Wellness travel: A healthy hedonist

A healthy hedonist

Story by Holly Wyatt with Zoë Kassiotis.

Page left and above: Retreats at Lapito House in Myponga include delicious whole foods, yoga classes, journaling and a connection to nature through their beautifully located accommodation.

At one point in my life, travel was about escapism as much as adventure. It was a chance to seek out contrasting experiences as far away from the four walls and air-controlled climate of my working life as possible.

More recently, travel has started to mean something different. Maybe the shift came with the passage of time and the additional decades of life lived. Or perhaps it snuck in unnoticed in the wake of some significant life changes: becoming a mother, experiencing grief and loss, starting a new business and feeling disconnected from creative pursuits. I started to see my ideas about down-time and my dreams of travel through a different lens. Now I seek restoration, connection with nature, the chance to clear my mind and body, and joyful play.

Wellness may be described and defined differently between cultures, but there’s commonality to be found in the need for balance. Nutrition of the mind and soul, mind-body harmony and cohesion, rest over stress, purpose, connectedness to nature, and cultural and spiritual engagement may all play their part. These elements make up the journey rather than the destination.

Our recent estrangement from travel and airports have left many rethinking how and why people want to get away. The wellness travel market has evolved beyond token day spas to an array of immersive and sometimes transformative experiences. Intentionally taking time out of the daily grind to explore positive experiences and practices may also have a residual benefit on our daily habits.

Science and alternative modalities have uncovered the significance of connection, nutrition, sunshine and fresh air as elements of good health, and now the South Australian Tourism Commission’s (SATC) Regional Visitor Strategy has acknowledged the state’s emerging wellness tourism sector and it’s promising potential – so much so that they envision South Australia becoming a world-leading wellness tourism destination over the coming years. Dylan Beach, Regional Tourism Manager of the Fleurieu Peninsula, has identified wellness travel as a key pillar for tourism in our region. ‘It’s really about how well businesses curate these amazing diverse experiences with what we already have to attract a specific type of traveller,’ he explains. ‘For me, the beauty of wellness tourism can literally be anything that promotes personal wellbeing ... it’s different for everyone.’

While international and interstate travel came to an immediate halt in 2020, intrastate tourism soon hit an all-time high. As borders once again relax, the Fleurieu is set to be a sought-after destination for those seeking rejuvenation, self-healing and a much-needed stress detox. Already known for its pristine beaches, enchanting landscape, First Nations culture, adventure offerings, and exceptional wine and produce, the region has all the hallmarks of a wellness destination. There is a wholesome and ever-evolving abundance of local businesses offering us the tailored wellness experiences our souls are craving. >

Above left: Connecting with adventure, wildlife, wellness and epicurean experiences in nature when you book a retreat with Untamed Escapes. Above right: ‘Flow state’ clay classes through the Local People Co.

Jodie Douglas co-runs Untamed Escapes, a nationwide tour operator that’s been providing regenerative travel experiences in the country’s most blissful pockets for almost two decades. These trail blazers identified wellness travel as a uniquely important niche in the tourism industry and see the Fleurieu’s wine coast as Australia’s answer to the Mediterranean. ‘It’s about connection, education, relaxation and disconnecting from the stress of everyday life so that you can reconnect with yourself,’ Jodie says. This ultra feelgood form of travel is for everyone, but Jodie noted the majority of their travellers are hard working women, who simply want a break. ‘It’s for people who are so busy looking after everyone else that they need a chance to look after themselves,’ she said. From yoga and wine pairings, to sharing wholesome spaces, bouncing ideas and gleaning wisdom from other professionals, Jodie believes collaboration is a beautiful part of wellness travel.

Diverse wellness experiences have blossomed across the Fleurieu meaning anyone can find a workshop, retreat or relaxing getaway to fill their individual cup. Offerings span from mid-week mood enhancers to the indulgence of a week-long escape; mood-lifting forest bathing and Nordic-style hot sauna plunge pools to foraging groups and tea blending; or learning to lose our inhibitions through the arts with ‘sip and paint’ classes or music studio sessions. Each experience is a unique key to unlock mind, body and soul health.

Lapito House, a spectacularly renovated farmhouse nestled in Myponga’s undulating hills, is home to Nurture from Within retreats. Here guests revel in nature and hiking, mindset and nutrition workshops, delicious soul food as well as journaling, yoga and meditation. It’s also the home of Untamed Escapes’ four-day yoga and adventure-based retreat where guests are deeply immersed in the Fleurieu’s pristine environment, as well interactive Ayurvedic cooking classes that teach guests how to prepare self-healing remedies with locally grown Indigenious herbs. For the more creative types, Papershell Farm, an almond orchard with boutique accommodation in Whites Valley, takes a multi-faceted approach – offering world music events, yoga and a curated art program with home-grown meals prepared by the owners.

Candice Hooper has an innovative approach. Her business Pause In-House Wellbeing makes it effortless to build your own retreat on the Fleurieu. Once your location is booked, they will take care of all your wellbeing needs. Yoga at sunrise on the beach? A massage on the deck overlooking the ocean? Pause can organise it all, with the click of a button. Sounds dreamy to me.

Lydia Rega, an Ayurvedic practitioner from Port Elliot Wellness believes responding to the pandemic by seeking out experiences that benefit our wellbeing and contribute to the greater community is a testament to our collective resilience. ‘It’s human nature to transform in challenging times and seek immersive experiences that enhance our health while combining the exhilaration of travel and self discovery,’ she explains. ‘Over the past two years there has been increased interest in engaging with inspirational experiences that educate the consumer to practise better lifestyle habits.’

For many, the pandemic has been a nudge to get us back on track to what matters on an instinctive level – a sharper focus on health and wellbeing and quality time and connection with family, immediate community and nature. We can hope too that the work we do within will have a butterfly effect on the world around us. This is perhaps the most exciting and mysterious destination of all to explore.

Renouncing my globe-trotting freedoms to bounce off the four walls of home allowed me the time to move through the shock to the system. For me it’s become a journey of mastering less, but better. So when the time comes to re-engage with the wider continent and travel to all corners of the world again, it’s likely that the way we travel will be different – much like ourselves.

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