Multi-generational healing and recovery space at Eco Retreat

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Multi-generational healing and recovery space at Eco Retreat

Project news

12/03/2025

Eco Retreat dedicates 50 hectares to 20 utility gardens arranged in a circle with an 8 km forest bathing path for children to exercise and develop, adults and the elderly to regenerate energy and take care of their health.

Eco Retreat urban area of Ecopark founder is 220 hectares wide, located in the west of Ho Chi Minh City. The project is about 30 minutes from Bach Dang wharf (District 1) along Vo Van Kiet Avenue - Ho Chi Minh City - Trung Luong Expressway.

The project is built according to the model of therapy, recovery, regeneration with the core area of 50 hectares of retreat space distributed in a circle with themed gardens arranged in a row. Multi-generational residents can find a suitable retreat program thanks to this model.

Space for children to develop

Ecopark expects children at Eco Retreat will not depend on phones, iPads, but can run barefoot to explore the natural world, learn and develop every day. From the orientation of the house, the founder plans fruit gardens, vitamin D gardens, reading gardens, exercise gardens... for children.

Vườn vận động của trẻ nhỏ. Ảnh: Ecopark

Children's sports garden. Photo: Ecopark

These facilities encourage children to increase their observation skills, physical development, and thinking. Through exploring the world around them, children learn how to adapt to social interactions, make friends easily, and increase their ability to express themselves in language. This is also how Eco Retreat promotes a comprehensive human development index, including IQ (intelligence), EQ (emotion), PQ (physical), SQ (social), CQ (creativity) and AQ (willpower).

For teenagers who are often prone to psychological crises, lack skills to cope with pressure, and are curious to explore themselves, Eco Retreat designs sports gardens, camping gardens, reading gardens, and creative squares. These spaces help expand observation, form healthy habits, and discover their own strengths and talents. "Students can practice their willpower, improve their analytical and reasoning skills, problem-solving skills, and new skills including artistic creativity," the founder said about the goals of the facilities.

Vườn camping cho lứa tuổi teen. Ảnh: Ecopark

Camping garden for teenagers. Photo: Ecopark

The effectiveness of living in nature for children and teenagers has been proven through many studies. Dr. Nooshin Razani at Benioff Children's Hospital, Oakland, UCSF, California is famous for trying to reconnect people with nature as a way to treat anxiety and depression.

In the initial project, she trained pediatricians to advise young patients and their families to make an effort to spend time in the park regularly. Travel expenses will be covered by the East Bay Regional Parks District. To guide doctors and patients about treatment, she emphasized the use of parks as a restorative therapy. Doctors give patients maps of places with parks for them to play, sightsee, and immerse themselves in nature.

Adults regenerate, recover

For adults, designing therapies requires interaction and understanding of retreat techniques. For example, the sound garden uses appropriate sound frequency therapy to bring about a positive energy state. The vitamin D garden with a view of the water welcoming the first rays of the morning sun is designed with many spaces for meditation and yoga on stone slabs. The essential oil garden is a place where adults can spend time absorbing good essences such as negative ions, phytoncides from essential oils, and also have appropriate therapeutic activities.

Vườn âm thanh tại Eco Retreat. Ảnh: Ecopark

Sound garden at Eco Retreat. Photo: Ecopark

The project also has 8 km of walking paths for forest bathing. This is a therapy based on the science of Japanese forest medicine, applied for thousands of years and included in the country's health program since 1982. Forest bathing (shinrin-yoku) means "immersing in the atmosphere of the forest". This retreat therapy is healthy, safe and sustainable, anyone can apply when there is diverse vegetation, fresh air, high levels of negative ions and phytoncides.

Yoshifumi Miyazaki, a professor at Chiba University in Japan, has studied the benefits of forest bathing. He found that retreat walks in the forest help people reduce 12.4% of stress hormones, compared to walks in the city.

In addition, the retreat circle also focuses on the need for social connection through a community of people with similar interests and concerns for the elderly. Instead of being confined to a home, the elderly can meet in the botanical garden, practice yoga in the square, or entertain and stay mentally alert with the chess garden and fishing platform in the patience garden.

Khu vực thềm câu tại vườn kiên nhẫn. Ảnh: Ecopark

The fishing platform area at the patience garden. Photo: Ecopark

The connection distance of every house in Eco Retreat to these gardens is about 200 m, right in sight. This is how the founder encourages residents to use comprehensive retreat therapy every day.

With 20 themed gardens, adults can choose amenities according to their needs such as walking in the herb garden, then playing sports and enjoying tea in the botanical garden. Residents can also step on the stone steps to massage their feet, feel the scent of essential oils, then walk to the wisdom garden for children to read books. "Generations in the family continuously expand the retreat circle, experiencing many hours together in nature", the representative of the founder of Ecopark shared the intention of designing the retreat circle.

Hoài Phương