From Amanpuri integrating Thanyapura’s incredible medical and fitness knowledge, to immersive retreats at RAKxa, wellness tourism is booming in the land of smiles. Compare Retreats Founder Dervla Louli spent 10 days retreat-hopping in Thailand visiting some of our favourite properties. Without further ado, here are the best luxury wellness retreats and spa resorts in Thailand.
This article was last updated on April 25, 2022.
Amanpuri
The crème de la crème of Thailand’s luxury hotel scene is this incredible resort perched atop a pristine beach and crystal-clear waters. Wellness is everywhere here, but in true Aman style, it’s discretely integrated. Guests can embrace its holistic offerings at all times. However, it’s not loud enough to make more relaxed travellers feel guilty about sunset cocktails.
Healthy holiday hunters can opt for the Original Immersions or Intensive Immersions. Paths vary depending on guests’ personal goals, from detox to weight management. Amanpuri is Phuket’s ultimate wellbeing escape with Traditional Chinese Medicine, Western Medicine, Ayurveda and Thai spa services.
And it doesn’t stop there. There’s also a Muay Thai ring, Pilates Reformer equipment and access to some of Thailand’s top personal trainers. The glass meditation centre appears to sit in mid-air in the lush tropical jungle. So it makes it easy to breathe your worries away as an expert trains you in Pranayama and mindfulness. Meanwhile, the massages are some of the best you’ll ever experience. On a nutritional note, every wellness whim can be catered to. So it’s no wonder this is one of the best wellness retreats in Thailand.
Contact bookings@compareretreats.com to book your luxury wellness retreat
Chiva-Som
One of the original integrated wellness retreats in Thailand is a favourite among celebrities all around the world. It’s the perfect spot to detox, rejuvenate and pamper in an exclusive setting. There are a number of experts, therapists and wellness practitioners on-site including over a dozen personal trainers that run group and private classes ranging from high to low intensity.
See also: Chiva-Som Thailand is an Indulgent Detoxing Dream
Strict meal plans that sit at around 1,200 calories are delicious. Most importantly, though, they deliver results to satisfy customers before check out. With its incredible fitness centre, accommodation, spa and restaurant, there’s no doubt that the best years are still to come at this 27-year-old award-winning retreat.
Rosewood Phuket
Rosewood has a reputation for creating high-quality and stunning resorts all around the world. So it’s no surprise that their wellness-centric Phuket resort is a playground for spa junkies, fitness buffs, families, couples and solo travellers. That’s because the Asaya wellness concept that runs through the Rosewood brand is at the heart of this property. Plus, you can marvel at the beautiful pool that pours onto a peaceful beach just two steps away.
Local ingredients are incorporated into the extensive wellness options, and guests can enjoy downtime in the pools and pensive gardens. The pink-stone sauna, yoga, Muay Thai, sound therapy, surf lessons, stand-alone baths, comprehensive children’s centre, teenager activity options and beautifully-landscaped pool area are a few key highlights. It’s no wonder Rosewood devotees come back multiple times a year.
See also: Discover A Holistic Wellness Hideaway At Rosewood Phuket
The comprehensive Asaya menu includes alternative therapies, movement, massage, in-villa experiences, face and body treatments, male-centric therapies and much more. Three wellness programmes focus on cleansing, balancing and fitness, so you can meet your goals at one of our favourite wellness retreats in Thailand. Each programme is perfect for adding a wellness boost to a relaxing holiday or for a wellness-focused getaway in a five-star setting.
RAKxa Wellness Retreat
Taking an integrative approach to wellness, RAKxa offers unique programmes that incorporate traditional and modern healing methods. The medical retreat covers all dimensions of the self, from physical and emotional to spiritual and mental aspects. Expect to feel reinvigorated from its immersive itineraries that provide rewarding results.
Contact bookings@compareretreats.com to book your luxury wellness retreat
Kamalaya
Kamalaya founders John and Karina created this peaceful, meditative retreat surrounding a sacred Monk’s cave. It takes a holistic approach to healing from the inside out. The incredible team of experts administer acupuncture, colonics, healing and more. Guests can lean on the team to help them cleanse, clear and rebuild their minds and bodies.
See also: Wheatgrass, Coconuts and Colonics: Kamalaya’s Comprehensive Detox
Undoubtedly, it’s one of the most authentic healing spiritual resorts in Thailand, if not the world. Quietness, stillness and peace are at every corner. Organic wine and wheatgrass shots sit side by side on the menu here. You can still enjoy a nightcap in case your cortisol levels rise at the thought of extreme deprivation, something that more relaxed wellness travellers appreciate. There is a wide range of wellness retreats to choose from for every goal. Kamalaya can help you get fit, relax, sleep better, de-stress, embrace change, detox, lose weight and cleanse.
Contact bookings@compareretreats.com to book your luxury wellness retreat
Six Senses Yao Noi
If sustainability is at the top of your list when it comes to a luxurious laidback wellness resort, then look no further than Six Senses Yao Noi in Phuket. The epitome of barefoot luxe, it’s easy for conscious consumers to eat, sleep and move well here safe in the knowledge that your travels are having a minimum impact on the local landscape and earth in general. It sits up there among the wellness retreats in Thailand.
The striking limestone structures in Phang Nga Bay (famous for their appearance in the 1974 James Bond movie, Man With The Golden Gun) offer unrivalled views. Subsequently, the spacious resort is uses natural materials from the surrounding environment. Each personalised wellness journey begins with a health screening so that on-site experts can recommend the best programme for you to follow. The flexible ‘Full Potential’ programme is for individuals already in good health who want to take their wellness to the next level over three, five or seven days. It’s perfect for fine tuning your body and mind in an eco-friendly resort.
Trisara
Luxurious surroundings, in-villa infinity pools, tropical surroundings, utmost privacy, healthy eating options and first-class holistic treatments are all part of Trisara. The wellness retreat is also home to Michelin-star restaurant Pru. The 150-metre long pool sits beside the sports centre that offers a long list of water activities for the surrounding Andaman Sea, and there is a Muay Thai expert and personal trainer on site if you want something more hands-on than what the expansive gym offers.
Guests fly in from around the world to try the award-winning signature Royal Six-Hand Massage that lives up to its reputation as the best holistic massage experience in the world. Villas come with beautiful baths and incredible views making it an ideal spot for some private yoga as well as a beautiful way to cool off from the sun.
COMO Point Yamu
If a laid-back family-friendly spa resort with stunning views and healthy food options are what you’re looking for, the cliff top-perched COMO Point Yamu is the Thai hotel for you. The minimal interior décor features pops of orange and blue that contrast beautifully against the modern architecture.
The COMO Shambhala wellbeing brand runs through the food and wellness offerings on site. Plus, the show-stopping spiralised Big Raw Salad is the most delicious way to hit your five-a-day. Upstairs at the spa an evening post-sunset treatment is a daily must, try the signature massage and herbal Thai compress treatment for the ultimate bedtime prep. Salty sand and sea air lovers may notice the lack of beach, but fret not. Morning power walks, snorkelling and island excursions, ethical animal sanctuary visits, Thai cooking classes, group yoga classes, daily shuttle service to a nearby beach and the breathtaking infinity pool keep everyone happy from sun up to sun down.
Honourable Mention: Thanyapura
If you want to push your limits and physical endurance there’s no better way to get fit, strong and healthy than by checking into Thailand’s famous fitness resort. Although Thanyapura doesn’t have luxurious accommodation or chic dining options, its fitness facilities are a huge hit with professional athletes and weekend warriors of all ages. The family-friendly grounds are home to Olympic-sized pools, tennis and volleyball courts, a professional-sized football field with a wraparound track, medical and aesthetics centre, plant-based restaurant, spa, and much more. Amanpuri concepts are core to its practices.
Plus, it’s a fantastic place to train for an ironman, as my husband did during our trip. It’s great to get back into a fitness routine by running around the track and swimming laps at your own pace. Also, remember to take advantage of the daily fitness and wellness classes.
