The age of the active holiday

The drive to improve the nation’s health and fitness has been an evident one in recent years. More and more initiatives to get the country active, coupled with inventive new classes and types of workouts, can convince even the least motivated of us to try our hand to sport or fitness training.

And now it seems that even whilst on holiday, the nation is opting to continue it’s pursuit of peak physical health. While many will opt to jet off to sit on a beach or by the pool for a fortnight, more and more people are heading overseas specifically to train or improve their body’s wellbeing.

Cyclists will scoff that they have been heading to the Balearic’s and Canary Islands for decades in search of some warm weather training. However, it is the increase in other activities abroad that is most noticeable.

And while the numbers heading overseas for marathons and triathlons has remained fairly stable, two other variations, on opposite ends of the ‘active holiday spectrum’ have seen particular growth.

Yoga holidays appear to have taken off in the past year, with 63% more people travelling for breaks overseas to practice their ‘downward facing dog’ than in the year previous. Meanwhile, those who prefer to take to the water on holiday have seen the number of Sports Travel Insurance policies sold for ‘Open Water Swimming’ increase by 25% in the same period.

With the added interest, comes the inevitable spring in providers offering these types of holiday too.

Yoga and swimming the big improvers

According to Google, there are 1,600 searches for ‘yoga holidays’ in the UK every month. And for those looking for such a break, there are a plethora of options.

The likes of India, Thailand and the spiritual homelands of practices like yoga will always be popular, but slightly closer to home, interest in hosting retreats for yogis appears to be on the up.

European yoga hot-spots are generally honed in on the Mediterranean, with the likes of Ibiza, the Greek Islands and picturesque Italian coastline providing stunning bases for yoga holidays.

So whether you are looking for a session by the sea, or would rather improve your zen in the Andalusian Mountains, you are well covered these days.

Gone are the days of swimming the channel being the dominant force of getting into slightly choppier waters than that of the hotel pool, with a new breed of swimming holidays giving travellers a fresh way to not only stay active on holiday, but also explore new places.

One example of that is The Big Blue Swim. The company offers holidays that sees individuals spend most of their time away in the waters surrounding the Greek islands.

In fact, their Ionian Island break forgoes the need for a ferry transfer (well, almost) with travel between some of the 12 idyllic islets that make up the group completed by the power of front-crawl alone.

During the seven day break you will explore magical caves, turquoise waters and maybe even come face-to-face with one of the resident dolphins. With 25% more people looking for cover with SportsCover Direct for ‘Open Water Swimming’ in the past 12 months than the previous period it’s looks as if this type of break is to become even more popular.

Taking in the pristine lakes of Slovenia, Swim Trek’s four-day holiday gives swimmers the opportunity to improve their swimming technique and fitness with a magnificent back-drop of the Slovenian Alps.

Starting in the town of Bohinj, the short break brings swimmers into the waters of the lake of the same name, before giving them the opportunity to swim in the region’s famously picturesque Lake Bled, as well as the Soca river that flows nearby.

Other providers are adding new destinations for water based holidays all the time, with the islands of Croatia and the slightly chillier waters of the lakes of Lithuania.

Whether you’re looking for brave the Baltic chill or swim with the sun on your back, there has rarely been better choice for an active swimming holiday.

If you are one of those people heading overseas in the coming months for your very own fitness holiday, remember that insurance is important. Our Sports Travel Insurance policy will cover you for all the usual holiday worries such as cancellations and delays but will also protect you for injuries abroad.

After all, how would you feel if you travelled half-way around the world to do sport, only to get seriously hurt whilst doing it?