The newest wellness offerings in Byron Bay

It’s all about the M words at Awaken Meditation Retreats. And we don’t just mean meditation. As well as one-hour meditation classes, the practitioners at Awaken also offer two-hour and half-day mindfulness workshops, which include both sitting and moving sessions that harness the power of nature. If you want to cleanse the stress from your system, they also offer a five-day meditation retreat with daily yoga and meditation sessions that will leave you rejuvenated.

At this legendary rainforest retreat outside Byron, the emphasis has always been on feeling good. Outstanding food, morning yoga classes (with an early and a later session, so you can sleep and still get your downward dog on), and an astonishing array of treatments, from massage and facials to reiki and shamanic healing, all help put a spring in your step. The Gaia team is always looking for new ways to put a smile on your face, and our current favourite is Movin Shakin Groovin, a fun-filled blend of disco, ballet and aerobics that is guaranteed to get the endorphins flowing.

Few things are as exhilarating as the sensation of catching a wave and riding it all the way to shore. If you have always wanted to give surfing a try, sign up for one of Byron Wellbeing’s Yoga and Surf Retreats. Along with daily surf lessons, you will enjoy twice-daily yoga, regular massages, and a sound healing session. Additional treatments are available at a cost, or you can simply take a stroll along the beach and surrender yourself to the ceaseless rhythm of the ocean.

Sometimes we all need a bit of rebalancing. That is the time to head to Crystalbrook Byron, where the three-night Relax and Retreat package is designed to leave you feeling refreshed and renewed. Highlights include a chakra healing massage, which realigns your seven chakras to restore harmony to your heart and soul. We also love the infrared sauna session, a no-sweat experience which penetrates deep into your joints and muscles, and a Beauty Chef consultation that gives you insight into how caring for your gut can lift your wellness levels through the roof.

You may not have heard of Soma but chances are, you’ve already had a peek at its sleekly designed interiors, thanks to the Nicole Kidman series Nine Perfect Strangers, which was filmed here. Unlike the guests that Nicole gathers together, however, Soma’s guests are in for a transcendental experience. Each of Soma’s retreats – which run between two nights and four nights – build on a base of daily yoga and Vedic meditation, with the longer retreats offering additional Ayurvedic treatments and mentoring sessions. There is a home-style feel to the retreat – guests make their own breakfasts and enjoy communal vegetarian dinners – and facilities include a meditation dome inside a bamboo forest, an infinity pool, infrared sauna, magnesium ice-bath, treatment cabin in the forest, zen garden and a lily pond.