If anyone feels the need of an original excuse to visit the Hawaiian Islands, their growing expertise in Health and Wellness Vacation services provides an ironclad argument for packing a suitcase any time of year. Increasingly attractive to an older clientele, the life enrichment or personal improvement travel market is blossoming on every island with a very personalized, diverse collection of accommodations and services.

The menu of expertise for physical improvement is impressive: from massage therapists to personal trainers and chiropractors, from nutrition consultants, aroma therapists and herbalists, to acupuncturists, yoga and aquatic bodywork specialists. There are also many accredited specialists throughout the islands to help short term clients address emotional, metaphysical and spiritual challenges as well as relationship issues.

It is amazing how quickly improvement can be measured when the distractions and responsibilities of daily existence are far away!

A good many practitioners offer globally recognized skills and specialties, while others have mastered or inherited techniques which are unmistakably Hawaiian.  These include the lomi lomi massage, the significance and style of the REAL hula dance, local herbal treatments and aroma therapy, and the sharing of wellness practices intertwined with cultural and spiritual traditions.  Accommodations with tropical garden settings for a contemplative environment, and, even some menus and healthy cuisine classes, are frequently part of the experience.

More often than not in the islands, "small is beautiful" is both preached and practiced within the wellness community, but there are also some larger retreat facilities and wellness centers that deliver memorable group vacation and workshop experiences. Many wellness providers are able to recommend and even arrange for complementary activities nearby, including sports, grassroots Hawaiian culture learning opportunities, and ecotourism excursions.

Wondering where to start? The Answer Lies Behind These Links!

The Diversity of Wellness Vacations - Something for Everyone

The Best Hawaiian Wellness Travel Web Resources

And please DON'T FORGET to browse Travel with a Challenge's own listing page and photo showcase of Hawaii's Wellness Providers, Retreats and Vacation Planners for a sampling of wellness possibilities personally researched by the editor, Alison Gardner. It's a tough job, but someone's got to do it!

The easiest way to explore Hawaiian wellness travel possibilities is via the Internet, with several websites collecting together the majority of current operators and vacation-oriented specialists.  A key resource is the Hawaii Island Wellness Tourism Association, www.hiwta.org, an alliance of health and wellness hospitality providers located on Hawaii’s Big Island. HIWTA membership is made up of health, wellness and cultural practitioners, travel professionals, operators of healing retreats, spas, bed and breakfasts and vacation rentals. Holistic Hawaii, www.Hawaii-Healing.com, and www.HawaiiHealthGuide.com also provide wellness travel information and options. Hawaii Ecotourism Association, www.hawaiiecotourism.org, is a reliable resource for active, nature-based wellness options [see Members directory for descriptions and website hotlinks]. 

According to Laura and Betsy Crites, authors of The Call To Hawaii: A Wellness Vacation Guidebook, [now out of print] there are many ways to experience a healthy holiday. Relaxation and Rejuvenation focuses on nurturing and relaxing the body; Inner Pilgrimage holidays may include meditation, spiritual retreats, art and dance therapy; Fitness and Sports vacations develop tools for appropriate fitness levels, leadership and a sense of achievement. In addition, Lifestyle Modification holidays focus on nutrition, exercise, and unhealthy habits; and Complementary Wellness therapies explore alternative approaches to wellness beyond the western medicine model. Nature as a Healer suggests eco-tours into wilderness areas, farm vacations, and garden themes; and lastly Volunteer Vacations bring growth and healing through service in ways participants never dreamed possible.

Discover many new dimensions of the Hawaii you thought you knew!
You are invited to click on the Alternative Hawaii Table of Contents to explore the full collection of pages devoted to the many small-group tours operators, creative accommodations, wellness tourism listings, spectacular bird photography, language and cultural treasures of Oahu, Maui, Kauai, Big Island [Hawaii] and Molokai. This is a discovery collection you won't want to miss, a hands-on, grassroots resource that is unique in the travel world!

Hawaii Vacation Rentals
Accommodations are easy to locate with HomeAway's selection of over 2,000 vacation rentals across Hawaii. Oahu, Kauai, Maui, Moloakai and Big Island Hawaii vacation rentals.