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BANGKOK
"Wellness" has always been paramount in our lives, especially since the pandemic that made us put more emphasis on self-care. The concept of health and wellness includes not only physical health but also mental, emotional, and spiritual health. If you're new to retreats, looking for a journey of self-discovery, a science-driven immersion to improve your health, or looking for somewhere to fully unwind from it all, RAKxa could be the perfect place for you. In a country famous for its top medical service and hospitality, RAKxa is Thailand's first fully integrated medical and wellbeing retreat. The retreat's Vice President, Wsinee Sukjaroenkraisri, talks to us here about the benefits of the retreat, self-care, and more.
RAKxa is Thailand's first fully integrative wellness medical retreat. How has RAKxa filled this gap in the market through its immersive features?
Thailand has been long known for its renowned Thai hospitality as well as being a medical hub. With these, it is a great opportunity to integrate the two strengths to create an extraordinary experience: a medical wellness retreat. In addition, traditional Thai healing wisdom such as traditional Thai massage, Muay Thai (Thai Boxing), and Thai cuisine have long been a global favourite. These are our assets that make Thailand a destination for travellers who seek wellness vacations for centuries. With the advancement of the medical industry, which has also been progressing tremendously, Thailand has many world-class hospitals and advanced medical services. We saw the opportunity in weaving all these assets together to transcend the wellness industry in Thailand into a new chapter. For us, introducing the fully integrative wellness concept to the market is not only to fill a gap in the market, but we strongly believe this invaluable ancient healing wisdom combined with a scientifically based approach will help many people to reimagine their wellbeing like never before.
Each wellness retreat is personalised for guests upon arrival. Can you give us some case scenarios of popular programmes for specific needs?
The most common problems of our guests revolve around stress and sleep. What we focus on at RAKxa is diagnostic to find out the root cause and to personalise a holistic approach for our guests right from the beginning of their journey with us.
For example, when we talked about stress and adrenal fatigue problems, we would look at the gut-brain connection as the gut is said to be the second brain. Due to the stressful, fast-paced modern lifestyle, irregular meals, mindless eating, processed food, and ready meals may cause an imbalance in the gut microbiome, which is most linked to our emotions and thus stress. Hence, this is why there is the term 'gut feelings’.
The common recommendation would be to combine Traditional Thai YA-PAO detoxification, which uses fire elements on the abdomen to move the wind-path and release abdominal tension, with our signature sleep enhancement massage to calm the nervous system. And for those who experience fatigue from chronic stress, we can arrange the Singing Bowls healing to rebalance the energy together with a Hyperbaric chamber session for cellular rejuvenation before continuing with their personalised itinerary of the programme.
What are RAKxa's most unique offerings?
I would say that our people are our most unique offering. Any wellness retreat can compete with the variety of treatments, fancy programme combinations, or even invest in the most recent medical technology to hit the market. For us, it is the wealth of knowledge and expertise that lies within our people that could manifest all these into transformative results for our guests. Our main goal is to help our guests discover themselves, to know better and to take better care of themselves to achieve their goals in health and wellbeing. At RAKxa, guests will find that their itinerary is personalised based on deep diagnostics through a scientifically based approach. From doctors, practitioners, nutritionists to the housekeeping team, we work collaboratively towards each individual's health goals to ensure our commitment to delivering a personalised wellness journey does not end only with the guest’s itinerary. The whole journey at RAKxa is truly designed to help our guests adapt to a new healthy lifestyle and continue when they go back home as smoothly as possible.
What is the importance of self-care in today's day and age?
With a pandemic, an economic crisis, and numerous uncertainties all happening at the same time, the meaning of self-care has been prioritised and redefined. We consider preventive care not only for ourselves but also for our planet as we take a more holistic view of the relationship between our mind, body, and the environment we live in. Self-care goes beyond a superficial level into taking a deeper understanding of the world within and around oneself. We have learned during the pandemic that "Health is Wealth". Staying away from anything that causes inflammation in our body, and embracing positivity and conscious consumption are the main topics in self-care today and beyond. At RAKxa, sustainable well-being has been our main practice for both our guests and the community. Most of our herbs and ingredients are locally sourced and freshly prepared prior to each treatment session to ensure the best possible outcomes for our guests.
Who can benefit from a retreat at RAKxa?
We provide comprehensive treatment programmes which include both medical and traditional treatments, for example, immunity booster, weight management, detox, gut health, and advanced aesthetics, which are ideal for those who look for transformative results. We do have starter programmes like Discover RAKxa and Sense of RAKxa for guests who are looking for a wellness retreat that helps them start off their wellness journey right as well. At RAKxa, you don’t have to be an experienced wellness traveller to get the full benefit out of our programme. If you are looking for a vacation that could take you on a journey within yourself and leave you with a lasting impression on your own wellbeing, which will benefit you for a lifetime, then RAKxa is the right destination for you.
What makes RAKxa the perfect retreat?
Situated in the Green Lung of Bangkok, yet easily accessible from Bangkok’s international airports and city centre, it's ideal for guests looking to immerse themselves in a comprehensive retreat holiday or to combine their wellness program with a business, leisure, or health check-up trip to Bangkok, 40 minutes away to fully immerse in the culture and nature of Bang Krachao Island and the view of the Chao Phraya River. With our concept of being the only fully integrative wellness and medical retreat in Thailand with Bumrungrad Hospital as our partner, we are able to provide the most comprehensive lab tests and personalised programmes that are optimised for each guest’s health condition. During the stay, guests will experience luxury Thai hospitality and healthy fine dining amidst a botanical wellness atmosphere from the retreat ambience to the villa decoration. Every detail is designed to not only enhance our guests' health but to elevate the most relaxing and rejuvenating experience for all.
What's next for RAKxa?
We are excited to share with you that we have upcoming wellness projects this year and next. They will be more inclusive and dynamic in response to the changing and increasing demands for wellness. Please stay tuned!
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RAKxa: Wellness and Medical Retreat
Website: www.rakxawellness.com | Email: rakxa@rakxawellness.com | Instagram: @rakxawellness
Address: 28/8 Moo 9, Bangnamphung Sub-District, Phra Pradaeng District, Samutprakarn Province, 10130, Thailand | Phone: +66 2055 3100