According to travel trends forecaster Skift, as well as trusted magazines, such as National Geographic and Conde Nast Traveller, sleep tourism is one of the biggest trends for this year and beyond.
But, what is it exactly? “Sleep tourism is the art of travelling specifically with the goal of improving your sleep,” says Accor, the hospitality company that has the trend on its radar. “In other words, to make rest the reason you travel in the first place.”
Hilton hotels also highlighted the phenomenon in its 2025 Travel Trends report, detailing the latest offerings available, from wellness rooms to sleep spa treatments.
Whether it is the toll of red-eye flights or the stress of multi-flight journeys, business travelers are hit the worst when it comes to sleep disruption. It’s a downside of being ‘on the road’, with lack of sleep having long-term effects on mental and physical health. But, reports Skift, the quest for a peaceful, full-night’s sleep is not just a concern of frequent travelers. It is a widespread preoccupation, with many of us obsessing about how many hours of shut-eye we get and searching for ways to improve our dream time. As a result, gaining eight hours or more of sleep a night has become the new ‘flex’ of 2025—with the sales of related products, think: supplements, high-tech wearables and temperature-regulating mattresses booming. In short, Sleep, as a way to optimise our lives, has become the latest aspirational form of luxury.
“There’s no mystery as to why Sleep Tourism is on the rise,” says Accor. “Modern life is exhausting. Between late-night emails, work pressures and the constant rhythm of daily living, many people are simply not sleeping well. According to studies by the World Health Organisation and other bodies, sleep disorders and insomnia are increasing. Globally, around one-third of adults report struggling with insomnia, while the same proportion of Americans don’t get the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep per night.”
Renowned health clinic, RAKxa Integrative Wellness Retreat, voted Thailand’s Best Wellness Retreat at the World Spa Awards 2024, is aiming to offer a 360° solution to the problem. Its industry-leading approach to wellness is found within its new, customisable Sleep Enhancement offering, launching this November.
“Many of our guests are placing a greater importance on sleep as a key component of their long-term health,” says Tal Friedman, director of Wellness Operations at RAKxa. “This mirrors our commitment to restorative rest, and it is from this shared priority that our Sleep Enhancement programme at RAKxa was born. We firmly believe that quality rest is the foundation of vitality, and our ultimate goal is to help our guests restore their natural rhythm and experience the benefits of truly restorative sleep.”
RAKxa—a twist on the Sanskrit word ‘raksha’, meaning ‘prevent, care and cherish’—is found on the protected island of Bang Krachao, known as the ‘green lung’ of Bangkok. It may be just 50 minutes out of the city, but it is a far cry from the chaos and bustle of Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, which last year saw some 35 million international tourists passing through it—making it the busiest in the world.
The retreat is found on a stretch of the serene Chao Phraya river, part of a protected nature reserve. In the distance, the high rise towers of the city may punctuate the skyline, but instead of the tooting of car horns, here, you’re more likely hear the call of stork-billed kingfishers and little egrets drifting across the sky.
You check in to a mystical, sound-healing welcome—the reverberations of the antique singing bowls ring in your ears as you sip on a cold jasmine water to cool you down. The retreat is made up of 60 villas—some with their own pools—found along winding lanes, made shady with towering palm trees and scented frangipani. Some of these overlook a pretty lake, which comes complete with a family of otters and elusive monitor lizards.
Preventative care is the USP here, with guests answering an in-depth, pre-arrival questionnaire on their health status and aims—whether it is better sleep, weight loss, stress management or gut health (there are many more choices of programmes to choose from). Each of these foundational paths are then customised, following blood tests and wellness consultations on arrival, with guests able to mix and match treatments, therapies and functional fitness sessions, culminating in a bespoke timetable drawn up for your stay. The result? A few days here offers one of the deepest-dives in individual health goals that can be found in the wellness industry.
This November, RAKxa is further upping the ante by introducing four new offerings, including the sleep optimisation package, as well as three programmes to tackle longevity, women’s health and energy restoration. The new launches are in response to the ever-changing wellness landscape and the rise in demand for personalised journeys. It has listened, RAKxa says, “to the most pressing health concerns of modern life”.
“Sleep is one of the main focuses,” says Tal. “Consistently good sleep supports long term health by reducing the risk of chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity, while also improving mood, focus, and energy levels. People are increasingly aware of the importance of sleep and are beginning to prioritise it as a core element of their health. Yet modern lifestyle poses challenges—ranging from stress, and irregular routines to poor dietary habits, late night stimulations from technology, and blue light exposure—all of which interfere with the body’s natural rhythms and reduce the ability to achieve a restorative night sleep.”
At its heart, RAKxa is all about integrative medicine, with programmes encompassing both science-led wellness and age-old, traditional therapies. Guests tap into their chosen programme—each typically spanning five or seven nights—across three main wellness hubs.
The VitaLife clinic, operated in partnership with the Bumrungrad International Hospital, is where you’ll access more medical-led treatments, such as IV vitamin drips, infrared saunas, cryotherapy and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Decorated with Thai kites and artisan-made pottery, with views over the private lagoon, it feels far removed from its clinical purpose, with no stark lights or white corridors in sight.
This is also where you’ll be able to have consultations with Traditional Chinese Medicine doctors, physiotherapists and Traditional Thai Doctors, as well as aesthetic treatments, such as Botox and fillers. Guests can also take advantage of the cutting-edge diagnostic machinery on offer—from blood tests to DNA testing.
RAKxa Jai, meanwhile, focuses on holistic wellness, with teams of staff offering a bulging book of treatments, including crystal healing, traditional Ayurvedic treatments and Marma Healing massage. Thai wooden art, antique cabinets and low-slung sofas make the hub feel cosy—it looks almost like an artsy wharehouse—and the rough-hewn, crafty details and verdant plants work to connect you to the destination. As well as hydrotherapy facilities, and a stunning relaxing lounge, complete with linen-covered beds and chunky throws, guests can also access sessions with resident and visiting practitioners—who are leaders in their fields, in disciplines such as lymphatic drainage and acupuncture.
Fitness is not forgotten either, with RAKxa Gaya being a medical gym where guests will have one-on-one physical and fitness assessments. There is a focus on positive encouragement for beginners and giving realistic goals on movement that can be incorporated when back at home. At the other end of the scale, sportsmen and women can also benefit from crafted programmes for rehabilitation or help with training needs.
Days start at the property’s restaurant Unam, where you can order a coffee (the only one of the day, mind) and choose from a menu of eggs, yoghurt and homemade granola, freshly-pressed juices and dishes such as truffle egg muffins and avocado on sourdough toast. The restaurant is non-diary and gluten-free and is where you’ll be seated three times a day for your meals (menus can also be personalised depending on what programme you are following). While its focus is on anti-inflammatory philosophy, dining here is surprisingly the opposite of the usual detox clinic fare, without a limp salad leaf in sight. Instead, dishes celebrate fresh, organic ingredients (many of which are sourced from RAKxa’s own farm) with Thai dishes for lunch (think: yum squid celtuce for a starter, chili crab with egg noodles for a main and tab tim krob for dessert) and Mediterranean flavours for dinner (such as salmon tartare, onion soup, lamb rack with ratatouille and chocolate mousse). All are delicious, nutritious and—maybe most importantly—filling.
The Sleep Programme includes signature treatments (around 13 on average), such as the Thai Deep Sleep & Skin Radiant Therapy—an all-in-one coma-inducing body and facial massage; Traditional Chinese Yin-Yang Rebalance, and specialised therapies, like Shirodhara (where warm oil is continuously dripped on your ‘third eye’) and Singing Bowl Healing, with the vibrations felt on your stomach and around your head. “It’s all devised to recalibrate the body’s natural circadian rhythm and deliver deeper, more restorative sleep,” says Tal. The programme has also been designed to educate guests on how to achieve good sleep when back at home and how factors, such as nutrition, gut health, stress and water retention, are all interconnected and play a part with insomnia and wakefulness.
The beauty of RAKxa, however, is the personalization on offer, so guests can also add in other targeted treatments, such as private yoga classes, vibrational healing, breathwork, and massages using traditional herbal compresses; not to mention more medical-led treatments, such as immune IV therapies, red light treatments and cryo sauna. Nothing is set in stone, so you can also tweak your programme as you go, depending on how you feel.
“In recent years, wellness has shifted from being something people sought out as a treatment, to becoming part of how they want to live day to day,” says Tal “Guests aren’t just coming for individual therapies anymore, they’re looking for environments that nurture balance in every sense, physical, emotional and mental. There’s also a stronger understanding that wellness isn’t a one-off experience, but something that should feel approachable, ongoing and woven into everyday life.”
She continues: “Today, people are overwhelmed and bombarded with a lot of noises around wellness, new technology which may or may not be relevant to them. At RAKxa, we cut through the noise by interweaving education into every guest’s stay. Whether it’s through nutrition guidance, movement therapies, consultations, or in treatment sessions with our specialist, we aim to help each guest understand how their body functions, identify imbalances they may be prone to, and gain the lifestyle tools needed to sustain results beyond the retreat. Additionally, one of the most common things we hear from our guests is that what they value most at RAKxa is the human approach to wellness—the genuine care and Thai hospitality. The experience never feels forced or bound by rigid protocols, but instead comes across as flexible, welcoming and forgiving.”
After a day in the hands and care of others, sleep comes easy at RAKxa. Pressure points have been pressed, circulation has improved and your mind is clearer. In the room, there are fresh juice shots left in the fridge, homemade coconut and almond cookies in a jar and sleep-inducing teas to brew. The design of each space, well-thought-out and rooted in nature, is also conducive to deep rest and recuperation. Natural textures, with rattan and woods, and light-drenched rooms make the villas feel wholesome and homely. In fact, the layout and function of the villas have been ergonomically designed by doctors to create a holistic resting space with elements, such as blackout curtains and even small linen covers for lights on the AC, to offer an undisturbed night’s rest.
“Nature is the foundation of our design philosophy,” says Tal. “Drawing from traditional Thai wisdom, we recognise that balance and wellbeing are deeply connected to the natural world. This is reflected in every aspect of our built environment, from the use of natural materials to landscaping (we’ve planted over 4,000 native trees) that invites biodiversity and fresh air into the guest experience.”
Many of the spaces at RAKxa are designed to be open-air and indoor and outdoor areas seem to blend seamlessly. “Wellness design to us is not exclusive to the bricks and mortar, it must harbour emotions and feelings that truly promote feeling well. It should create a sense of ease and inspire people to want to feel well.”
Days pass quickly here: zooming to and from appointments on your bike (each villa has one), or stopping for a blue-coloured, butterfly pea tea at the Cha teahouse, where inhouse sommeliers collaborate with traditional doctors to create you a personalised brew from over 60 combinations. There’s also a daily calendar of activities you can join in with, such as reformer stretching and sunset yoga, but the best moments often come in-between—in the deep breaths under a jasmine tree in the twilight of a Bangkok night.
With the sleep tourism trend now officially booming, there are, of course, other sleep retreats beginning to pop up, with Six Senses and Intercontinental just two hospitality chains offering their own versions, but RAKxa’s USP is one that encompasses more with its integrative, full-circle approach.
“Wellness at RAKxa is also about redefining luxury. Not in the traditional sense, but in a way that’s barefoot, grounded and deeply comforting,” Tal says. “It’s a luxury where guests feel safe to slow down, tune in, and reconnect with nature, and with themselves.”
“Health is wealth,” is the slogan emblazoned on the backs of the Tshirts of the therapists. And with the clarity a full night’s sleep gives you, you know this is very true.