Chiang Mai (Northern Thailand) Tourist Guide


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The Spa Boom -
What's in it for Men?

by Colin Hinshelwood

It seems you can't turn around these days without bumping into a new spa resort. A friend of mine from a local newspaper complained that he had to attend yet another spa grand opening the other day. By all accounts there are over 30 spa resorts in Chiang Mai alone these days; that's probably why the new compound noun "spa hub" has been frequently heard appended to the city's credentials recently alongside "medical hub", "retirement hub" and of course "aviation hub").

Of course the idea of a resort that combines massage with aromatherapy and rejuvenating treatments is something very Thai in every respect. Pampering and soothing is a veritable Oriental art. I know of several ladies who love to spend their days off at spas. They go in twos of course, (spa-ing partners you might say), so they can chit-chat and gossip and pass the whole day there. So, I got thinking to myself. Are spas for men too? How strange would my peers regard me if while drinking beer and watching rugby on telly, I were to casually slip in to the conversation that I had a spa appointment the next day? Would it come over a trifle girlie? I kept it quiet and booked myself in for a Sunday afternoon at Chiangmai Oasis Spa on Sirimuangkarajarn Road. I chose Oasis if for no other reason than the fact that I used to live in that same house many years before. To prepare myself for my spa initiation I played a gruelling 90 minutes of football on a hot afternoon the day before and had a night out on the town to boot. And so, with aching limbs and a dehydrated skull I turned up for my pampering appointment.

I barely recognized my old house of course. The original woodwork was still intact, but everything was polished and fragrant. I was served tea and shown upstairs to what was my old bedroom by an elegant lady in Lanna style costume. The room was lightly air-conditioned, smelled of lavender and lemongrass, and had soft candlelight and muzac.

We were to start off with a Body Scrub. I was left alone for a moment to undress completely. The spa experience is essentially a naked one although the masseuse seemed deft at keeping me covered with a towel at all times as she moved from limb to limb. Disposable underwear is provided for the more modest clients and you can specify whether you prefer a masseur or a masseuse. In my delicate condition I had chosen a female, but those who want a stronger massage are recommended to request a masseur. A Body Scrub cleanses and invigorates the skin. I thought the masseuse was wearing Velcro gloves, but she gently informed me that the 'gritty' sensation was due to the fact that the scrub mixture was ground coffee mixed with yoghurt and honey. After about 20 minutes I was invited to take a warm shower next door. It took a while to get all that coffee off too.

Stage Two was the Hot Oil Massage. Now this was niiiiiiiiice! I challenge anyone not to doze off to sleep during this Swedish style effluage massage of jojoba oil, sweet almond and Vitamin E. As you peer down between the open-faced cushion you'll surely feel your eyes closing. The oil is warm and soothing, the caress firm but gentle. It is intimate and sensual and left me totally dreamy. The Aromatherapy Body Massage is perfect for anyone who finds Thai massage too painful.

I don't really remember the Facial. I was somewhere in Never-Neverland. Apparently it involved a cleansing, followed by a scrub mix of cassamaner, tanaka and rice paste. Then I vaguely recall a soft facial massage (milk and honey), followed by a layer of ice-cold cucumber. I was left in alone in the clouds for five minutes as the cucumber melted into my pores. It felt great. Then the masseuse came back and peeled the cucumber off, cleaned my face with a wet cloth yet again and gently massaged a little moisturizing milk into my glowing visage. Just to round off my day she applied a little acupressure to my face and then tried to revive me with a spirited head massage.

Total time: 2 hours, 15 minutes: Total cost: 2,400 baht.

Spa resorts generally provide a choice of therapies that are suitable for men. Most first-rate resorts will also have a Jacuzzi and a herbal steam room or sauna.

'We're really trying to break the mould of assuming that only gay men come to spas,' says Oasis Spa manager, Toby Allen from Florida. "In fact, Oriental men love spa treatments, especially Japanese men. Nowadays wives bring their husbands along for the day too. It's great after sports, after a hard week at work, or before traveling."

I for one can vouch for that. I felt healthy, clean and had a youthful radiant shine on my face. You will leave feeling relaxed to the point you think you've just been filleted. Your mates at the pub will still look at you a little strange though.