By Sukriti Wahi Entertainment 27.09.2024

7 of the Best Wellness Retreats in Australia for Your Next Self-Care Staycation

Slow down. Disconnect. Bliss out.

Sometimes, when you’re burnt out, a regular vacation just doesn’t cut it. In fact, if we follow the usual urge to see and do everything while travelling, oftentimes we come away from our holiday needing, well, another holiday.

And that’s precisely where wellness retreats – designed specifically to revive your weary body and mind from the inside out – come in. Luckily for Australians, we have many an excellent wellness retreat in our own backyard, all primed to help you rediscover your inner bliss right here.

Whether you’re after a total detox, traditional healing treatments, or just a seriously good spa staycation, keep reading to discover seven of the best wellness retreats in Australia to slow down, disconnect, and chill out.

1. Gaia Retreat & Spa, Byron Bay, NSW

Retreat packages: 2 to 7 nights

Nestled on 20 acres of the Byron Bay Hinterland, Gaia Retreat & Spa is a haven for holistic wellness seekers. Co-founded by Olivia Newton-John, this internationally acclaimed retreat boasts just 23 tastefully styled rooms, suites, and villas surrounded by lush tropical gardens to ensure an intimate escape underscored by barefoot elegance. Each retreat package is personalised to your needs, with activities ranging from organic cooking classes led by their award-winning chefs to reviving treatments in their decadent day spa. There, you’ll find myriad soothing natural therapies to indulge in, including Ayurvedic massage, Reiki, facial reflexology, cacao ceremony, and much more.

Must-try treatment: The “Ayurvedic Journey” – A 2.5-hour treatment utilising the traditional healing modalities of Ayurveda. It includes a 90-minute Abhyanga massage using medicated oils individualised to your needs and a meditative Shirodhara treatment (the pouring of warm sesame oil onto the forehead) to invigorate the nervous system.

2. Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat, Gold Coast, QLD

Retreat packages: 2 to 7 nights

If the word motivating word for your getaway is ‘detox’ – from stress, sugar, caffeine, social media, whatever it may be – the Wi-Fi – and ‘vice’-free Gwinganna has you covered. Hidden away in on a 500-acre plateau in the verdant Tallebudgera Valley on the Gold Coast, they are dedicated to helping you hit reset on your health habits, with caring experts tailoring everything towards managing withdrawals. You’ll be spoilt for choice with activities, with treatments spanning equine therapy, early morning Qi Gong, stunning valley and ocean-side nature walks, dance, yoga, and a slew of luxurious spa treatments combining traditional Eastern and Western healing therapies.

Must-try treatment: Equine therapy – a therapy connecting humans and horses – guided by an experienced practitioner to unlock stored emotions and experiences to heal from them.

3. Samadhi Retreat, Daylesford, VIC

Retreat packages: 2 to 5 nights (longer available on request)

Situated in the serene Daylesford countryside about one-and-half hours’ drive from Melbourne, Samadhi Retreat takes a soul-centred approach to wellness and healing. Each of their private suites is tucked away in a purpose-built forest and designed according to Feng shui principles in calming neutral tones and natural elements – including locally produced alpaca doonas from their own alpacas who’ll greet you on-ground! Between the flourishing gardens where you can dine accompanied by birdsong, the organic cuisine prepared from homegrown produce, and the curated spa menu offering everything from sound healing to life coaching and reflexology massage, you’re sure to come away recharged and ready to take on life.

Must-try treatment: The “Transcendence” – a 2.5-hour spa treatment for two combining energy centre-focused massage, chakra balance healing, and private guided meditation.

4. Inijdup Retreat & Spa, Margaret River, WA

Retreat packages: As long as you like

Serving panoramic Indian Ocean views and private plunge pools with each of their 10 villas, Inijdup Retreat and Spa is perfect if you find the most solace by the water. An intimate adults-only retreat, your stay can be as long as you like – all the better to make the most of their soothing spa menu featuring massages, facials, sauna, and a mix of curated treatment blends to cultivate inner and outer calm. On top of that, you’ll be well-placed to enjoy whale-watching, nature walks, and the best vineyards that the Margaret River Wine Region has to offer.

Must-try treatment: The “Indian Ocean Sojourn” – a 2.5-hour spa session encompassing a 30-minute full-body exfoliation, an oil and body souffle massage, and a 30-minute calming renewal facial.

5. Ayurveda Village, Verdun, SA

Retreat packages: 1.5, 3, and 5-day (longer available on request)

Specialising in Ayurveda – an ancient holistic healing system originating in India – you’ll find this retreat set on 12 acres in the peaceful Adelaide Hills, less than 30 minutes drive from the South Australian capital. Offering both pre-packaged and custom retreats led by Ayurvedic doctors, they will identify your distinct ‘dosha’ (the energy patterns within your system) to recommend the ideal treatments and delicious seasonal foods to bring you back into balance, all while you enjoy the calming surrounds of the rolling countryside and spa therapies on offer. For those who wish to go deeper into the ancient philosophy, there are also Ayurvedic cooking classes and courses available on-site.

Must-try treatment: The “Ayurvedic Facial” – A 60-minute facial tailored to your skin type using Ayurvedic massage with a traditional Kansa wand, house-made herbal scrub to steam and refresh, and a series of masks, serums, and moisturisers made from natural ingredients and Ayurvedic formulations.

6. Harmony Hill Health Retreat, Margate, TAS

Retreat packages: 3, 5 and 6-night

About 30 minutes by car from Hobart atop Tasmania’s tranquil southern mountains lies Harmony Hill Health Retreat. Accepting only three guests each week to ensure truly attentive hospitality, all of their packages include a private villa with sweeping mountain views, a king-size bed, a spa bath, and freshly prepared vegan meals – and that’s just to start you off. Additionally, each one comes with a set of daily treatments including a 1-hour guided meditation and two-hour sessions of healing and natural therapies such as chakra healing, sound healing, organic facials, and more.

Must-try treatment: The “Chakra Healing Experience” – A two-hour treatment using various therapies such as hot stone and facial treatments to activate all seven chakras to restore energy flow and cultivate inner and outer alignment.

7. Sanctuary by the Sea Retreat, Wagait Beach, NT

Retreat packages: As long as you like

It’s exactly what it sounds like: a beautiful tropical house and garden that’s just a stone’s throw from the sea – with the bonus of having a slew of wellness treatments at your disposal to take it up a notch. An hour-and-a-half drive from Darwin and a mere 200-metre walk from Wagait Beach, Sanctuary by the Sea sits on an acre of bushland frequented by wallabies and native birdlife and comfortably sleeps up to six people, making it perfect for a group getaway. Decked out with a deep plunge pool, Balinese-style outdoor shower, and a curated set of wellness treatments on offer, including massage, meditation, Pilates, and pamper platters, you’ll be well-catered to for however long you decide to stay.

Must-try treatment: Chinese cupping – A 60-minute traditional Chinese therapy that helps ease tension and improve recovery by pulling stagnant blood out of problem areas so that oxygenated blood can make its way to the area to promote faster healing.