âThe physician treats but nature heals,â wrote Hippocrates. And having recently been divested of my appendix, it was time for some recuperation. In September, Sardinia was one of the few destinations free from travel restrictions and, heeding Hippocrates again (âHealing begins with an aromatic bath and daily massageâ), I took myself to Capo dâOrso Thalasso and Spa.
It was an inspired choice. With the exception of the Costa Smeralda, created as a jet-set playground by the Aga Khan in the 1960s, Sardiniaâs landscape is as much âout of time and historyâ as DâH Lawrence found it, in 1921. The north of the island is famed for its granite mountains and sculptural boulders that sprout from plains along the shore. Such was the setting of Capo dâOrso, lodged in 25 acres of fragrant macchia (shrub), overlooking the limpid waters of the Mediterranean.
Now hear this: Wellness isn’t just for well-to-do one-percenters. Increasingly, self-care has become accessible to everyone, whether that’s through a free meditation app or a bike-share program.
Spy: NZ s favourite Dad Jordan Watson to star in Black Clash
9 Jan, 2021 04:00 PM
2 minutes to read
NZ s favourite Dad Jordan Watson to star in Black Clash. Video / HowtodadNZ
How to Dad star Jordan Watson is pinching himself to be stepping up to the pitch for the Hot Spring Spas T20 Christchurch Black Clash. I jumped on board because who would turn something like this down? Rubbing shoulders with legends from across NZ Rugby and Cricket impossible to pass on that. Putting my everyday, non-athletic body against the best, Watson told Spy.
The 31-year-old social media parenting star s huge viral success has been noticed worldwide and made him a treasure at home. He is the wildcard for Team Cricket, a role held by Aussie comedian Andy Lee last year.
The hottest spa trends and openings for 2021
From Qatar’s first well-being retreat to a Big Sur sleep programme and ‘Blue Health’ breaks by the sea, we track the trends
RAKxa Bangkok is a new hi-tech spa located on an island in the Chao Phraya river
Desert
Desert openings top the charts, from the Middle East to Mexico
One of the Middle East’s hottest new hotels is Qatar’s first well-being-dedicated retreat: Zulal Wellness Resort, by the pioneering Chiva-Som. Located on an isolated stretch of coast in Khasooma (“Zulal” means “pure natural water” in Arabic), it comprises two properties; one for adults, the other for families. In the belief that wellness is for everyone, both will offer experiences based on Arabic and Islamic wellness principles. Expect treatments using camel’s milk and Qatar’s pink clay (zulal.com).
Bark-infused cocktails, forest cuisine and stone pine massages are all part of the mountain magic at Forestis in South Tyrol
What kind of tree are you? Joking aside, itâs a serious question. Iâm a stone pine, or zirbelkiefer, according to spa manager Alessandra Tiengo, and Iâve been mulling over the answer ever since she started prodding my upper back with a spindle-shaped wooden stick.
The masseuse is in the midst of delivering a personalised tree therapy ceremony based on one of four healing woods â the others being mountain pine, spruce and larch â and I think Iâm actually enjoying the experience. In part because of her sing-song Italian purr, but also in view of the fact that she is dousing me in stone pine oil from the surrounding forest and the potent scent is strong enough to settle me into a fever dream that I donât want to shake. It carries me out into the snow-filled air where I imagine myself standing, as I am now, butt-naked, besieged