As a science writer, I thought wellness was ridiculous — then I went to Thailand
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I was a bundle of knots, and the nagging pain in my right leg was only getting more stubborn. So it seemed like divine timing that just as I was thinking about learning to care for my body properly, an invitation to a wellness retreat in Thailand landed on my desk.
![[As a science writer, I frowned on wellness ? then I went to Thailand]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SEI_234779702-5502.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
I’m not one to take time away to ‘recharge’. To me, a rest day is filled with chores and bed rotting. But apparently, that’s not how you rest mindfully. And it got me thinking: can wellness activities really improve your physical health? The short answer is yes. But how? And more importantly, why? I travelled to the Andaman Sea to find out.
After an 11-hour flight from London Heathrow to Bangkok, followed by a connection from the Thai capital to the island of Phuket, my final destination was Banyan Tree Phuket, a five-star hideaway on Phuket’s northwest coast. Sandwiched between an azure blue lagoon and the pillow-soft sands of Bang Tao beach, the serene setting is worlds away from the thumping strip the island and its capital Patong are famed for.
![[A view of the interior of a luxury villa in Phuket, Thailand]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SEI_234779598-184a-e1735895144603.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
Phuket, which has a population of around 400,000 people, welcomed more than 11 million visitors in 2023, according to Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports. Drawn by stunning landscapes and a chaotic party scene, tourists now outnumber locals by a staggering 118 to 1.
The sheer volume of visitors has transformed this once peaceful getaway into one of the world’s most overcrowded holiday destinations. But Banyan Tree, which celebrated its 30th birthday in October, is doing everything possible to restore a sense of calm.
![[A floating breakfast tray in a private villa pool with a sunbed and umbrella behind it]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/image-ee98-e1735832414414.png?w=646)
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