A 5D4N retreat in the tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh
led by Plum Village monastics, specially organised for friends residing in Singapore and Malaysia.
Synopsis
This is a residential retreat for individuals, families, children and teens.
Reconnect with your inner child.
Come home to your source of joy and love.
Develop understanding and inner peace.
Retreat Details
- Date: 4 June 2025 - 8 June 2025
- Venue: Sea Horizon Resort, Kota Tinggi, Johor, Malaysia
- Retreat fees:
- Adult and children 7 years and above: SGD 290
- Land transport fees: estimated SGD 35 - 50 (round-trip between Singapore and resort)
- Language: English
Retreat fees are payable at point of registration registration. Transport fees will be advised later.
Registration Forms
Please prepare passport details for registration. Do select/click on the appropriate form.
Priority is given for persons residing in Singapore and Malaysia.
For friends in other countries you may consider checking with your local Sangha or attend international retreats that are catered for all countries.
- Registrations opened on 23 March 2025.
- Registrations closed on 5 April 2025 as we have reached capacity.
- If you wish to be on our wait list, please register here.
Frequently Asked Questions
We hope this list will be helpful to clarify any doubts
The retreat is suitable for adults and children/teenagers.
Children below 18 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian to attend the retreat.
Although infants and toddlers are welcome, guardians/parents will need to take care of them on their own as there are no baby sitting services.
There will be segments in the retreat where there are separate programs for children (6 to 12 years old).
Individuals are welcome to join the family retreat.
This is a stay-in retreat.
The retreat is open to all, regardless of experience in meditation. Basic guidance will be provided during the retreat.
The Plum Village tradition is a Buddhist tradition, however, all persons regardless of religion and beliefs are welcome.
The retreat is not entirely silent. We observe noble silence before bed-time until after breakfast.
There are many books written by our teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh, widely available in bookstores and as e-books. You can also read about Plum Village at their website: http://plumvillage.org/
Joyful Garden Community of Mindful Living (JGCML) is a Singapore registered society (informally known as Joyful Garden Sangha) helping to coordinate this retreat in terms of registration and information dissemination. The co organiser of the retreat is Thailand Plum Village International Practice Centre who have planned the retreat programme and will facilitate it.
We are a lay community of practice formed in 2008 by a group of friends who were inspired by the practice of mindfulness taught by our dear teacher, Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh. We are all volunteers contributing time and effort to regularly organise activities such as retreats so that we can sustain our own practice and at the same time introduce mindfulness so that more people can live with peace, joy, and solidity.
The retreat will be at the Sea Horizon Resort, located in Kota Tinggi, Johor. It is approximately 1.5 hrs by land from Woodlands Checkpoint, Singapore.
The resort is located in natural surroundings with sea views that is conducive for experiencing the practice of mindfulness. The location makes this retreat more affordable so that more people can attend.
There are many excellent senior dharma teachers at Thai Plum Village with many years of experience living and teaching on mindfulness both at the centre and in the region. The centre will arrange for the appropriate teachers in terms of language ability and familiarity with Singapore’s living situation.
The main language used is English and translation facilities are not available. However you may ask if a friend or family member can help you during the retreat.
We have arranged for land transport between Singapore and the resort. This is only for Singapore residents.
We urge all to take our round-trip coaches to ensure timely arrival at retreat. Pick up will be at designated points in Singapore.
- Singapore pick up date & time: 4 June 2025, TBC
- Resort pick up date & time: 8 June 2025, TBC
Please get the following ready before registering online:
Personal particulars: name, age
Passport details: nationality, passport number
- Please ensure passport is valid for travel during that period
The overall retreat fees are as follows:
- Retreat fees (lodging, meals): SGD 290 (adult and children 7 years and above)
- Land transport fees: estimated SGD 35 - 50 (round-trip between Singapore and the resort)
We will contact registrants on the finalised transport fees and to arrange payments.
Please fill the online registration and payment instructions will be provided near the end.
To ensure a smooth process, please prepare to make payment and then take a screenshot for proof of payment.
We accept payment via online bank transfer (no cheques).
Bank name: Maybank Singapore Limited
Bank code: 7302
SWIFT code: MBBESGS2 (8 digit format) or MBBESGS2XXX (11 digit format)
Account number: 04051067009
Account name: Joyful Garden Community of Mindful Living
PayNow: transfer using our UEN: T15SS0130JPNW
- Please state "Retreat 2025" in the reference/comments/message field.
- Please submit a screenshot of the payment made during the online registration.
Please notify us immediately so that we can free up the space for other applicants.
We will endeavour to refund in a timely manner.
Comfortable and non-revealing clothing that covers the knees and shoulders, i.e., no tank tops, spaghetti straps, shorts, short skirts.
Sufficient clothing for your entire stay in the retreat. Doing laundry is not recommended due to shortage of clean water.
Light clothing. Temperature may range from 25 - 32 C (night - day).
A portable water bottle or flask.
An umbrella or poncho.
A sun hat/cap and portable fan may be useful.
Insect repellent, sunscreen.
Personal toiletries, towel, flashlight and medication.
Appropriate footwear. We recommend: comfortable shoes for short walks and casual shoes/slippers that are easy to slip-on and slip-off.
Do not bring any valuables.
Vegetarian meals will be provided. Avoid bringing other foods.
Please keep the retreat smoke free, alcohol free, and scent (i.e. perfumes/colognes) free.
To fully enjoy the benefits of the retreat, we invite you to take a break from projects, smartphones and all other electronic gadgets (eg. game devices, MP3 players, tablets) during your time at the retreat. Please try to only use the phone when you really need to.
The food will be vegetarian. If there are special dietary needs please inform us in the registration form.
The arrangement will be room sharing for two to three persons of the same gender.
We will try to place families with young children together, or at least for one parent to be with a child.
This retreat is organised for anyone residing here regardless of nationality. If you live outside of Singapore you are welcome to register although priority will be given to residents.
For practitioner friends from Malaysia, please choose the appropriate registration form.
You are welcome to join our community for its regular Day of Mindfulness and other activities to sustain your practice. From experience we have observed that it is difficult to continue on the path of practice once we return to the busyness of work and family life.
You may email your questions to us at [email protected].
Alternatively, come meet with us at a Day of Mindfulness. Our activities are announced on:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joyfulgardensangha
- Website: https://www.joyfulgarden.sg
The Day of Mindfulness is like a mini 1 day retreat, and there is a segment where you can pose questions to the community.
For WhatsApp enquiries, please reach out to Will Chua (he/him): +60 12-772 1229