Wilderness Rwanda will launch The Sanctuary at Wilderness Bisate in December, a dedicated wellness facility serving guests at both the Bisate and Bisate Reserve properties in Rwanda’s volcanic highlands.
The Rwanda facility is positioned as part of Wilderness’ evolution toward
“conscious travel,” redefining luxury through presence and connection
with nature rather than traditional service amenities.
The wellness center features a heated, indoor, saltwater lap pool; steam room; ice bath for contrast therapy; and cocoon-style meditation pods designed for mindfulness practices. Additional facilities include a fully equipped gym, yoga studio, dedicated treatment rooms for massages and beauty services and fireplaces throughout.
Wildreness said The Sanctuary represents the first phase of its broader wellness integration across the portfolio. The concept will simultaneously debut at Wilderness Mombo in Botswana, with plans to embed wellness programming more deeply throughout the brand’s camps via immersive activities, sustainably sourced cuisine and digital disconnection opportunities.
Twenty years ago, two Aussie brothers established a small thermal bath on a patch of land in Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula.
It wasn’t anything extravagant, just a humble celebration of outdoor bathing in a grassy paddock.
But now, thanks in part to the phenomenon of ‘wellness travel’, Peninsula Hot Springs has turned into one of the world’s most acclaimed wellness destinations.
Peninsula Hot Springs has grown from humble beginnings. (Peninsula Hot Springs)
The way we’re travelling has changed. Instead of typical “flop and drop” holidays or city breaks with a packed itinerary, travellers are gravitating toward a more mindful way of taking a trip.
Wellness tourism has seen a huge surge in search interest in the last few years, in part thanks to a post-COVID mindset shift toward prioritising our health.
The ‘most relaxing’ holiday destinations in the world revealed
The numbers don’t lie: the global wellness tourism industry is predicted to be worth around $1.35 trillion in 2028. That’s more than double what it was just two years ago.
Hotels are jumping on board: offering guided yoga and meditation classes on in-room TVs, sleep tracking, custom dining menus, and a variety of dedicated wellness itineraries.
Wellness packages are being offered by a number of travel providors. (G Adventures)
Tour company G Adventures has a ‘wellness’ tour category and one hotel in Phuket even offers wellness packages for children, with gentle spa treatments, kid-friendly Muay Thai, junior cooking classes, and sustainability activities.
Wellness travel on a budget
Though ‘wellness tourism’ might conjure images of $1000-a-night retreats and bougie spa experiences, it doesn’t have to be a luxury holiday. DIY digital detoxes, camping trips, and alcohol-free holidays all fall under the wide umbrella of wellness travel.
Gen Z and Millennial travellers in particular are driving demand for mental and emotional reset holidays – the type of trip where you come home feeling refreshed and like you’ve actually had a break.
Wellness tourism can be as simple as getting out in nature. (Getty)
Holidays are no longer just about checking off tourist destinations: 73 per cent of Gen Z say they plan trips specifically for wellness benefits like relaxation or self-care activities.
Destinations like Bali, Thailand, and Mexico are known for more affordable retreats focusing on yoga, meditation, and detox.
Female-focused wellness retreats
Female-focused retreats are also having a moment, as part of the wider wellness travel trend.
For example: CNN labelled menopause retreats as “the next big thing in wellness”; South Korea’s sanhujoriwon are hotels specifically for postpartum mothers; and there is a retreat in the Philippines designed to boost and nurture fertility.
Female-only retreats are increasingly popular. (Getty)
Closer to home, Aussie wellness leaders are creating their own retreats.
“We all know how easy it is to put our own self-care on the back burner, but a female-focused wellness retreat is your chance to prioritise you,” Sarah Percy, a women’s health physiotherapist who is hosting a wellness retreat on the Gold Coast from August 1, tells 9Travel.
“Wellness travel is a great way to step out of your comfort zone… When we stop and step away from the daily grind, we truly get the chance to tune back in with ourselves.”
ClubMed is also gearing up to host an all-inclusive ‘mumcation’, for new mums to reconnect with themselves mentally, physically, and emotionally postpartum.
Iceland is a good spot for a detox. (Getty)
The future of wellness travel
Peninsula Hot Springs is perhaps the perfect example of how wellness travel has exploded. What was once just a single pool and café has evolved into a sprawling complex with spa treatment, onsite accommodation, eco-lodges, and cultural experiences for guests.
Experts predict the wellness industry will just keep on growing, as we seek out more experiences to relax and restore ourselves while travelling, and have tapped five destinations set to become leaders in the space.
These five countries are South Korea, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and Iceland.
“These countries are redefining relaxation and rejuvenation, setting the stage for a transformative travel experience that goes beyond the ordinary,” said Amy Skelding, FINN’s Managing Partner and UK Travel Lead.
WHETHER DRAWN BY THE THRILLS of the reef or the promise of relaxation, The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort is the ultimate summer escape for both adventurers and relaxation seekers.
Nestled in the heart of Baa Atoll, the Maldives’ first UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, visitors can engage with the natural world, where marine marvels and holistic wellness meet. With a wide range of sporting opportunities and activities centred on wellness, the resort offers an escape that truly recharges.
From unmatched accommodations to delightful dining, a rejuvenating spa and the opportunity to get up-close-and-personal with Maldivian wildlife, you can consider this resort a sanctuary for body, mind and soul.
Beneath the Waves
Seasonal Snorkelling with Manta Rays
Located inside a mesmerising atoll, The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort boasts a vibrant house reef that is home to over 250 species of coral and diverse marine life.
From now through November, Baa Atoll celebrates its Manta Ray season, which places guests at the centre of one of the world’s most awe-inspiring natural spectacles.
In nearby Hanifaru Bay, you can watch the seasonal gatherings of Manta Rays, allowing you to get up-close-and-personal with these amazing creatures.
Book a bucket-list excursion and, after just a 40-minute speedboat ride from The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort, you can enjoy unforgettable guided snorkelling sessions and witness the extraordinary cyclone feeding phenomenon, where hundreds of manta rays glide in a mesmerising underwater spectacle.
You can also sign up for a guided turtle snorkelling trip — the island serves as a popular nesting ground for as many as seven species of sea turtles, including endangered green, hawksbill, and leatherback turtles.
Diving Site
For divers, the resort is pure paradise, offering easy access to over 20 dive sites across Baa Atoll — a global diving destination loved for its thriving reefs and marine diversity.
Guests adore exploring Dhigali Thila, a protected submerged reef with coral-draped overhangs, narrow passages and abundant marine life, and Nelivaru Thila, a seascape of coral pinnacles and ledges, where you can swim alongside moray eels, turtles and sharks.
If you’re intent on relaxing on land, simply sit back and try spotting dolphins from the comfort of your table during breakfast.
Superior Stays
Overwater Villa Pool Deck
Overwater Villa Pool Bedroom
Family Beach Villa Pool
Offering only 69 spacious villas, you’ll have plenty of privacy and expansive room to relax. Each stay features a private pool with panoramic views of the ocean or island. Available in eight distinct categories, the design-led villas are luxurious, light-filled residences finished with Italian-style touches.
Influenced by the Indian Ocean’s azure rhythms, the contemporary design blends organic forms with precious regional materials. Each spacious retreat features signature Westin Heavenly° Beds and exclusive pool decks, creating sophisticated waterfront sanctuaries.
Unforgettable Dining
The Pearl Restaurant
Destination Dining
Five dining and drinking venues deliver flavourful experiences rooted in the Eat Well philosophy, which blends exceptional tastes with thoughtful preparation.
The Pearl, the resort’s overwater Japanese speciality restaurant, presents authentic five-course dinners overlooking the expansive Indian Ocean. For casual beachfront dining, Hawker serves Asian-Fusion street cuisine in a relaxed beach setting.
Island Kitchen, the resort’s all-day dining hub, features the breakfast buffet and international lunch and dinner options in a soaring poolside space. Children will love the restaurant’s dedicated Eat Well menu selections designed to appeal to young palates.
Two distinctive bars complement the dining experience: the laid-back Beach Bar captures the tropical island vibe, while the elevated Sunset Bar crafts signature cocktails against the backdrop of Maldivian sunsets. Both bars serve the Crafted at Westin collection, where expert mixology meets local ingredients.
A Wellness-First Escape
Heavenly Spa by Westin
Westin’s Five Pillars of Well-Being — Feel Well, Eat Well, Sleep Well, Move Well, and Play Well — shape every aspect of the guest journey, creating experiences that restore and energise.
The overwater Heavenly Spa by Westin delivers therapeutic treatments designed to restore inner balance through wellness programmes focusing on movement, mindful relaxation and restorative sleep.
Runners can explore the scenic runWESTIN trails winding through tropical landscapes and the overwater jetty, while tennis players can enjoy singles or doubles at the newly constructed beachside courts. Complimentary non-motorised water sport options also await just steps from the villa doorways.
Water Sports
Daily wellness activities across the property include Sunrise Yoga sessions in the dedicated pavilion, water volleyball and Petanque games — all complimentary for resort guests.
Wellness continues throughout the property’s restaurants, where Eat Well menu selections and family cooking classes feature fresh local ingredients and healthy recipes for those seeking nutritious dining or dietary transformation.
At the end of the day, your villa serves as a sanctuary for deep rest, featuring signature Heavenly® Beds enhanced with Sleep Well lavender balm for a wonderfully relaxing night.
All-Inclusive Promotion
The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort
The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort has an enticing promotion that lets you discover all that the Maldivian paradise has to offer.
The package includes a seaplane transfer for two adults, three meals per day, unlimited alcoholic beverages, a private beach dinner, snorkelling excursions, spa treatments for two, water sports, a painting class and more.
Packages start from USD 1,000++ per room, per night, and are available now for stays through 5 April 2026. Visit westin-maldives.com to learn more.
Welcome to a new era of wellness, a term that is no longer defined by simple treatments, such as massages and facials, but rather a holistic concept that, these days, means a 360° approach to how we look and feel. What’s more, the appetite for ‘deep dives’ into the culture of wellness has become a top reason as to why people travel in 2025, with wellness tourism reported as one of the fastest growing sectors in the industry.
The 2024 Wellness Tourism Initiative report, by the Global Wellness Institute, pinpoints a ‘diagnostic boom in wellness travel’ as a major trend for this year. This surge, says the report, reflects “a growing preference for tailored and proactive health approaches among travellers. Many health and wellness operators now offer comprehensive diagnostic assessments alongside traditional wellness activities, enhancing the overall visitor experience.”
Inside the HVN in Knightsbridge, one of London’s ‘super clinics’.
(Credit: AVC)
The report continues: “These offerings empower individuals to gain profound insights into their health status and make informed lifestyle choices while indulging in the rejuvenating benefits of travel. As travellers increasingly prioritize preventive healthcare and holistic well-being, the diagnostic booms in wellness travel are set to continue to reshape the tourism industry by seamlessly blending medical expertise with luxury hospitality.”
When it comes to the wellness scene in London, this couldn’t be truer. The city has witnessed a growth in state-of-the-art clinics and wellness hubs, of late, that are offering personalised, cutting-edge treatments all with diagnosis at their heart. The luxury club Surrenne, at the five-star hotel The Emory, for instance, is focusing on longevity with functional diagnostics ranging from cardiovascular and hormone tests to microbiome mapping. While the The HVN in Knightsbridge puts personalisation as its priority and offers everything from acupuncture to aesthetic treatments.
In fact, the field of aesthetics has grown to become one of London’s big draws for wellness travelers, with a host of expert names, working out of Harley Street and from their own clinics across the capital. Perhaps, unexpectedly, luxury hotels are also catching on to the trend with big name properties offering the latest in skincare by partnering with well-respected aesthetic doctors to offer guests scientific-led treatments.
The Langham is one of London’s top hotels which has collaborated with a leading aesthetic doctor, Dr Soni.
(credit: AVC)
The Corinthia hotel in Whitehall, for instance has collaborated with The London Regenerative Institute, which has opened up at its ESPAlife spa. Founded by renowned plastic surgeons Mr Tunc Tiryaki and Dr Steve Cohen, the clinic offers restorative aesthetic treatments that enhance longevity.
While at The Lanesborough Club and Spa, guests can book in for ‘advanced aesthetic’ treatments, such as Soft Wave or Exosome facials, with Dr Galyna, an award-winning aesthetic doctor and wellness expert.
Dr Soni’s clinic at The Langham hotel offers the latest in aesthetic and holistic treatments.
(Credit: Rebecca Searle)
Dr Aswin Soni, a UK and US trained plastic and reconstructive surgeon (and the founder and owner of The Soni Clinic in Ascot) is the expert at hand at The Langham’s Chuan Spa. Known for championing ‘gentle rejuvenation’ when it comes to anti-ageing treatments, his client-list is full to bursting with A-listers, who arrive for his ‘light touch’, undetected at the luxury hotel via a private entrance to his consulting room.
Having studied at Imperial College, London, and trained in plastic surgery at Cornell in NYC, John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore and Royal Marsden Hospital in London, Dr Soni brings a medical approach and advanced know-how to his procedures, which vary from polynucleotides injectables to dermal fillers, with a focus on natural-looking and subtle results.
With a background in plastic surgery, Dr Soni brings a science-led approach to skincare.
(Credit: Rebecca Searle)
“It’s not about changing how anyone looks,” he says. “It’s all about enhancing. A big part of my job is the consultation. I never give an opinion on what I think needs to be changed, because it is not about me. I listen and ask questions and then we come up with a plan that is bespoke for each of my clients.”
Being based in a central London hotel, many of Dr Soni’s clients are, in fact, frequent travelers (as well as high profile names), and he has adapted his approach to treat the effects that long-haul travel can have on their skin.
“Patients who travel a lot have more dehydrated skin in general, as there is lower humidity on planes which leads to skin dryness,” he says. “Dehydrated skin leads to more fine lines and wrinkles, issues with pores, and changes to the texture and quality of skin.”
The Alumier Aqua Infusion Mask is a must-have for travelers, according to Dr Soni.
(credit: Alumier)
He continues: “I always tell my clients to use a hydrating moisturiser when they are flying and, if they can, to take a hydrating sheet mask to use on board. AlumierMD Aqua Infusion Mask is my secret must-have when I am flying. You simply apply it like a moisturiser, but it infuses the skin with deep hydration.”
London’s current spike in wellness offerings has been described in a recent issue of Harpers Bazaar as ‘the rise of the superclinic’ with the “new generation of luxurious cosmetic centres here to cater for a discerning consumer for whom tweakments are as normal as a dental check-up.”
Travel and wellness go hand in hand, says Dr Soni.
(Credit: Rebecca Searle)
Dr Soni agrees that the landscape in the capital city has changed. “It certainly feels like an exciting time to be working here,” he says. “What’s more, the narrative within the aesthetic industry has aso evolved over the past few years. Patients no longer want a ‘quick fix’ but are focusing on long term skin health and quality. It feels more holistic, rather than surface level. As providers, we are not just thinking about what patients will look like in the next few months but, instead, it’s more about the next few years.”
“A big development of late has been regenerative injectables, with collagen biostimulators, such as Sculptra by Galderma, and Plinest HPT polynucleotides by Dermafocus, at the forefront of this movement. The worlds of aesthetics and wellness have truly merged.”
Sulptra gives a healthy-looking, youthful result.
(Credit: Sculptra)
An ‘alternative’ to filler, Sculptra is a regenerative injectable that helps stimulate your own natural collagen production to smooth facial wrinkles and improve skin tightness, revealing a ‘refreshed-looking’ you. Dr Soni explains: “After the age of 20, we lose about 1% of collagen per year. Sculptra is the first and original poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA-SCA) facial injectable that targets fine lines, wrinkles, sagging, and other signs of ageing due to collagen loss, gradually helping restore skin structure and volume.”
Also in demand, says Dr Soni, is Dermafocus—a combination injectable which combines HPT polynucleotides with a skin booster. “You get the regenerative effects from the polynucleotides, which includes collagen and elastin stimulation, as well as the hydration from the hyaluronic acid, so it is an all-round winner.”
The Soni Clinic is a hub for those looking for subtle and natural skincare treatments.
(Credit: AVC)
“At times, the aesthetics industry has had a bad rep,” says Dr Soni. “That is mostly down to bad practitioners and horror stories when things go wrong. But, just like with any true luxury experience—including travel—it is all about a personalised, finessed approach, you can say the same for skincare. My advice is to choose your practitioner wisely.”
“At the moment, there is so much innovation going on within the world of skincare and London is at the heart of that. Many science-backed brands are really innovating and researching at an incredible rate. As the trends change towards collagen stimulation, and the health and quality of skin, certain brands are staying ahead, and innovating with thoughtful and innovative peptides, unique antioxidant formulations, and pioneering approaches to sunscreen. It is an industry on the rise and one that is at the forefront of science—the rockbed of the wellness industry, if you like. After all, if you look good, you will feel good.”
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