7 Day Holina Sober Resort on Koh Phangan, Thailand

Holina Resort sits on a sunset-facing stretch of beach on the western side of Koh Phangan, Thailand's third-largest island, and calls itself the world's first 12-step vacation destination. It is run and designed by people in long-term 12-step recovery, and the whole site is drug- and alcohol-free. A stay here is a holiday rather than a treatment programme: it is meant for guests who already have more than a year of continuous recovery and a working knowledge of the 12 steps, and who want a sober break among others who share that way of life. The resort has its own private beach, two pools, a gym, a sauna and an ice bath, a massage lounge on the sand and a restaurant serving three buffet meals a day, with breakfast included. Rooms range from standard and larger beach bungalows facing the sea to poolside junior suites, a two-bedroom bungalow and a three-bedroom house, all with air conditioning, Wi-Fi, a fridge, an en-suite bathroom and a smart TV. Fellowship is part of the week. There are 12-step meetings on site on several evenings, from AA and CA to NA and ACA, plus a morning Just For Today group, daily yoga, sound healing on Saturday evenings and plenty of time with other guests in recovery. Holina also runs its residential programmes on the same grounds, so guests are asked to give those residents space during their sessions. Beyond the resort, the island offers diving and snorkelling, boat trips, an elephant sanctuary, night markets and beach clean-ups with the local Trash Hero group, and the front desk can help with scooter hire. Stays on the Sober Resort start at seven days.