With travel restrictions in place, cabin fever setting in, and stress and anxiety levels rising, keeping wellness a priority has become more important than ever. Take a mental vacation to some of the world’s most beautiful destinations –– visualising a stress-free place is a simple way to help your whole body calm down and give you the boost you need for the day.
We’ve put together a series of stunning visuals featuring rolling landscapes, ethereal views and remarkable sights that will be just the pick-me-up for you.
Golden rays of sunlight lighting up the sand and sea at Zenith Beach in Port Stephens, NSW.
Plumes of steam rising from chimneys across a coastal town along the Oita Hot Spring Trail with Walk Japan.
A leopard taking a well-deserved rest up on a tree at Singita Boulders Lodge, Singita’s privately-owned reserve within Sabi Sand in South Africa.
Iceland’s otherworldly landscapes on the Highlights of Iceland itinerary with Scott Dunn , featuring Southern Iceland, Northern Iceland and Reykjavik.
The Northern Lights casting an ethereal glow across the snow-capped trees of Finnish Lapland on the Simply Finnish Lapland itinerary with Scott Dunn.
Check out the rest of our page here for more mental vacation travel inspiration.
Nowadays, there is an increasing demand for authentic and immersive experiences, and the search for spiritual travel is also growing. This concept allows guests to focus on their inner exploration to examine themselves, and self-reflect.
We’ve outlined a list of our favourite itineraries that will allow active travellers to embark on an eye-opening off-the-beaten-track journey of self-discovery this year.
Walk Japan’s Kumano Kodo Pilgramage
The Kumano Kodō is a series of ancient pilgrimage routes that crisscross the Kii Hantō, the largest peninsula of Japan. The routes are registered as UNESCO World Heritage and played an integral part of the pilgrimage process, as pilgrims undertook rigorous religious rites of worship and purification. Walking the sacred Kumano Kodo is a fantastic way to experience the unique cultural landscape of Kumano’s spiritual countryside, offering an immersion into more than a thousand years of Buddhist history.
Capella Ubud’s Confined to Quarters
Committed to maintaining excellence in the craft of hospitality, Capella Hotels & Resorts have launched Capella Curates. The series has been carefully cultivated by the expert team in each locale, to offer exclusive adventures, meeting interesting characters, experiencing whimsical traditions, and the opportunity to hone unexplored skills.
Capella Ubud’s Confined to Quarters is a life-changing Capella Curates experience, whereby couples can escape the humdrum of daily life with 24-hours spent in total solitude within their uniquely styled tent. The day begins with a traditional Balinese blessing ritual and yoga session, enabling guests to reconnect with one another and refocus. After a restful night’s sleep, made possible by the day spent in solitude, guests can take part in a sunrise purification ritual at the property’s Wos River Temple – a profoundly spiritual process designed to leave a lasting feeling of calm and positivity.
Scott Dunn’s itineraries to Bhutan capture the pure energy and spirituality of one of the last true unspoilt countries on earth. As a Himalayan Kingdom of stunning natural beauty, travellers will discover the awe-inspiring sights – from lush-green rice paddies running alongside fast-flowing glacial rivers to the endless forested-mountains and the snow-capped peaks beyond.
Bhutan carefully manages the numbers of tourists to the country in order to preserve its unique culture and traditions, and so a trip to Bhutan ensures a remarkable vacation with a first-hand, intimate look into the secrets of this extraordinary country. A Week in Bhutan introduces the spiritual and cultural highlights, from experiencing the fascinating capital of Thimphu, home to Bhutan’s national animal in the Takin Preserve, to trekking towards Taktsang Goemba or the Tiger’s Nest Monastery in Paro. Tailored to travellers who wish to be accompanied, all itineraries in Bhutan are escorted by a driver and specialist guide.
Go beyond the usual sights and sounds of a Tokyo city tour, and venture west to the Izu Peninsula – a fascinating geological treasure located on the Pacific coast of the island of Honshū, Japan. The landscape of this former island has been shaped by volcanic activity over millions of years, and is peppered with volcanoes and carved by both river and sea, making it the perfect respite if you’re looking for the best of what nature has to offer.
The cobalt-blue Pacific Ocean surrounds Izu and provides the backdrop to a rugged coastline of bays and towering precipices. Curated to suit the adventurous, conscious traveller, the Izu Geo Trail by Walk Japan features an immersive itinerary where you’ll be staying in beautifully located inns, enjoying bountiful seafood cuisine, and luxuriating in soothing onsen hot spring baths while taking in spectacular geological formations, beaches, waterfalls, literature and epoch-making history.
Starting in Tokyo, Japan’s bustling capital city, travellers will make their way by train to Izu Kogen in the Shizuoka prefecture where the trail begins. Led by Walk Japan’s expert Tour Leaders, you’ll have the opportunity to venture to some of the most scenic and untouched areas of the Izu Peninsula, accompanied by the sound of waves crashing against rocky cliffs and echoing through sea caves. On clear days, you may even be able to catch spectacular views of the iconic Mt. Fuji.
Removed from the noise and distractions of the modern world, guests can thoroughly appreciate Japan’s picturesque landscapes and natural scenery. Whether it’s gentle ascents through a native beech forest, visiting a 1,200 year old shrine off the sparkling white sandy beach of Shirahama, or climbing Cape Irozaki – Izu’s southernmost point offers an impressive viewpoint, even the most seasoned travellers will feel entirely spirited away in the ethereal beauty of this mesmerising peninsula.
