10 of Asia’s Best Wellness Retreats

These Asian sanctuaries combine luxury with services and therapies that will leave you feeling pampered and relaxed. You may never want to come home.

1. Fivelements Retreat, Ubud, Bali. Set in tropical gardens on the banks of the sacred Ayung River, this serene sanctuary features traditional Balinese treatments, plant-based superfood cuisine, and world-class yoga. 

2. Sacred River Spa, Four Seasons Resort Sayan, Bali. This healthy-living retreat has pampered guests like Barack Obama and Julia Roberts (who lived here during the filming of Eat, Pray, Love).

3. RAKxa Wellness & Medical Retreat, Bangkok. This oasis on a rural peninsula, just a stone’s throw from the city, offers Far Eastern remedies, massages, and a huge range of therapies designed by world-class medical doctors and traditional healers.

4. The Farm at San Benito, Lipa City, Philippines. Ideal for weight loss and general well-being, this jungle haven combines modern medical services with holistic treatments and detox packages featuring award-winning raw and vegan cuisine. 

5. The Island Spa Sanctuary, Four Seasons at Kuda Huraa, Maldives. After reaching the sanctuary’s private island via a traditional dhoni (like a small dhow), you’re in the hands of expert Balinese and Maldivian therapists.

6. Six Senses Ninh Van Bay, Khanh Hoa, Vietnam. An idyllic granite rock-scape and a turquoise bay are the backdrops for Vietnam’s most luxurious sanctuary and the best place to experience yoga, exotic massages, and traditional therapies.

7. Song Saa Private Island, Koh Rong Archipelago, Cambodia. Purification and detox are central tenets but you can also get active with paddle-boarding, yoga, personal training, meditation, and Khmer cookery classes.

8.  Bhutan Spirit Sanctuary, Neyphu Valley, Bhutan. Bhutan’s only five-star spa offers tempting therapies including Ku Nye massages, forest bathing rituals, and herbal compression treatments curated from over 100 Bhutanese herbs.

9. Santani, Kandy, Sri Lanka. Ayurvedic treatments, yoga, detox, and bespoke gourmet wellness cuisine, all in a natural setting that is the essence of harmony.  

10. Six Senses Fort Barwara, Rajasthan, India. Check into this majestic 14^th-century Rajasthani fortress to find a full range of activities, including daily fitness class and wellness packages incorporating traditional ingredients from Six Senses’ acclaimed “alchemy bar.”

Mark Eveleigh has written for more than 120 media outlets, including National Geographic, CNN, and the BBC. His recently published first novel is Driftwood Chandeliers.