It’s hot. It’s sticky. And you need a break. So start packing – we’ve got seven stellar detox destinations where you can recharge your body, brain and spirit on a variety of budgets

Spain

Sole searching Reconnect with your inner self on a meditative hike through northern Spain

Your mind gets a jump-start as much as your body with The Big Stretch, a week-long holiday in northern Spain that combines daily walks in the stunning Picos de Europa mountains, along coastal paths and rivers and through deep gorges, with life coaching and creative-thinking sessions along the way. Canoeing and swimming in the sea through caves and natural stone arches are also on the itinerary.

In addition to the physical benefits of gallivanting in the great outdoors (not to mention the fantastic picnics provided), the long days spent in the fresh air will give you the space to reflect on your life and what you have learnt in the group and oneto-one sessions. Developed by creative strategist Rosie Walford, The Big Stretch integrates elements of beliefs such as Buddhism with life-coaching techniques and business problem-solving strategies, with the emphasis on fulfilling your potential. At the end of the seven days, you’ll have devised an action plan, complete with an activity to start within 24 hours of returning home.

Along the walk, you’ll stay in luxury boutique hotels set amid eucalyptus groves and with views of craggy mountain tops. The evenings are sociable more than solitary, involving dinners at the best restaurants and tapas bars in the region. TOS

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The Big Stretch (+44 845 430 8621, www.thebigstretch.com). About $7,000 per person, including food and accommodation, but excluding flights to Santander or Bilbao. The next tour dates are 17 June, 22 September and 14 October.

Iceland

Interplanetary travel In Iceland, the ends of the Earth don’t seem that barren

There’s something otherworldly about the Blue Lagoon, Iceland’s most famous hot spring. Shawls of mist rise from sky-blue waters against a background of Alpine spa buildings and snow. The waters are artificially heated to a comfortable 37-39 degrees C, but have a naturally high mineral content, with salts, silica and blue-green algae all enriching the waters, allegedly aiding ailments like arthritis, backache and psoriasis. The accompanying spa has treatments galore including salt body polishes, algae wraps and lymph drainage. It’s an ideal destination for completely removing yourself from whatever is wearing you down at home. Not only is the geographic distance enormous, so is the distance your mind has to travel to wrap itself around the strangeness of this geothermal phenomenon and the country that surrounds it.

If you’re anticipating being too blissed out after your soak to make the 45-minute drive back to Reykavijk, the Blue Lagoon does have rooms at its clinic (which are not as hospital-like as that sounds). Nordic in style, they are spacious and modern; there’s even internet access if you succumb to the urge to check your work emails.

In the summer, the city’s art scene comes alive. The Reykjavik Arts Festival in June shows off local and international productions, National Day takes over the centre on 17 June, and the biggest arts event of the year, Reykjavik Cultural Night, is slated for 18 August. On that day, the city is filled with hundreds of music, art, performance and food events and culminates with fireworks over the water. The second-biggest crowd-puller on the Icelandic calendar is its gay pride celebration (9-11 August), a parade-and-concert combo that drew 40,000 people last year.

In Reykjavik, check into the Hotel Borg (www.hotelborg.is, rooms from ISK23,500 or $560), a snazzy 1930s art deco spot smack in the centre of town. The adjoining Silfur restaurant serves acclaimed French cuisine, but you can head outside for less posh eats at Icelandic Fish and Chips (Tryggvagata 8, 101, +354 511 1118). Instead of the strange, somewhat pungent delicacies that have graced Iceland’s menus over time, such as puffin and rotten shark meat, here you’ll find a somewhat healthy version of fish and chips, deliciously fried in spelt batter.

After you’ve lined your stomach, start working on another kind of healing. Avoid the teenagers on runtur (marathon pub crawls) and instead sink a few at Kaffibarinn (Bergstadarstraeti 1, +354 551 1588), a lively bohemian joint part-owned by Blur’s Damon Albarn. Hence the crowds and the London Underground sign above the door. As in all of Iceland, things are expensive here, so you could just opt for a swig or two from a bottle at your hotel room and then spend the brightly lit night wandering the streets, getting intoxicated by the rainbow-coloured homes, lava-rock gardens and surreal remoteness of the whole city. TOS, with additional reporting by Rachel Askham

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From Singapore, Iceland Air, KLM and British Airways fly to Reykjavik. Prices start from about $850 return. For information, go to www.visiticeland. com and www.tourist. reykjavik.is.

Japan

Wet and mild Zen out in the healing waters of a luxurious Japanese onsen

There are few things more purifying to the body and soul than soaking stark naked in a sweltering, mineral-rich Japanese hot spring or onsen. Except perhaps enjoying the bathing ritual outdoors amid a forest of verdant birches and fragrant cedars. At the Niki Club & Spa in Nasu (Tochigi prefecture), chirping birds and the rushing of a stream provide a peaceful, trance-inducing soundtrack while, come nightfall, brilliant constellations become mesmerising evening eye-candy.

City folk escape to this Eden-like retreat, just 1 hour away by bullet train from Tokyo station, to get a whole lot of Zen for their yen. The 42 rooms range from Terrence Conran-designed duplex pavilions to spacious, traditional tatami dens. Niki Club’s motto, ‘Water, light, relaxation, tranquility’, is demonstrated in nearly every aspect of the place, from the resort’s glass, stone and wood structures to 14 hectares of woodlands, streams and rice paddies adorning the property.

In addition to boiling away toxins and tension in the soothing baths, guests can wander the miles of pathways through the wilderness; angle for the deliciously sweet, meaty iwana and yamama fish; play tennis; observe birds; cycle through the surrounding hills; read while sipping a cocktail in the library; and sketch landscapes with the water-colour palettes found in each room. As if that’s not enough fodder for rejuvenation, house-made aroma-therapy oils pervade the various treatments in the top-notch spa, and an organic farm sustains the two terrific restaurants, La Brise and The Garden Grill.

Though you’re not likely to feel the need to stray from the relaxing enclave, there are a few local attractions worth checking out, like the picturesque Mikaeri-notaki Falls and the area’s hallmark, scenic Mount Nasudake volcano. Soul searchers should seek out the lovely promenade leading to the Mikaeri-no-Tsuribashi suspension bridge, literally the ‘bridge of retrospection’, and families will get a kick (and a meal) out of the Seiryu No Sato Fishing Park, where their catches are skewered and cooked over an open fire for an al fresco dinner. After exploring the area, it will come as no surprise to visitors that beautiful Nasu has served as the summer residence of the imperial family for centuries. They may be amazed, though, at how quickly Niki Club’s genuine Japanese hospitality cleanses away city stress. Kathleen Squires

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Niki Club & Spa, 2301 Takakuotsu Michishita, Nasu-machi, Nasu-gun, Tochigi (81 0287 78 2215, www. nikiclub.jp, www.designhotels.com). Rooms from Y33,600 to Y99,750 per night for up to two people.

Take the Tohoku Shinkansen (Japan Rail) from Tokyo Station to Nasu Shiobara station. The resort is 30 minutes away via taxi or hotel-provided shuttle bus.

Jeju Island, Korea

Up and out Rise above your worries on Mount Halla

Weight of the world getting you down? Climb your way out of it on Jeju Island, where the tallest mountain in South Korea – the 1,950-metre Mount Halla – puts you above the bustling tourist flocks in Jeju City below.

An extinct volcano, Halla is green and snowy and beautiful, but be careful: the weather can change quickly the higher you rise. For amateurs, it’s a good idea to go with a friend who has some experience, but the trail is clearly marked and there are even water and shelter stops along the way. If you’re moderately fit, you can reach the peak and back in one day, and the pain of the climb will be worth the stunning vista. From the summit, the island stretches out beneath, speckled with bright red and green jagged temples and the spartan, caramel cottages of the folk villages.

Back on the ground, Jeju City is the bustling capital and largest city on the island. The smaller, more laid-back beach town of Seogwipo (just 45 minutes from Jeju City by bus, $6) is a great base for hiking the volcano, or communing with nature in less arduous ways. Chill out on Jung-mun Beach with a fresh orange juice or take a cliff-top stroll to Jungmun Falls, a thrashing emerald waterfall that’s just a ten-minute taxi ride from Seogwipo.

After all this trekking, unknot your muscles at a jimjilbang or Korean bathhouse, which offers bargain detoxification treatments. You’ll have to be comfortable in your own skin, though; swim suits are a definite no-no, unless you want to be giggled and pulled at by the omnipresent ajuma, the married woman who usually runs these places. In addition to saunas and hot and cold baths, you can have massages and exfoliation treatments (around $15). Just look for the red steaming-pot symbol, they are everywhere on Jeju Island and most are of a high standard. Entrance fees are around 6,000KRW ($12) for the whole day or night.

The island’s accommodation options range from small minbak (traditional Korean home stays) to love motels (cheap hotels with a funny/ scary side), plus the usual array of five-star hotels in Seogwipo. For an authentic Korean experience stay at Cheong Jae Seol Heon Guesthouse (+82 64 733 7226, rooms from $80), a quirky and comfortable spot in Seogwipo near the World Cup Stadium; the snug beds and toasty rooms are quiet and it’s nicely located near the attractions. The disarming friendliness of the owner including a constant supply of green tea and rice cakes is hard to beat. Or bed down in a more traditional setting at Gastantobang, Seogwipo (+82 64 732 2095, from $160), a collection of small fairytale huts built with lava rock and pine, and topped by mushroom-shaped roofs. In the morning, you’ll see Mount Halla rising above you. Even if you didn’t reach the summit, the sight will lift your spirits. Rachel Askham

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From Seoul, it’s a 50-minute flight to Jeju-si via Asiana Airlines (www.asianaairlines.com) or Jeju Air (www.jejuair.net). From Jeju take limousine bus 600 to Seogwipo. Tickets (one-way 5,000KRW or $7.50), available from the airport tourist information booth.

For additional info: www.tour2korea.com or call +1 822 1330 (tourist information in English) for 24-hour guidance, translation, accommodation booking and transport tips.

Australia

Lone ranger Say goodbye to civilisation and hello to peace of mind

I wanted to get away from it all. And there are few places as far away as the Australian Out-back. The only problem I foresaw was getting in. And then getting out again. A guided tour was in order. Heading Bush 4WD Adventures would transport me and up to nine other intrepid travellers away from our everyday lives and into an Australia where the kangaroos outnumber the caravans and the rigours of the working week are only a whisper at the back of the mind.

Since 1989, Heading Bush has been leading tours just like this: ten-day, 3,000-kilometre journeys from Adelaide to Alice Springs. The route is covered in an off-road vehicle loaded with provisions, camping gear and emergency supplies, including two satellite radios in case of emergency. Our guide and driver, Simon, not only kept us headed in the right direction, he was able to answer every question I threw his way, from the politics of interstate trucking to medicinal uses for native flora.

Although the Outback seemed empty at first glance, stops on the route provided an education about both ancient and modern Australia. During an overnight stay at an Aboriginal community, we were treated to the creation stories of the Andyamathanha people. Later in the trip, I was able to compare these stories to the native legends surrounding Uluru, the massive sandstone monolith that is the country’s most famous natural landmark. At Coober Pedy, a tour of an opal mine was a tangible reminder of the luxuries we left behind a week earlier.

But what’s the use of getting away from it all if you can’t leave every trace of civilisation behind? That’s why the heart of the tour is the days spent bouncing down dirt tracks, dodging
kangaroos while wondering when you might spot another vehicle, and nights spent sleeping under a million stars. Tedious concepts like jobs and bills are forgotten when confronted by a sky bisected by the Milky Way with a nightly show of shooting stars. Then there was the wildlife: I listened to dingos howling through the night in the Simpson desert, spotted pairs of wedge-tail eagles riding air currents and felt my jaw drop when a metre-long perentie, Australia’s largest lizard, slithered through our campground.

The Outback isn’t without its creature comforts. We pampered ourselves with a sunrise soak in a hot spring at Witjira National Park. And the last few days of the trip were devoted to hikes through spectacular scenery at Uluru and the Olgas, red-stone formations that rise like beacons from the desert, and Kings Canyon, where a trail winds its way from the top of a narrow gorge to a secluded swimming hole below.

Pulling into Alice Springs, I knew that I’d succeeded in giving my head a break from the everyday, but I wasn’t ready to return to it. The Outback has been there for hundreds of millions of years. Knowing it will be there any time I want to return gives me permanent peace of mind. Matthew Klein

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Heading Bush 4WD Adventures, 2 Cluse St, Henley Beach, South Australia (+61 8 8356 5501, www. headingbush.com). $1,495, plus land content fees. Tours depart every Monday and alternate Thursday. Check with the company for additional departures.

Thailand

Clean break Party too hard? Rest up and chill out at the Sanctuary

Koh Pha-Ngan’s full moon parties are legendary, and so are the hangovers. Every month, the beach raves attract an estimated 7,000 to 10,000 partygoers to the idyllic Thai island. Impromptu fireworks, jugglers, fire-eaters, DJs playing music of every persuasion and, of course, excess are all de rigueur. But a lesser-known fact is that the after-party takes place on the nearby beach at Had Tien Bay, where a haven was created especially for toxin-laden systems looking to heal the damage of the party.

As spas go, the Sanctuary is perhaps one of the most chilled-out detox resorts it is possible to find, attracting an eclectic mix of party freaks and health freaks, as well as tourists seeking a salubrious holiday. The holistic well-being centre specialises in colonic fasts, offering one- to seven-day programmes. It’s also one of the cheapest options out there; the seven-day fast costs just $534, with a reduced rate for fasters on accommodation at the Sanctuary’s luxury villas.

The diet consists of mud-like psyllium-husk-and-clay shakes, fresh juices and broth, while twice-daily colonic irrigations to flush toxins out of your system. The shakes quell hunger pangs, while the colonics, though not pretty, turn from initially terrifying to strangely relaxing by week’s end.

For first-timers, the Sanctuary provides plenty of ways to distract yourself from the food deprivation. Reminiscent of a spiritual Club Med, the resort teems with a clubby 18 to 35 crowd, who throng to the two-hour yoga sessions held in a hall up in the hills ($8), free daily meditations, and healing courses ranging from chakra balancing to shamanic dancing (from $30). Healers, hippies and psychics are on hand for those tired of sun, sand and surf – a weird and wonderful assembly of characters often spotted at nightly parties held at beach bars.

But nothing beats good old-fashioned pampering while undergoing an internal spring clean. At the Sanctuary’s fabulous jungle-style spa, the all-natural treatments are so cheap you can afford to be lavish. Indulge in coconut hair wraps ($13), papaya or pineapple body polishes ($25), fruit facials ($16) and utterly divine aroma-therapy massages ($27-$41). It’s the closest thing you’ll get to comfort food all week.

Despite the constant temptation to throw caution to the wind and stuff myself at the Sanctuary’s top-notch traditional Thai restaurant with a sumptuous selection of vegetarian dishes, my commitment to purification paid off. I left transformed – in mind, body and spirit. More than 3kg slipped off, revealing abs I didn’t know I possessed, brighter eyes, glowing skin, a profound inner calm and a newfound gratitude for even the simplest of meals. Yvette Sitten

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Fly to Koh Samui and spend the night, before catching the ferry from Big Buddha beach, starting from 10.30am. From Had Rin beach, transfer to an island boat to Had Tien beach 15 minutes away.

The Sanctuary (+66 81 271 3614, +66 81 899 2269, www.thesanctuarythailand.com) Dormitories from $4, deluxe villas from $56, family houses $57-$185. Prebooking required for accommodation but not for detox programme. Cash only.

Singapore (yes, Singapore)

Hometown advantage Thanks to traditional steamboxes, you don’t have to go away to get away

Spas were not a big thing when I was growing up in Australia in the ’80s. That there were actually places you could go to and be pampered and massaged back to the pink of health gripped my imagination. I was especially taken with the idea of hot springs and hammans with their huge clouds of steam that cleared the pores and flushed the body of toxins (I was a precocious hypochondriac). I couldn’t wait to grow up and get a good steam. Which explains why, since moving back to Singapore, I’ve been such a happy camper: the big draw here is the easy access to a great range of treatments across all price points.

For a cheap and good rejuve hit, I normally head for Chien Chi Tow Herbal Steam Centre on the ground floor of an HDB block on Bendemeer Road. Low-key is the name of the game here. The fluorescent light is glaring, the acoustics are hollow and the place feels so crowded and cluttered – the clothes-drying rack in the treatment room being the least of the reasons – you almost feel you should leave them your maid’s number.

But the staff is friendly, matronly and chatty, and the whole setting is charmingly devoid of prissy details like mood lighting, aromatherapy burners and whale song piped through the speakers.

After changing behind a scrappy curtain and putting on paper underwear, you are ushered into a small room lined with huge wooden steamer boxes. The lid opens, you step in, sit down and close the lid, with your head sticking out of a hole at the top. For the next 20 minutes, you gently broil in sweltering 45 to 50 degree Celsius heat, and sweat pours off you by the proverbial bucket (note to pregnant women and those with high blood pressure: this probably isn’t for you). Herbs like ginger and lemongrass are placed inside the steamer, the idea being that as toxins are sweated from your body, the restorative and curative powers of essences steamed out of the herbs are absorbed into the pores.

At the end of the session, the skin will feel incredibly light and squeaky clean, and the faint, rather pleasant, perfume of the herbs suggests that you just bathed in double-boiled chicken soup. To really work the herbal essences into the bloodstream, the centre recommends a follow-up one-hour massage.

Though Chien Chi Tow proves that you don’t need to pay through the pores for an invigorating and cleansing shvitz, you could just as easily splash out for more luxurious, upmarket versions of the herbal steam. Here, the contraption and after-effects are essentially the same – it’s just that at these swankier spots, you get the mood lighting and soothing music (but they all jealously guard the precise composition of herbs that go into their steam). Depending on your ailment, Touche, a women-only salon, will customise a steam using between eight and 15 different Chinese herbs, while unisex Benjaphan Thai Herbal Spa focuses on, well, Thai herbs. Daven Wu

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Chien Chi Tow Herbal Steam Centre, #01-1446, Blk 44, Bendemeer Rd (6396 4856). $20 for 20 min steam; unisex.

Touche, Palais Renaissance #04-02, 390 Orchard Rd (6738 8441). $78 for 20 min steam; women only.

Benjaphan Thai Herbal Spa, #03-02 Kings Arcade, 559 Bukit Timah Rd (6469 7622). $38 for 20 min steam; unisex.