Travels

What are your best travel wellness tips? Share all your thoughts in the comments. And BIG THANK to all the bloggers who contributed their suggestions to this post. You all are amazing.

Rachel Elizabeth

At 22, I took my first overseas trip to Bermuda. Took a break to follow the "American Dream." Had my self-esteem broken. Embarked on my first solo trip to Scotland at 26. The travel bug dug its way under my skin. I now book multiple trips a year.

1 thoughts on “ 14 Amazing Travel Wellness Tips: Bloggers Share All! ”

Thank you for allowing me to contribute! I loved reading all the other bloggers’ ideas, too! I especially want to participate in a local retreat in the future! Sending my best x

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How to Stay Healthy While Traveling

9 tips to help you stay healthy during your vacation..

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As the world starts to open back up, many people are packing their bags this spring for the first time in two years. Staying healthy while on vacation remains a big priority, especially amid COVID-19.

Health Matters asked Dr. Ole Vielemeyer , medical director of Infectious Disease Associates & Travel Medicine at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and associate professor of Clinical Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine, for his top tips on how to stay healthy while traveling whether you’re staying close to home or traveling internationally .

1. Avoid aisle seats on planes. You may want to be more selective when it comes to booking your seat on a plane. Yes, you can get up easily. But not only will you get less rest when your neighbor makes you get up, but you also might be exposed to more germs. According to a 2008 investigation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that passengers sitting in aisle seats of a plane were more likely to be exposed to an outbreak virus. One likely reason is that people walking up and down the aisle — many coming back from the bathroom — have a tendency to grab on to the top of the aisle seat for support, thereby potentially spreading germs.

While the air on airplanes is recirculated and practically germ-free (it has to pass through fine filters that prevent recirculation of bacteria and viruses), it is, however, very dry, so stay well-hydrated.

2. Nervous flyer? Practice deep breathing. If you become anxious on flights, a simple technique is to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth, counting to five with each inhale and exhale. Slowly deepen each breath, working up to counting to 10, and continuing until you feel your body relax. You could also try meditating . If you’re prone to losing sleep over an upcoming flight, or have a history of panic attacks midair, talk with your doctor or mental health provider about the possibility of anti-anxiety medication when traveling.

3. Get plenty of sleep. A 2015 study showed how critical sleep is when it comes to staying healthy, especially if you’re crossing time zones, as a disruption to a person’s circadian rhythm can compromise their immune system. Try this: A week prior to your trip, gradually shift your bedtime and waking times to match or at least approach that of your destination. If that’s not possible, eat only a light meal during your flight, stay well-hydrated, and avoid alcohol and caffeine. When you land, spend some time outside if you can — sun exposure can help you adjust to the new time zone. Just be sure to wear sunscreen!

4. Don’t forget a first-aid kit. It’s helpful to pack some simple first-aid supplies while traveling, especially if you’re vacationing with kids. Your kit probably should include acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain or fever, DEET-containing insect repellent, antibacterial wipes or gels, a motion sickness remedy, an anti-diarrheal like Pepto-Bismol or Imodium, adhesive bandages, disinfectant, and an antibiotic ointment like Neosporin. And if you’re bringing personal medication, pack it in your carry-on rather than checked luggage, just in case your bags are lost in transit.

5. Hydrate throughout your vacation. It’s easy to lose track of how much water you’re actually drinking when sightseeing or enjoying poolside cocktails. Keep a water bottle with you wherever you go, and get a good head start to the day by drinking two full glasses of water upon waking up or with breakfast.

Dr. Ole Vielemeyer

6. Watch what you eat and drink. If you’re traveling to a less-developed country, be sure to consume foods that are prepared properly. For example: Only eat meat that is thoroughly cooked and served steaming hot, and steer clear of raw vegetables, dairy products sold by small independent vendors, and any dairy products that may have been left out in the sun. Also be aware that in some countries, tap water may not be safe to drink, so bottled water is a safer bet. Ice cubes are often a hidden culprit, so avoid those too.

While you may want to try every dish and drink during every meal while on vacation, especially in an all-inclusive-resort, overindulging can lead to sluggishness and waste valuable vacation time. So, please do enjoy yourself, but in moderation and think “quality over quantity.”

7. Stay active. You may think that your ideal vacation should consist of lying on the beach all day, but you will actually feel better and eventually more rested if you incorporate physical activity into your day. Whether that means taking advantage of a hotel gym, exploring the local sights by walking or riding a bike instead of taking cabs, or even doing some pushups, jumping jacks, or yoga in your room, it’s easy to add regular cardio while you’re away. Exercise bolsters the immune system and releases feel-good endorphins.

8. Protect your skin. You don’t want a painful sunburn putting a damper on your trip. Pack a hat and an umbrella and use sunscreen with an SPF of 30+ to protect your skin from the sun’s UVA and UVB rays. While the sunburn will go away, the increased risk of skin cancer remains, so take this protection seriously.

9. Update your vaccinations. First and foremost, make sure get your COVID-19 vaccine and booster shots. If traveling to areas that pose a risk of tropical diseases, be sure to visit a travel medicine expert well in advance of your trip to receive the appropriate vaccinations. Learn more here .

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5 Ways Travel Is Good for Your Health, According to Experts

Let this act as your sign that it's time to take a trip.

We don't need to sit here and tell you the obvious — we all know these are stressful times we're living in. But what we do need to share with you is that there's a solution when it comes to alleviating at least a little bit of that emotional weight: Taking a trip, even if it's to a destination just around the corner.

"When elevations in stress hormones — such as cortisol — are sustained, we put our bodies at an increased risk for many ailments and chronic diseases," Dr. Kristin McKitish, a physician at Evolved Science in New York City, told Travel + Leisure . "Think high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, anxiety, insomnia, brain fog, digestive issues, and more. It is imperative that we take the time to combat these stressors and traveling can be a great tool."

According to McKitish, travel allows us to step away from our daily stressors and "reboot our bodies and minds, ultimately improving overall health."

"Traveling provides our minds with time to relax and heal, easing worries and anxiety and improving mood," McKitish added. "These benefits are not only seen during travel, but for sometime thereafter, which can lead to an improvement in focus, productivity, and mental health upon returning."

How else is travel good for your mind, body, and soul ? Keep reading to find out.

Travel can improve heart health.

In 2019, researchers followed 63 workers who were eligible for paid vacation and tracked the time off they took over 12 months. The team, which published their findings in the journal Psychology & Health in 2019, found those who took more vacation days had fewer metabolic syndrome incidences or symptoms than those who did not. The researchers even found that the risk for metabolic syndrome "decreased by nearly a quarter with each additional vacation taken by participants."

"Overall, vacations are experienced as positive events," the study's authors wrote. "This positive subjective experience may translate into physical health benefits given that vacation frequency may protect against metabolic syndrome and symptoms."

Vacations can alleviate stress for a prolonged period of time.

Sure, the act of sitting on a beach drinking a fruity cocktail will most certainly leave you feeling carefree, but it turns out that feeling may last well past your return home. According to a 2018 study , even taking a short vacation (defined here as a long four-day weekend) led to a decrease in stress for at least five weeks following the trip.

As the researchers noted, "A short vacation might be a worthwhile alternative for protecting the health of middle managers, even though reducing stress at the source should not be ignored."

Trips to nature can help us breathe easier.

Want to work those lungs and keep your breathing in tip-top shape? Head out for a nature-filled vacation. As one 2019 study published in the Journal Nature explained, "A growing body of epidemiological evidence indicates that greater exposure to, or 'contact with' natural environments (such as parks, woodlands, and beaches) is associated with better health and well-being." The scientists added, "living in greener urban areas is associated with lower probabilities of cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, asthma hospitalization, mental distress, and ultimately mortality, among adults; and lower risks of obesity and myopia in children."

And these benefits aren't just for those living directly in nature. The researchers added that city dwellers can reap the benefits too by "visiting green spaces outside your neighborhood." Need help deciding where you can go to get outside? Here are 10 trips that may do the trick .

Getting away can boost productivity and make you a better employee.

Taking a vacation may be the best thing for you if you feel like you're in a professional rut.

A 2016 report by Project: Time Off found that workers who took 11 or more vacation days per year were more likely to have received a raise or a bonus in the previous three years over those who took 10 or fewer days off from work.

"The productivity, creativity, and bringing new ideas forward isn't the person who's working crazy hours," Katie Denis, VP and lead researcher at Project: Time Off, shared with CNBC . "It's someone who's getting outside of their day-to-day life."

Seeing the world can make you more creative.

According to Adam Galinsky, a professor at Columbia Business School, if you're in need of a creative boost all you need to do is add a passport stamp to your collection.

In his research, published by the American Psychological Association , Galinsky and his research partners show that those who've spent significant time abroad (ie: living in a different country) have higher creative tendencies than those who don't.

Why? As Shelley H. Carson, Ph.D., professor of psychology at Harvard University, told Vogue , the act of travel "...exposes us to new experiences and new ideas. When we are creative, our vision becomes broader and the world opens to us, similar to the way our perspective broadens when we travel."

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What is Wellness Travel?

Here at Travel to Wellness we have seen the concept of Wellness Travel change and develop since we launched way back in 2004 as the first online travel magazine and resource for the wellness-minded. Way back then it was rare to hear the two words “wellness” and “travel” even used in the same sentence. And, when they were used together, the term was mostly associated with the spa experience. But not so much any more. Today the main pillars of Wellness Travel are healthy food options, fitness activities and nature.  

In a post-Covid19 world, health and wellness has become even more important and, for many people, is at the forefront of our travel planning and decision making.

So what is driving Wellness Travel?

As the population ages, health care costs increase, medical science continues to reveal new discoveries, we become more educated consumers, and the interest in pro-active “self care” continues to increase, we are witnessing the continuing growth and development of this still evolving sector of the tourism industry called Wellness Travel. The Wellness Tourism Association defines Wellness Travel as:  Travel that allows the traveler to maintain, enhance or kick-start a healthy lifestyle, and support or increase one’s sense of wellbeing.

The Wellness Travel sector is driven by two types of travelers: On one hand, today’s savvy, wellness-minded traveler actively seeks out destinations, accommodations and experiences that will allow him or her to maintain a routine of fitness, healthy eating and other pursuits associated with wellness living.

On the other hand, we have those wanting to use travel as a break from the regular routine of daily life for the proactive betterment of their health and well-being. Vacation/holiday time – away from the normal stress of daily living – allows for greater concentration and focus on the objective of improving personal health and wellbeing.

That ‘break’ from the day-to-day grind – it could be three days or three weeks, the length of time is not overly important – is, when planned with a special wellness  Intention,  is what we call the Wellness Vacation. The WTA defines the term as:  Wellness Vacation / Holiday is Wellness Travel powered by a wellness-focused intention. Wellness Vacations/Holidays are typically self-directed with the traveler setting his or her own timetable and schedule. They may also include a multi-day Wellness Retreat.

The Wellness Vacation begins with the conscious decision to take action to travel – near or far – for a purpose related to one’s state of health and sense of well-being. It  can include spa treatments and therapies, healthy eating and culinary events, fitness activities and adventures in nature (such as walking tours, hiking, kayaking, canoeing, strand-up-paddle boarding and snowshoeing), and educational programs that share ways to incorporate healthy habits into our everyday lives. The Wellness Vacation can also include “voluntourism” experiences because “giving back” increases one’s sense of well-being and can be part of living a wellness lifestyle. Environmental sustainability is also key as both wellness living and wellness travel incorporate “wellness for the planet.”

When it comes to the Wellness Vacation, one size does not fit all.

For one person a Wellness Vacation may take the form of a a totally-focused, two-week or longer, weight loss program that teaches him or her how to rethink the relationship with food. For another it might be a fitness-focused adventure, an opportunity to learn how to manage stress or to heal following a major change in one’s life. The next person might need a yoga retreat, time for self-reflection, an opportunity to get in touch with nature with a like-minded group. A Wellness Vacation could include a spa experience, a visit to thermal  hot springs, an art class for self-expression, proactive medical testing, an opportunity to try something new to increase confidence or sense of well-being. The intention and objections for taking a Wellness Vacation are personal and as varied as the choices we now have available to us.

At Travel to Wellness , we believe that whatever the Intention and whatever form this “break” from daily life may take, the Wellness Vacation can be an annual tonic for body, mind and soul.

And what is Wellness Tourism?

According to the Wellness Tourism Association – the authority on the wellness tourism sector – here is their full glossary of wellness tourism terms.

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Health & Wellness Travel

Love wellness travel?

Then you’re in the right place!

This page features wellness tourism guides focused on health, rejuvenation, and a conscious lifestyle.

Discover luxury wellness travel experiences (like the BodyHoliday in Saint Lucia ), incredible yoga retreats (including how to do a DIY yoga retreat at home ), unforgettable wellness trips (like visiting Hot Sulfur Springs in Colorado ), and chances to mix leisure travel with curative experiences.

On that note, let’s start planning your next health & wellness vacation!

Q: What are some top travel wellness experiences?

Global wellness experiences.

Looking for incredible wellness trips & healthy vacations around the world? These guides can help!

5 Budget-Friendly Health & Wellness Getaways

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Wellness Travel In Asia

These wellness trips in Asia are sure to be the highlight of your itinerary!

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Caribbean Wellness Getaways

These wellness vacations in the Caribbean will leave you feeling rejuvenated. These are great for solo travelers or those visiting in a group.

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Healthy Travel Tips

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Active & Fitness Trips

Discover unforgettable health & fitness travel experiences around the world as well as travel wellness tips and weight loss opportunities by getting your body moving.

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Relax and rejuvenate in one of these unforgettable hot tub hotels in amazing destinations:

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Wellness Travel FAQ

Below, find answers to frequently asked questions about the topic of health & wellness tourism.

Q: What is wellness travel?

Wellness travel, sometimes known as wellness tourism, refers to trips and travel experiences that focus on mental, physical and/or spiritual well-being.

If you’d like to dive deeper into the subject, the Global Wellness Institute provides a wealth of information.

Q: What is the wellness industry?

The wellness industry involves the brands, businesses, and key players providing you wellness therapies and experiences. Together, these entities make up the wellness industry.

Q: What are the current trends in improving wellness?

When looking at the travel market, wellness travel is growing and there are many trends in improving wellness — yoga retreats, CBD rituals, aromatherapy, crystal therapies, sound therapies, and more.

What is important is that you find something that you enjoy that you can stick with to maintain a healtheir lifestyle.

Q: What are the best yoga & wellness retreats around the world?

Click this link, which features a great list of incredible yoga retreats around the world from my affiliate partner, BookYogaRetreats, a leader in the wellness industry.

If you’d like to niche down a bit, check out these:

• Yoga and Hiking Retreats
• Wine and Yoga Retreats
• Yoga Adventures Around The World
• Vegan Yoga Retreats
• Online Yoga Retreats
• Mountain Yoga Retreats
• Yoga & Writing Retreats

Q: What are some great yoga retreats near Mumbai?

Personally, I love these retreats in and around Mumbai, India.

Good travel advisors can also provide recommendations for this.

There are many, though a few include doing a Bali flower bath , staying at the peaceful Dewalokam in India, staying at the BodyHoliday in St. Lucia , and hiking the Mohare Danda in Nepal .

Bonus Health & Wellness Trip Guides

I hope you enjoyed reading this travel and wellness guide.

If you’re still craving more information:

Click here for more health & wellness travel guides .

Additionally, if you’re craving an active trip, you can click here for bonus hiking guides and here for additional cycling guides .

What are your favorite wellness travel experiences?

Enjoyed this wellness travel guide? Pin it for later!

Travel Wellness Tips: Don’t Neglect Yourself When You’re on the Go

TOILETRIES , Travel Fitness

Support TFG by using the links in our articles to shop. We receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you) so we can continue to create helpful free content. We earn from qualifying purchases made to the featured retailers. Thank you, we appreciate your support!

If you’re a frequent flyer or long-term traveler you might find it difficult to maintain a routine on the road. More often than not, we tend to neglect our health and we’re not just talking about working out. It’s also important to incorporate self care practices for general wellness.

Read these travel wellness tips to help you stay happy and healthy on the go!

Travel Wellness Tips

Written By: Niki Landry

Table Of Contents

Traveling gives you the opportunity to step out of your everyday life, try new things, and discover different cultures. These fast-paced and often overstimulating trips can give you wonderful experiences but can also leave you exhausted and in need of a vacation from your vacation.

Especially for long-term travelers, the need to create a balance between soaking up new experiences and taking care of your health and well-being can easily become one-sided. It’s important to make the most of your travels by incorporating self-care and wellness practices into your routine and taking time out to recharge on longer trips.

Grip Non-Slip Socks |  SuperLite Travel Yoga Mat

Self Care Practices

There are things you already practice in your non-travel life that may easily translate into your trips, with a little effort. Just using one or two a week can greatly improve your outlook and mindset while traveling.

Here a a few easy hotel room workouts you can do anywhere (at any age)!

The Meditation Transformation | The Four Agreements

For me, meditating is the most simple relaxation method I can practice on the road. Most mornings, I take 10 minutes just to start my day on a positive note.

There are lots of meditation apps you can use to guide you through the process. You can focus on the time of day and length of the mediation to suit your relaxation needs and travel schedule. It’s a simple but effective way to add calm to your day.

If you’re trying meditation for the first time, don’t feel discouraged if you can’t “clear your mind” immediately. That’s why meditation is a practice– it takes a lifetime, and you will likely never be perfect at it. Try to be gentle and forgiving to yourself and over time, you’ll feel the benefits.

If meditating’s not your thing, have you heard of adult coloring books? Take a look at these traveling coloring books !

Sugar Paper LA Journal | Swept Away By Wanderlust Fill-In Journal

The original travel blog, journaling on your trips is a great way to fully experience and be present during your travels with the added bonus of clearing your mind. So many small details and nuances from trips can be easily lost if not written down. I love to people watch, and recording my observations is a great way to spend a relaxing afternoon.

If writing causes you more stress than it cures, there are fill-in journal options that will save your memories without the pressure of storytelling. Sketching is a similar practice that can have the same great benefits.

If you find painting to be relaxing, take a look at these artist travel essentials !

Fitness Tracker Watch | Nike Running Shoe

At some point, eating and drinking all of the best food and alcohol around the world will catch up with you. It’s great to indulge, but if you’re traveling constantly, it can become a problem. Since abstaining isn’t an option, the best way to combat this common long-term travel issue is to get active.

If going to a gym isn’t possible, look for ways to experience your destination while getting in a workout. Go kayaking, hiking, or cycling.

In addition to adding in one or two outdoor activities a week, I also walk everywhere. It’s my favorite mode of transportation, and it helps to keep an unhealthy travel diet in check.

Use a fitness tracker to track your steps on your trips. You might be surprised how many calories you’ll burn sightseeing!

Fifty Places to Hike Before You Die

I get overstimulated very easily, especially in large cities where I’m interacting with people constantly. if I know I’ll be in a big city for a while, I try to incorporate day trips to more rural or natural areas to explore. But my easiest escape is to find a park or garden close by to detox my mind.

I can enjoy a whole day reading and lounging in parks around the world. There’s no plan or schedule; just grab a book, snack, or coffee and waste the day away. It’s something I would never do at home, but I always find myself spending at least one day in a park to break up my hectic travel and sightseeing days.

Don’t want to weigh yourself down with books? Use a Kindle or download a Kindle app for your phone!

Do you have any other travel wellness tips to add? Please comment!

LIKED THIS POST? PIN THIS PIC TO SAVE IT!

For more travel fitness tips, please read:

• Best Leggings for Women that Travel
• How to Stay Fit on Vacation
• How to Stay Active While Traveling
• Jumpstart Your Travel Fitness Routine with these Fast Workouts

We hope you liked these travel wellness tips. Please share with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Thanks for reading!

Author Bio: Niki is an interior designer and artist from Louisiana. In addition to her design work, she writes for local and online publications sharing her experiences and passion for travel. Niki is currently adding stamps to her passport while building her design practice, Niki Landry Designs .

20 Comments

I wish this post had included more info on staying healthy while travelling from the “avoiding getting sick” perspective. Like ways to prevent getting sick on the airplane, esp. on long-haul flights. Or avoiding food-borne illnesses, etc.

Thanks for the feedback Sheri, I’ll take it into consideration for a future post. Happy travels!

I really appreciate this blog!!! I am on a 45 day trip to South Africa, and at my midway point, I realized how extremely tired and painful my body was becoming. I took this opportunity to avail myself of the plethora of alternative healing practices here and I must say…my healing journey has become the highlight of my trip experience!

Wow that’s incredible Deborah! Thanks for sharing! Sounds like an incredible experience! Enjoy it!

With regards to Tip #3 Journaling, my favorite way to capture memories is to use the Collect App on my iPhone. You can save your photos & notes each day, and print them when you get home. Then you have a Photo Journal you can share with your friends & family.

Great advice Sharon! I love keeping a journal during my travels!

Good advice! It can affect your travels is you don’t take care of yourself.

Thanks Kayla, totally agree!

Great article! I have to include meditation into my travels, and journaling more.

Glad you enjoyed it Johanna! Thanks for reading!

I think it’s important to try to eat healthy when you are on vacation. Too many of us, myself included, tend to completely change our eating habits when we are away from home. I used eat too much or too little, too many carbs or too many sweets. I might have gone a couple days without even seeing a vegetable. Nowadays I keep my eating in line, starting with breakfast. Whenever possible we stay in apartments so we have access to a fridge. We stock up on yogurt and healthy cereals, maybe some eggs and cheese. That way we at least start our day off with “normal” food before we leave for the day. We indulge ourselves at lunch, but come dinner we like to head back to our own apartment and make a giant salad or a plate full of local veggies lightly sauted and tossed with garlic or fresh herbs. It has helped my energy level a lot when I travel since I don’t feel sluggish and bloated from big meals.

Great tips Cindy! Sounds like you’ve really found a system that works for you! Happy travels!

Fantastic ideas! I travel loads so will start doing a few of these to keep me healthy, especially the meditation.

Thanks for reading Lucy! Glad you enjoyed them!

I love these tips especially the journaling one… in my last 18 day trip to Europe, the exhaustion definitely hit me in Paris. I always feel bad because I feel like I am missing out on something, but really traveling exhausted is not a good way to soak up the culture.

Thanks and totally agree Sydney! Love keeping a journal during my travels!

This is so important – I recently took a 9 day cruise and failed at most of them. Felt horrible and just out of sorts. Vacations where I take care of myself are always the most enjoyable….that is what vacation is all about!

Very true Sharon 🙂

The 10% Happier Meditation app by Dan Harris is also great. Nice article.

Great tip thank you!

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Healthy Travel

Visit Orlando is proud to partner with Orlando Health, a not-for-profit healthcare organization that serves the southeastern United States. Start here to help ensure a healthy travel experience while enjoying wondrous experiences in Orlando.

Orlando Health: The Official Health and Wellness Partner of Visit Orlando

When you travel to Orlando, you become part of our health and wellness community. That’s why Visit Orlando is proud to partner with Orlando Health, a not-for-profit healthcare organization that serves the southeastern United States. This alliance designates Orlando Health as the Official Health and Wellness Partner of Visit Orlando and offers health-related benefits for the millions of travelers who help make Orlando the most visited destination in the United States and the Theme Park Capital of the World. With this partnership, you can rest assured that when you visit Central Florida, you will have access to high-quality, health-related options and medical services for when accidents happen or a sickness occurs. These services include a concierge telephone number, (321) 265-4200, established to help connect visitors who may need access to local medical resources while visiting Orlando. Via the concierge service, Orlando Health can help you determine the best place to go based on your symptoms and provide you with easy access to the right medical providers, including:

• Emergency Room Care
• Urgent Care for Non-Life-Threatening Injuries
• On-Demand 24/7 Virtual Care With Board-Certified Physicians

For information to help you plan your visit to Orlando or to know how to stay safe and healthy while you’re in town, our trusted health and wellness partner has also provided valuable information for travelers, including tips on hydration, how to stay sun-safe, and instructions on what to do in an emergency.

Where to Go for Care

Use this handy guide to determine which medical service is best for your needs.

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Get 24/7 care through the Orlando Health Virtual Visit app for allergies, abrasions, cold and flu symptoms, respiratory infections, skin rashes, and more.

Urgent Care

Use urgent care for conditions like abdominal pain, burns, cuts that require stitches, flu symptoms, fractures and sprains, high fever, minor injuries, rashes and hives, and vomiting or diarrhea.

Emergency Room

Go to an ER for life- or limb-threatening conditions like broken or dislocated bones, deep cuts or burns, loss of consciousness, seizures, serious allergic reactions, severe trouble breathing, trauma injuries, or chest pain.

Travel Tips From Orlando Health

Use these healthy travel tips from Orlando Health the next time you visit the Theme Park Capital of the World.

Family Traveling Tips

• Six Tips for Staying Safe (and Sane!) While Traveling With Kids
• Eating Healthy While Traveling
• A Trip to Take Before You Travel
• What to Know While Traveling Pregnant

Hydration & Heat

• How to Stay Hydrated This Summer ​
• Keep Your Cool! Avoid Heat-Related Illnesses This Summer
• Let the Sun In, but Safely
• Heat, Humidity and Your Heart

Florida Sun & Safety

• Avoid Sunburn With These Tips
• 10 Essential Items to Keep in Your Beach Bag
• Playing It Safe in the Sun
• How to Choose a Sunscreen
• How Medicine Can Increase Your Skin Sensitivity to the Sun
• How to Protect Your Eyes From the Sun’s Rays

Water Safety

• Summer Safety Checklist for Children
• 7 Water Safety Tips to Keep Your Kids Safe This Summer
• The Salt Life: Playing It Safe
• What Is Swimmer’s Ear and How to Avoid It

Theme Park Safety

• Safety Tips to Make Your Amusement Park Experience a Success

5 simple ways to stay healthy, avoid sickness, and feel energized during your next business trip

• Insider spoke with three travel and wellness experts about staying healthy during a business trip.
• Staying hydrated and eating light foods will help maintain your regular routine while on the road.
• This article is part of "Work + Play," a series about blending business travel with personal experiences.

When it comes to business or leisure travel, it's common for travelers to come home feeling ill.

The combination of public transportation, disrupted sleep routines, and contact with high-use surfaces can contribute to travelers feeling under the weather. But if traveling is a big part of your job, there are things you can do — and not do — in order to make a healthy return home.

With business travel back in full swing, Insider spoke with three experts about what you can do to stay healthy on the road.  

Take extra precautions during a flight 

If you have plans to travel on a plane, which can be a hotbed of germs, there are a few extra precautions you can take.

"While we can't control the air around us, we can control the germs we may bring to our face with our hands," said Dr. Efrat LaMandre, founder of the health and wellness brand The Knew Method . "Therefore, avoid touching your face, eyes, and nose as they can all be entry points for germs."

Dr. LaMandre also advises travelers to stay hydrated because "drinking water during your flight keeps your mucous membranes moist, and dry passages and throat can make you more susceptible to respiratory infections." 

Jerry Justin Alexidor is a frequent business traveler, and while his travel concierge company Black Zama is based in Tulum, Mexico, his travels take him all over the world. When he's flying, he makes an effort to keep to himself.

"I usually stay within my seating area and limit my movement," Alexidor said. "And if I can budget it, I upgrade to a premium economy or business class seat for some extra room. It makes me feel less claustrophobic and less like I'm breathing in the germs of other passengers." 

Consider your food and drink intake

While we're traveling and away from our regular routines, it can be tempting to consume lots of high-calorie comfort foods. Priceline CEO Brett Keller travels often for work and makes an effort to choose healthier foods while he's on the road.

Related stories

"Airport food is generally heavy, and I try to avoid greasy food right before and after flights — so no pizza, burgers, or fries for me," Keller said. "I pick up lighter foods like sushi packs and bring extra snacks like sliced apples and power bars."

Another way to eat healthier on the road is to plan ahead. After a long day of traveling, our decision-making abilities are often impaired, and we might be more likely to reach for empty calories. Looking up what's available in the airport or in your hotel can result in healthier choices.

"Doing a little research about where you're headed allows you to prepare," Alexidor said. "When I go out to eat with clients on the road, I always ask the waiter questions about the food preparation, and of course, I keep myself hydrated."

Aim for low-impact exercises

Given the choice between getting up and going to the gym or laying in bed for an extra hour, most of us would choose the extra shut-eye. But getting a few minutes of low-impact exercise like walking or swimming can give your immune system an extra boost and help you sleep better at night.

"When I'm on the road, I try to get some time on the Stairmaster and/or the treadmill," Alexidor said. "While I don't over-exert myself when traveling for work, I feel more mentally and physically present when I get my cardio in." 

If you can, consider heading outdoors for your workout. "I always try to run outside the same day I land," Keller explained. "A morning run allows me to explore the local area before spending all day in meetings, and the combination of fresh air, sunshine, and exercise energizes me for the day." 

Practice good personal hygiene and cleaning routines  

Frequent hand washing and using hand sanitizer are important ways to ward off any germs, along with cleaning high-use surfaces. Hotel rooms see a lot of turnover and cleaning on arrival should be a priority.

"The first order of business is heading to a local pharmacy and picking up some Lysol disinfectant," Alexidor said. "I wipe down the door knobs or any handles — a lesson learned throughout the pandemic that still applies today. I then spray down any areas that would touch my skin or body."

Above all, get rest

Of all of the precautions you can take, one of the best things to do is give your body rest before, during, and after your trip.

"You need to get your sleep, eat right, and take your supplements year-round so that you can boost your immunity to be able to handle the germs that are sure to come your way," Dr. LaMandre advised. 

And when you're on the road, one of the best things to do is not to push yourself and try to keep a regular schedule. "I've learned not to stay out late your first night or two. Letting your body adjust to its new setting with good sleep, exercise, and hydration is probably the best way to avoid getting sick," Keller said. 

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18 Travel Hacks You Probably Haven't Heard Before, Straight From People Who Swear By Them

"I once racked up over 20,000 Capital One travel points in a very, very unconventional way..."

BuzzFeed Staff

If you love to travel or travel often, you've probably picked up some tips and tricks to make jet setting more seamless, enjoyable, and cheaper. So redditor u/tomsawyertravels asked, "What's your best obscure travel hack ?" Here's what people said (and I can't wait to try some of these out on my next adventure).

1. "southwest airlines starts drink service at rows 1, 8, 15, and 22. if you have a choice of row 9 or 15, go to 15. you get your drink first and have a better chance at getting more than one.".

— u/enfranci

2. "Always carry a sarong with you when traveling. It’s basically an all-in-one lightweight tool. You can use it as clothes, a raincoat, a rope, a bandage, a beach towel/picnic rug, a bag, or a blanket."

— u/PurplePiglett

3. "Use the bathrooms by the baggage claim. They’re always clean and empty."

— u/holy_cal

4. "I always try to have an extended layover (like 10 hours or more) to visit the layover city. This way, I've visited Tokyo, Abu Dhabi, and Singapore without going on a specific trip to those destinations. It takes some fiddling to book those flights (airlines present you with the 'most convenient' flight), but it's worth it."

— u/frugalacademic

5. "A lot of flights are not allowing carry-ons these days with a basic ticket purchase (JetBlue 🤨), so I've been using my fishing vest I got from Japan to carry all of my clothes I can't fit into my personal items. Styled right, it looks super cool with my outfit, AND I can fit eight shirts, five pairs of socks, and an entire laptop (storage on the back) in it—and snacks and water. When traveling to places where it's inconvenient to bring my fishing vest, I'll bring my jacket with deep pockets and my Costco dad cargo pants. I can fit 2-3 shirts per pocket. And before anyone complains about the extra weight I'm bringing into the plane, I can promise you my extra clothes and snacks weigh less than 5 pounds."

— u/tomsawyertravels

6. "Most flights won't give you a refund on basic tickets. Upgrade them to a higher class ticket then cancel for a full refund. I've done this with United and JetBlue, but I can't speak for other airlines."

— u/Ace-O-Matic

7. If you must cancel a hotel less than 24 hours in advance, call and tell them you need to bump the reservation back a week. Then call the next day and cancel it penalty-free."

— u/Blu3fin

8. "We once racked up over 20,000 Capital One points in a very unconventional way. We were in Paris and rented Velib bikes to get around the city. The catch was that every time we'd rent a bike, a hold was put on our credit card in case of damage to the bike. I believe the hold was close to $400 for each bike, and it took a couple of days for the hold to be lifted. For some reason, the hold would go through as a purchase on our card, and with the travel multiplier, we were getting about 1,600 points every time we rented a bike. The best part was that the bike rental was free if you rented it for less than 30 minutes. So we'd just rent two bikes, ride to the next station in less than 30 minutes, drop them off, and rent two more bikes. We did this an absurd amount of times and got rewarded handsomely."

— u/robcampos4

9. "Consider using an eSim card. You can shop online for the best deal on a temporary sim before starting your trip. I paid 30 CAD for a 1-month, 12 gig, unlimited, and everything else plan; it's good for all of Europe. I installed the eSim before heading to the airport. As soon as the plane landed, I could fire up my eSim without the hassle of finding a physical SIM card. Was in my Uber 10 minutes after leaving customs, it was great. Not all phones support it, but for those that do, they are extremely convenient and cheap."

— u/pentox70

10. "If flying between the US and Canada, ALWAYS look at buying separate one-way tickets in each direction. More often than not, you'll save $100+ due to their strange exchange rate and tax calculations. It doesn't work on every single route but is always worth a check, and I've been amazed how often it's been much cheaper."

— u/Dorkus_Mallorkus

11. "I get rid of old clothes on my travels, which helps me empty my carry-on for more souvenirs. I bring old shirts, pants, sweaters, underwear, and socks for travel to get rid of them as I go. I hate checking in luggage and I will have plenty of extra room to bring things back."

— u/fitDEEZbruh

12. "I use hotel room hangers to clip the curtains together to black out the room."

— u/rand0m_g1rl

13. "If you’re flying internationally into the US and are a US citizen, do the mobile passport option if the airport has it. It’s an app and takes 30 seconds to do. It’s just as fast as global entry. I’ve passed 100s of people waiting at passport control."

— u/Inpleinsite

14. "If you're not sure of the neighborhood you're booking your hotel or rental stay in, go to Google Street View and 'walk around' in the neighborhood. You can see if it looks pleasant, has nearby cafes or local grocery stores, etc"

— u/ThaneOfCawdorrr

15. "I always create a Google map list and save items to populate my map. It makes it easy to plan out your days and see what sites/restaurants/attractions you are near in a new city."

— u/macedaace

16. "Requesting a special meal (for example, vegetarian) on an international flight will ensure you get served first."

— u/soniclaura

17. "I always bring baby shampoo and an entire unopened box of ziploc bags. The baby shampoo is great for washing yourself (obviously) but is also perfect for washing things like lightweight shirts, underwear, and socks in the sink."

18. "One of my favorite obscure travel hacks is to use Google Maps offline. Before my trip, I download the maps of the areas I'll visit. This way, I can navigate, find attractions, and even search for restaurants without an internet connection. It's beneficial in places with spotty Wi-Fi or when I want to save on data usage. Plus, it relieves stress and helps me feel more confident exploring new places."

— u/Known-Astronomer8660

What's your favorite travel hack that most people haven't heard before? Tell us in the comments or submit it in this anonymous form.

Share this article.

27 little travel luxuries to make any trip feel first class

Treat yourself to room service, fuzzy slippers and other simple pleasures that help relieve stress.

Key takeaways

Summary is AI-generated, newsroom-reviewed.

• Before travel, pack strategically, including eye mask, magazine, salt, utensils.
• At airport and on plane, take advantage of food, relaxation options, or brew your own caffeine.
• At hotel, use your own slippers, order room service and make the space your own.

Did our AI help? Share your thoughts.

Flying is a grind. The long airport lines, the tight connections, the ever-shrinking legroom, the mystery of lost luggage — at its most chaotic, the experience can feel like being pummeled by a jackhammer.

Your coolest summer

When you’re facing the draining prospect of redeye flights or multiple layovers, even the smallest acts of self-care take on new importance. These little gifts don’t have to be elaborate or expensive to provide a dash of comfort. They might even fit into your carry-on bag or coat pocket.

In preparation for the hectic summer travel season, we assembled a list of 27 things you can do that promise to improve your mood while you’re away.

Pack better

1. keep a set of toiletries just for travel.

To avoid forgetting a toothbrush and having to brush with your index finger, keep your toiletry bag stocked with its own set of supplies. Replenish it between trips, throwing the products directly into your beauty case, or order the whole kit and caboodle, such as Aesop’ s seven-pack of essentials. Once home, store it away (but don’t unpack).

2. Refresh with essential oils

A drop or two of an essential oil does wonders to revive musty travel clothes or calm your nerves. Try eucalyptus for spa vibes or lavender for a more relaxing aroma, starting at about $5 a bottle .

3. Pack a DIY spa kit

Do you have an extra sheet mask or fancy samples of night cream or foot lotion lying around? Put them in your bag for your next trip, and treat yourself to a DIY spa experience. Bring cozy socks for the full pampering experience.

4. Block out lights with an eye mask

We’ve said it before , and we’ll say it again: Hell is tiny hotel lights you can’t shut off. Save your future self by packing a light-blocking eye mask. We’re partial to models from Manta Sleep . To double down on your fight for total darkness, pack light-blocking stickers for fire alarms, WiFi routers and other blinking pests.

5. Stash fancy salt, spices and hot sauce

It may look tiny, but a little flaky salt goes a long way. Jacobsen Salt Co. sells a perfect container for traveling gourmands for $6. You can add more flavor with Tajin to-go packets, a key chain bottle of Cholula hot sauce , Diaspora Co.'s versatile “Popcorn Masala” or Yellowbird’s handy travel-size hot sauce bottles .

6. Bring a magazine

You scroll on your phone every day, and you need a break. Books are great, but magazines (and, ahem, newspapers) are more mobile: lightweight, as breezy as you require and recyclable when you’re done. If you grab a magazine from a stack at home, you get the added benefit of decluttering.

7. Carry your own utensils

Unlike disposable plastic cutlery, utensils made of such sturdy materials as bamboo, stainless steel or recycled razor blades won’t snap under pressure. (Butter knives are okay with TSA ). In addition to providing a more civilized dining experience, the reusable utensils are eco-friendly. Some cities and countries, such as England, have banned single-use plastic items.

At the airport

8. save up podcasts and audiobooks.

The episode recaps of your favorite show have been piling up. That latest best-selling thriller is burning a hole in your AirPods. Don’t waste them on your daily commute. For road trips , it’s even better to stock up on pods or books that you and your traveling party all enjoy.

9. Buy a baller snack

If the Toblerone bar as long as your arm is calling, it’s your duty to answer. Even if the price of Chex Mix is high, grab a few bags of your favorites off the snack wall at Hudson News. Scout out local bakery outposts if an airport has one, such as Ladurée at Charles de Gaulle in Paris. Vending machines have evolved, with cupcakes and edible cookie dough in Las Vegas and hot ramen at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport.

10. Or splurge on an airport meal

Yes, airport food is overpriced . Yes, you could meal prep instead. But it’s ultimately a gift to yourself to let someone else serve and prepare your supper — not a sad Starbucks wrap but an actual sit-down situation where you can relax near-ish your gate. Is it going to be the best Caesar salad of your life? Probably not. But you can increase your odds of making it worth your while if you pick a trusted local brand .

11. Shower in between flights

Found in almost every major international airport lounge, the airport shower offers a sudsy sanctuary from other people.

12. Moisturize at Duty Free

The best part of Duty Free isn’t shopping without tax — it’s the access to free samples of high-end products. Hydrate your skin with the latest moisturizer of the moment, or try on a new personality with a spritz of spicy cologne.

On the plane

13. carry your favorite pillow.

Sleeping on a plane can be a disaster for your neck, but a good pillow can help. Some turn to travel options that fit in your bag, like our beloved Trtl or the Cushion Lab Ergonomic Travel Neck Pillow. Others shun minimalism in favor of maximum comfort and bring a full-sized pillow (sorry, neighbor).

14. Brew your own tea

Stash a variety of fancy tea bags in your wallet or in a travel mug, which a flight attendant or food service employee can fill with hot water. Some airports (see: Istanbul) also provide hot water dispensers. Throw in a few honey sticks or straws for a touch of sweetness.

15. Ditto, for coffee

For various gross reasons , we have been warned against drinking coffee on planes. If you desire a good, clean and immediate cup of coffee, there are lots of caffeinators to choose from: frozen capsules by Commeter , gourmet instant coffee from Verve Coffee Roasters or the self-sufficient AeroPress Go , which comes with its own mug and menu of coffee drinks. Prep your coffee in the airport, to avoid the dubious hot water onboard.

16. Carry a cocktail kit

A commercial flight could never stand in for your favorite cocktail bar, but an in-flight cocktail kit can bring you a step closer. There are just-add-booze iterations for many tastes, whether you’re looking for a dirty martini or a Mai Tai .

17. Put on noise-canceling headphones

One of our staff got Sennheiser over-ear headphones for a birthday this year and he wore them on a flight to Florida. Afterward, they learned from their spouse that the 8-year-old sitting behind them had been loudly arguing with his brother the whole flight. They didn’t hear a thing.

18. Rest your feet in a sling

For less than $30, you can turn your ho-hum seat into something more akin to a hammock. The “ Airplane Footrest ” connects to your tray table to create a sling to rest your feet. It helps eliminate the rumbling of the plane floor vibrations, relieving back tension and soothing your entire body — a win-win-win for a long haul.

19. Wear compression socks

Compression socks are a lifesaver on a long-distance flight. One of Amazon’s top-sellers, a moisture-wicking pair from “Physix Gear Sport” ($16), helps reduce swelling and improve blood circulation during sedentary stretches at high altitude.

20. Spritz your face with mist

Face mists — like these travel-size tins from Evian , or this antibacterial one from Tower 28 — are a flight attendant favorite that deliver an instant dose of freshness. Just make sure not to dampen your neighbors.

At the hotel

21. step into your own slippers.

If you have space in your luggage, bring your plush house pair. For a more portable option, consider spa-style slip-ons or thick socks with antiskid soles, like the ones made by Bombas . Your feet will feel toasty and hermetically sealed.

22. Order room service

You could go out, but you’re exhausted. Maybe you’re feeling a little lazy — and a lot hungry. Now is the time to indulge in the convenient luxury of a cheeseburger clad in a cloche.

23. Pay for a hotel movie

Room service and a movie are a perfect duo. There’s an underappreciated comfort in watching a movie from a bed that isn’t your own. Perhaps best enjoyed on a premium channel, while wearing a robe and basking on a bed with extra-fluffy pillows.

24. Or stream your own shows

To keep up with your binge watches, bring your Roku, Fire TV Stick or other streaming device along. Then there’s no need to re-log into apps on another device in an Airbnb or hotel.

25. Give yourself a mini massage

If a full-on massage isn’t in your budget for every trip, you can still work out the knots with a portable massage gun like a Hyperice Hypersphere ($149), the Hypervolt Go 2 ($129) or a Theragun mini ($169).

26. Turn on a white noise machine

Annoying hotel noises are right up there with annoying little lights. The icemaker down the hall, the kids thwarting bedtime next-door and the industrial air conditioner can all keep good sleep at bay. Combat them all with a mini white noise machine. This one is small enough to fit in your pocket but powerful enough to tune out toddlers and traffic.

27. Aromatize your pillow

Signal to your body that it’s time to snooze by applying aromatherapy to your pillow. There are endless options out there, from the budget-friendly Dr. Teal’s lavender sleep spray ($8) to higher-end ones like Jo Malone’s Moonlit Camomile Pillow Mist ($50).

Ryan Bacic contributed to this article.

More travel tips

Vacation planning: Start with a strategy to maximize days off by taking PTO around holidays. Experts recommend taking multiple short trips for peak happiness . Want to take an ambitious trip? Here are 12 destinations to try this year — without crowds.

Cheap flights: Follow our best advice for scoring low airfare , including setting flight price alerts and subscribing to deal newsletters. If you’re set on an expensive getaway, here’s a plan to save up without straining your credit limit.

Airport chaos: We’ve got advice for every scenario , from canceled flights to lost luggage . Stuck at the rental car counter? These tips can speed up the process. And following these 52 rules of flying should make the experience better for everyone.

Expert advice: Our By The Way Concierge solves readers’ dilemmas , including whether it’s okay to ditch a partner at security, or what happens if you get caught flying with weed . Submit your question here . Or you could look to the gurus: Lonely Planet and Rick Steves .

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Health Advice

Health & fitness, mayo clinic q&a: travel safety tips.

Published in Health & Fitness

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I have a group of friends with whom I love to travel. We plan several trips a year, and this year we are planning to go outside the U.S. and visit the Caribbean. We will stay at an all-inclusive resort in a popular destination and do a few sightseeing day trips in the area. Are there things we should do to be safe while traveling?

ANSWER: Travel is always a fun activity to enjoy with friends and can provide some fond memories. In addition to just transporting you to a different place, travel can broaden your perspective, increase your happiness, give you a chance to try new things, boost your creativity and help you recharge. As I’m sure you have found, even planning a trip can be an exciting task. The anticipation of mapping an itinerary and scheduling your must-see attractions can bring a lot of joy and happiness.

Unfortunately, nothing can ruin a trip like illness. Even in an all-inclusive resort, knowing how food is prepared or the water supply quality is not possible. Mosquitos and other insects could still be a concern.

Here are four things to remember as you plan your travel, regardless of your accommodations.

First, I recommend that all travelers be vaccinated against the flu and up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and boosters. In addition, it's important to complete the adult vaccination schedule that includes vaccinations for chickenpox; diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis; pneumococcal bacteria; measles, mumps and rubella (MMR); polio; and shingles.

Additional vaccines may be recommended depending on your travel itinerary. For example, hepatitis A vaccination is recommended for people traveling to Southeast Asia. This is because some infections are more prevalent in tropical settings than in temperate climates. For example, typhoid fever and hepatitis A are more common in Southeast Asia because these communicable diseases can be spread through contaminated water. Some areas of Africa and South America have a higher prevalence of yellow fever and malaria.

If you are unsure if other vaccines are recommended for your destination, I recommend having a conversation with your primary care clinician and reviewing the CDC recommendations.

Second, food and water safety are important while traveling. Only eat well-cooked food. Avoid eating uncooked foods, like salad and raw vegetables, and from roadside stands. Drink bottled beverages only, including bottled water. This is especially important if you travel in resource-limited regions during sightseeing day trips.

Third, hand hygiene is essential at home and overseas. Wash your hands often using soap and hot water. Follow respiratory etiquette by covering your mouth and hands when you sneeze or cough, and washing your hands after. Consider optional masking in crowded and indoor spaces.

Finally, plan for the sun and bugs. Mosquitos and bugs can transmit parasites and diseases, like yellow fever and malaria. Prophylactic malaria medications are available and are started before the travel, continued during the stay and for a certain duration after returning home. A travel medicine specialist can review the risks and benefits of all prevention and treatment options. Also, use mosquito repellents and mosquito nets, if appropriate, in your travel destination. Additionally, don’t forget to pack your sunscreen, as you also want to reduce your risk for sun damage, which can create other challenges while traveling.

If you plan additional trips in the future that have a complex itinerary with multiple countries or are traveling to Southeast Asia or Africa, it’s best to make an appointment with a travel medicine specialist about two months before travel.

I also recommend that if you or your friends have any immunocompromising conditions, you seek travel medicine consultation to reduce the risk of illness during travel. — Raj Palraj, M.D., Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic Health System, La Crosse, Wisconsin

(Mayo Clinic Q & A is an educational resource and doesn’t replace regular medical care. This Mayo Clinic Q&A represents inquiries this healthcare expert has received from patients. For more information, visit www.mayoclinic.org.)

©2024 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All Rights Reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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• Perimenopause

Top Destinations for Menopause Vacations

Written by Lauren Katulka

Medically reviewed by Alyssa Dweck MS, MD, FACOG, Chief Medical Officer

Menopause retreats are one of the latest travel trends, according to the industry experts at Condé Nast Traveler. 1 With so many new retreat and vacation options becoming available, women are feeling more comfortable about taking the time off and focusing on their self-care during this transitional period .

Menopause vacations give women the chance to get pampered, while learning strategies to help manage their specific menopause symptoms , like hot flashes and vaginal dryness . 2 Travel can also improve mental health , decreasing stress, so it's an excellent option if you're one of the 69% of menopausal women who experience anxiety or depressed moods. 3,4

Ready to pack your bags, but not quite sure where to go? Here are our favorite destinations to keep in mind for your trip planning.

Ananda in the Himalayas, India

Consider heading to the Himalayas to participate in Ananda's Hormonal Rebalance program. 5 This inclusive retreat for both menopausal women, and men with age-related hormonal concerns, incorporates traditional therapies that work to help improve energy flow throughout the body.

During your stay, you can enjoy personalized wellness consultations, yoga and meditation sessions, and exclusive access to resort features, such as the sauna and chill plunge pool. The program is available with a seven-, 14-, or 21-night stay.

Preidlhof's Wellness Hotel, Italy

The Italian luxury resort of Preidlhof offers a safe space exclusively for women within its South Tyrol Wellness Hotel. 6 Designed with your menopausal needs in mind, this location’s women's healing retreat offers an engaging range of holistic classes, wellness sessions, and massage and body treatments to help you feel pampered and rejuvenated. You can stay as long as you like, but Preidlhof recommends booking at least seven nights for your menopause vacation.

Combe Grove, England

Metabolism tends to slow down during menopause, causing some women to gain around 1.5 pounds, on average, through their 50s. 7 While weight gain isn’t uncommon during the menopausal transition, it's also not inevitable if you pay careful attention to diet and exercise .

Combe Grove's Metabolic Health Menopause Retreat in England aims to provide you with helpful tools to better understand and rebalance your changing body. 8 The six-night experience, located at a manor house estate, features information sessions from healthcare providers, in addition to specialized movement classes, and full use of its fitness facilities. Nutritious meals with seasonal ingredients aim to nourish and inspire your cooking. You'll also get a year of online support to inform your menopause journey.

The Raj, Iowa

You don't need to travel overseas to enjoy a menopause vacation. Closer to home, The Raj at Fairfield, Iowa, offers an Ayurvedic Menopause Program designed to cleanse the body's tissues to aid in alleviating menopause symptoms. 9 One of the few menopause retreats in the U.S., it only accepts 15 guests at a time, so you'll enjoy incredibly personalized service. The resort's staff will work with you to create a customized program specifically for addressing and managing your symptoms.

O2 Beach Club & Spa, Barbados

The O2 Beach Club & Spa's beachside location and traditional resort facilities will make your time away feel like a classic coastal getaway. While the cocktail bars, pools, and fine dining restaurants are all enticing, the Acqua Spa Women's Wellness program is a real drawcard for menopausal women. 10 Here, you can enjoy a wide range of offerings designed to ease your symptoms, including antioxidant-rich smoothies, yoga, reflexology, and the Hamman treatment room, created to draw out toxins. If you want a menopause retreat that lets you indulge a little, the O2 Beach Club & Spa in Barbados is the ideal choice.

Book Your Menopause Vacation Now

With menopause vacations becoming more popular, there are many getaway options to choose from. Preparing for travel can be daunting, but following a few simple travel tips can help. Whether you’re looking for an international retreat or a local wellness program, it’s now easier than ever to plan a vacation with a focus on your self-care and well-being during menopause and beyond.

• https://www.cntraveler.com/story/wellness-travel-trends-2024
• https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/06/menopause-retreats-why-people-pay-over-15000-for-them.html
• https://travelhub.wttc.org/blog/9-reasons-travel-is-good-for-your-mental-health
• https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/jan/12/not-just-hot-flushes-how-menopause-can-destroy-mental-health
• https://www.anandaspa.com/en/programmes/hormonal-rebalance/112-9/
• https://www.preidlhof.it/en/spa-wellness/transformational-wellness/menopause/
• https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/womens-health/in-depth/menopause-weight-gain/art-20046058
• https://combegrove.com/the-metabolic-health-retreat-menopause-focus/
• https://theraj.com/menopause/
• https://www.o2beachclubbarbados.com/womens-wellness
• https://journeywoman.com/solo-travel-advice/sex-romance/embracing-menopause-travel-midlife/

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