Mr & Mrs Smith

Gaia's all-inclusive, so you may not wish to stray outside for gourmet treats. However, if you fancy an alternative take on fresh, local, organic food, then head for leafy Harvest Café (02 6687 2644), in nearby Newrybar. Set in a rambling cottage, it’s a lovely spot for alfresco dining on balmy verandas, offering vegetarian and gluten-free dishes. Choose from more than 20 boutique wines by the glass, or cocktails if you fancy retoxing. Stop for lunch at Fishheads (02 6687 2883), in historic village Bangalow, and enjoy fresh oysters, grilled scallops on the half-shell or the seafood plate.

Gaia's Amala Day Spa offers a comprehensive spa menu with over 40 revitalising treatments for both men and women, as well as couples-focussed massages. Reviving therapies are tailored to your personal journey and needs, with some rituals inspired by native Australian bush herbs and spirituality. You can chill out with daily yoga, meditation, tai chi, Qi Gong or sound healing; sweat it out with a personal trainer, tennis coaching, body balance, Pilates or cardio circuit; get creative with sculpture classes, or get personal with counselling, a tarot reading or a health and wellbeing talk. Alternatively, detox in the sauna or  take a dip in the heated outdoor salt-water pool. There are some fabulous beaches in the area, but they're a good 30-minute drive away, so not super-convenient while you're here. Gaia's 20 acres of manicured gardens and lush, sub-tropical grounds are also great for strolling or lounging on a well-placed outdoor deck, hammock or day bed, with serenity-enhancing views of breaktaking hills and easterly sea vistas to soothe that urban stress away. Set on the highest point in the area (in an area also revered by Aborigines), the views of rolling hills and green valleys are a bonus if you fancy an al fresco massage or yoga session. We recommend the seat/day bed behidn the property away from the main lodge as you walk to the yoga room for watching sunrise or sunset in total tranquillity. There are bush walks and bike rides to be had here too, and an outdoor fire pit if you just want to sit alone a while and soak it all in. Before you go, the retreat has its own rainforest regeneration programme, where each guest is invited to plant a tree in honour of Mother Earth (which is what 'Gaia' means). As founder Olivia Newton-John says, 'This is a place where you can communicate with nature and get a sense of spirituality, and what is really important in life – that's why Gaia is the perfect name.'