MeaganUsually, when we book a vacation, our main intention is to do one thing – relax. However, while on these trips, we tend to still find ways to stress ourselves out. Matter of fact, we might even focus on relaxing so much that we end up stressing ourselves out because we’re not relaxing!
With the increasing amount of stress levels and burnout we face each year, focusing on our overall well-being is important. Therefore, as to no surprise, there is a new trend/industry that’s starting to become popular, and it is called wellness tourism.
First things first – what is a wellness vacation?
Generally speaking, a wellness vacation is just what it sounds like – a vacation that’s main purpose is to focus on improving your wellbeing. Now what does the vacation actually entail? Well, that’s up to you. You can go on a retreat. Or you can take a few days off to pamper yourself. Or you can just chill out for a few days and have a staycation. Whatever works for you – as long as the goal is to feel less stressed out at the end of your vacation. And they’re many different areas you can focus on, such as your mental health, physical health, spiritual well-being, eating habits, etc.
While planning your wellness vacation, they’re a few things you should think about;
- Most importantly – what do you want to get out of this vacation? Figuring this portion out before you even start planning out your vacation is essential so that you can choose the right itinerary.
- Do you want to travel or do you want to stay at home? (By the way – Later in this article, I will be talking about travelling to a specific location – Puerto Vallarta)
- What kind of accomodation do you want to stay in during your vacation? (Luxury? All-Inclusive Resort? Budget? Hostel? At home?)
- How active do you want to be?
- Are you going solo, or with others? Also another point – if you’re going with others, make sure you’re going with the right people.
- Do you want to do a digital detox? And if so, to what extent?
- If you choose to get a wellness package, make sure to clarify what’s included and what’s not. This is so you don’t end up with any surprises/disappointments.
Now, if you’re wondering where to travel for a wellness vacation, allow me to introduce the serene, relaxing city of Puerto Vallarta.
All About My Trip to Puerto Vallarta
I took a vacation in January of this year to Puerto Vallarta. It was my first solo trip ever and my main goal was to destress myself from all of the perils I went through in the previous year. Little by little, I started to plan out a self-guided wellness vacation.
And honestly, it was one of the best decisions I’ve made. Matter of fact, I would honestly recommend anyone to visit Puerto Vallarta for any reason whatsoever – even if it’s not for wellness. The city left a special place in my heart, and I’ve been raving about it even a month after my trip had concluded.
Now you’re probably wondering – out of alllll of the places in the world, why Puerto Vallarta?
- Because it’s an ideal place for solo travelers.
They’re so many things to do in Puerto Vallarta that do not require an extra person. Also, although Puerto Vallarta may give off a romantic vibe, you won’t be smothered by couples everywhere. But most importantly…
- Puerto Vallarta is very safe.
Safety was one of my top priorities when picking out a place to travel to. And after doing a lot of research, I found that Puerto Vallarta was very safe – and a lot of people tend to travel there solo every year. Of course you should always use common precautions when travelling to any country. However, during my time there, I didn’t feel unsafe at all, and I had walked around both in the daytime and night time.
- There are healthy restaurant options everywhere.
The amount of health-conscious restaurants in Puerto Vallarta actually surprised me. There are plenty off gluten-free and organic-only diners. You can find a list of the top healthy restaurant options here on Tripadvisor.
- The accomodations in Puerto Vallarta are very high quality.
Whether you stay in an Airbnb or a Hotel, you’ll always be in good hands. Many of the hotels in Puerto Vallarta are brand new, since the whole city is undergoing huge renovations. Matter of fact, I stayed at an Airbnb called the Zenith in downtown Romantic Zone (which I would highly recommend!) which was just a couple of months old. It was very modern and had a rooftop pool and deck. If you’re looking for more upscale hotels, they’re plenty of places in the Hotel Zone and Marina area of Puerto Vallarta. Here you would find plenty of resorts that offer a lot of spa packages and gyms, for your convenience. Or if you’re look for a very quiet area, you can go a bit south and stay in the Conchas Chinas area and have a view of the beach.
- The place is very scenic and slow-paced.
Located on the west of Mexico, the opposite side of Cancun and Playa Del Carmen, Puerto Vallarta is much more tame. You can still have your nightlife fun, especially on the Malecon or at one of the many bars. However, if you’re looking for a place that offers more than just a wild time, Puerto Vallarta is the right place for you.
- There’s sunny, great weather all year round.
The average temperature in Puerto Vallarta is between 62-90 degrees Farenheit from January to December. And it rarely rains.
- It’s cheap!
You don’t have to spend big bucks in Puerto Vallarta. During my time here, an average meal (appetizers + main course + a drink) only cost about $12 USD. Ubers were also very cheap – traveling from the Romantic Zone to the Malecon (aka a 5 mile drive) was only about $2.78 USD one way. Also, the flight to Puerto Vallarta – if you’re coming from the United States – is usually inexpensive especially if you travel during the summertime. (PS – if you’re looking for easy ways to not spend much money on flights, then check out my blog post here)
- And, they’re relaxing things to do all-year round. But I’m about to get to that.
So now that you know what a wellness vacation is, and a bit about Puerto Vallarta, here are some things you can do in Puerto Vallarta to destress yourself:
- Pamper yourself.
There are plenty of massage parlors and spas everywhere, and you’ll find plenty while walking around downtown. During my stay, I got a massage on the two full days I was in Puerto Vallarta. The two places I went to were Artepil Spa, which was right by my Airbnb the Zenith, and Venus Moon Southside Spa. Both were equally great and professional.
- Go on a hike in the forest
There are a lot of hiking trails – both easy and more active – that you can take in Puerto Vallarta. A majority of them are very scenic, and you may even pass by a discrete waterfall. If you want a more guided hike, check out the different experiences that hosts offer on AirBnb.
- Sign up for a retreat.
In Puerto Vallarta, They’re many different retreats that you can partake in. If you want to do a short, one day retreat then check out this 5 hour guided mindfulness tour to Las Animas . If you’re looking for a longer retreat, then Book Retreat has a list of retreats situated in Puerto Vallarta.
You can even stay in a yoga resort, such as the Xinalani Yoga Retreat. Only accessible by boat, the resort is located in Quimixto, 11 miles south from Puerto Vallarta, aka away from all of the noise.
- Kayak or Paddle Board to the bio-luminescent caves.
The company’s name is Paddle Zone, and their hut is located in Mismaloya Beach, 7 miles south of Puerto Vallarta. You have the option to either paddleboard or kayak to a cave, and you have the choice to go either in the morning or at night. The night experience, however, is where you can see bioluminescence.
Now this is something that I, sadly, did not get to experience during my trip here. I was looking forward to it, but of course it rained the night of. However, according to TripAdvisor, it is one of the top rated experiences in Puerto Vallarta.
- Eat like a local.
Just take a look at this video:
This was filmed at breakfast spot called De Cantaro, which is located in the Romantic Zone. You’ll find that a majority of restaurants in Puerto Vallarta are very sophisticated and offer either a breathtaking view or a pleasant atmosphere – or both!
And like I previously said, Puerto Vallarta has a lot of healthy food options.
- Do Yoga on the beach – or even on a paddleboard in the ocean!
If you have noticed from this article, Puerto Vallarta is filled with so many yoga activities. If you love yoga, then you’ll love it here.
On Airbnb, there are a couple of different yoga activities you can partake. One unique one that I especially liked was doing yoga on a paddleboard in the ocean.
And that’s it! I hope this article was helpful for you. So now that leads to the question – what do you think about wellness vacations? Leave a comment below!