There’s been a noticeable shift in wellness over the last few years. People still search for yoga retreats, meditation apps, breathwork classes, and mindfulness routines — but increasingly, they also seem drawn toward experiences that feel less polished and more emotionally grounding.

Mount Popa, a Buddhist monastery topping an extinct volcano in Myanmar, is home to the Nat spirits and numerous monkeys awaiting treats from pilgrims to Mount Popa.

Some things can provide you with access to a certain place: let’s say, wine tasting may be your key to Tuscany, surfing – a key to Hawaii or techno clubs - a key to Berlin. One of the ways to understand the soul of Crete may be through counting its sheep (and goats).

In a place like Ecoparque Aluxes in Palenque, you may watch the jungle animals in an animal park without being the reason for their imprisonment and suffering. The animals there are rescued ones.