THE PLUNGE OF WELLNESS INTO GREATER DEPTHS

From stem-cell face therapy and epigenetic technology to profound silence and shamanism, feel-good spaces are becoming even more focused

ALL-OUT LAGOONS

Sure, it's cold outside in Iceland, but bubbling below the surface, geothermal energy is turning up the heat on wild-water dips in the land of fire and ice. Since the 12th century, Icelanders have soaked in silica-rich pools and hidden hot springs. But a new generation of superspas is delivering greater comfort without making the experience any less rugged. By the same architects that created Keflavik's Blue Lagoon and the recent Geosea baths, Forest Lagoon, ensconced in rock and wood, is a timber-clad complex that seems to have emerged out of the sap-scented deep. Overlooking Vaðlaskógur forest's birch and pine, the Eyja fjord and the city of Akureyri. it includes a restaurant, two infinity pools, two swim-up bars, a cold tub and sauna. An hour's drive north-east in the town of Husavik, Geosea's cliff-side seawater pools overlook a bay visited by humpbacks; while further east, near Egilsstaðir, Vök Baths have two pools suspended in a lake with water clean enough to drink.Down south, Reykjavik's Sky Lagoon has absolutely mastered the holistic hotspring experience. A seven-step ritual here includes a circuit of the sauna, rain room and body scrub, waterfall shower and drinks at a swim-up bar: good vibes all round. SARAH MARSHALL forestlagoon.is; geosea.is; vokbaths.is; skylagoon.com

CUTTING-EDGE EPIGENETICS