EDITOR & FOUNDER’S NOTE
I don’t know when spas became my thing. Somewhere between eucalyptus steam rooms and post-massage bliss, something clicked. I fell in love with Jeju Sauna , a Korean jjimjilbang in Atlanta, where you get scrubbed down like your mom bathed you as a kid - thorough and unapologetic. I began collecting skincare souvenirs the way some people collect postcards ( Malie Organics mango butter bun in Hawaii, Mud from Glen Ivy in Corona, CA). And on my way home from Zanzibar, I did a Dubai stopover just to go to the hammam at One & Only Royal Mirage — marble slab, black soap, steam thick enough to quiet your thoughts, and that deep exhale you don’t realize you’ve been holding. Over the years, I’ve come to understand wellness need not be dramatic, restrictive, or aesthetic-first. Instead, it became intentional, ritualized. That can look like a yoga retreat in Costa Rica, or a stay at a desert hot springs - just remember to pack your U.B.B. stick as part of your skincare ritual. It can be as simple as a nightly cup of anti-anxiety tea or choosing hydration over champagne at 35,000 feet. The more I travel, the more I recognize that many of the practices we celebrate today didn’t originate in luxury spas or in TikTok shops. Gua sha. Rice water. Sheet masks. Argan oil. These rituals were born in culture — rooted in community, natural ingredients, and holistic care long before they became mainstream. And that’s the kind of wellness I’m drawn to. Not performative. Not rushed. Not commodified. But contextual. Experiential. Lived. This month, we’re featuring wellness the LEGGO way: Solo travel as self-devotion — because sometimes the most therapeutic trip is the one you take by yourself A cultural guide to global beauty rituals that transcend borders — and where to experience them at the source In-flight wellness habits that protect your glow before you even land A curated edit of extraordinary retreats, from disciplined bootcamps to soul-soothing sanctuaries Spa-forward cruising that blends ocean air with thermal suites and sunrise yoga Looking for balance, discipline and indulgence? Structure and softness? Stillness and movement? Whether it’s a hammam in Morocco, Ayurveda in India, a sauna in Scandinavia, a cenote ceremony in Mexico, or a thermal suite at sea — this issue is about travel that restores you from the inside out. Travel that doesn’t just look good in photos. Travel that feels good in your body. Travel that helps you come back softer, clearer, glowing.
IJUS travel
LEGGO | FEB '26
Founder & Editor, Leggo | IJUS Travel
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