Try the new trend for calming travel

By now we all know about hygge, the Danish tradition of creating cosy interiors to encourage calming moments. But the Danes are not alone: Turkish people have keyif, which involves finding a few minutes of quiet time to relax, while Italians and Spaniards traditionally take evening strolls together with friends and neighbours. Here's how choosing of a new kind of holiday can help to recharge our batteries, so that we return home fitter, stronger, happier and, hopefully, a little calmer.

Technology has improved our lives in countless ways. But carrying a smartphone, tablet or laptop with us at all times also means we’re constantly connected to the anxieties of work, money, family, social media or other pressures. Scientific studies show that too much smartphone use is linked to anxiety, sleep disorders and a decreased attention span.

That’s why detoxes are booming in popularity, where people disconnect from the wider world in order to connect with their immediate surroundings and with themselves. This is where nature and wilderness areas really come into their own. Some of my favourite places around the world include the red rock canyons of national parks across Utah and Arizona in the United States, the wildlife-filled grasslands of Tanzania, and the white continent of Antarctica – places where you’d struggle to get a Wi-Fi connection or phone signal.

Though you can often get ‘connected’ at your hotel or lodge, some places are so remote that even that is just not feasible, with hotels, lodges, camps or cabins sometimes designed intentionally to make digital connections with the outside world impossible.

Conversations around campfires, watching sunrises and sunsets, and other deeper travel experiences take the place of TV shows or Whatsapp messages. It might seem strange or stressful at first to be without your phone, but reconnecting to the ‘real world’ can help people feel more grounded and focused.

There are holistic spas and retreats around the world dedicated to improving the overall physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing of guests. That could include therapies and activities, such as yoga, meditation, Tai Chi, massage and acupuncture, to alleviate stress and tension. Other treatments might focus on skincare or joints and movement, with hot tubs, ice baths, scented saunas and steam rooms.

Upmarket spas are increasingly going high-tech, with cryotherapy for pain management or ‘biohacking’ and ‘longevity treatments’ to promote overall health. Healthy eating is encouraged, while other sessions with counsellors or groups might concentrate on personal reflection or healing.

Every country seems to have their own way of doing things, whether it’s Ayurvedic healing in India, massage in Thailand, or soaking in mineral-rich hot springs and pools in Iceland, but all have the same aim – focusing on wellness and inner calm.

Travel is meant to surprise us. I particularly like getting away from well-worn routes and crowded hotspots. More ‘adventurous’ destinations can open up our minds and senses, as we experience new cultures, unfamiliar landscapes, striking architecture – and sensational food.

In Europe, I’ve particularly enjoyed travelling to lesser known destinations, such as Albania, which has spectacular mountains, mirror-like lakes, ancient mosques, churches and monasteries, and lovely seaside resorts, though it’s still largely unknown to UK travellers. You could also consider destinations such as Montenegro, Slovenia and Macedonia, which used to be considered adventurous but are rising in popularity.

Boudhanath Stupa, Kathmandu, Nepal

Further afield, Nepal, one of my favourite countries, has some of the world’s friendliest people, colourful cultural traditions and epic landscapes, from the giant snow-capped Himalaya to Pokhara lake, as well as remarkable wildlife at Chitwan National Park, while a journey along the historic Silk Road in Uzbekistan is a chance to see exquisite mosques, palaces and museums, dramatic desert scenery and mighty mountains.

Modern life often moves quickly, with a rush of jobs and commitments. Slow travel can be the antidote. I’ve particularly enjoyed travelling across India by train – of course, you’ll be busy when you get to your destination, but there’s something about the pace and rhythm of rail travel that calms the mind and allows travellers to really appreciate their surroundings.

The Rocky Mountaineer, taking in Canada’s astounding natural scenery, is another rail classic. I also love taking road trips, and hiking and cycling holidays, all of which force the pace to slow down, with plenty of time to take detours to national parks or a shrine or temple, or to sit in a local café, watching the world go by.

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

I have very fond memories of chugging slowly through the emerald green waters and limestone karsts of Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage site in northern Vietnam, and the tranquil waterways of Kerala in southern India.

But slow travel isn’t so much about modes of transport as a mental state about slowing down and looking around, favouring in-depth experiences, conversations, and getting to know a place, rather than just racing quickly through.

For the majority of people living in the UK, light pollution in towns and cities means we see no or few stars. Yet it can be startling to see just how many stars blanket the skies at night, with an expert guide on hand to talk you through the constellations and local folktales associated with them.

Teide National park, Tenerife

The Atacama desert in northern Chile, Hawaii in the United States and the NamibRand Nature Reserve in Namibia (recognised as a Gold Tier International Dark Sky Reserve by the International Dark Sky Association) are some of the greatest places for stargazing. But you can take in magnificent night skies in many other parts of the world, from Death Valley National Park in the US to the Atlas mountains of Morocco, from Tenerife to Iceland.

Many lodges and camps in nature areas are also now offering guests the chance to sleep outside, safely and comfortably, for starry nights to remember.

Header image credit: AWL-Images.com