Where to go to find fitness in India

Fitness vacations are a rage these days. For the intrepid fitness fanatic or the sporadically health conscious, a getaway, where you concentrate on getting the body back in shape, holds great lure. So, what are the options that you have for the next vacation that comes up?
Kerala
Now, one can’t afford to miss out on Kerala, what with its many yoga and Ayurveda retreats and the kalaripayattu camps. Try the Athreya Ayurvedic Resorts. Apart from the regulation yoga, ayurveda and panchkarma packages, they have an inhouse kalaripayattu centre, which, incidentally, also has a body of trained men and women offering treatments and massages. Athreya also has dedicated programmes to address medical problems such as osteoarthritis, cervical spondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and obesity.
Kodaikanal
The Princess of Hill Stations always welcomes visitors with her splendid, verdant mountainscape that leaves one healed from within. 1ON1 Fitness Holidays runs a boot camp style facility in Koadikanal for people of all fitness levels. Structured to individual needs, they aim to provide tailor-made programs for individuals and encourage group sizes to be restrained to four people. From personal training to cardiovascular activities, nutrition advice, yoga, injury rehabilitation, mountain biking and more, this is a one-stop destination for the fitness fanatic.
Gokarna
Closer home in Karnataka, Gokarna is a great place to head to, if you’re looking at Kairali ayurveda treatments. The Om Beach Resort offers a whole host of packages that take care of various ailments, including sinusitis and migraine, rejuvenation and detoxification, stress, arthritis and spondylitis, weight loss and even post pregnancy health care. The Om-shaped beach is an excellent place to find yourself in and what’s more, there’s a whole host of water sports that you can indulge in.

Darjeeling
Move over to the East, The Himalayan Mountaineering Institute is a place worth checking out. They offer several short courses, run boot camp style, sans all frills, that teach one about trekking, camping, rock craft and even, water sports. There are basic and advanced mountaineering courses too and they even offer a course for people with visual disability.
Haridwar
Haridwar and Rishikesh are not to be missed if one thinks of a yoga and fitness vacation. What with yoga camps, rock-climbing and white-water rafting facilities, these places have something to offer for everyone. However, if you can’t live without your luxuries, we recommend Ananda Spa Resorts, Haridwar. They offer a three nights package — Ananda Fitness — which includes personalised fitness consultation, a body composition analysis, a personalised workout session and a customised massage therapy. Apart from this, the resort offers weight management, stress management and yoga vacations as well as wellness and Ayurvedic rejuvenation packages.
Goa
Goa is an eternal favourite for all vacationers. No matter what you want from a holiday — good food, the sun and the sea, lazy days or rampant partying —Goa has something to offer. Well, it’s no surprise that there is something for those seeking a certain level of fitness. Check out the Lotus Yoga Retreat, a beach front yoga resort in south Goa. You can choose between a yoga holiday, where you drop in to as many yoga classes during your stay, and a more structured yoga retreat with a routine of yoga, meditation, discussion groups and loads of free time too. Apart from the various schools of yoga, they offer other holistic treatments like shiatsu, acupressure, reflexology, reiki and ayurvedic treatments. One word of caution though, like most Goan getaways, Lotus Yoga Retreat too invites people between November and end of April.

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