Phuket leads the way in healthy holidays

Island holidays are usually about relaxing, departing from routine and indulging yourself at a luxury retreat. "Healthy" they generally are not, as sunset cocktails, seafood buffets and hours lazing in the sun become the daily regime. But as concerns about our well-being grow, even our breaks are becoming infused with healthy alternatives. And Phuket, in Thailand, is leading the way.

Offering your not-so-ordinary holiday is Thanyapura, one of the province's new hotels, just 15 minutes from the airport. From the outside, there is little to suggest that it is a dedicated sports hotel where guests receive free access to a 50-metre pool, six tennis courts, running track, full-sized multipurpose pitch, boxing ring, state of the art gym and a Powerplate studio.

Typical guests range from weekend warriors to the athletic elite - Hong Kong's triathlon team trained there in December, attracted by the opportunity to do intensive workouts in a relaxed environment.

"People come to prepare for races. We have swim training, track training and cycle camps on offer from experts," says hotel president Robert Huack.

Families seeking an alternative holiday have also been flocking to Thanyapura, which hosts an integrative health centre where guests can enjoy the latest anti-ageing treatments, and even a fully equipped kids' club. Think healthy holiday village meets a top-notch sports club.

"We recently had a top Hong Kong executive stay here for two weeks with his wife just to get healthy," says Huack. "Most of our food is organic and he and his family worked out in the morning and then spent the afternoon at the beach."