Self-care Spa days

What’s your favourite way to practice self-care? Besides taking myself off to a café to read my book in solitude and enjoy a coffee while it’s still hot (if you’re a mum you will understand how being in a bustling environment can still feel like solitude), mine is hands down getting a facial. Of course, my other self-care practices – breathwork, restorative yoga and dancing to Taylor Swift while I cook dinner – are much more well-worn. But surrendering to relaxation under the hands of a skillful therapist takes the cake for me. Every. Single. Time.

Taking a moment to reconnect to yourself and restore your inner peace is vital to your mental, emotional and physical health. And what better way to do this than with an entirely decadent and indulgent spa treatment?

If you’re looking to add a little self-care indulgence to your next getaway, here are five of Well Traveller’s favourite spas from around the country.

BODHI Spas, WA

Nourish your body and feed your soul. Devoted to refined and relaxed beauty, with an emphasis on wellness, BODHI Spas offer holistic wellbeing experiences in tranquil surrounds. Using a range of healing therapies, some inspired by ancient Australian indigenous traditions, Bodhi’s award-winning day spas satisfy the needs of those seeking a deeper wellbeing experience. The 2 hour Winter Restore Spa Journey which includes a signature BODHI head massage and a Sodashi Hydrate Renew Facial is absolute bliss. You can also soak up the benefits of an infrared sauna or experience the deep relaxation of reiki.

With five spas across Western Australia, Bodhi is the perfect place for you to relax and unwind on the west coast.

ikatan Day Spa, QLD

Slow down, unspool an overactive mind and soothe your body so that it can reach its own equilibrium. Tucked away in the Noosa Hinterland, ikatan is our pick for a destination day spa if you need to disconnect and take time for your wellbeing.

Embracing the culture, style and therapies of Bali, ikatan runs at a slower pace so that staff have ample time to care for guests. To give you an immersive and tranquil Balinese experience, the villa style treatment rooms are set in lush, tropical gardens where you can relax and simply listen to the wildlife around you.

Offerings include all-inclusive day retreats, spa packages, traditional Balinese body treatments and anti-ageing skincare facials. Arrive early and wander the incredible gardens to begin slowing down to the leisurely ikatan pace.

Longview Vineyard and Day Spa, SA

An immersion of wellness in the Adelaide Hills. Less than an hour’s drive from the heart of Adelaide in the picturesque country town of Macclesfield, Longview Vineyard and Day Spa is the perfect destination for a well-earned wellness escape.

With the stunning vineyard as a backdrop, this boutique spa offers a variety of relaxing body and facial treatments that all focus on pampering, calming and nourishing your body. If after your experience in the opulent day spa you don’t want to leave, maximise your stay by checking into the luxurious accommodation. Don’t forget to drop in for lunch at the Cellar Door where you can enjoy an ever-evolving menu of prime local produce alongside premium or casual wine tastings.

Lon Retreat and Spa, VIC

Escape the busyness of modern life. Stretching over 200 acres of rural and conservation land, hidden away on a hill by the ocean lies Lon Retreat and Spa. Located in Point Lonsdale on the Bellarine Peninsula, here you are encouraged to reconnect with the beauty of slow and simple in an expansive and tranquil environment.

The mineral water soaking tubs and steam rooms offer breathtaking views of the ocean, lighthouse and coastal landscape. Add a day spa treatment to your soak session and luxuriate in products and treatments designed by Subtle Energies – aromatherapy skincare with an ayurveda twist. A visit to Lon is perfect for restoring your connection to both yourself and the beauty of the natural environment.

Gaia Retreat and Spa, NSW

The ultimate wellness experience, Gaia Retreat and Spa is a multi-award winning wellness sanctuary located in the Byron Hinterland. A secluded and sacred haven for healing offering 22 beautifully appointed rooms, suites and villas, Gaia’s incredible day spa is open to those staying on the retreat and visitors alike. Although, with a heated saltwater swimming pool, tennis court, hot tub spa, sauna, walking tracks and its own organic garden, there’s plenty of reasons to stay at this incredible destination!

Gaia’s ethos and nurturing environment provides a space to develop, create and actualise. Its intent is to inspire you to surrender. Indulge in a wide range of holistic specialised treatments and revitalising day activities to reconnect to your mind, body, and soul.