10 New Year's Detox Destinations
The beginning of the new year always seems like the right moment to start fresh in your life. After all, you've just spent the past several weeks feasting as though you were training for an amateur eating competition, and between the holidays, work, and your relationship, you've neglected your body and brain more than you'd like to admit. Whether you'd like to lose weight, clear your head, or simply decompress from the stresses of a long year, it's time for a positive change, and one of the best ways to set yourself up for snowballing success is to invest in yourself with a detoxifying spa visit.
Click here to see the 10 New Year's Detox Destinations (Slideshow)
Depending on your goals and how ambitious a traveler you are, you'll be able to book personalized packages at spas anywhere from the eastern shore of Spain to the sunny sands of South Beach, Fla., where exquisite healthy meals and massages of all sorts are just a fraction of your daily program. You'll also stretch, exercise, and have experts perform an array of wellness treatments to help you unwind, empty your mind, and prepare for a year of record accomplishments and achievements.
Up in the Indian Himalayas, you'll find a yoga-centric spa spanning 24,000 square feet where you can cleanse yourself of toxins using ancient Hindu Ayurvedic remedies; in Thailand, you'll find a surreal spa where impeccable cuisine is the calling card, with chefs creating remarkable dinners with the freshest local produce, meats, and herbs that leave you feeling revitalized and, somehow, smaller in mass by the time you leave. There are also programs that specialize in whipping you into shape and teaching you how to stay that way once you're back home, giving it more of a boot camp feel.
A week or less might not be enough time to change gears for the new year, so consider booking a longer stay — that way, you'll come back truly transformed and ready to tackle major objectives immediately. Many of the destinations we've found offer 10- and 14-day packages, and some will customize programs that extend to three weeks and beyond.
Let us know how your experience was at any of these spas in the comments section, and here's to a happy, healthy, and harmonious new year!
Adeline Ramos is a freelance travel writer and critically acclaimed fine art film photographer based in New York City. Her photos have appeared in top international travel and culinary publications, and her wedding, portrait, and bridal photography has been featured on the most prominent wedding blogs in the world. See her work at YouLookLovelyPhotography.com and follow her on Twitter @_youlooklovely.