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Ranking the best wellness retreats of 2021

Written by John Davis

Last updated: July 1, 2021

Wellness retreats are get-aways to paradise, to pamper self, do some yoga, do some beach, and recharge to return to the plate slugging harder than ever before.

A good vacation done right should perform the function of recharging mind body and soul, and have a few special incredibly uplifting features like, some massage, maybe some guided meditation, some super-nutrition, and a good stretch instructor.

Tropical islands and cloud forest mountains can both be great places to take a quick retreat to recharge, all I can say is that office workers should make the effort to get some sun.

The getaway itself is oftentimes most important, a splash of fresh, something new can give the needed perspective to life’s challenges.

“Now to escape involves not just running away, but arriving somewhere” -Bernhard Schlink 

According to the Harvard Business Review’s Data-Driven Case for Vacation, “statistically, taking more vacation results in greater success at work as well as lower stress and more happiness at work and home.” [a]

CBNBCPsychology TodayForbes, and many more agree that vacation produces better performance. Most of the study in wellness shows drastic improvements through regular vacation, and rest. The old known basic that rest equals play, and simply that improved rest equates to improved play.

“Not all those who wander are lost” J.R.R. Tolkien. 

Ranking

1. Renacimiento Retreats

best wellness retreat

The Renacimiento Retreat is a new kind of nutritional concept coming out, with a force equal to its legitimate performance results. Whether healing, looking for the next level of athletic ability, or simply in search of the ultimate recharge this best wellness retreat has the power.

Focused on what makes for real life change, peppered with some yoga, super nutrition of highly diverse and strong source method, incredible beaches, pools of oceans, bike rides, and trails the retreat facilitators leave each member of the group or individualized sessions with a whole new idea and perspective on everything from optimal health and performance to personal internal considerations.

Based around a biodiverse nature study, that has assessed a new human-diet requirement for a proper continued-evolutionary diet and an all-natural optimal performance diet, this retreat includes an interesting and shocking scientific library of a “helpful-data” download on longevity and performance practices, correct nutrition, and connecting the dots of life.

Throughout Panama, and sometimes in Costa Rica or Colombia, these jungle-oriented, field testing teams of science athletes have recently started hosting boutique retreats to share the super nutrition stuff they are doing with a broader spectrum of test subjects. Many retreats we were on were hosted by older folks. Not this one, everyone involved staff-wise was pretty young.

Coming from the states the flight was surprisingly quick two and half hours to PTY. The flight to the island (they have several retreats in other locations) was 45 minutes, it was like we took off and landed – painless.

These guys are hosting limited-time focus retreats with options for dedicated Ju-Jitsu practitioners, boxers, runners/triathlons, Yoga, Tai Chi, Chi Gong, and office professionals all year long through the end of 2020. Each retreat gets a sprinkle in from other focuses and becomes a very diverse and well-rounded experience for all.

The one-of-a-kind staff has great energy and experience keeping the vibe high and the time productive and that time is well balanced for good amounts of relaxation. Nutrition has people feeling the better they have ever felt, to the measure of time they consume it. This rare diamond experience will leave retreaters with a new edge to cut through life with.

2. Chopra

Deepak Chopra Organized Event

These events are in multiple locations around the world and are the name-brand retreat of the famous spiritual guru Deepak Chopra.

Ayurveda, the principal focus of this group is an ancient art of medicinal nutrition and cultural practice that has yielded improved quality of life for its subjects across ages now.

Wellness begins within, this is the more important focus in order to resolve the most important issues, and to realize the most important improvements. The accomplishment of this wellness is cultivated through dedicated practice in a dedicated and experienced program.

Through means of meditation and informational enlightenment, these retreats are portals into hand-picked incredible geographic locations, with one could venture to say “hand-of-God-picked,” staff and peers.

 

3. SHA Wellness Spa

For those with a higher budget and a luxury interest, a trip to Australia orders, this incredible retreat experience in a top-notch facility. Incredible view and feeling, the riches and the rest of the upper-class this retreat is made for those who prefer an extensive exterior to the extensive interior focus.

The internal testing lacks nowhere, complete with physical exams, bloodwork, and pro-nutrition design these guys are going to dial clients into a good state of wellbeing and they even have a post-covid retreat that addresses specifically long-term effects in patients who have had the virus.

The skin and beauty treatments are of another level, the faculty is hard to beat, and the staff is absolutely wonderful.

The setting may as well be called the “divine deck, heaven on earth” or “on top of the world while in heaven’s cradle.” The metaphysical properties in such as location completely justify the construction of this amazing facility.

 

5. Golden Door California

Golden Door Retreat California

Located on a lush 600-acre estate, Golden Door California has been rumored to host Oprah Winfrey, Susan Sarandon, and a list of other celebrities. At the rate of ten thousand a week, the spa treatments and stay are said to be the ultimate recharge.

Most of our readers don’t have a celebrity budget and so regardless of this retreat’s wonderful reputation we couldn’t rank her too high on our best rankings, however, after talking with several habitual retreaters, the idea of rubbing shoulders with the power-elite on a getaway was of high desire and we have heard a few stories about relationships made at retreats.

Aside from having celebrities, the resort itself is a celebrity and well known as a place of recharge, rest, and the formation of resilient ideas.

 

Category Winners

Best Wellness Retreat overall: Renacimiento Retreats in Panama

This retreat won the ranking over competing retreats by a long shot. Cost is lower than most. This is the most intensive, knowledgeable front-line of better nutrition I have ever seen or even heard of. The high diversity robust nutrition really is next-level. In just twenty days the effects were equal to those of stem-cell therapies I received a year earlier. Increased flexibility, thought power, physical power, and agility were all personal records during this time.

This retreat arms retreaters for life with new skills and new ideas that have been proven by every single participant ever to improve, mood thought ability and virtually every category of performance.  They really offer something no one else does, and according to the Nutritional Diversity Diet Sciences people, “you want to get off the modern food supply as much as possible, any tropical and highly diverse nutrition a person can get, equals health, longevity and improved performance.” Kind of a no brainer, and we really liked that in a market they have completely cornered they still offer a repeat customer program to make it easier for people to get more of the diet, more of the year with a huge discount to repeat customers “in efforts to build up an extended family vibe around the center.”

The retreat was impressive in a multitude of ways to our staff and it included messages, yoga class, some of the guys were running, and a quite vibrant Caribbean paradise.

I have since attended both personalized and group retreats, the value is incredible. my return on investment has been 100 fold.

Best Wellness Retreat for relaxation: Golden Door California

There is simply is nothing more relaxing than being surrounded by 600 acres of pure California nature. There is a new level of comfort and feeling of self-worth embedded in a quick stay on the other side of the Golden Door. To be worry-free is priceless, and this retreat functions to make a man or woman feel like gold themselves.

Best Wellness Retreat for massage: SHA Wellness Spa

Is massage at the top of your to-do list? If so, the Australian Massage really exceeded the rest on the personal test.

Best Wellness Retreat for beauty or skin treatment: SHA Wellness Spa

These guys really have it together

Best Wellness Retreat for spiritual experience: Chopra & Renacimiento

Deepak Chopra needs no introduction and is seen as one of the higher evolved spiritually persons of our time. There is no doubt spiritual graduation awaits through this retreat.

This being said, and that diamonds are made under pressure, and often take a bit more search to encounter; the Renacimiento Retreat is a special situation. Having attended this retreat, I learned the history of the team and the facility. I had a spiritual experience that was extreme at this location and with this group. I was asked not to share publicly this information that I learned and the experience that experienced, in hopes that it will preserve the potency of these elements for others. I can say overwhelmingly that these guys are some special, graduated souls, who have a very refreshing way of doing things that enables seriously better performance – which to me is the most medicinal and most desired spiritual inputs I could have hoped for. My experience did not include this, but these guys have access to all the plant medicines, and best shaman’s, they are definitely in the Central American alternative agriculture and best nutrition ‘high circle.’

I would say the Chopra retreat would be better for the softer personalities. The Renacimiento Retreat, is more boutique, less fluffy and the team of guys are tough, several are ex-military but they are extremely friendly guys and for many are what is needed to push into the next “level up.”

Best Wellness Retreat for athletics: Renacimiento Retreats in Panama

I would say these people are as many athletes as agriculturists and nutritionists, athletics is a primary focus for this administrative team. Some of these guys are very high-level output guys, and at the dinner table, all you hear about is marathons, jujitsu, boxing, or some crazy trail, injury, or wild animal experience.

They conduct an athletic performance study, recording performance scores on arrival and then scores after a period of time with the highly diverse nutrition showing, the nutrition (or the retreat) support improved performance in a range of areas.

Best Wellness Retreat for nutrition: Renacimiento Retreats in Panama SHA Wellness Spa

Easy here, this retreat was formed primarily to offer a nutritional schematic they used privately over the last decade to a broader spectrum of consumers. It’s in Panama arguably one of the more dense beds of nutrition available. The diversity and sourcing is all new to every client that comes and logically new results follow.

More fragile frameworks, older in age, allergic issues, or having trouble getting around will definitely want to opt for the SHA Retreat Spa. The facilities are more equipt and they are much more worried about nutritional safety and normalcy than the fairly more rugged and experimental Renacimiento retreat – who would however so likely yield a more potent nutritional result in performances.

Who should buy a wellness retreat?

Statistics show that retreats make for better moves on the return to the office, or the court. Essentially everyone can benefit from the right get-away and self-care weekend to month every here and there.

People experiencing loss, stress, trauma, and serious life change are recommended oftentimes by life coaches and helpful friends and professionals to take time away and recharge.

Many successful people make retreats a staple of their lives and in this case, a retreat should be a challenge too maybe?

Those in expectance of something to come such as childbirth, testing, and examinations, job interviews, sports events are many times very satisfied with their decision to take a retreat first, to clear the palette, recharge for the important task, and be in optimal shape to deal with stressful times in life ahead.

Those who are receiving treatments can improve the treatment performance by coupling in a retreat to pass a well-cared recovery cycle.

Chronically ill patients can live out their lives in better quality with dedicated health programs in special retreats around the world.

Professional teams have shown to benefit greatly before conferences and presentation, or sales drive by attendance to the best wellness retreats listed above – primarily the athletic retreats in Panama.

How we ranked

We looked at cost, travel, and accommodation in consideration of the post-pandemic times as much as we looked at the potency of offering for the getaway. Stick to the basics for initial selections.

Uniqueness became a factor looking at lots of yoga, massage, and mud. While pamperings are across the board we ranked according to uniqueness.

We later looked at pampering and normalcies of the candidate but these factors weren’t really a cause for the election of the retreats in this ranking.

We looked over about 100 retreats while making this ranked list and we prioritized personal recommendations from those we know and trust right to the top. This ranking is based heavily on in-house experience and not just the research and regurgitate method everyone else is doing in the other rankings we checked out.

The ranking objective here operated with a question in mind. “How can we help the whole world the most with the best wellness retreat recommendation?” Some answers to this question were, “by recommending an ecologically conscious health retreat,” and “by recommending a retreat empowering people with knowledge.”

Benefits

A wellness travel study indicated “substantial benefits” from wellness-related travel, and that these benefits had a six-week stay time indicating that the potentially optimal use of wellness retreats to be every six weeks. This study was based on a rural retreat in Queensland, Australia. [x]

Science just recently in 2020 has started to conduct vacation impact examinations using digital personal monitors in the recent wave of wearable digital personal treatment-related devices. This type of demonstration will really start to change many current outcomes of the study to much more accurate data. So far the data being recorded this way is understandable and completely positive across the board. [x]

Another study in the army that clearly expressed unhealthy lifestyle and diet as the underlining cause of disease, fatigue, and mental illness also sites retreats as a logical solution and even in the cases of chronic illness, HIV/AIDS, and mental illness. [x]

Yoga, and three months of a wellness retreat that conducted lots of stretching, indicated clear improvements in chronic pain, chronic disease, and general population patients. [x]

Office groups, sports teams, and professional teams have reported extensive benefits not just to the individual but as a team through dedicated wellness programs offered in these types of retreats. [x]

Side effects

Income may go down from expenses, and quality of life may go up.

Jet lag and foreign elements can hit the body absurdly at times, and this can also be considered homeopathic medicine – a challenge for the immune and or body systems.

Anxiety about things to do back home is often experienced on getaways especially when planned in advance of current events weighting the mind.

Without being sarcastic, the other option is peace of mind, and these are elections of the beholder.

Perspective has a lot to do with any side effects of retreating.

Recommended dose

According to the Queensland Australia retreat study [x] six weeks following retreats showed a decline in the positive effects of the retreat. Time in retreat and other dynamic factors will certainly play their part, while six-week timelines parallel the effects of medication or drug detoxification.

Nutritional Diversity diet professionals recommend no less than one month per year in nature on a highly diverse nutrition and dedicated self-care program. Amidst cyclic daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly requirements the intensive health plan claims to be “the most optimal yet,” and underlines the basic requirements of the Renacimiento Retreats, these “students of nature,” told me that “health itself shows a very clear requirement that at least one-third of all time, is required in a self-care dedicated program.

FAQ

What is the best way to enhance my own retreat? Be as sustainable as possible. Require and expect the least. Go with the flow of a new experience, and should it challenge you to sleep in an uncomfortable place, or accept a massage from a lesser qualified that desired individual take it as an opportunity to build strength while in pampering. Remain positive at all times. Take injury and adversity as also positive opportunities for growth and improvement, and a learning challenge to overcome.

How can I select my own best retreat? Talk to them, feel them out. Ask for a skype call. Wellness retreats are sometimes in the tens of thousands of dollars range. What are your real needs? What is special to you besides the regular message, palm tree, and pretty beach or mountain> Make that your guiding light in the search for the best wellness retreat for you.

What kinds of things do I need to watch out for? The first thing to watch out for is other retreaters. Most retreat hosts have a reputation to worry about. Retreaters are looking to fix things many times, and just remember everything is contagious. Look in for answers, and keep your personal belongings safe. Trustworthy people don’t see the untrustworthy coming many times, and they like to come in sheep clothing. Watch who wants to be friends traveling, but remember that good persons like you are out there too, and they like meeting other good people! Take a look at travel websites regarding new locations, a diverse bit of information for each place will equip travelers for common mishaps.

What types of extra precautions are out there for me to consider? Allergy testing. Find out about foods and the environment beforehand and see an allergy testing specialist to see what you need to watch out for systemically.

Mosquito and bug repellents. Many diseases travel by insect and if you can avoid the insect you can avoid the disease. Many of these repellents are best applied to clothing and not to the skin. Hang nets are good for sleeping and easy to travel with.

Mutlivitamins are a good carry, also personal water filers. Studies are overwhelming that when vitamin levels are high all performance including immune performance is better.

What are the world impacts of the retreat industry? Be as sustainable as possible. Vacation travel speaks for over 7 billion dollars in revenue for American’s alone. Airplanes, boats, and cars are running like crazy to get retreaters to and from their super vacations. Retreat workers are members of the low or middle-income levels usually in long-term, well-paid positions with some advancement potential. Owners and operators are usually in middle to upper-income levels and do a fair amount of travel themselves. Statistically retreat centers are some of the most ecologically conscious business operations and many of them set an ecologically conscious example to others and some of them conduct ecologically conscious training.

What are the abstract possibilities in the retreat industry? It has been suggested that in times of increased popularity of homesteading, and second country investment that retreat-life is also to rise in trend. Furthermore, speculation has been made about retreat centers as the birthplace of new health culture, new lifestyle culture, and a new subculture wave of rural living.

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Recap

The benefits of wellness retreats could outweigh the benefits of certain medications namely antidepressants and could even be the spark-place of a new cultural chapter in human health history. Post-pandemic wellness retreating is expected to be a popular exploit and the benefits coupled with the simple need to “get out” seem to be the reason.

For BodyNutrition’s #1 recommended wellness retreat click here.

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John Davis