Discover the 'menu' of therapy, recovery, and regeneration at the first 'forest' retreat in Vietnam

23 hectares of water surface, 27 hectares of trees - flowers - medicinal herbs, 8km of forest bathing path, 8 layers of vegetation and 20 different retreat themes are arranged intertwined, creating a circle of therapy and comprehensive recovery for residents of Eco Retreat urban area.

Eco Retreat - the first comprehensive therapeutic, restorative and regenerative urban area in Vietnam - Photo: ECP

Everyone needs a "retreat"

The rapid urbanization, high density urbanization, hectic pace of life and current issues are the reasons why many people are gradually facing disruptions, loss of social and family connections and sometimes loss of connection with themselves.

Modern society is full of boxes passing each other, people going from buildings to cars just to keep up with the life around them.

According to research, the average person spends only half a day outdoors each week. The main light we are exposed to every day is blue light, the light from phone screens and technological devices, creating symptoms of technostress - stress due to technology.

Statistics from the Ministry of Health also warned that by 2023, Vietnam will have up to 14 million people with mental disorders, 42% of Vietnamese workers regularly experience stress and this number is continuously increasing.

The rate of people with depression, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases is getting younger, for every 3 people over 25 years old, at least 1 person is at risk of cardiovascular disease.

A living environment that helps with therapy, recovery, and regeneration is what many people are looking for - Photo: ECP

Mental and health issues in daily life are urging people to return to nature to be listened to, comforted, and return to themselves, creating the need for retreat. Just type "retreat" on Google, in 0.32 seconds, 457 million results will appear.

Retreat services have also become a favorite health therapy in Vietnam, but they follow a "passive loop" approach. When people have health problems, their spirit turns to this method to temporarily solve the external symptoms.

After a quick retreat, when we return to face the pressure, stress and constant impacts of life, we quickly feel exhausted and empty.

So, is active retreat possible? Is daily retreat possible? Can everyone retreat in their own way?

According to many health experts, retreating is not about leaving noisy places, nor running away from pressure, but it is a pause to turn off outside noise, turn on the mode to listen to your own sounds, and awaken the 6 senses.

An effective retreat is a cycle of therapy - recovery - regeneration with two important elements: nature and active therapies such as therapy, meditation, detox, yoga or hot mineral baths.

Eco Retreat - a project that helps with comprehensive therapy, recovery, and regeneration

Eco Retreat in the west of Ho Chi Minh City, just 30 minutes drive from District 1 center - Photo: ECP

Continuing the journey of sustainable real estate development, bringing to the community a rich life under the canopy of nature: rich in health, rich in green, rich in positive emotions, rich in love and rich in happy smiles, in 2025, the founder of Ecopark developed Eco Retreat in the west of Ho Chi Minh City, only 30 minutes drive from the center of District 1.

Eco Retreat bears the mark of a therapeutic, restorative, and regenerative forest design with 80% retreat therapy from nature, 20% is active retreat therapy to supplement such as mineral baths, meditation, yoga, spa therapy, nutritional counseling, and psychological counseling.

It is known that this ratio at high-end retreat resorts is currently 50 - 50%, and for daily living environments, the ratio of 80% natural therapies will help customers have convenient and sustainable retreat activities every day.

55% of Eco Retreat area is dedicated to landscaping - Photo: ECP

It can be seen that the DNA in each project of the founder of Ecopark has the same gene code: the largest area belongs to the landscape, the second largest area belongs to the infrastructure, the smallest area belongs to the housing project.

Eco Retreat is no exception, with the planning of 80% of the retreat's impact coming from nature, the area for landscape accounts for 55%, the infrastructure area accounts for 25.5% and only 19.5% is for housing construction area.

Thus, the owner of Eco Retreat can easily find his own retreat forest thanks to the golden ratio: buy 1 but enjoy a common space 4-5 times larger. Along with that is a comprehensive retreat "menu" following the retreat circle model - a continuous circle of spaces and 20 retreat themes covering 50 hectares in the core area.

8km forest bathing route at Eco Retreat - Photo: ECP

The most prominent feature of the retreat circle at Eco Retreat is the 8km forest bathing route, 1.5 times longer than the standard therapeutic forest path according to Shinrin-yoku forest bathing therapy (Japan).

Shinrin-yoku forest bathing therapy is a method of immersing oneself in nature, introduced into the national health program by the Japanese Government in 1982. This method has since been widely accepted around the world.

Statistics from Canada's national nature connection program also show that by 2023, health care providers will prescribe "30,000 nature prescriptions" per month using walks in the woods to open the senses.

The 12-hectare Swan Lake at Eco Retreat is larger than Hoan Kiem Lake, which is about 11 hectares wide - Photo: ECP

Another plus point at Eco Retreat is the therapeutic forest by the lake, where the water surface embraces the deep green forest. According to statistics, every ^1cm3 of air near the water surface will produce up to 100,000 negative ions. Just 30 minutes of walking on the negative ion path will help improve the respiratory system and stimulate happy hormones for residents.

The “treatment menu” becomes more interesting with the fresh scent of 4 million trees, flowers and 8 layers of plants. The scent of medicinal herbs, herbs and phytoncides (essential oils secreted from plants) is a natural antibiotic that helps the body boost its immune system.

Children's activity garden at Eco Retreat - Photo: ECP

In particular, to make the retreat process effective, including therapy - recovery - regeneration, the founder of Ecopark has planned 20 retreat gardens interwoven between the subdivisions. At Eco Retreat, children and teenagers have their own retreat space in the sports garden, camping garden, experience garden, and reading garden.

Hot mineral pool at Clubhouse Eco Retreat - Photo: ECP

Adults and seniors at Eco Retreat will retreat to the meditation garden, chess garden, patience garden or onsen hot spring therapy in the clubhouse area.

Studies have shown that onsen bathing should be followed by forest bathing for the best results. The eco bazaar area, which first appeared with a unique shopping space from exclusive items combined with dining and entertainment, is also an attractive destination for residents.

"Thousands of over-civilized, tired, and stressed-out people are beginning to realize that going to nature is like going home. In every walk with nature, people receive more than what they seek," John Muir (California), one of the greatest figures in American history, once shared.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/kham-pha-thuc-don-tri-lieu-phuc-hoi-tai-tao-o-khu-rung-retreat-dau-tien-viet-nam-2025030517024673.htm