Your Guide to the Top Wellness Festivals around the World

Move over Coachella, Burning Man, and music festivals: There’s a new star in town, and it’s becoming a hit on the festival circuit. It’s called the wellness festival—and yes, while several festivals have increasingly incorporated wellness activities into their lineup (think yoga, massage, and tai chi) in recent years, at wellness festivals, your health is the headliner.

Enjoy the wellness fan’s guide to some of this year’s top events—plus, read more about wellness festivals, one of our top 10 trends in the recently released Spafinder Wellness 365™ Global Spa & Wellness Trends Report!

Wanderlust
Starting February 4, 2016 | Wairakei, Great Lake Taupo, New Zealand
What started as a single event in Squaw Valley in 2009 has evolved into a collection of festivals celebrated in the U.S., Canada, Australia, Chile, and New Zealand. This “all-out celebration of mindful living” encompasses elements like yoga and meditation classes for all levels (some accompanied by live DJs), guided hikes or paddleboard classes, musical performances, mindfulness lectures (past speakers have included Deepak Chopra), and local, sustainable cuisine—all designed to solidify a feeling of a wellness community.

International Yoga Festival
March 1-7, 2016 | Rishikesh, India
For one week, participate in over 60 hours of varying yoga classes led by world-renowned masters, complemented by lectures guided by some of India’s premier spiritual leaders, as you celebrate with thousands of like-minded wellness enthusiasts from 60-plus countries.

SpiritFest
March 2017 | South Africa
Spend a day promoting yoga, music, chants, meditation, and DJ-led dance parties in an environment free of alcohol, smoking, drugs, and attitudes. SpiritFest is taking a sabbatical for one year—it will return in March 2017—but you can view a quick snapshot of the 2015 festival.

BaliSpirit Festival
March 29-April 3, 2016 | Bali, Indonesia
Yoga, dance, and music take center stage at this festival in Ubud, Bali, as wellness enthusiasts from across the globe engage in yoga (classes run from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.), dance and martial arts seasons, all-night concerts, and seminars tailored to specific talks: vedic astrology, spiritual nutrition, yoga, etc. “Healing Huts” showcase healers in the practices of cranial sacral, reiki, Balinese traditional healing, chakra balancing, and Esalen massage; participants can also attend healing workshops such as yin yoga and breath work.

Bhakti Fest
Shakti Fest, May 13-15, 2016 | Joshua Tree, California
Bhakti West, September 8-11, 2016 | Joshua Tree, California
A certified non-profit 501c3, Bhakti Fest honors deep devotion through various yoga, dance, and sacred music opportunities in an equally inspiring 45-acre desert setting. This series of festivals, made up of Shakti, Bhakti West, and Mid West), features Kirtan music, yoga classes, meditations, prayer, workshops, fire ceremonies, and vegetarian, vegan, and raw vegan fare. In addition, the festival’s wellness sanctuary encompasses massage, energy work, intuitive readings, and more.