1 week Ago By Divia Harilela
Boasting an innovative approach to wellness, RAKxa’s bespoke wellness includes exercise, nutrition, relaxation, stress management and restorative treatments across medical and alternative practices The concept of a health retreat has evolved dramatically since I embarked on my first (and only) wellness pilgrimage in 2013. Back then it was all about raw food, juice cleanses, colonics and detoxes. These have been replaced by new practices including gut-healing foods, a combination of holistic and medical treatments, and a focus on preventative medicine.
RAKxa, which means both “heal” and “prevent” in Thai, is the poster child for this new and improved attitude. Located an hour’s drive from Bangkok airport, it embraces an integrated, personalised approach to wellness that covers five pillars: exercise, nutrition, rest, stress management and restorative treatment. It’s an ambitious mission to offer the best of everything, but one that RAKxa seems intent on fulfilling.
Its treatment menu is as comprehensive as it is overwhelming, and includes everything from medical diagnostics, movement and mental health therapies to holistic and aesthetic treatments, all under one roof – or in this case, a Zen compound. Advertisement {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"ImageObject","caption":"A sunset view of RAKxa, located in Bangkok’s “green lung”.
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com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2025/04/28/56646cbd-b627-4ee1-a2fe-e09547b6be84_53933fe2.jpg"} A sunset view of RAKxa, located in Bangkok’s “green lung”. Photo: Handout.
The property is located on the edges of the Chao Phraya river in Bang Krachao, known as the “green lung” of Bangkok. There are a total of 42 villas, 15 of which have private pools that overlook a man-made lake teaming with lizards and a family of otters. The rooms are expansive and modern, but still have a luxury hotel vibe .
Thoughtful “wellness-centric” details abound, from blackout covers for lighted panels and digital air quality monitors, to immune-boosting shots, sugar-free snacks and a “grounding” area in the garden. Life at RAKxa revolves around three zones. The Vitalife Wellness Center, operated in partnership with the Bumrungrad International Hospital, feels more like a spa, and offers cutting-edge diagnostics and hi-tech machinery.
You can test your toxic metals and VO2 levels, try a Weber IV infusion that uses medical-grade laser light, or sample a long list of aesthetic treatments. RAKxa Jai is centred around holistic wellness, with a whopping 40 treatments rooms and over 30 staff (not including visiting practitioners) that specialise in modalities such as energy healing, Thai TCM, Traditional TCM , Ayurveda and other therapeutic treatments like massages. Rounding off the offerings is RAKxa Gai, a medical gym that offers physical and fitness assessments.
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"ImageObject","caption":"Red Cord Suspension is available as part of the fitness offerings at RAKxa. Photo: Handout","url":"https://img.
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Photo: Handout Dining also forms a core part of the RAKxa experience. Guests have all their meals at the property’s sole restaurant, Unam, which serves three meals daily, all of which can be customised to your dietary requirements. The focus is on whole foods and local produce, while the menus are dairy-free and anti-inflammatory.
There’s also a serene tea lounge called RAKxa Cha, where sommeliers create custom blends using dozens of ingredients prized for their various health properties. While all guests are sent an itinerary before their arrival, the initial wellness consultation is everyone’s first port of call. RAKxa prides itself on allowing guests to customise their programmes as much as possible, so my wellness adviser delved deep into my health history before helping me chop and change my schedule with the efficiency of a high-powered PA (albeit one well versed in all health modalities).
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