Spa breaks and wellness holidays are not just buzzwords but mini vacays that help recharge our bodies and reinvigorate our senses.
To combine downtime with a bit of sightseeing, Cambodia, with its rich healing traditions and ancient wonders, is a beautiful destination to start.
Explore the temples of Angkor, marvel at Phnom Penh’s Silver Pagoda, or dive into the magical underwater world of Koh Rong, all while enjoying the pampering perks of a wellness resort.
So slow down and smell the roses – your body, mind, and soul will thank you for it.
If you long to escape the daily grind and de-stress, this tropical hideaway in Koh Rong, 45 minutes by speedboat from Sihanoukville, will help you immerse yourself in life’s simple joys.
Each thatched-roofed villa is a private sanctuary with linen-draped canopy beds, upcycled decor, and repurposed furniture.
While you can choose to do nothing but work on your tan on the pristine private beach, the spa and wellbeing treatments here promise to be transformative.
Based on the Buddhist tradition of Metta Bhavana (cultivation of loving-kindness), the spa menu is made up of treatments centered around the body’s essential energy channels.
Among these are a lavender and coconut bath ritual designed to treat exhaustion and quieten the mind and a marine flora body scrub that uses sea lettuce, sea lavender, and Himalayan salt crystals to re-energize the body’s lymphatic and immune systems.
To complement your spa treatments, sign up for one-on-one yoga sessions or work up a sweat in paradise with a personal trainer by your side.
Just a 15-minute drive from the magnificent Angkor Wat, Anantara’s Angkorian outpost is an idyllic sanctuary to decamp to after a busy day of temple exploration.
The property features design elements inspired by Khmer architecture and consists of 39 spacious suites clustered around a saltwater pool.
Accommodation options include rooms with balconies overlooking the pool and lush gardens and suites equipped with a spa room and jacuzzi for in-suite massages.
Anantara is renowned for its tailor-made wellness programs, and at the Angkor Resort, none is more therapeutic than the Seven Ways of Enlightenment.
The curated treatments combine spa treatments with nutrition and meditation and a holistic approach to wellness. They include routines based on seven pillars – sati (mindfulness), dhamma Vizcaya (investigation), virya (energy), piti (rapture), passed (tranquility), samadhi (concentration) a, and upekkha (equanimity).
Wellness newbies should sample the dhamma Vizcaya therapy, a 4.5-hour session that draws on the healing benefits of the Cambodian angklung seed, which is heated and used in the massage treatment.
The brainchild of its Italian owners who opened their first property in Fiji, this resort brings the best island vibes to Siem Reap.
Spread across 1 hectare of landscaped gardens, the resort’s 28 rooms and suites range from the 45-square meter Explorer to the cavernous Family Suite, which features a bedroom, living room, ensuite with oversized tub, and its private garden.
The rooms showcase Mediterranean-Esque arches and furnishings in bright pops of yellow and blue and are accentuated with handcrafted figurines.
Three gorgeous pools and a spa with detoxifying therapies add to the resort feel.
The list of holistic treatments includes energy healing and massage therapy that uses the Kansa wand. This ancient Indian skincare tool helps remove built-up toxins and revitalize skin.
A week-long yoga immersion program is also available for guests who want to combine their stay with expert-led yoga sessions, spa therapies, and nourishing farm-to-table meals.
Soaring high above the city atop the Vattanac Capital Tower, Phnom Penh’s tallest building, the 175-key Rosewood, is a splurge.
But with glorious views of the city and riverfront and facilities that include a sky-high 22-meter indoor lap pool, the hotel is the epitome of luxury.
Rooms and suites feature rich wood furnishings and a neutral color palette that soothe the senses, plush 600 thread count linen, bathtubs for luxurious soaks, and bespoke bath amenities.
Complementing the ultra-luxe rooms is a spa that spotlights healing therapies based on ancient Khmer wisdom.
Highly recommended from the treatment menu are the Chol Mlob Traditional Skin Cleanse, a brightening scrub and body wrap incorporating skin-nourishing white clay and saffron, and the Khmer Herbal Poultice massage that employs ingredients like ponlei (Cassumunar ginger) and turmeric.
Once you’re spa-ed out, cap your stay with a glorious meal at Brasserie Louis, which serves French dishes like steak tartare alongside Cambodian favorites such as solar care such mourn (yellow chicken curry), all made from locally-sourced ingredients.
Walking distance from Phnom Penh’s bustling markets and attractions like the Royal Palace and the National Museum of Cambodia, this urban oasis makes it a beautiful place to explore the city.
Behind high walls that keep the honks of tuk-tuks and motorbikes at bay is a paradise designed for rest and rejuvenation.
The stylish sleep here includes rooms that overlook a pool flanked by cabanas and sun loungers, a private garden, or the Phnom Penh skyline.
The tranquil surroundings are ideal for private yoga sessions to calibrate mind and body.
Alternatively, guests can head to the Plantation Spa for various therapeutic and pampering treatments like organic moringa facials, fruity body wraps, and oil massages.
The Khmer Herbal Massage is a highlight, which utilizes a heated poultice filled with Cambodian herbs to relieve aches and pains and stimulate the senses.
To nourish the body, head to La Pergola for delicious bites that include healthy options like beef Lok Lak (tenderloin seasoned with Kampot pepper), house-made ravioli bursting with fresh ricotta from Siem Reap, and for dessert, raw cheesecake with blueberry topping.