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By Benjamin Malcolm
We are ushered into Jirung Spa of Eternity's penthouse and are
immediately assessed for our treatment.
As we get started, I take a moment to look out of the window. Below,
spread as far as the eye can see, are the beautiful forests and
fields of Mae Rim, Chiang Mai. In the distance are the mountain
ranges, in soft focus because of the late afternoon haze. Already
I feel comfortable, hidden in a healing natural sanctuary.
All it takes to get started is for us to tell them our birthdays.
The woman behind the counter checks the computer and tallies the
information. I was born on July 14th and thus am guided by the "wind"
element. My wife, born in May, is an "earth" person. The
interviewer gives us each questionnaires and the assessment continues.
We check off a list of our traits, choosing the ones that speak
to us - dietary trends, sleep habits, energy levels, even personality
traits. In the end, I have scored low in the "water" element,
while my wife registers a zero in the "wind" score. These
are the areas the attendants will concentrate on for our treatment
- the areas that need to be balanced to optimize our health. We
are each given a sheet with the characteristics of the elements,
suggested menu items and the oils of treatment. With our interview
completed and an appointment made for the following morning, my
wife and I are free to partake of the Jirung Spa's beauteous surroundings.
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The Jirung Spa of Eternity, located both in Chiang Mai and Bangkok,
is the true antidote to stressful times. With its focus on energy
balance and the harmonizing qualities of the four elements - fire,
wind, water and earth, the Jirung Spa taps into Thailand's ancient
healing and herbal knowledge. The goal is to achieve a balance of
these primary elements, essential for wellbeing and the proactive
prevention of illness and disease.
This luxury destination spa, nestled in the foothills of the Mae
Rim area just south of Chiang Mai city, rises out of the forest
to greet visitors. As you drive up to it, you slowly circle the
building, getting a preview of your weekend as you slowly ascend
on the road to the front gate and welcome desk. Every element, in
keeping with the spa's theme, is represented here. Earth exists
in ploughed form in the spa's herb garden and landscaped form all
about the property's forested environs. The water element is the
strongest with a large fishpond, heated infinity-edged pool and
man-made waterfall, while the wind comes steadily off the nearby
mountains and through trees to cool guests. Fire is best represented
in the evening, when the lights and torches come on.
There are ten spacious rooms, large, well-furnished comfortable
spaces with open-air private balconies, from which guests can enjoy
their surroundings. The eight mountain view suites come with two
bedrooms, while the two ground floor garden view suites are singles.
All units have a kitchen, two bathrooms and bounteous space to roam
around in. Lanna-style paintings and carvings abound about walls
and furniture, including carvings of Lanna historical scenes on
bed chests and bureaus.
My wife and I are almost settled into our ground-floor, garden-view
room, enjoying the comfort a bit too much, before we energize ourselves
to partake of all the spa's facilities. We want to make full use
of our time here, to let the healing four elements of the spa soak
into our bodies and psyches.
With a little of the afternoon left, we borrow a set of mountain
bicycles from the spa and head out into the surrounding countryside
that we've both seen from the penthouse. The spa has furnished us
with a map that points to a 40-minute circular ride about the bounds
of the spa. We make our way through rice fields, past temples, surprising
villagers on winding roads, before we turn left onto the main highway
at the area's big attraction, the Mae Rim Snake Farm and eventually
return to the comforts of our weekend home. The guard lifts the
gate and welcomes us with a salute as we ascend the hill again.
There is enough of the afternoon remaining for us to stroll about
the premises and we immediately make our way to one of the covered
porches on the fishpond's edge. Giant catfish stare up at us from
the water's edge, expecting a treat, but we have nothing to give
and they eventually float back into the pond's dark waters. There
are several villas on the water's edge, providing herbal steam saunas
and luxurious baths. They are another option for patrons besides
the penthouse spa.
After a quick shower, we head for dinner on the porches of the
Ruean Mai Horm. The restaurant has specially prepared menus for
its guests, tied into the Jirung Spa's larger goal of balancing
the elements. Within the menu, depending on your desires, foods
have been divided into the various elements, providing a checklist
for diet-conscious patrons who want the full benefit of their treatment.
The spa has already provided for our desires with a selection of
dishes that reflect the kitchen's strengths. There is something
here for every element. The main dish is a giant "Tub-tim"
fish covered in chilli sauce. It is backed with a seaweed and tofu
soup, seafood salad and pan-fried mushrooms saut?ed in oyster sauce.
The evening is wonderfully cool (the mountain areas around Chiang
Mai remain cool for most of the year) and we have an unblocked view
of the herbal garden, from which much of our meal has been taken.
The evening's repast is backed by the acoustic guitar sounds of
"Kuhn Da," a grandfatherly guitar soloist who provides
soothing accompaniment to diners during the weekends. By the time
he has begun to sing "Somewhere over the Rainbow," we
are full and after some moments of conversation and just pure enjoyment
of our surroundings, we retire to our room for a peaceful evening.
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There is one area we haven't fully utilized, the Jacuzzi and heated
pool and we are up early in the morning before our treatment to
take advantage of these, the first ones brave enough to take on
the morning chill. The pool is warm enough, but the Jacuzzi is pure
heaven and we are both soon lolling in the bubbling waters, enjoying
the view, the rays of the morning light falling on the spa and the
surrounding calls of nature. The catfish looks to still be hungry,
but he is far away from us in the pond below and we have forgotten
food for him again. We should have saved some from dinner last night.
At 10 a.m., our treatment is ready and we are bound for the penthouse.
After an herbal foot bath, our attendants lead us to the outside
massage area and we lie on our stomachs, enjoying the view of the
surrounding countryside as the two massage therapists rub the first
of the oils into our bodies.
Jirung Spa of Eternity has a unique set of oils for each element,
specially divided into aroma massage oil, or essential oils, depending
on treatment. Long-stay clients are given an array of oil treatments,
steam baths, saunas, herbal baths and other treatments over the
course of several days. For my wife and me, the application is of
our "missing" element which was determined the day before
from our interview. My missing water element is applied, an oil
of equal parts orange, lime and rosemary, while my wife is given
a treatment of "wind" oil - ginger, clove, cinnamon and
bergamot.
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The allure of Jirung Spa of Eternity is essentially its attention
to balance and the surroundings and both of these are fully enjoyed
on this rooftop massage area. With the sound of the pool's waterfall
and birdsong in our ears, we are free to enjoy our hour and a half
of massage, feeling not only the comfort of the therapists' expert
touch, but the cool winds of the day, shaded by the overhang and
yet open to the breezes and natural surroundings.
We enjoyed the basic package, but there are many packages to choose
from, depending on time and inclination and the list includes body
wraps and scrubs, aromatherapy facials and foot reflexology. The
minimal time is an hour and a half, while the "eternal bliss"
package is set for three hours and 40 minutes. The sauna unit and
herbal bath are both located on the rooftop spa area, allowing patrons
to move with ease from one to the other, all with the uninterrupted
view of the mountains.
My wife and I finish our massage in time to check out and we depart
slowly, not wanting to leave our five-star spa so quickly. In the
end, we head out via shuttle, feeling rested, restored and little
more in balance than we were upon our entrance to this luxury resort.
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