LONGEVITY TRAVEL
TURN BACK TIME
Longevity tourism is reshaping the way we travel, whether through high-tech medicine or the wisdom of the world’s longest-living communities
WORDS: SAMANTHA LEWI S
The medical route Flaunting some of Europe’s best healthcare and world-renowned medical spas, Switzerland has long been a hub for health-focused travel. For decades, clinics tucked into secluded Alpine settings drew guests seeking weight loss and detox retreats. Today, many are shifting towards highly personalised, data-driven programmes designed to slow the ageing process. One of the best known is Clinique La Prairie,
located on the shores of Lake Geneva, which has been conducting longevity research since the 1930s. Here, guests can opt for the Revitalisation programme to undergo in-depth diagnostic testing, including a gene-ageing DNA test to determine biological age. The results inform a tailored plan combining cell therapy with holistic wellness practices, with the aim of strengthening immune function and delivering measurable improvements in energy levels and long-term health. Given the specialist medical expertise and
advanced technology involved, these programmes don’t come cheap. Yet, for a growing number of travellers, they’re viewed as an investment: a way to better understand their health and, ultimately, buy more ‘good’ years of life. Beyond Switzerland, the longevity movement
is expanding rapidly in the Middle East, where high-end hospitality is intersecting with cutting- edge healthcare. Hotels and resorts are replacing traditional spas with in-house longevity centres, reflecting a shift in what the modern wellness traveller expects. At the One&Only One Za’abeel in Dubai, for example, guests have access to a three- floor longevity centre run by Clinique La Prairie. Programmes begin with an hour-long Longevity Index Assessment, which evaluates key biomarkers to create a plan that may include cryotherapy, IV drip treatments and tailored nutrition guidance. Further along the coast, SHA Wellness Clinic is
set to open a new outpost in Al Jurf in Abu Dhabi. Bringing its methods from Spain, the clinic will offer treatments aimed at preserving health and improving vitality, underscoring how longevity is fast becoming the next frontier in travel.
The natural approach Away from prescribed treatments and clinical programmes lies another side of longevity travel, one rooted in observation rather than intervention. These journeys take travellers to the world’s so-called Blue Zones, a term coined by author, researcher and National Geographic Explorer Dan Buettner to describe regions with unusually high numbers of centenarians. After years of field research, Buettner concluded that people in these areas live long, healthy lives largely due to their community and environment. For travellers, visiting these destinations offers
the chance to observe daily routines, absorb habits and take ideas home to apply in their own lives. In Sardinia, Italy, for instance, longevity is shaped by a combination of diet, movement and social connection. Locals stay active, walking daily across hilly terrain; they cook with local produce, favouring whole foods and limited meat; and they prioritise time with friends and extended family. On the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica, another
Blue Zone, similar patterns emerge. Time spent in local villages reveals physically active lives, whether through manual labour or everyday household tasks. Diets are nutritionally rich, centred on beans, squash and corn — the so-called ‘three sisters’ — and packed with fibre, vitamins and plant-based protein. Many locals also speak of having a plan de vida, a reason to wake up each morning, which gives life a strong sense of purpose. Then there’s Singapore, which Buettner has
dubbed a Blue Zone 2.0. Here, longevity is less about traditional lifestyles and more about thoughtful, government-led design. Policies tackle factors such as loneliness — a key determinant of lifespan — through initiatives like grants that encourage families to live close to elderly relatives. Travellers will also notice hawker markets
displaying ‘healthier option’ stickers, an abundance of outdoor fitness facilities and covered walkways that make the city highly walkable. Singapore may not offer habits that can be easily replicated back home, but it presents a compelling model and plenty of food for thought.
The Blue Zones Secrets for Living Longer: Lessons From the Healthiest Places on Earth is the latest instalment in Dan’s series for National Geographic, available in bookshops and online
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER – SPA & WELLNESS COLLECTION 7
IMAGES: GETTY; CLINIQUE LE PRAIRIE; SHA EMIRATES
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