#spas Archives - Elite Havens MAGAZINE

Thai Massage in Phuket: Reviving the Body and Soul

Published on October 16, 2019 in Destinations/Wellness by Lana Willocks

Phuket is known for its hedonistic holiday pleasures – beach club parties, sunset cocktails, luxury yacht cruises, seafood feasts and the like. Alongside these carefree pursuits there are a growing number of places for self-care, where travellers can heal their bodies and revive their souls while on a Phuket holiday. Yoga studios, intensive martial arts training, detox/diet centres, fitness boot camps and meditation retreats are just some of the restorative activities on offer. None is as prevalent in Phuket as the age-old healing art of traditional Thai massage.

Traditional Thai massage

Thai massage (also called assisted yoga massage) is a vigorous treatment by which your body is moved and manipulated in a series of bends, stretches, lifts and acupressure compressions to stimulate energy flow and restore balance.

_{WHAT TO EXPECT: During a Thai massage, no massage oils or lotions are used. Loose-fitting clothing is worn during the treatment, which was traditionally carried out on a low bed or mattress on the floor. These days, however, massage atop a massage table, spa bed or sun lounger is more common throughout Thailand.}

_{TECHNIQUES: Experienced therapists have incredibly strong hands, and they also use their elbows and knees to apply pressure at various points along your body. A Thai massage session can also include cracking of the joints and neck and pulling the limbs.}

_{BENEFITS: By the end of a one- or two-hour treatment, you’ll feel completely invigorated from head to toe. Given that some of the techniques can be rather forceful, be sure to talk with the therapist first, especially if you have any injuries or chronic pains that need to be handled with extra care.}

Villa Napalai Surin - Massage Room

The principle behind Thai massage is that life is sustained by a vital force, ‘lom’, that is circulated through the body along invisible pathways called ‘sen’. When these pathways are blocked it leads to illness, fatigue and imbalance. Thai massage is believed to help unblock the pathways and stimulate the flow of lom, thus restoring the body back to health and vitality.

Thai massage is an integral part of traditional Thai medicine, with techniques that have been passed down through the generations for more than 2,000 years.

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Ayurvedic Massage in Sri Lanka

Published on July 17, 2019 in Destinations/Wellness by Lucy Douglas

Villa Pooja Kanda setting for ayurvedic massage

As well as its wealth of historic temples and rich culture, Sri Lanka’s wellness traditions are a feast to discover on a trip to its picturesque shores. Among them is the ancient healing system of Ayurveda, which is still practiced widely in Sri Lanka and neighbouring India.

Ayurvedic traditions are thousands of years old; some estimate they have been passed from master to disciple for more than 5,000 years and that Ayurveda is the oldest healing methodology in the world. The beliefs and practices central to Ayurveda have given birth to other natural healing methods, such as homeopathy and polarity therapy, while Sri Lankan massage therapies use the age-old healing techniques of Ayurveda to restore the body and balance the mind.

Indeed, Ayurveda means ‘knowledge of life’, and the core philosophy of the Ayurvedic system is that the key to health is a balance of your three doshas – energies we all have in our bodies, known as Vata, Pitta and Kappa.

As a form of traditional medicine, Ayurveda uses plant-based treatments to heal and boost physical and mental strength to prevent illness. For many locals in Sri Lanka, Ayurveda is a total way of life that incorporates diet, daily yoga practice and regular meditation. But you don’t have to go the whole hog to appreciate the benefits of Ayurveda. Massage therapies are an important part of Ayurvedic medicine, and as well as having many reputed health benefits, they are also deeply relaxing.

We’ve got the low down on ayurvedic massage treatments and what to expect.

Ayurvedic Body Massage

Ayurvedic massage is a great introduction to the ancient practice of Ayurveda. Aficionados believe massage plays an important role in healthcare, helping to detoxify the skin and body, and improve digestion. Hard-core Ayurveda purists will have a full body massage – known as abhyana in Sanskrit – everyday, for general mind/body support.

We’re not saying a daily massage is de rigueur (although there’s no reason why you shouldn’t –you’re on holiday after all, so why not treat yourself?). One will be enough to give you a taste of the traditions that are interwoven in Sri Lankan culture, plus it’s a wonderful way to relax on vacation. That said, once you’ve tried it, chances are you’ll soon be booking another.

WHAT TO EXPECT: You may start with a consultation about your health,

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The Top 2 Nail Salons in Sanur, Bali

Published on June 1, 2019 in Destinations/Wellness by Ondy Sweeting

THE TOP TWO NAIL PARLOURS IN SANUR, BALI

The Nest Beachside Spa

This cute little salon overlooks the beach in Sanur. Step into this air-conditioned delight straight off the sand of Hyatt Beach. Two therapists descend to bestow the suitably named ‘pretty hands’ and ‘happy feet’ – 70 minutes of mani-pedi joy. Expect a thorough cleansing – sand and all – plus cuticle therapy for hands and a soothing exfoliation of the feet. This is followed by deep stimulating massages and a warm and silky paraffin wax treatment for the hands while feet undergo a reviving cool mint mask.

Your therapist delivers a rather lush head and shoulder massage while the paraffin works its magic. Post-rub, the wax is peeled back to reveal baby soft hands, while the mint foot mask is washed away leaving the toes fresh and clean.

The Nest Nails Sanur

Nails are painted with faultless precision and a homemade sweet and delicious lime sorbet is brought to your chair while the drying machines are doing their thing. What a way to end a blissful day at the beach.

www.thenestbeachsidespa.com

Aroma Spa Sanur

Glo Spa Sanur

Sanur has another excellent spa, but this one is in the centre of town rather than on the beach. Glo Spa is a small chain of high quality day spas and salons in Bali that are often the go-to place for expats and locals in need of speed and efficiency with a touch of luxe.

Comfortable chairs and an impressive drinks menu full of herbal teas, rich coffee and a couple of choices of wine and beer are amongst the perks you can enjoy. Glo Spa ticks all the boxes for a worthwhile spa experience. Hop in for a quick buff and colour change or a delightfully classic mani pedi. The well-trained staff are super efficient. In fact, from booking your treatment through to leaving the salon expect an experience that reflects the competence and skill of this outfit.

www.glospabali.com

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EDEN Medical Spa in Seminyak: Bali Botox etc.

Published on January 17, 2018 in Wellness by Ondy Sweeting

Put this stylish anti-aging gem on speed dial even if you are only in Bali for a weekend or a fortnight. Eden is a chic sanctuary in Petitenget that will get under your skin with therapies that puff, shine and prep peeps into personal perfection.

The menu? Full-blown.

Think cold LED light therapy, galvanic treatments, carboxy facials plus classics such Dermapen microneedling as live cell therapy plus Botox and fillers.

this is no day spa

Feeling fatigued? Grab some IV nutrition in the comfy lounge and a session with the osteopath. Problems with a past life? Then check in with the energy healer and tarot card reader but be assured that Eden’s team of qualified medical professionals handle the anti-aging business with scientific supremacy.

A superb treatment menu includes fat dissolving facial contour as well as popular laser therapies for hair removal and skin rejuvenation plus CO2 fractional treatments for pigmentation and sun spot removal. Eden’s physician – with the most unlikely name of Dr Dude – is specialized in anti-aging so be prepared for a meticulous consultation that involves measuring muscles and grid marking to ensure that even the most basic filler works at to its highest capacity.

Don’t be deceived by Eden’s easy chic as this is no day spa, but a full service life enhancing destination with a full-time in-house nutritionist as well, to develop and devise a dining system that will pave your way to glowing health from the inside.

From the moment you find Eden, its all personal care and pampering starting with your consultation through to the fulfillment of your bespoke package.

Eden Life Centres

Jalan Petitenget 12, Seminyak 80361 Bali
+62 361 934 2958
contact@edenlifecentres.com

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Maldives Spa Massages and More

Published on August 30, 2017 in Wellness by Lucy Douglas

It’s hard not to relax at Amilla Beach Villa Residences, surrounded by the pristine sand and glassy waters of the Maldives’ Baa Atoll. But to go the extra mile, check out the Residences’ Javvu Spa.

Everything on offer at Javvu Spa reflects its commitment to the three pillars of wellness: movement, spirituality and spa. The menu offers a holistic approach, with a wide variety of fitness classes and wellness consultations to boost body and mind, and a carefully chosen range of the best therapies harnessing powerful techniques from around the world.

MOVEMENT

A luxury villa retreat on a tropical island paradise may not be the first setting that springs to mind when your goal is getting into shape, but Javvu Spa at Amilla Beach Villa Residences is the perfect place to boost your fitness level. The Maldivian Warrior Workout, for example, makes use of the natural surroundings on Baa Atoll to target different muscle groups; climbing, pulling and pushing against trees on the beach, and sea swimming to increase resistance. There’s also powerful kickboxing classes, to whip yourself into shape, and functional training to build up strength in the muscles you use day in, day out.

SPIRITUALITY

Of course, we could file yoga and Pilates away under movement and fitness; they’re both proven techniques for improving muscle strength and flexibility. But start the day with a round of sun salutations on a yoga deck in the Indian Ocean, and even a hardened sceptic of yoga’s spiritual benefits will crumble. Private sessions in Javvu Spa’s yoga pavilion focus on breathing and meditation to bring you to a state of complete calm and presence.

Maldives massage at Amilla

SPA

Saving the best until last. Javvu Spa’s highly skilled therapists are trained in the Pure Massage Style as well as being fully committed to giving you the best quality treatments with your preferences in mind.

Pure Massage, designed by London-based massage expert Beata Aleksandorowicz, is rooted in the Swedish Massage style, perhaps one of the best-known massage techniques and for good reason. It focuses on healing muscles, with long, gliding massage strokes that follow the direction of blood circulation around the body. These movements not only work out the knots and tensions in muscles, but also decrease toxins and improve circulation,

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