A Guide To Health And Fitness Holidays

While the New Year sees plenty of us showing an interest in health, fitness and our overall well-being, for others it’s a year-round concern. Whichever camp you fall into however, it’s often a good idea to mix that passion with your travel plans throughout the year.

I’ve been giving a lot of thought to how I can ensure I do more on my holidays than just lounge around with a coffee https://natescoffee.com/about/, as lovely as that would be. While relaxation is important, I’m finding that there are a ton of fitness holidays and ways to stay on top of your health while you travel. The options seem to be pretty versatile too, whether it’s a classic getaway, an exotic cruise or something in between. 

Of course, yoga retreats are always a big one, and I was pleasantly surprised at just how varied the destinations can really be. There’s a nice selection in the UK, from the Yorkshire Moors to Devon, while the thought of taking a rejuvenating yoga retreat to France or Portugal is hugely appealing. Somewhere like Thailand, India or Sri Lanka could prove particularly spiritual too.

If you’re looking for a more rigorous solution, a bootcamp can get you in shape fast. It might sound like an odd choice for a holiday, but I can’t deny the allure of some of the destinations on offer. St Lucia in the Caribbean, for instance, is a gorgeous island that also plays host to The Body Holiday experience. It’s a specialised fitness resort where you can indulge in everything from yoga to sailing, scuba diving and equestrianism, all surrounded by a paradise of palm trees and pale beaches. They also have beauty treatments on offer and can even delve into your mind to help clearer thinking. While you’re there, you can also work on getting a good healthy eating regime in place for when you land pack home.

If that all sounds a bit intensive, my advice is to see how you can fit your hobbies around a holiday that keeps you active. As an example, let’s say you and your partner are really into tennis. There are specialist resorts like the Aphrodite Hills Tennis Academy in Cyprus that promise superb matches on top of the line courts, backed up by facilities and expertise for you to improve your game. As for me, my love of running means I’ve daydreamed of one day seeing a marathon in London, Paris, Lisbon or even its birthplace, Greece.

So far, so inspiring. But if there’s one kind of holiday that’s massively growing in popularity, it’s cruising. Much like any of the other package holidays we’ve discussed here, many cruises have their own specialised fitness focussed voyages, sometimes collaborating with some leading healthy living minds. Just as long as I keep taking CBD oil or using the gel (https://madrigalcreatives.com/collections/shop-all/products/relieve-plus-pain-wellness-gel) to keep my aches and pains at bay, I'll be OK. 

Luckily, even your common cruise offers plenty of ways to keep fit and active. I always thought of cruising as a sedate affair, all sangrias by the pool and big dinners, but a quick look at some of the ships showed me there’s a gym as much as a pool to get stuck into. Couple that with a spa, a sauna and plenty of wide open decks to jog on, and you can consider me intrigued.

So whilst I'm taking note of what Northern Mat are doing to construct winter access roads, I’m still pondering where my next big break will take me, but I’m willing to bet that there will be a little more health and fitness involved than usual.