Do you know what Blue Mind Theory is? You might not know the scientific definition, but if you’ve ever felt happiness and peace while standing at the ocean’s edge, you’re more informed than you realize. Curious about the viral travel trend everyone seems to be talking about? Read on.
My back is on fire. I curse myself for not applying sunscreen as I inadvertently step on a sharp shell. This is ironic, as searching for shells is why I’m out here in the first place. I crouch down to pull the spiny sliver of calcium carbonate from my big toe and clumsily fall backward. Sand is now in places sand should never be. I stand up, my blood pressure rising along with me.
Then I look ahead. The Caribbean Sea fills my view—miles and miles of white caps and blue waves. Within seconds, I’m relaxed. I sit back down. There’s just something about the sea.
The human body is made up of about 60% water. So says the U.S. Geological Survey website. I keep scrolling, unconvinced, expecting to be told the other 40% is made up of peanut butter and jelly. Still doubting the source, I pose the question to Google, ChatGPT, and my dad. Asking my dad is a critical error—thirty-six minutes I’ll never get back.
If our bodies are composed of 60% water, it’s not hard to understand our reliance on and attraction to it. While most of us know we need water for sustenance and nourishment, how many of us know how water affects our minds?
Blue Mind Theory, Theoretically
I first learn about Blue Mind Theory via Instagram, my primary news source since November 12th. Don’t judge; my stress level is currently the same as a mini Goldendoodle. Biologist Dr. Wallace J. Nicols describes this theory in his national bestselling book, Blue Mind. Nicols contends that being in or near water induces a semi-meditative state that positively affects our minds and bodies. I concur, my burnt back and speared toe notwithstanding.
A decade later, propelled by influencers floating in the Aegean or bikini-clad under tropical waterfalls, Blue Mind Theory has a social life of its own. The travel industry is embracing it as a new wellness trend despite the fact there’s nothing all that new about it.
Hot springs in Iceland are calming and restorative? Ocean views from the top of St Lucia’s Pitons make me feel reflective and meditative? Not new news. But when I dig deeper into Nicols’ theory, I realize these semi-naked Tik-Tokers are on to something.
Is Blue Mind Theory just a repackaged product hotels and resorts want us to buy? What does Blue Mind Theory have to do with our next vacation? Is Green Mind Theory next? If you’re curious about how being near water can affect your quality of life, lower stress levels, and promote happiness (theoretically), this post is for you.
Finding the Source
How often have I been in or around water without recognizing its inherent qualities? I’ve taken for granted how water affects my well-being. Now that I think about it, many of my favorite travel memories revolve around water. When I plan vacations, it almost always revolves around a water feature.
Being near water quiets the noise in my mind. And that’s not only because the sound of waves is so soothing. Water helps me unwind, whether that be in a pool, a lake, an ocean, or a bathtub.
The moments I’ve felt most relaxed on vacation float to the surface of my mind: sinking into a milky white geothermal pool at the Blue Lagoon, beside a mirror-flat sea at sunset in Nicaragua, before a deafening waterfall in Costa Rica. The list goes on.
Water is the common thread. Contentment and joy are the common outcomes.
TikTok and Blue Mind Theory
I watch @ronjaedsmo’s TikTok video on repeat. Who’s Ronja Edsmo? Until I started researching this article, I hadn’t had a clue. Gentle, melodic guitar strings pluck away in the background while swoon-worthy beach scenes fill the screen. Itty bitty san serf type asks the viewer, “Have you ever wondered why you seem to feel better when you are near the ocean?”
Lots of people are wondering. Ronja’s video has 1.8 million views.
Water’s Significance, Culturally
Ronja’s video makes me feel—to use a technical term—good. Now I’m wondering, too. Why do we feel better when we are near the ocean? I do some research, and several reasons back up the theory. For one, water is a symbol of restoration. Many cultures and religions use water in rituals to signify cleansing, renewal, and peace and to offer psychological comfort and joy.
Hinduism has sacred rivers, like the Ganges, that cleanse sins and provide a spiritual rebirth. In Buddhism, temple water offerings symbolize clarity and the intention to nurture a peaceful mind. In Japan, misogi is a Shinto purification ritual where people wash their hands, mouths, or entire bodies in a natural water source, like a river or waterfall, to clear impurities.
Water is aesthetically pleasing. There’s a psychological reason behind those doctor’s office aquariums and gurgling hotel fountains. Water features improve our mood and reduce anxiety. Ask any parent waiting for a doctor with a sick toddler in tow. Watching tropical fish glide around fake coral and seaweed is the best medicine—or at least the best distraction.
Lastly, water-based activities like surfing, kayaking, or snorkeling promote physical fitness and boost our satisfaction in life. Beaches, lakes, and swimming pools unite families and foster a sense of belonging and happiness. A deep, oversized hotel bathtub with suds, bubbles, and salts is all I need to feel content after a long travel day.
Where to Find A Blue Mind
The travel gods are constantly recycling trends. With dreamy Instagram reels, they drum up excitement for us to pack our bags and go. This imaginative reinvention is welcome. I don’t mind elevating camping to glamping. I can accept that the hottest vacations these days are coolcations. Call it whatever you want, Travel + Leisure, I’m ready.
As wellness and health-focused destinations gain traction, hotels and resorts are reframing their offerings to keep up. At one time, a typical spa covered saunas, steam, massages, and facials—maybe even a yoga class in the most woo-woo destinations.
Today, wellness is far more niche. At some Arctic resorts in Finnish Lapland, rooms come with private saunas. Other hotels have bedding and robe menus to accompany their water menus. (I’m a tap water girl, myself). Many of these wellness programs overlap in one specific area. An area that takes up nearly 60% of our bodies. Water.
The planet is big and blue. Finding places to cultivate a blue mind isn’t hard. Maybe your blue mind is whale-watching in Mexico or on a sailboat in Croatia? Perhaps your brand of blue is a water-based wellness spa in Costa Rica or an adrenaline-filled polar expedition to Antarctica? Since learning about Blue Mind Theory, I’ve curated a list of my most memorable water-based destinations. The places I’ve felt the most energized, most restored, and most importantly, the most in sync with the world.
Add blue to your travel wish list with these five water-centric destinations. All will inspire you to develop a blue mind.
5 Mind-Blowing Blue Mind Destinations
1 / THE WELL, Hacienda AltaGracia, Costa Rica
Costa Rica’s luxury wellness property, Hacienda AltaGracia, features THE WELL—a spa that nurtures whole-person healing, combining Eastern and Western practices, meditation, body, and holistic treatments.
Located at the top of the property’s 180 lush, tropical acres, THE WELL encompasses over 20,000 square feet of naturally lit, jaw-dropping space. Architecturally, the setting exudes calm and serenity. It intentionally brings the outdoors in. Three oversized windowed walls surround an oversized tranquility pool that mirrors the sky. Two symmetrical square hot tubs flank the pool. The combination of cobalt blue pools and the endless blue sky is ‘pura vida’ at its finest.
If that’s not enough to activate a blue mind, Hacienda AltaGracia’s other unique selling point is its on-property river bath. In this immersive wellness experience, the chorus of nature is the only soundtrack. With a riverside meditation and a 60-minute herbal bath, the river bath was designed to lower stress levels and enter a meditative state—naturally. No wonder THE WELL is one of the world’s leading wellness centers.
2 / Privately Chartered Gulet in Croatia
Gulets are traditional Turkish wooden sailing vessels. While once humble fishing boats, today, gulets have been creatively repurposed for tourism. Especially popular in countries like Croatia, Turkey, and Greece, watching the world go by from a privately chartered gulet is unlike any traditional water-based holiday.
It’s easy to develop a blue mind when sailing simply because there’s no escaping the sea. On a gulet, life revolves around it. The water is only absent when I shut my eyes at night. But even then, it always finds its way into my dreams.
Gulets come with a staff, including a captain, chef, and other deckhands, to cater to guests’ every whim. The captain and crew help guests create itineraries to weave around islands and find hidden bays and coves only accessible by boat.
Whether watching dolphins at sunrise or sitting with an Aperol Spritz at dusk, nearly every spot on a gulet induces a peaceful state. And as most gulets come stocked with water toys, like stand-up paddles, snorkeling equipment, and kayaks, being in the sea is as therapeutic as looking at it.
3 / Esperanza, An Auberge Resort, Cabo San Lucas
Waves crash against the jagged cliffs, sending bursts of salty spray into the air. From this high perch, I admire the Sea of Cortez, dazzling in deep blue hues. The Punta Ballena coast, named for its whale’s tail shape, looks barren. The water is serene. Yet, below the surface, marine life thrives. Over ten species of whales live here, including sperm, blue, and humpback—the namesakes of this magical Mexican coastline. However, the sea, the coast, and whales are only a part of what makes this Cabo resort so captivating for blue-mind-seeking travelers.
Esperanza is one of three Auberge properties in Mexico. That Esperanza has upped the ante on water-based wellness is clear. Their Sabiduria ritual explores ancestral connection through water. Los Elementos balances well-being through natural elements: water, fire, air, and Earth. Pasaje de Agua is a 30-minute hydrotherapy circuit that uses heated lava rocks in a steam house to purify and cleanse.
These water-based experiences are designed to help travelers achieve harmony within their bodies and souls. Although I think the post-treatment options are equally nurturing, like napping under a shaggy thatched umbrella on the beach.
4 / Antarctic Expedition
Not all blue mind trips involve sun-drenched beaches and thatched umbrellas. Suspend your disbelief for a moment and consider the poles. The big white continent to our south has much to offer a traveler seeking a meditative state. While not the first vacation that comes to mind for wellness, Antarctica’s utter remoteness is other-worldly. Gazing upon iceberg-dotted waters of the Southern Ocean while crossing the Drake Passage can humble even the strongest minds.
Whether witnessing this unique part of the world by boat or plane, the vastness of Antarctica can’t be underestimated. Endless blue seas are offset by icebergs, glaciers, and snow-covered landscapes as far as the eye can see, making it nearly impossible to compute the landscape mentally.
My expedition on the Ultramarine, Quark’s purpose-built Arctic vessel, was one of my most life-changing trips. Twice-daily Zodiac boat rides, helicopter experiences, and sea kayaking excursions ignited an unexplainable sense of happiness within me. It’s difficult to feel stress when surrounded by such overwhelming beauty. Blue Mind Theory, at work.
5 / Ponds of Vermont
Vermont has been a part of my life for decades. When I think about Stowe, I don’t conjure up double black diamonds or red and yellow maple leaves. I think about ponds. I’m not alone; as many Vermonters can attest, pond life goes hand in hand with Vermont life.
My parents live on a pond in Stowe. It mirrors watercolor swatches of the sky at sunset. It’s the primary residence of dozens of croaking frogs. The pond sometimes freezes over in the winter, daring me to walk across it. I never do. This small, cattail-lined pond holds memories of my childhood. It also holds memories of my kids’ childhoods. My blue mind started at this pond—long before Blue Mind Theory went viral.
Of course, you don’t have to live in Vermont to embrace pond life. When visiting Stowe, consider staying at the Green Mountain Inn, renting a bike, and looping over the bridges that dot the Rec Path. Head to Moss Glen Falls, where an easy wildflower-filled walk will lead you to an enchanting waterfall. Or, simply go pond-hunting. There are thousands to be found. Jump in, but be warned, the water is cold.
Are You a Blue Mind?
If you’ve ever felt stress and anxiety melt away because of your proximity to a body of water, you’ve experienced a form of Blue Mind Theory. If sitting near glacier-fed lakes and towering waterfalls induces a magical, meditative state, you’ve ignited your blue mind.
Does it really matter that this concept isn’t new? Not to me. What’s important is that I recognize it. I don’t need Ronja’s video to spell it out. But sometimes, I need a reminder. And in case you’ve wondered, Green Mind Theory is a thing, too. But that’s a subject for another post.
I rise again, shaking off the sand, along with my foul mood. My back isn’t so red, and the shell that pierced my toe is a keeper—a Lace Murex, one of my favorites. Yes, our bodies are made up of almost 60% water—no wonder the pull is so strong. Time to dive in.
Want to learn more? Get Wallace J. Nicols’ book, Blue Mind here
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