For the fourth year in a row, the Malaysia Urban Retreat Festival (MURFEST) is back with a bang! In partnership with Vitamode (Health Education Partner), Asia’s largest urban retreat festival returns bigger than ever, featuring wellness-related workshops, certification programs, a wellness marketplace and even a Dance Fitness Party!
MURFEST 2018, happening from the 3rd to 5th November, is an event directed at promoting a balanced lifestyle through self-discovery and self-mastery. ‘MURFEST isn’t like any other wellness programs out there – we bring to the table a varied mixture of alternative self-help programs and workshops you won’t normally get anywhere else,’ shared MURFEST’s festival director, Shobie Malani.
Held at one of the finest five-star hotels in town, Le Meridien Putrajaya, this 3-day event is specially tailored for those who are stressed, unhappy, overburdened, and those who are experiencing health issues, low self-esteem, emotional trauma and anxiety. While overnight results are not guaranteed, Shobie promises that change will definitely be experienced: ‘This is like walking into a spa, but unlike the short-lived feel-good sensation, the workshops at MURFEST will give you the tools you need to successfully manage your issues in the long term.
Shobie Malani, founder of Malaysia Urban Retreat Festival (MURFEST), at the launch.
The highlight of this year’s MURFEST is the GloKL | Dance Fitness Party, featuring some of the region’s top Salsation trainers, including its founder, Alejandro Angulo. If you haven’t already heard, Salsation is the first of it’s kind: a dance fitness program that is based on functional training, musical expression and fun! The best thing about the Dance Fitness Party is that you don’t need any dance experience prior to participating. Another thing to look out for at the festival is the JustBe Markets – a one-stop health and wellness marketplace showcasing the best in organic, homemade and homegrown wellness products. And for the first time ever, MURFEST will be introducing the Asia Beauty & Wellness Awards (ABWA) on the 29th Nov. This platform is where businesses and individuals in the beauty and wellness industry are recognized and awarded for their efforts.
Alejandro Angulo, creator of Salsation™, and his team performing at the launch.
With continuous support from the Ministry of Youth and Sports (through FitMalaysia and the Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia), the organizers of MURFEST, Xhale Asia, aims at developing Malaysia into the next health and wellness tourism hub by 2020. The Malaysian wellness industry is growing at a rapid rate of 12.8% and in just three years, it is forecasted to contribute a whopping RM400 million to the nation’s gross national income – consequently creating over 3500 jobs!
The wellness industry does not only play a major role in the nation’s economy; it also helps promote the mindset of healthy living among Malaysians – and MURFEST is a vital component in doing just that, as explained by Shobie, ‘MURFEST has come a long way in establishing the mindset of healthy living through wellness activities, and we are continuing this effort to further implement this through our event. This year, we are proud to collaborate with industry experts to further enhance the content of the festival.
Shobie Malani (front, 3rd from right) with some of the facilitators at the launch. More than 50 facilitators are expected to conduct workshops during the 3-day festival.
When asked about her vision for MURFEST, Shobie revealed that she would like to see the platform grow internationally within the next two years. ‘The wellness industry is booming in Asia; everybody wants to live a happy life. We aim at using this platform as a catalyst to do so.’
Keen on participating, but have your hands tied with parental duties? Don’t worry – families with children can enjoy the KIDZ CLUB, a safe space for children to harness their boundless energy! The KIDZ CLUB also offers activities that cater to your children’s emotional and mental growth needs.
So what are you waiting for? BUY MURFEST 2017 TICKETS NOW!
USE CODE: VITAMODE2MURFEST (TO ENJOY 10% Savings)
Experience wellness, music and dance as they come together like never before at MURFEST 2017!
