Banish the January blues

With the festive period over, and sunny spring seeming far off in the distant future, more often than not the winter blues set in – hard. However, proactive Britons can beat the new year doldrums by getting away from it all with a resolution-fulfilling healthy holiday.

Relax…

For those who want to ease into the new year, a soothing break involving spas, massages and plenty of rest might be just the ticket. Resorts specialising in this type of getaway are now dotted across the globe, so holidaymakers can pick and choose the perfect place in which to close their eyes and relax.

If you've never been to a spa before, there's more to it than you would gather from the name. As well as boasting a range of jacuzzis, pools and other water-based therapies, these facilities now provide other health-boosting services, ranging from saunas, physiotherapy and hot pack treatments to inhalation therapy and beauty offerings.

Picking just one spa resort or village to visit can be tricky, but for those unsure of where to start, it might be an idea to look into facilities provided by big names like the Hilton chain of hotels. Hilton runs spa resorts located in countries such as Italy, Thailand, China, the USA and the Seychelles, and as you would expect from such a respected brand, services tend to be nothing short of first-class.

If you're looking for something slightly smaller and perhaps easier on the wallet, it's worth visiting a travel agent or trawling the internet for lesser-known resorts. If you want all the benefits of a spa resort combined with usual excursions and attractions of a normal holiday abroad, it's a good idea to hunt for facilities in hotspots such as Spain, Greece, Australia and Hungary - the famous thermal baths of Budapest allow holidaymakers to both relax and take in the sights of one of the most historically rich cities in Europe.

A good stretch

Away from spas, other relaxing options for a break abroad include yoga retreats, where travellers can immerse themselves in some gentle exercise in locations across the world. Retreats located in Asia, particularly India, might be the best bet for a truly authentic experience, as the region is known to be the birthplace of yoga.

Again, these retreats offer more than just yoga nowadays. A range of other therapies are available, including ayurvedic treatments which combine yoga, massages, herbs and special exercises and techniques designed to get the best out of the body. In addition, different areas and regions will offer various kinds of services and therapies; as always, conduct some research to find out which of these will be best for you.

An exercise in holidaying

Many Britons make the inevitable new year's resolution to shed their Christmas pounds, only to fall at the first cream-laden hurdle. But if you begin the year with a spurt of activity in a far-flung location, more likely than not you'll feel refreshed and motivated enough to continue the good work throughout the year - as well as feel mentally rejuvenated.

Activity or adventure holidays can take many different forms and can therefore be taken in virtually any destination you can think of. With the British winter heralding summer in other parts of the globe, travellers eager for a spot of sunshine could do worse than head down under to bask in high temperatures in Australia or New Zealand. Of course, there won't be much time for lying around on the beach soaking up the rays as you'll be able to experience activities such as surfing, jet-skiing, diving and more.

But if you want to keep your breaks icy cold, the most popular way to pass the winter months is to indulge in some winter sports. If you're feeling brave and want to try something beyond the standard skiing resorts, why not have a go at some snowboarding, bobsleighing, or snowmobiling? Ideal places to indulge in such activities generally consist of mountainous regions such as the French Alps, Switzerland, Austria and certain parts of North America.

Elsewhere, more 'out there' ways of stretching those muscles consist of quad biking, paintballing and go-karting here in the UK, white water rafting in Iceland, horse trekking in Kyrgyzstan, riding a camel through Morocco, journeying to the foot of Mount Everest, parasailing in India and canoeing in Africa - but it's best to check that such activities are suitable for your current level of fitness before signing up, as a number of sports may be restricted to those who are already used to demanding workouts.

The safer option?

For people who like their exercise to be slightly less strenuous, remember that even the simple acts of walking or cycling constitute solid forms of physical activity, so those locations that may not be uppermost in your mind when thinking of activity holidays can still be a good place to get fit if you're disciplined enough to walk, cycle or even run around as much as possible.

Imagine power-walking through Vienna, Rome, San Francisco or New York while absorbing those cities' stunning architecture and attractions, or jogging along the banks of watery spectacles such as the Danube, or perhaps cycling by North America's many lakes while taking in the spectacular mountain scenery - just several of many great ways of seeing the world while getting rid of that extra baggage and clearing the mind, ready for another year.