Location: Shanghai, China New year’s resolution: Relax and restore Best known for: Glitz and glamour on the edge of the famous Bund – and that luxury happily extends to The Peninsula Spa. Signature treatments include the Bamboo Harmoniser and Oriental Thermal Infusion, and facilities include tropical rain showers, steam and sauna rooms and ice fountains. There’s even a dedicated spa menu – “Naturally Peninsula” – that emphasizes delicious, organic offerings. Price: $$ Try it at home: It’s hard to replicate those adjustable, warmed treatment beds at home, but that doesn’t mean you can’t borrow some spa principles to help with relaxation. Take a warm bath before going to bed, exfoliate your whole body with a homemade sugar or coffee-grounds scrub or try applying a thin layer of honey to your face as a moisture-infusing mask.
Location: Troncones, Mexico New year’s resolution: Do more yoga and foster inner calm Best known for: Beachside yoga, healthy smoothies, a menu of fresh fish and fruit and programming that encourages a mind-body connection. Accommodations include a series of little bungalows with names like Wisdom, Intuition and Tranquility. Price: $ Try it at home: Though you may not be able to mimic the resort’s oceanside location, you can take some cues from their popular Restore and Refresh program. Start your morning with yoga, meditation and a detoxifying herbal tea.
Location: Global New year’s resolution: Get more exercise Best known for: Affordable, small-group travel traversing the globe – sometimes on bicycle. You can cycle the back roads of Sri Lanka, pedal through the lush French countryside or try a bike safari across the Serengeti plains. Price: $ Try it at home: This one’s easy: Get a bike, get a helmet, and hop on to explore the neighbourhoods within your reach. Start biking to work or school instead of driving. (Any concerns about helmet-hair will soon be cancelled out by the appealing flush of good health on your face.)
Location: Tambopata, Peru New year’s resolution: Commune with nature Best known for: Rustic chic and unspoiled wilderness in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon. Activities include a visit to the lush Lake Sandoval, where you can spot lizards and parrots and watch the howler monkeys yell at each other from high in the trees. Price: $ Try it at home: Nature can have a supremely calming effect, and you don’t have to book a plane ticket to reap the benefits. Even if you’re a city slicker, you can still plan a day trip to do some hiking or spend the afternoon in a park.
eat local in the winter months, but there are still plenty of options. Try neighbourhood farmers’ markets and food co-ops, or take some time in the warmer seasons to can local fruits and vegetables that can be used all year round.
6. Esperanza
healthy juices perfect for an afternoon pick-me-up. Blend coconut water, banana, lettuce, spinach, parsley, cilantro and lemon juice until smooth for Esperanza’s Green Glowing Smoothie.
Sarah is a journalist who has written for a wide variety of publications, including The National Post, The Globe and Mail and The Toronto Star newspapers, and Harper's, The Walrus, ELLE Canada, Canadian Business, Chatelaine, Flare, Quill & Quire and University of Toronto magazines.
Want to streamline your life? In our Spring 2025 issue, we’ll show you how—whether it’s paring down your wardrobe, decluttering your messiest spaces or spending way less time cooking thanks to an easy, mostly make-ahead meal plan for busy weeknights. Plus, our first annual Pantry Awards.
