Tour added to wishlist!
Support Centre
Call us, we're open today 9am - 7pm EST / 6am - 4pm PST Open today 9am - 7pm EST / 6am - 4pm PST 1 888 216 3401 1 888 216 3401
My Explore
Wishlist
Trip Search
Menu
Save up to 20% off
Big Blue Sale -
Save up to 20% off

Digital detox getaways: Why we need to unplug to unwind

From sailing down the Brazilian Amazon to camping in Mongolia, unplugged travel has never been more in demand. But could you cope with a week without Wi-Fi? Amanda Statham investigates.

Written by Amanda Statham for The Explorer magazine
Published: 3 December 2025


The need for total disconnect from our increasingly digital lives has never been greater. In a world where doom scrolling, checking emails and clicking on Facebook alerts day and night is the new norm, we’re overloaded, overstimulated and desperate for a break from it all.

 

Which is why digital detox holidays are so much in demand. As the lines between work and home become increasingly blurred, the need for separation is stronger than ever and the inevitable backlash has begun – we’re craving places without TVs, phone signal or Wi-Fi.

 

According to this 2025 Hilton Trends report, 24% of adults say they intend  to reduce social media during their holidays, but many want to go further and ensure they not only reduce it but ditch it altogether, at least for a week or two.

What are the benefits of a digital detox?

To those from a generation who remember what life was like before the Internet, a digital detox might not sound like a big deal, but for anyone who has grown up with a screen the thought of being completely cut off can be unnerving – being connected feels more necessity than need.

 

  • Better sleep
  • Lower blood pressure
  • Reduced anxiety

 

It's vital that holidays allow us time to truly disconnect. The solution is to stay somewhere where the decision is made for you; a place where there’s no option but to switch off and combat the burnout that comes from the daily digital grind.

Do digital detoxes actually work?

Resorts such as Kamalaya in Thailand, for example, have introduced a digital detox break, where you surrender your smartphone and there’s no Wi-Fi, TV or technological devices – it’s just you and your natural surroundings.

 

Meanwhile Hyde Bodrum resort in Turkey has introduced  'Disconnect Dinners’ at its restaurant overlooking the ocean, where your phone is handed in on arrival, meaning you’re forced to watch the sunset rather than your screen.

 

Yoga teacher Hannah Campbell, who co-runs digital-free Benourished retreats in the UK and abroad, says guests tend to arrive with some resistance and anxiety about being away from devices. To ease the process she helps them set boundaries ahead of the retreat, such as creating an ‘out of office’ for emails, and letting loved ones know the venue’s phone number incase of emergencies. The result? “By day two the disconnection from tech allows for a deeper connection, sense of freedom and headspace.”

“I’d love it if there were more places without Wi-Fi as it enables you to switch off properly and connect with one another.”


 

Where can I go for a digital detox?

With so much of the world now online, it’s harder than ever to fully escape the World Wide Web (I’ve received messages about non-uniform days from the school mum’s WhatsApp group while in the Okavango Delta in Botswana). Thankfully some travel experiences do still exist where it’s possible to fully unplug, at least for part of the trip:

 

Mongolia Explorer: 

Looking for a green place to disconnect? The wide planes of Mongolia could be what you’re after. During this 15-day trip, there's no choice but to abandon your devices as you’ll be staying in an authentic off-grid Mongolian Ger camp while discovering the Gobi Desert and sacred Orkohn Valley. The main restaurant tent might have enough electricity to charge your camera battery, but that’s about it.

 

Brazilian Amazon by Boat: 

Disconnecting from technology often means connecting more with the present moment. People who embrace the opportunity to unplug frequently report having more meaningful conversations and travel experiences. Sailing down the Brazilian Amazon on a boat without Wi-Fi means you’re forced to immerse yourself in the rich ecosystem surrounding you rather than commenting about it on social media.

 

Maldives Dhoni Cruise:

Did you know that water environments have restorative psychological effects – the sounds alone can reduce stress hormones and promote relaxation. The Maldives archipelago might be remote, but most of the five-star resorts have faster Wi-Fi than home. Not so on our eight-day Maldives Dhoni Cruise, where you’re able to disconnect and spend your time on board diving, exploring uninhabited islands and sleeping on deck beneath the stars rather than scrolling.

 

Kilimanjaro Trek: 

More and more people are deciding to spend their holiday off-grid. Nothing focuses the mind like a long walk, take it to the next level with a Kilimanjaro Trek where there’ll be no Wi-Fi and virtually no phone signal, meaning all you have to concentrate on is reaching the summit (the highest point in Africa). Choose between the Lemosho or Rongai routes.

 

Inca Trail: 

Or how about trekking the Inca Trail in Peru? Nine days WiFi-free and virtually no phone signal, allowing you to fully absorb the beauty of the Andes Mountains and magnificent Machu Picchu. You'll gain all of the best digital detox benefits while ticking off one of the world's best bucket-list experiences.

 

 

How can I create a family digital detox?

Technoference (the way in which technology disrupts our human interactions) is particularly relevant to families, with many parents becoming increasingly exasperated at trying to interact with a screen-addicted teen. Gen Z and Gen Alpha are the first generations to have come of age fully online and excessive screen time is a big problem.

 

According to digital wellbeing site It’s Time To Log Off, UK children spend at least six-and-a-half-hours a day on screens, meaning they are literally scrolling their lives away. Little wonder so many parents want to use precious family holiday time to disconnect from devices and reconnect with each other.

 

TV director Simon Hynd and his wife Michelle took their two teens Ellen, 14, and Dylan, 16, to stay in an off-grid cabin in Portland, Oregon and say they all reaped the benefits: "We played card games and charades, went for walks and prepared and ate delicious food. I’d love it if there were more places without Wi-Fi as it enables you to switch off properly and connect with one another.”

How to help teens and tweens switch off

With more than half of teenagers in the UK admitting they feel addicted to social media, according to data from the Millennium Cohort Study, it’s no wonder parents are looking for digital detox holidays for teens. Here’s how to make it as pain-free as possible.

 

  1. Model the behaviour you want to see. If you can’t put your own phone or laptop down, how can you expect your teen too? Commit to a screen-free holiday, and stick to it.
  2. Make sure there are plenty of replacement activities. Smartphone use and social media is addictive and when they can’t access them they’re going to experience withdrawal symptoms, so it’s good to plan an itinerary with plenty of distractions, from hikes to white water rafting.
  3. Keep screens out of sight. Put phones (yours included) in a bag at the start of the holiday and keep them there for the duration.
  4. Invest in a digital camera. They’ll want to use their phone to take pictures, but encourage them to take snaps on a camera instead and reduce temptation.
View our family trips

Don't just travel, Explore!

Wondering how to do a digital detox? Embrace an off-grid trip, connect with nature or have a holistic body and mind adventure on one of our small group trips. Take inspiration from different cultures around the world and improve your wellbeing – no Wi-Fi necessary.

Discover more about wellbeing travel

Love this? Now read:

Wellbeing travel: the best trips for body, mind and soul
Embrace a digital detox, connect with nature and have a holistic body and mind adventure with these top wellbeing trips across the world. Take inspiration from different

Unforgettable travel experiences you've never heard of
From deserts that 'sing' to surreal white terraces in Türkiye, explore the world’s most extraordinary places and the one-of-a-kind adventures they offer. Di

9 Best trips for stargazing
Discover 9 incredible stargazing destinations, top astronomy events for the year ahead, and exclusive eclipse tours for 2026 and 2027.
VIEW ALL BLOGS