1. Duncton Mill, Sussex
There's a wide range of yoga, personal development and dance courses at this idyllic South Downs retreat centre. The 18th-century farmhouse and outbuildings have been converted into two workshop spaces and accommodation for 20. Food is vegetarian with an international flavour.

· 01798 342281, dunctonmill.co.uk. From £85pp per night. Train to Petworth then a 10-minute taxi ride

2. Middle Piccadilly, nr Sherborne, Dorset
The 17th-century thatched cottage is a peaceful retreat offering detox and de-stress in a friendly, back-to-basics atmosphere with no TV, radio, road noise or light pollution. In the garden is a tiny "aquaspa", which is a room with a hot tub, sink, treatment bed and shower. Popular with teetotal hen parties.

· 01963 23468, middlepiccadilly.com. From £253pp for two nights. Train to Sherborne then a 10-minute taxi ride

3. Ard Nahoo Health Farm, County Leitrim, Ireland
This simple health farm has a magical location in Yeats country, just a few miles from the Lake Isle of Innisfree. Choose from a short no-nonsense list of treatments: simple massages and facials. Alongside the treatment room there's a steam room and an Epsom float room (great for those who find a coffin-sized flotation tank too claustrophobic).

· 00353 71 913 4939, ardnahoo.com. From €67.50pp per night. An hour's drive from Knock airport, three from Dublin; or 30 minutes by taxi from Sligo station
4. Le Spa Bleu, Ardeche, France
This 18th-century former farmhouse has views of vineyards, fruit trees and forested hills. It's a well-run but informal place offering an impressive range of alternative therapies from an international team of therapists. Smoking is allowed, and guests can help themselves to bottles of wine from the cellar-cum-games room. The farmhouse has an unheated outdoor private pool and a large indoor Jacuzzi with whirlpool and jetstream. Treatments range from the traditional to the esoteric such as "aquawellness" treatments by local expert, Anne Toulemonde (aquawellness.fr), who combines watsu and j ahara to ease stresses and strains.
· 0033 4 7539 9375, lespableu.com. From €60pp per night. Fly or train to Montpellier then a two-hour drive or bus to Aubenas

5. Kaliyoga, Andalucia, Spain
Kaliyoga is a high-spirited yoga retreat on the terraces of the Alpujarras, at Orgiva, near Granada. There are shaded platforms among olive trees and a hydrospa surrounded by fig trees. The daily timetable feels leisurely: yoga from 9-11am, followed by brunch and a long luxurious stretch of free time for optional treatments, then restorative yoga from 5-7pm.

· 0034 958 784496, kaliyoga.com. From €740pp for six days. Private pick up from Granada or Malaga airports

6. Agriturismo Cascina Papaveri, Piedmont, Italy
This stylish agriturismo hosts regular pilates breaks led by visiting teachers from the UK and the US. It's run by Robyn and John, who offer a warm welcome and excellent food using fresh local ingredients, most of which are grown in the organic gardens. There's an indoor pool, and a fully equipped pilates studio with steam room and sauna.

· 0870 6092690/0039 0141 962044, cascinapapaveri.com. From €989 for four nights. Fly to Turin, then bus or train to Asti from where there is a free transfer to the resort
7. Fatuma's Tower, Lamu, Kenya
Fatuma's Tower is an enchanting retreat in a secluded position in Shela village, with its tangle of narrow sandy lanes and lovely beach. It was renovated from the ruins of an 18th-century Arab house by English yoga teacher Gilles Turle, who has lived in Kenya for over 40 years. Those not into yoga are also made welcome; this is the kind of place where you could come for a few nights and end up staying for weeks. UK-based ashtanga vinyasa yoga teacher Liz Lark (lizlark.com) leads yoga retreats to Fatuma's Tower once or twice a year, followed by yoga safaris in the Masai Mara, from US$1,700 per week excluding flights.
· 00254 42 632079, lamuyoga.com. From US$55-75pp pn full board. Fly to Lamu Island from Nairobi or Mombasa

8. Panchavatti, Goa
A stunning place to stay overlooking the Mapusa river on the island of Corjuem. Owner Loulou Van Damme offers daily practice in satyananda yoga.

· 0091 98 258 0632, islaingoa.com. From US$180 per room per night. Fly to Dabolim then a one-hour drive

9. Lisu Indigenous Health Retreat, Non Thong, Thailand
American holistic health therapist, Albert Schmaedick and his wife Susanan, a member of the Lisu mountain people, set up this retreat in late 2006 to help preserve the Lisu's lifestyle and traditional ways of healing.

· 0066 8 9998 4886, lisuhilltribecrafts.blogspot.com. From US$8pp per night, workshops from US$25 per day. Four hours by local buses from Chiang Mai airport, two hours from Mae Hong Song

10. Estancia Peuma Hue, Bariloche, Argentina
The estancia sits right on the shore of navy-blue Lago Gutierrez, surrounded by mighty jagged peaks, thickly forested with ancient beech woods full of wildlife. You can visit Peuma Hue as part of an organised retreat (yoga, tai chi, bodywork, or life coaching), but the beauty of this place is that you can also come independently at any time and benefit from the healing atmosphere. Ride horses deep into the forest , climb up to waterfalls, take a kayak out onto the lake, practise yoga or meditate. There's also guided trekking, rock climbing, abseiling and tango.

· 0054 9294 450 1030, peuma-hue.com. From US$121pp per day including all activities and meals. 30 minutes' drive from Bariloche airport.

Caroline Sylger Jones is the editor of queenofretreats.com and author of Body & Soul Escapes published by Footprint