Thailand is well respected for being the most popular tourist destination in Southeast Asia, not just for its attractively priced luxury hotels, myriad of experiences and wonderful Thai service, but also for their gentle people and luxurious health and wellbeing retreats. Whether you seek perfect pampering with relaxation and rejuvenation, or a more focused goal of medi-spa, detox, fitness and weight-loss, there is a serene Thai spa to indulge your senses and enhance your overall wellbeing.
Chiva-Som is a world-renowned luxury health resort, which has been established for more than twenty years, located in the tranquil Royal city of Hua Hin, 185 kilometres away from Bangkok. This secluded ‘haven of life’ is a specialised destination spa, set within lush tropical gardens boasting spectacular views of Gulf of Thailand, and offers an enviable selection of treatments and programmes that go far and beyond the more typical hotel spa menu. Beginning with thorough Wellness Consultations, which form the basis of tailored therapies and schedules, guests benefit from expert consultants who analyse all aspects of health, including lifestyle, diet, fitness and stress levels. Popular Specialist Retreat Packages, such as weight-loss and detoxifying, enable guests to enjoy three spa cuisine meals per day, plus daily Thai massage, fitness, yoga and abundance of leisure activities. In addition to the obligatory gym, Pilates and dance studios, the resort also offers Adventure Training, Bio-Mechanics, sea-kayaking, Thai-Boxing, tennis, golf, an altitude training chamber, watsu, reflexology, acupuncture, Ayurveda and shiatsu. All of this, with a scenic backdrop of pineapple and rice fields, nearby swimming beach, plus an organic garden make for a truly peaceful retreat.
For those wishing to simply indulge in a little spa therapy as part of their regular beach holiday, it’s fair to say that luxury Thai hotels offer superb spas, very much as standard. From Phulay Bay – A Ritz Carlton Reserve in Krabi, to Banyan Tree Samui, with its Rainforest Spa, Thai hotels pride themselves on using local, organic ingredients and signature spa treatments with an holistic approach to overall wellness. With such a depth and breadth of spa services available, it is easy to see why guests regularly seek out the best of eastern philosophy and oriental solutions for a multitude of modern day ailments.