The first time I saw the term “forest bathing”, I literally rolled my eyes and found myself thinking “take a bath in your own damn house”. Once I found out what it really was,however, I liked it. Seriously, it is simply another name for spending time in the outdoors-with an extra pinch of mindfulness. The goal is improving mental and physical health by engaging in the outdoors. It calls on you to use all your senses to see the wonder of the natural world. Forests are simply a fantastic place to do so.
I don’t know about you folks, but I am generally much more engaged with what is inside, rather than outside, my head. Getting outside of myself, while therapeutic, is also difficult. The outdoors simplifies it.
What does this have to do with travel? While forest bathing can be practiced in many places, there are some destinations so beautiful that it happens automatically. Hey, who doesn’t like the physical beauty that can be found in places such as Yosemite or Redwoods National Park? The US is packed with places that easily provide a little nature therapy. If by chance you want to look elsewhere, I can personally recommend Costa Rica, with its biodiversity and abundance of trees and forests. Rivers, water falls, hanging bridges and trails- not to mention its cloud forests and the Arenal Volcano (pictured) are all there waiting for you. Take a chance -pick a forest and give it a try!
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