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Jun 01, 2023

10 Unique Summer Wellness Vacations To Plan Around The World (On The Water)

Wellness travel is on the rise and here are some unique wellness vacation ideas

Wellness travel is on the rise and here are some unique wellness vacation ideas to help travelers tap into this exciting trend this summer.

Different people have different ideas for a summer vacation. While a lot of travelers prefer engaging in vigorous outdoor activities (which can be energy-draining), it is sometimes best to just spend the summer vacation engaging in wellness activities.

As the name implies, wellness activities are things done to improve one's well-being. The majority of these wellness activities heavily involve water because, without this element, there is truly no wellness. Recent studies have even continued to reveal how much being in water or even around it can improve mental health. For travelers seeking to spend their summer tapping into this amazing wellness potential of water, here are some unique summer wellness vacation ideas around the world that revolve around H2O.

Floating in the Dead Sea is a unique experience that can not be experienced anywhere else in the world. While there are many other places where one can float on the water, the Dead Sea stands out for the healing qualities of the water and the mud, the high atmospheric pressure, and the otherworldly scenery that surrounds the lake.

Spending a summer vacation here is incredibly relaxing and satisfying, especially since the lake is surrounded by numerous spa resorts and luxury hotels that feature plenty of amenities and also offer interesting wellness events.

Related: Is The Dead Sea Disappearing? It's Already The Lowest Place On Earth

Sailing is a great alternative to regular cruises for those who love to spend time on the water. It is much more peaceful and brings one closer to the water, unlike most cruise ships. Coconut Grove is one of the best places to enjoy this activity in the country.

Here, one will find several marinas and other organizations that offer anything from boat rentals to sailboat lessons, and even floating hotels.

In addition to the water-related adventures, Coconut Grove is also naturally beautiful and historic as it is the oldest continuously inhabited neighborhood in Miami which just makes a vacation here even more exciting.

Kayaking is the most relaxing way to explore the gorgeous water bodies at Biscayne Bay National Park in Maimi. The waters here are calm and they also host a unique marine ecosystem that visitors will find interesting.

Several kayaking tours are offered here and visitors will also have opportunities to scuba dive, swim, and snorkel in the waters of the park.

Yoga is a rewarding wellness activity but doing it on a beach beside calm ocean waters makes it even more relaxing and unique. This experience can only be experienced in a few places around the world and Santosha Yoga in Barbados is one of those places.

Besides the beachside yoga experience, this Yoga organization also offers the unique SUP Yoga which means a yoga session on a paddleboard on a waterbody. Besides being relaxing, this experience is also a way to learn about stability — a skill that comes in handy in many real-life situations.

There are many dive sites around the world that are great for a summer vacation but Raja Ampat stands out for many reasons. Besides being incredibly beautiful, this archipelago is the most biodiverse marine spot in the world.

Visitors to this archipelago will have access to a wide variety of dive sites many of which are filled with large schools of fish, pristine coral reefs, and several other unique marine creatures.

Besides diving, these Raja Ampat Islands also offer opportunities for other water-related activities like kayaking, snorkeling, and swimming.

The cool sprays of the rushing water, the exhilarating paddling, and the thunderous crashes that accompany white water rafting all combine to bring wellness and excitement to those who engage in it. Costa Rica is one of the best places in the world to enjoy this activity as the country is filled with several water bodies that come with rapids for all skill levels.

Naranjo River, Tenorio River, and Pacuare River are perfect for those seeking extreme rapids.

For a more relaxing experience, however, one can head over to the Penas Blancas River which comes with mild rapids and takes adventurers through a beautiful rainforest that hosts some interesting wildlife.

Hot springs are the perfect spots for wellness vacations as they are warm and usually filled with minerals that are beneficial to the body. While there are many other hot springs around the world, the Blue Lagoon remains the most famous.

There is also silica mud at the sides of the pool for those who want to wear a natural face mask while enjoying the water. The Blue Lagoon also has several facilities like restaurants, a spa, and hotels where visitors can relax before and after the wellness experience.

There's nothing quite as unique as sleeping off while watching countless fishes and other marine creatures swimming in the water. This experience can only be gotten in an underwater hotel and it is indeed a unique way to spend a summer vacation away from land.

With these hotels offering a wide range of amenities from spas, to underwater restaurants, visitors will surely enjoy an amazing summer vacation that will have them singing 'Under the Sea.'

Related: This Maldives Adults-Only Resort Has The Largest Underwater Restaurant In The World

Wellness activities do not always have to be mild and quiet like yoga. Sometimes, what one actually needs to be well is a thrilling hike that will help clear the mind.

Coastal hikes are perfect for this as they are located beside beautiful water bodies so hikes will always be near the water while engaging on the trek. There are plenty of amazing coastal hikes around the world to consider exploring and some of the most popular include:

Hammams are the ultimate wellness destination anyone can visit. It is arguably the best spa experience in the world and also one of the most interesting. Unlike others on the list, Hammans are not usually located beside water bodies but of course, the entire experience involves water.

Hammams are incredibly relaxing and people usually come out as clean as newborns but the process of getting the rewards is rigorous and sometimes feels like torture.

Visitors to hammams are first coated in black soap or bathed before being asked to undergo a long wait in a steam room that feels extremely hot. The hot steam room wait is then followed by a session of intense scrubbing, washing, and body-slapping.

The session is so intense that dead skins will begin to fall off one's body. This is then followed by a massage that leaves the one relaxed, happy, and flexible.

No matter what kind of summer wellness vacation travelers are looking for, there's something to suit—though the best retreats on the water may require a lengthy flight to reach.

Joshua is a writer, researcher, adventurer, and traveler. His curiosity is his ultimate drive and most of the things he is particularly curious about include - the earth, archaeology, history, myths, and the unseen world. Joshua loves singing and dancing as much as he loves food, agriculture, animals, writing and traveling. He is a simple person who often attributes some of his happiest moments in life to little and natural things such as dancing in the rain and laughing at his own thoughts. Email him at [email protected]