With the rat race ramping up stress levels, many of us are forgoing a little income and taking a wellness sabbatical: grind-avoiding getaways in beautiful retreats with plinky-plonky soundscapes and morning meditations.
It’s like a self-imposed lockdown, but somewhere pretty, and with yoga. Here are our five picks for a wellness sabbatical.
Mana Retreat Centre – Coromandel
Walk out your downward dog in an equality circle in the bush-covered Coromandel Range. This non-profit residential retreat is a haven for self-compassion, awakening the consciousness, and vegetarian food.
Aro Hā – Queenstown
Don’t give up on your dreams of a Balinese yoga retreat – Aro Hā runs yoga and wellness getaways just out of Glenorchy. You’ll have trouble shutting your eyes for savasana when you see the view across Lake Wakatipu from the yoga studio – but the whole retreat is caffeine-free, so that might help.
Anahata Yoga Retreat – Takaka
Make the commitment to simple, sustainable living atop a hill overlooking Golden Bay. Anahata Yoga Retreat is run on the principles of ashram, emphasising daily yoga and developing inner peace.
Solscape – Raglan
For a self-directed sabbatical, stay in Solscape’s earth domes, cabooses or in the off-grid Tipi Forest in Raglan. Eat in the Conscious Kitchen and achieve pure bliss by splitting your days between yoga, surf and massages.
White Orchid Retreats – Tauranga
White Orchid Retreats create seriously chill experiences and don’t let men past the front gates. You’re in for women-only bliss with bushwalks to nearby waterfalls, geothermally heated pools and extensive spa treatments.