Get 2017 off to a healthy start: 14 of the best detox breaks
- 1/14
Digital detox on Scottish island
Hand your mobile phone and tablet in as you step onto the private Isle of Eriska, located off the west coast of Scotland and connected by a bridge. Digital detox guests can leave their devices with hotel staff at the start of their stay, and switch off completely with an indulgent spa treatment, bracing beach walk or a meal in the Michelin-starred restaurant. Two nights' B&B from £410pp including a spa treatment. [Photo: Isle of Eriska]
- 2/14
Surf and yoga in Sri Lanka
Catch a wave on Sri Lanka's beautiful south coast, before stretching your body and mind on a yoga mat as the sun sets. Soul and Surf has recently opened a hotel between Galle and Weligama, and a week's stay there costs from £675pp, including a double room on a full-board basis, and all daily surf and yoga sessions. [Photo: Soul and Surf]
- 3/14
Raw food and hot tubs in Yorkshire
Sink into an outdoor hot tub, safe in the knowledge that your body is detoxing on a diet of gourmet raw food and cleansing juices. Raw Horizons has a number of healthy holidays including a Yoga, Juice and Healing Break at Split Farthing Hall in Thirsk. The retreat also includes one-to-one life coaching sessions, meditation and energy workshops, and other facilities include a sauna and library. Three nights from £575. [Photo: Raw Horizons]
- 4/14
Sleep retreat in the Maldives
If you suffer from insomnia, this one's for you. Shanti Maurice, a luxury hotel in the Maldives, has just launched a new sleep retreat designed to reduce stress levels and overcome sleep disorders. The regime incorporates Ayurveda, Reiki, guided meditation, yoga practices including 'yogic sleep' and nutrition. Five nights starts from £2,750. [Photo: Shanti Maurice]
- 5/14
Hug animals in Somerset
Ever fancied hugging a goat or kissing a horse? Guests at Middlewick Farm Cottages in Glastonbury are encouraged to interact with the animals to promote a feeling of happiness and overall wellbeing. The Vital Detox week also involves a raw-food diet, daily yoga sessions and guided countryside walks. Seven nights' full-board costs from £900pp, including all activities. [Photo: Farm Stay]
- 6/14
Ski and yoga in Canada
How about finding your inner zen on the ski slopes? The Lake Louise Ski & Yoga Retreat sees guests enjoy a full weekend of yoga and mindfulness, as well as winter adventures such as skiing, cross country skiing, snowshoeing and ice skating. You'll leave feeling de-frazzled and recharged. Two nights full-board from £809 ($1,358). [Photo: Fairmont]
- 7/14
Running in Vienna
Work off that Christmas pud with a running tour through the heart of beautiful Vienna. The Ritz Carlton has a new Running Concierge, so guests can pound the city's streets with a jogging partner and guide on hand to point out the best highlights and share fascinating stories during the 3.5-mile route. Rates from £245 (€286) per room, per night. [Photo: Ritz Carlton]
- 8/14
Learn mindfulness in Devon
Book onto a Mindfulness for Beginners Retreat at the Grade 1-listed Sharpham House, set in the beautiful Devon countryside beside the River Dart. The course teaches guests to appreciate, and be mindful of, the natural world and includes indoor and outdoor meditation sessions and yoga with periods of silence to help strengthen the practice. Three nights' full-board from £315pp. [Photo: The Sharpham Trust]
- 9/14
Kayaking in New Zealand
Feel your troubles float away as you paddle through the crystal clear waters in Abel Tasman National Park, New Zealand. A guided kayaking tour takes in the majestic beauty of the fiords around Auckland's Hauraki Gulf, and there's plenty of fresh water kayaking in the Whanganui River. For a thrill, head to the whitewater of the Rangitaiki or the Clutha. A one-day, guided tour with Taupo Kayaking Adventures costs from £138 ($244). [Photo: Taupo Kayaking Adventures]
- 10/14
Hiking in the Himalayas
Could there be a better way to detox the body than breathing in fresh mountain air and taking in incredible views in the Himalayas? Try one of the new 'Head in the Clouds' journeys from Shakti Himalaya, which combine walking in the Himalayan foothills with an education in mindfulness. You're led through little-known villages by a personal yoga and meditation teacher who will help you reach a state of calm against the backdrop of snow-capped peaks. Eight days' full-board from £4,702. [Photo: Shakti Himalaya]
- 11/14
Go off-grid in the Peak District
To switch off from daily stresses, book this secluded yurt in Hepworth, not far from the Peak District and Yorkshire Dales. Inside there's no wi-fi, TV or phone, but there are oodles of homely and romantic features such as a wood-burning stove and private hot tub. There's a lovely pub nearby and walks start straight from your doorstep. Three nights from £383. [Photo: Skyes Cottages]
- 12/14
Bodyboarding in Costa Rica
Expel some energy while feeling at one with Mother Nature, on a bodyboarding trip to Costa Rica. Bodyboard Holidays has week-long trips to the beautiful shores of Santa Teresa, where other activities include waterfall hikes, canopy tours of the rainforest, snorkelling, fishing, horse riding and yoga. Or simply unwind between bodyboarding sessions with a good book on the beach. Eight days from £749. [Photo: Bodyboard Holidays]
- 13/14
Foraging in Pembrokeshire
Few things are as rewarding - and detoxifying - as foraging for your own food, and it's easy to do if you know where to look. Llys Meddyg, in Newport, have Seashore and Hedgerow foraging courses, which can be booked either for the day or as an overnighter. You'll hunt for tasty wild food that can be used as ingredients for your lunch, such as sea kale, razor clam, cockles and mussels. The course teaches you to safely identify and gather your finds, and then prepare and cook your foraged feast. From £75 for adults, £25 for children between 12-16 and free for under-12s. [Photo: Facebook / Llys Meddyg]
- 14/14
Fasting in the Cotswolds
A sure-fire way to shed any festive over-indulgence is to book onto the UK's only Buchinger fasting retreat, held in the beautiful Cotswold House Hotel & Spa in Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire. The fasting method is said to help cure ailments including diabetes, high blood pressure, migraines and obesity, and it involves a fluid diet of juices, teas and broths. Walks, meditation and massages are also on the agenda. Seven nights start from £1,499pp. [Photo: Bespoke Hotels]

The festive period - with all its food, drink and slouching about on the sofa - is about to draw to a close. Which is probably a good thing for our bodies. As you brush the last mince pie crumbs from your Christmas jumper, take a look at these holidays, which will get the new year off to a healthy start. From foraging to fasting, Costa Rica to the Cotswolds, here are 14 of the best detox breaks in the UK and abroad.