Massage and Spa in Thailand

Enjoying the Spa Experience in Thailand

Through the course of the last twenty years spas have gone from little known retreats for the rich and famous to much sought after retreats from the world. In fact spas today have gone from weeklong resort retreats to 50-minute treatments over the course of a lunch break. Granted the 50-minute spa treatment is only an appetizer designed to get you to come back for the full kit and caboodle at a later time.

Thailand has a rich history of natural healing and ancient forms of massage, which makes it a prime location for many new spas to open up their doors to visitors and tourists. In fact, many visitors come to Thailand each year for the sole purpose of rejuvenating and renewing at one ore more of the many wonderful spas that can be found throughout Thailand.

The good news for those who have never enjoyed the spa experience before is that the spas of Thailand are very accommodating and offer many forms of treatments that are designed to suit different budgets as well as varying methods of treatment. Perhaps the first thing we should address is the varying types of spas that can be found throughout Thailand.

Types of Spas

Destination Spas are actually resorts that exist for the sole purpose of providing a spa experience to their guests. You will find that these are the most exclusive as well as the most costly spas. The guests at these spas expect a full treatment program that might include slimming treatment, relaxation, detoxifying, or renewing. These programs are very involved and last the duration of your stay.

You will often find that every aspect of your stay is designed for a specific purpose. From the soaps provided in your room to the foods you are served there is a purpose in everything you experience at these very exclusive spas. If you're looking for an excellent destination spa in Thailand look no further than Chiva-Som. You can find excellent rates at this spa and will be well pampered and cared for during your stay.

Hotel/Resort Spas

Hotel or Resort Spas are far less exclusive as they are not primarily spas. They are first and foremost lodging. They happen to offer some spa services but those services are secondary functions of the resort and are often scheduled by the guests throughout the day and around other activities that might be worthy of pursuing.

It is probably a wise idea to check with the specific resort you are interested in before making reservations to find out exactly what spa services are offered and if there are waiting lists or even availability for those services during the time period you will be traveling. Some popular hotel and resort spas you might like to check out include the following: Tantara Spa, Anne Semonin Spa (for the royal treatment and a unique holistic treatment), and the Grande Spa.

Day Spas

These spas offer a wide range of spa services but no accommodations. They are very much like the day spas you will find in any other country and you may find that there is a waiting list for those that offer the best services. The good news for those who have other activities planned for their travels is that you can be fairly flexible with your scheduling provided you make your plans far enough in advance. Great day spa experiences can be found at Dulaya Spa, Divana Massage and Spa, and Ananda Spa.

Health Retreats

The name health retreat says it all. You will find a very defined and structured approach to the treatment of specific issues. The treatments tend to last longer than a week and range in scope from basic accommodations to those that are very luxurious. Most of these retreats are fairly isolated from the hustle and bustle in order to persuade guests to keep their minds on the tasks at hand rather than loosing concentration on the goals of the program. This treatment by many may seem to be a bit extreme but it is famous for its effectiveness and operates much like an army boot camp in order to get your jump-started towards your goals.

These 'spas' are often the spas of choice for those seeking rapid weight loss, detoxification, or are trying to break addictions to drugs and/or alcohol. St. Carlos Medical Spa is the best-known Health Retreat in Thailand. They have become famous for using a combination of western medicine with traditional Thai herbal treatments and medicines. In addition to the rigorous 'health treatments' you will also find massage, acupuncture, skin care, and other beauty treatments.

I would be remiss to mention the types of spas available without at least taking the time to mention some of the more popular spa treatments that are also widely available and most often requested. I'm sure that most people can guess or imagine that one of the most popular forms of spa treatment is the massage, but were you aware that there are many forms of massage available?

Perhaps the most commonly mentioned in pop culture is the Swedish massage. It is also the most common type of massage administered in the west. This type of massage involves basically using your hands to loosen up muscles. This offers immediate and often pleasant results, which make it a favorite among many Americans.

Stone Massages are a relatively new form of massage that uses different types of stones (selected for their unique properties) and lain on 'life-force' points of the body.

Acupressure originated in Asia and is based on the belief that the body's energy can be moved off course by trauma, injury, or illness. The result of this is areas of muscle tension that manage to somehow interrupt important nerve pathways. Acupressure works by applying pressure to these pathways so that the tension is released and the body can go back to business as usual.

Shiatsu massage is based on very similar principles to acupressure. Traditionally this particular massage was performed on a fully clothed individual lying on the floor. Modern trends have this occurring on a table though as part of a regular spa treatment package.

Aromatherapy massage combines a kneading style of massage with the use of specific essential oils that are designed to have very specific affects on multiple senses (touch and smell specifically). While the pressure applied is lighter than with Swedish massage the oils manage a large portion of the work and make for a pleasant spa experience.

Deep-tissue Massage is a very intense form of massage. While it is intense and often painful it is also highly effective. With this type of massage you are working with deep muscles damage that may be the result of rather severe trauma or extreme tension.

Of course these are only a few of the more popular types of massage and there are many more. Among the other types of massage there is Reflexology, Sports Massage, Ayurvedic Massage, and Craniosacral Massage. Each of these forms of massage has a very specific purpose and should be offered at many of the spas located in Thailand. Be sure to check for the particular form of massage you are seeking when making arrangements in order to be certain.

In addition to massage treatments, many spas in Thailand offer other treatments as well. Among the popular treatments you can find are the following: hydrotherapy, mud, thalassotherapy, mineral springs, and aromatherapy. Some spas will have a signature treatment or package that they offer that will be unlike anything other spas will offer, be sure to ask about specialties and decide for yourself if it sounds interesting to you and your needs.

If you are wondering what types of spa programs you'll be able to find the honest answer is that there are many that can be found or custom made to suit your specific goals and needs from your spa experience. Some of the most popular spa programs however include one or more of the following. Slimming. This is not actually weight loss in most cases but providing the illusion of weight loss.

While some of the health retreats will offer an intensive weight loss regime most day spas can only help with the appearance of weight loss and will include treatments such as the following: exfoliations and facial masks, toning massages, anti-fat/cellulite wraps, and some spas offer customized diets and exercise programs. Slimming programs are most effective when you allow plenty of time to achieve the results you desire.

Cleansing and detoxifying are other popular spa treatments. We introduce toxins into our systems each and every day simply by breathing. That isn't even including the toxins we intake through food and drink or the potions and lotions we apply to our skin. The fact is that everything we introduce to our bodies has an effect on our physical appearance. Facials and body masks are used to achieve some of the detoxification as well as hydrotherapy baths and bath salts other treatments include: fasting (this is sometimes combined with cleansing enemas), liquid diets, and exercise.

Relaxation is another of the more popular reasons for choosing a spa treatment. This can be as simple as a massage or a week without phones for some people. The goal of this type of program is to release stress and embrace pleasure. I can think of few better ways to spend a vacation.

The truth of the matter is that most people go on vacations to get away from it all in hopes of relaxing. I can honestly think of very few ways that are better to relax than being pampered, polished, massaged, buffed, manicured, and beautified for a few hours or a few weeks. Of course that's just me.

I also highly encourage you to remember that many couples are choosing to do this together and completely enjoying the experience. This is not just for the ladies guys and you should not be afraid to ask for a good Swedish massage when those muscles are tense either. It's a vacation make the most of it.