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Spa Sessions
Chami Jotisalikorn, author of thai spa book, reveals what’s hot in the world of wellness
HEALING TOUCH
If you’ve enjoyed the soothing benefits of reiki, offered in many spas, you may want to learn this energy healing technique for yourself. Sally M Forrest, a practitioner and teacher in Singapore, says: “I am truly blessed to have reiki in my life and to see the dramatic changes it has brought in my being. My purpose is to teach reiki with love to all interested students.” Reiki is a simple hands-on healing system using universal life energy force. This energy promotes healing and well-being on four levels – physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. The benefits include deep relaxation, improved sleep, pain management, detoxification, strengthening of the immune system, heightened concentration and a state of inner calmness. Courses are taught at SoulCentre Singapore; reiki level I on 21 and 22 January, and reiki for kids on 25 and 26 February.
Tel + 65 (0)67 384009, email soulcentresingapore@yahoo.com.sg, www.soulcentre.org
NEW OPENINGS
Sleepy little Luang Prabang in Laos now has a luxury spa to offer discerning visitors, with the new Angsana Spa offering natural herbal treatments at the colonial-style Maison Souvannaphoum Hotel (tel +856 (0)71 254609, www.coloursofangsana.com), a former residence of Prince Souvannaphouma.
Thailand’s Banyan Tree Phuket (tel +66 (0)76 324374, www.banyantree.com) has launched the Ryokan Retreat, a one-night programme of decadent, person-alised pampering in a specially designed Royal Spa Villa, based on the service found in traditional Japanese inns.
Believe it or not, the recently-opened Disneyland Hong Kong Hotel (tel +852 3510-6000, www.hongkongdisneyland. com) offers a sophisticated range of luxurious Elemis pampering and grooming treats for both mums and dads at its cosy chintz-and-marble Victorian Spa, and of course includes spa activities for the kiddies too. Over in Central, the new state-of-the-art Oriental Spa at The Landmark Mandarin Oriental (tel +852 2132-0011, www.mandarinoriental.com) is causing a stir. Choose from a range of unusual heat experiences that include ice fountains, vitality pools, tepidarium chairs, experience showers and, for ladies only, a Moroccan Rasul.
HOT PRODUCT
You may have seen Australian brand Aesop’s (www.aesop. net.au) distinctive brown bottles in the company’s boutiques in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Korea and Australia, and its recently opened store in Singapore; now when you check into The Plateau residential spa at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong (tel +852 2584-7688, www.plateau.com.hk), you’ll find your bathroom stocked with Aesop’s beautifully scented shampoo, conditioner and body wash, in handy, travel-size bottles.
SPA SPEAK
Massages can be divided into oil and non-oil types. Non-oil massages include traditional Thai massage, in which the patient wears loose pyjamas while the therapist uses lots of body contact, stretching and kneading; and reflexology, which uses mostly thumb pressure on the pressure points on the feet.
Oil massages include aroma massage, which uses aromatherapy oils to stimulate, invigorate or relax the senses: ayurvedic massage, which uses copious amounts of heated, medicated oil all over the head and body; and hot stone massage, where heated stones are used in combination with oil to massage the body.
TURN UP THE HEAT
The steam room and plunge pool at Tamarind Springs on Koh Samui lets you loll in the style of a Gauguin nymph, with floral sarongs provided. But it’s the Thai herbal steam here that leaves the most lasting impact on your body and mind. Co-founder Shelley Poplak tells us why.
What makes Thai herbal steam so special?
SP: It’s the herbal mix that stimulates and invigorates, making it amazingly refreshing.
What do the herbs do?
SP: The key herbs include turmeric, phlai (related to ginger), lemongrass, wild lime, and the leaves of the camphor tree and tamarind tree. Combined with steam, they help improve circulation, relieve tension, detoxify the body, clear the respiratory system, soothe aching muscles, rejuvenate the skin, and promote sound sleep.
Is there a history to this therapy?
SP: It seems that Thai herbal medicine incorporates components from various other traditional healing arts including ayurvedic remedies from India, Chinese medicine and Theravada Buddhist traditions. The Thai herbal steam baThis very old, passed down through generations of practitioners in the temples as a traditional healing technique.
What inspired Tamarind Springs’ unique boulder steam room?
SP: We started with a simple idea for a herbal steam in a fragrant garden and the idea just took shape from the land, with these huge boulders and natural beauty. At Tamarind Springs, the combination of herbal steam and cold water plunge pool is the first step to getting in touch with nature’s elements of water, rock and the healing green plants all around. Tamarind Springs, 205/7 Th ong Takian, tel +66 (0)77 424436, www.tamarindretreat.com
WELLNESS BUZZ
Feeling sluggish? A good internal cleanse will make you feel like new. Colonics are the hot health trend in the region – Samui has long been known as the region’s irrigation destination, with a number of detox resorts like The Spa Resort (tel +66 (0)77 230855, www.spasamui.com) and Health Oasis Resort (tel +66 (0)77 420124, www.healthoasisresort.com) offering fasting and cleansing programmes in an idyllic beachside setting. Bangkok and Hong Kong are now on the scene with the opening of slick city versions like HydroHealth Bangkok (tel +66 (0)2 250-7800, www.hydro-health.co.th) and HydroHealth Hong Kong (www.hydrohealth. com.hk). Style-conscious executives can pop in here for a lunchtime cleanse in air-conditioned, luxury private rooms equipped with the latest high-tech machines and uniformed attendants on call. More homey places like Rasayana Retreat day spa in Bangkok (tel +66 (0)2 662-4803, www.rasayanaretreat.com) and Ban Sabai Village spa resort in Chiang Mai (tel +66 (0)53 854778, www.ban-sabai. com) offer cleansing in relaxed tropical garden settings.
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