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I am standing under a gazebo, with a bridge to my right and one
to my left. A woman offers me a cold herbal drink and a towel to
wipe my face and hands, while I am thinking of the choices that
lie ahead. 'Are you ready?', she asks and leads me off to the right
bridge and down some steps. Looking around I can see where the other
bridge would have led to. I discover yet more bridges further down,
leading either to small thatched roof huts, or pools of lilies.
I am ushered into a gate and take a few steps up to enter the main
room.
I am at Pimalai Spa; part of the Pimalai Resort on the island of
Lanta Yai. The island itself is lush and still unspoiled and this
is well reflected at the spa. Lying in the outdoor jacuzzi near
the pond, I appreciate the blue and occasional white cloud patches
drifting over me and wonder how a one-year old Spa can have such
tall trees. The notion that the trees were spared when constructing
this place dawns on me and I feel free to indulge in other, less
unsettling thoughts.
I have chosen to have a Thai Clay Wrap, proceeded by the Andaman
Sea Salt Scrub. The description reads 'Salts from the abundance
of the Thai sea will be mixed with aromatic oil to purify and cleanse
our souls from negativity.... To be reborn.' Exactly what I want.
So, the masseuse starts scrubbing my entire body with this mixture,
which feels warm and rough, like a loofah sponge. When she has completed
her work she leads me to take a shower outdoors. The bungalow is
shielded from guests and staff by a wall that forms corners. Some
parts of it, like the beside the tub used for flower baths, are
made out of a sequence of pebbles. Treading on larger pebbles to
the right of the tub I reach the outdoor shower. Peace is all around
me and I can't hear the outside world; just the sound of a breeze
through the trees and the splash of the waterfall behind the gazebo
running down towards a large pool dripping with lilies and koi carp.
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Returning indoors, I am asked to sit on a plastic sheet. This time
Thai Clay will be massaged into my body in long, full strokes. Once
my entire skin is covered with it, the masseuse wraps a plastic
sheet around me, ensuring that my feet are tucked in. Looking like
an Egyptian mummy, I am left to rest with a towel over me. Some
ages or -more likely- minutes later I am allowed to break my plastic
cocoon and head once more to the shower to wash off the clay. On
my way out, I take a look at the room with its exposed roof beams,
lights hidden inside hollow bamboo and wonder where they have hidden
the air conditioning. Everything looks sparse, everything is in
place and everything is tucked away.
When I return to my bed, the masseuse applies a moisturizing lotion
after which I am free to go.
The next day, I booked a massage. I was lucky to have been accepted,
because the spa is normally fully booked, even in low season! Again,
at the point where the two bridges meet, I am encouraged to choose
the scent of the oil for the massage. This massage is called Asian
Aroma and I choose patience, a mixture of sesame oil, cedarwood,
lavender and black pepper oils. I have made my choice not because
I don't possess that quality of patience, but rather because it
is said to rejuvenate body energy and relieve muscles. This time,
however, I am not alone in the room. My companion is lying on the
bed parallel to mine, receiving the same massage as me. This Spa
offers two and three hour packages especially designed for couples.
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'The ingredients we use in our Spa are all natural Thai herbs and
essential oils.' explains the Spa Coordinator, Khun Anchallee Chujit.
'Prior to a facial, for example, turmeric, green tea, tomato and
almond paste are used for exfoliation, while the herbs used for
the facial itself depend upon the client's skin type.' Not only
are the herbs natural, but their smell is subtle and does not irritate
or create unnecessary stimulation.
The masseuse's strokes take me into a deeper space, aided by the
subtle ambient music of flute and bird song. I totally relax and
enjoy this treat, which is sometimes interrupted by my masseuse's
delicate voice: 'Are you alright?' When she tells me that it's time
to go I realize that one hour is just not enough to fully savour
this blissful experience.
Out in the gazebo, I let my eyes follow the koi carp swimming beneath.
I sip my hot ginger tea, a customary beverage offered after a massage
session and reflect on the peace and serenity this small space exudes.
I appreciate that this space is very important indeed, for it acts
as a transition stage from the outside world to the inner sanctum;
calming the mind when one first arrives here and the taking us back
from the inner sanctum to the outside world, preparing us to re-enter
our lives after hours of an almost out-of-body experience.
For reservations: Pimalai Resort & Spa
99 Moo 5, Ban Kan Tiang Beach Lanta Yai Island
Krabi
81150,
Tel: (66) 75 629 054/7
Fax: (66) 75 607987
E-mail: reservation@pimalai.com
Website: www.pimalai.com
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