From The Straits Times    |

Amid the heady flurry of great food, good shopping and throbbing clubs, a trip to Bangkok is usually not complete without the calm of having a Thai massage or wellness treatment. Asian spa expert Chami Jotisalikorn offers up the best in various styles of pampering.

6 best spas in Bangkok, for every budget

The garden of the Mandarin Oriental Spa is an oasis of reflection and calm. Image: Mandarin Oriental

1. Wat Pho Massage
The famed Wat Pho temple is the national headquarters of Thai traditional medicine and massage; King Rama III established the country’s first university here to preserve the knowledge of traditional medicine, massage and astrology.

Budget-priced Thai massages and foot massages (30 minutes, or 60 minutes long) take place in a communal massage pavilion in a charming courtyard, in the temple grounds surrounded by garden statues depicting ancient self-massage yoga postures. There’s no assault on your modesty as you will be given loose pyjamas to wear during a Thai massage which is done on a mattress on the floor.

The temple also has a massage school where locals and foreigners who want to become certified therapists can take up courses of varying durations, in Thai and English.

TIP: Book a massage session by phone, or walk in and go sightseeing – the Grand Palace and its Temple of the Emerald Buddha are next door – while you wait for your turn.

2. Myth House

6 best spas in Bangkok, for every budget

A four-handed massage performed by two therapists at Myth House. Image: Myth House

The cosy spa in a townhouse is tucked behind the US embassy off posh Wireless Road, and close to five-star hotels and luxury malls. Yet its treatments are priced affordably, and you can mix different styles and durations (from 25 minutes to 110 minutes) according to how much time you have. Inside the spa’s tasteful surrounds beats a heart that’s inspired by traditional medical knowledge – from treatments to its custom blend of herbal body washes, scrubs and aromatherapy oils. To experience the Thai love for superstition, book in advance for a session with the in-house fortune teller.

Chill out afterwards or have a girl’s night spa party at the rooftop champagne and beverage bar. A shop in the lobby sells Thai gifts, decor items and garments.

TIP: For a quick pick-me-up, try a 25-minute head, back and shoulder massage in between business meetings.

3. Health Land
The popular chain housed in elegant colonial-style mansions across the city is known for its traditional massage and reliable service. Numerous rooms and masseuses mean you can walk in without an appointment. It also offers facials, traditional foot massages and oil massages – all affordably priced. Outlets are open till 11pm. Combine a trip to its Sathorn venue with drinks at the spectacular 63rd floor rooftop Skybar and Sirocco restaurant at nearby Lebua Hotel or before a roam around the riverside Asiatique night bazaar. The Asoke branch is close to Sukhumvit Soi 11’s trendy nightlife scene, while the Ekamai outlet is convenient for dining at the chic bars and restaurants in neighbouring Soi Thonglor.

The best bargain is the pre-paid booklet of 10 coupons – saving you THB 1,000 (US$30.90) off the full price

TIP: For a quick pick-me-up, try a 25-minute head, back and shoulder massage in between business meetings.

4. Divana Divine Spa

6 best spas in Bangkok, for every budget

Divana Spa’s branch at Thonglor. Image: Divana Divine Spa

Eco-friendly luxury treatments and products of organic natural ingredients are on the menu at this spa. Its own R&D team researched ancient royal and beauty rituals and traditional ingredients to produce signature treatments you won’t find elsewhere. These include a 240-minute Ancient Thai Bride To Be treatment that comes with a body scrub using ground pearl powder to whiten the complexion and give it a radiance. Meanwhile, the fabulous 210-minute Golden Silk Royal Pampering treatment includes the use of thanaka (a natural tree bark paste to soften the skin) and a nourishing warm oil massage.

Each of Divana’s three branches is set in a converted house amid a lush garden; their decor may differ, but what they have in common is sophisticated service, a lovely ambience, and reasonable prices.

TIP: Adjacent to the Silom branch is Divana’s antiageing clinic where you can have cosmetic dermatology treatments like botox.

5. Banyan Tree Spa

6 best spas in Bangkok, for every budget

End the day at the Banyan Tree Spa under the stars with a drink at Vertigo. Image: Banyan Tree Spa

Walking through a dramatic black lobby illuminated by a dream-like, transparent bamboo sculpture grove to your spa suite on the 21st floor of Banyan Tree Hotel, you’ll find yourself transported far from the city streets below you. The extravagant spa menu offers treatments centred on herbal and fresh natural ingredients. Ginger features prominently in those for men; its warming and circulation boosting properties well suited to their physiques. The Thai Ginger Healer, for instance, combines a ginger body scrub with a relaxing oil massage. Afterwards, ride up to the hotel’s Vertigo restaurant and Moon Bar on the 61st floor for a romantic star-lit evening.

TIP: Couples can opt for different treatments in spacious suites for two, with ensuite hydro treatment rooms, chromotherapy jet pool bathtubs and steam facilities.

6. Mandarin Oriental Spa
Prince Charles, Leonardo di Caprio, and David Beckham are some of the illustrious guests who have stayed at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Equally luxurious as the hotel is its spa that resembles an elegant Thai traditional house, with gleaming golden teak interiors, shimmering silk and luscious orchids. For something local, try the Oriental Herbal Compress to soothe knotted muscles (a technique once used by warriors returning from battle with aching limbs), or have a body scrub in which black sticky rice grains are used to slough off dead skin.

TIP: To get to your appointment on time, factor in time for a ferry ride across the river from the hotel to the spa, in addition to getting through the city’s traffic jams.

This story was originally published on SilverKris.com.

Travelling to Bangkok soon? Read these insider tips on the best of Bangkok and your guide to where to stay, eat and play in the city.

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