Wandering shakily along a narrow field path, it is hard to imagine that just a moment ago you were still caught in the roaring streams of city traffic. Yet with just a single turn, you are suddenly embraced by the lush greenery of farmland, and hidden within this secret urban countryside lies the Offline Cabin . The first impression of the cabin comes not from sight but from scent. The closer you walk toward it, the stronger and more vivid the fragrance becomes. “This is the smell of camphor wood shavings,” says Lin Jianhua with a smile. Living as a neighbor to woods and fields inevitably brings visits from insects, but rather than harming the land with chemical methods, Lin chose to spread a layer of camphor shavings around the cabin. The rich aroma and natural oils of camphor serve as excellent insect repellents. From this small detail, it becomes clear that the cabin coexists with its environment in the gentlest of ways. “Compared to the internet and the fast pace of urban w...
In Finland, spending the summer in a cabin allows people to connect with nature, rest, and relax, which benefits both body and mind. Retreating to the countryside is not just about enjoying a long-awaited vacation. It is about maintaining a balance between work and life, returning to nature, resting, and regaining energy. One might even call it a kind of “Nordic Zen.”
“Finns go to their cabins to relax, take saunas, swim, and spend wonderful times with friends and family,” says Lana Lavonen, a Russian-born Finnish yoga instructor and Ayurvedic therapy consultant. She was born in Petrozavodsk, Russia, and moved to Finland 23 years ago, at the age of 18.
“Some people go there for fishing or to invite friends for drinks and fun, but most Finns go to escape the busy life of the city and simply relax,” she says.
Lavonen is just one of the many Finns who spend their summers in cabins, a lifestyle they call mökkielämä. Her cabin is located in Hämeenkoski, about 100 kilometers from Helsinki.
The Land of a Thousand Cabins
According to Statistics Finland, by December 2017 there were nearly half a million officially registered summer cabins. These official records only include traditional, basic cabins, averaging less than 40 square meters. Larger vacation homes are not included, so the actual number of cabins in Finland is likely well over 507,000.
Looking at the statistics, the small eastern city of Kuopio has the most summer cabins, with 10,789. It is followed by Mikkeli, Parainen, Lohja, Savonlinna, and Hämeenlinna (not far from Lavonen’s cabin in Hämeenkoski). Hämeenlinna itself has 8,043 cabins.
For Lavonen, retreating to the countryside means leaving behind the stress of urban life and work.
“I enjoy nature and love walking in the forest, that feeling of silence and solitude,” she says. “Life in a cabin is not as hectic as in the city, and I also sleep much better here.”
Besides immersing herself in nature, Lavonen feels recharged. “Living in the cabin restores my strength and energy,” she explains.
A Natural Spa
Saunas are considered a temple of heat, steam, and relaxation for body and mind. There is an old Finnish saying that the sauna is the poor man’s pharmacy, a natural therapy suitable for people of all ages.
For the most authentic Finnish summer cabin experience, a lakeside sauna is essential. Lavonen says, “I take the sauna twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. The heat warms the body, and as you sweat, toxins are expelled. Then I go for a swim in the cool lake, and afterward return to the hot sauna again. Doing this makes you feel completely refreshed—it’s great fun and feels amazing.”
Not all traditional Finnish cabins are equipped with modern facilities or suitable for winter living, but Lavonen’s cabin has both electricity and running water, since she also stays there during the colder winter months.
Lavonen has also added her own touch to the traditional cabin lifestyle: she practices yoga at her cabin in Hämeenkoski. “Nature helps me relax and reconnect with myself. Combined with yoga, I feel calmer and happier,” she says. “After a cabin holiday, I feel joyful, relaxed, and full of energy, ready once again to face the busy life of the city and handle all the pressure.”
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