Digital Detox

Unplug And Reconnect With What's Important At These 10 Destinations

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You might have a case of nomophobia and not even know it.

The term - short for "no mobile phone phobia" - describes the fear of not being able to use your cell phone or other smart device, according to CNN.

If you suffer from nomophobia, you're not alone. A recent study by global tech protection and support company Asurion revealed some disturbing facts about Americans' cell phone usage. The average person struggles to go little more than 10 minutes without checking their phone. On average, Americans do so once every 12 minutes - which totals about 80 times a day.

So, it should come as no surprise that more and more travel destinations worldwide are offering tech addicts unplugged and unconnected getaways, sometimes described as "analog destinations." Augmented by other wellness offerings, these experiences are designed to help guests digitally detox and reconnect with what's important.

Melania Lopez, marketing and sales director at Tabacon Thermal Resort & Spa in Costa Rica - which offers such an analog vacation experience - agrees that people today are so tech-obsessed that they miss out on the world around them.

"We have hundreds of species of local plants and wildlife on property, and we feel that guests can best experience this when they digitally disconnect," she says. "When you're not preoccupied with your phone, email and other technology, it's much easier to notice your surroundings and enjoy the beauty of this resort."

People today are overloaded with technology, Lopez observes: "Our guests come here to relax, and from the moment they slip into their plush bathrobes and visit the hot springs, technology is the last thing on their mind - trust me. Even for those travelers who seek adventure and test their limits with some of the region's more adrenaline-focused activities, disconnecting from technology allows them to fully unwind, focus on the moment and really appreciate the experience." 

Here are some of our favorite spots worldwide to digitally detox.

Lake Placid Lodge

Lake Placid, New York

Without cell phones (they're confiscated at check-in) or TV, guests have little choice but to enjoy a digital detox at this award-winning North Woods retreat directly on the shores of Lake Placid.

No one's complaining, though, because the beauty of the Adirondacks surrounds them, and outdoor activities abound. Use of snowshoes, canoes and mountain bikes are complimentary, and nightly boat tours on the lodge's 35-foot mahogany Hacker-Craft are recommended.

Rooms and cabins, with spectacular views, rest beneath swaying trees. Stone fireplaces, deep soaking tubs and cloud-soft beds can be found in rooms.

Visit lakeplacidlodge.com.

Tabacon Thermal Resort & Spa

San Carlos, Costa Rica

Spread across 900 acres of protected rainforest - with hot springs and waterfalls naturally heated by the magma inside the nearby Arenal Volcano - this resort makes you feel like you're in the middle of a jungle. Landscaped gardens surround the lodge, and there's a natural hot spring as well as thermal mineral-water pools onsite.

Some Wi-Fi is available, but there is little to no cell service. Guests are encouraged to unwind with activities such as soaking in the hot springs (known for their many health benefits), enjoying spa treatments or yoga, and observing the local wildlife as there are hundreds of native species right on property. Guests can also participate in environmental initiatives, like the hotel's plant-a-tree program.

Visit tabacon.com.

Golden Door

San Marcos, California

This pricey camp for the rich and famous, surrounded by 600 acres of rolling mountains, is renowned for its health and wellness programming. Past celeb guests include Oprah Winfrey, Nicole Kidman and Barbra Streisand.

Visitors fuel up with three healthy meals and two snacks daily. They can also spend time being scrubbed, rubbed and wrapped by spa pros. Pampering is welcome, especially after partaking in a variety of more than 40 personalized fitness offerings, including Zumba, yoga, tennis, archery, hiking and personal training. Acupuncture and cooking classes are available, too, but guests may do as much - or as little - as they like. After a while, they won't give cell phones or laptops a second thought. And they leave with a personalized, at-home fitness plan.

Visit goldendoor.com.

Turtle Island Fiji

Turtle Island, Fiji

Couples looking to reconnect - and boost their health - sans technology have many options at Turtle Island Fiji, an all-inclusive, five-star resort that encompasses an entire island. Only 14 couples at a time are allowed to vacation in the resort's villas.

Guests can go horseback riding, diving, snorkeling, kayaking, hiking or mountain biking; participate in local tribal ceremonies; or enjoy a sunset cruise. Meals are a healthy culinary delight with seafood from local waters and produce grown on the island.

The shop is the only spot where Wi-Fi can be found, which is one reason couples who come here end up connecting with each other as opposed to their social media pals.

Visit turtlefiji.com.

Bay of Fires Lodge Walk

Tasmania, Australia

To bunk at Bay of Fires Lodge, guests must be taking part in one of the four-day walks offered from October to May. Walks take place in a remote, pristine area of Tasmania. Guides lead guests along secluded beaches and other magical settings to teach them about the region's history, wildlife and landscape.

Besides the walks, activities include kayaking; fishing; snorkeling; and spotting native wildlife such as wombats, wallabies, Forester kangaroos and Tasmanian devils. Spa services and native cuisine win rave reviews. Cell service is spotty, and Wi-Fi is nonexistent.

Visit taswalkingco.com.au/bay-of-fires-lodge-walk.

Tierra Patagonia

Torres de Paine, Chile

Located on a portion of Estancia Cerro Guido, a 100-year-old working ranch that tends 50,000 sheep and 2,000 cattle, this resort and spa truly takes guests away from urban stress. Owners of the resort are committed to protecting the privileged location and natural setting.

Food is locally sourced. Cell service is nonexistent, there are no TVs and Wi-Fi is only available in common areas. This forced divorce from technology allows guests to be fully present for adventures such as glacier hikes, exploratory horseback rides and catch-and-cook fly fishing.

Rooms are only available from November to May to avoid the brutal winter weather.

Visit tierrahotels.com/patagonia.

Ultima Thule Lodge

Chitina, Alaska

The only way to get to this five-cabin resort in the 13-million-acre Wrangell-St. Elias National Park is by bush plane. And don't go hunting for cell service - there isn't any!

Ultima Thule Lodge is owned by the Claus family, and family members fly guests in and out themselves. Adventure is key here, with activities such as skiing, rafting, fly fishing, hiking and viewing the Northern Lights. Meals feature Alaskan game and fish, vegetables from the Claus family garden, fresh-baked bread and pastries, and glacier water.

Back in their cabins, vacationers can stretch out on a bearskin rug and gaze at the majestic mountains and the Chitina River.

Visit ultimathulelodge.com.

Travaasa Hana

Maui, Hawaii

Technical distractions like TV aren't found in guest rooms at this all-inclusive retreat, set amid rolling fields and palm trees in a rural part of Maui.

And guests won't care about checking Instagram or Facebook to see what friends are up to because they'll be too busy stand-up paddle- boarding, canoeing, going on glider adventures or taking hula lessons. They can also meditate, join a boot-camp fitness class, go bamboo pole fishing and take a trail ride on unspoiled land.

They'll want to save time for the spa, which offers an array of massages, healing rituals, beauty treatments and personalized services using organic, bioenergetic products.

Visit travaasa.com/hana.

Villa Stéphanie

Baden-Baden, Germany

Villa Stéphanie - a destination spa with accommodations, located in the Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa - stands ready to help guests unplug with an option to turn off the wireless connection in its 15 rooms and suites.

Located in the bucolic spa town of Baden-Baden in southwest Germany, this cutting-edge medical spa is housed in a former royal residence. The resort is known for exceptional old-school service that combines pleasure with health results, losing weight with enjoyment, and medical effectiveness with a welcoming atmosphere. The "house of well-being" focuses on four areas: beauty services, detox and nutrition, emotional balance, and medical care, offering everything from an annual check-up to a seven-day detox program with options for aesthetic dentistry services and more.

Visit oetkercollection.com/destina tions/villa-stephanie.

Greyfield Inn

Cumberland Island, Georgia

Cumberland Island, the site of John F. Kennedy Jr.'s top-secret wedding, was once almost entirely owned by the Andrew Carnegie family. In the 1970s, the wealthy businessman's kin sold it to the government after it was named a national seashore.

Today, the island has very few residents (and even fewer cars), and cell reception is patchy at best. The Greyfield Inn, Cumberland Island's only commercial establishment, doesn't have Wi-Fi. Guests spend their days hiking beneath 300-year-old live oaks draped in Spanish moss, cycling over crushed shell pathways, searching for wild horses or other wildlife, exploring ruins and simply connecting with nature.

Visit greyfieldinn.com. O