spa

01 a man’s right to spa

classic touch of comfort and care, maya spa offers everything you’d expect from a high calibre spa
_{text chris le images courtesy of maya ubud resort and spa}

the look
Walking down the walkway from the lobby to the spa is one of the more beautiful walks I’ve ever partaken in inside a resort. It reminded me of being inside an immaculately maintained ancient redoubt of some faraway lost jungle civilization. I was only reminded of my ties to the present by the presence of an elevator, which took me down the valley and
closer to the pavilion that houses the spa lobby.

The spa’s front desk ceiling had beautiful illustrations of scantily clad natives arranged in a sort of hieroglyphic fashion. The walk down to the actual room where the treatment took place was but a brief set of stairs down the valley wall. The rooms were classically Bali inspired with a wooden earthly feel that complemented the natural beauty of the surrounding landscape. The view itself was nothing short of breathtaking: a river below, a valley in the middle, and a blue sky above.

the touch
Being a very manly and testosterone-fuelled individual, I naturally chose the masculine express treatment. Offered to males only, this brought me to wonder what a gender specific spa therapy entailed. The first step was some reflexology on the sole. Being empowered by the title of my treatment, I communicated the need to have my reflexology at full strength. The pressure points being stimulated were marginally painful at first, but a good reflexology demands sacrifice. I felt my often-neglected feet circulating good energy at the conclusion of this stage of the treatment, a sure sign of a successful foot rub.
The second stage proved my manhood even further. It included a herbal pound, which amounts to a searing hot bunch of herbs wrapped in cloth and gently pummelled against exposed skin. Where the tougher parts of my body could take the thermal healing, some parts like my inner thighs were not as masculine as initially anticipated. It still felt pretty good though.
The conclusion of the treatment included a warm herbal bath on the balcony of the room overlooking the river. The herbs floated freely around me and very much reminded me of being in a magical stew. I was also served some delicious yogurt, fruits, granola and lime juice.

the ingredients
I was given a choice between bergamot and lime or orange rose for the final herbal bath. The herbal pound was made of a large assortment of different herbs that included China moon, ginger, lime and some roots. What this entire man therapy amounted to was a replacement of all the girly things such as flowers and fruity scrubs in favour of the manliness of herbs, which I think is completely sensible because I enjoy being pampered… in a manly way.

the exceptional
The view from your therapy room at the Maya Spa is truly something that sets it apart from a lot of spas. The sheer scenic magnificence of a jungle valley with the low rumbling of a river below whilst getting a massage is something quite magical. •

_{Maya Ubud Resort and Spa,
Jl. Gunung Sari Peliatan, T: 0361 977 888, www.mayaubud.com}

02 perfect twenty

the twenty-fingers massage by mandara spa is the closest thing to the sublime
_{text indra john images courtesy of ayodya spa by mandara}

the look
Think earthy colours, long, dark and cave-like pathways with unique oriental ornaments. The Ayodya Spa by Mandara is set in a large complex, therefore the treatment rooms and spa villas are quite spacious. Of their 13 single treatment rooms, four are equipped with in-room showers, and there is also a dedicated hand and foot spa area. Each of the spa villas also has their own steam shower, outdoor bale, bath and bathtub.

the touchThe twenty-fingers massage is arguably the epitome of the sublime. To the untrained mind and eyes, it might look as simple as two therapists giving you a massage at the same time, but the actual application involves so much more. These therapists must work on you in a synchronised rhythm, pace and pressure. And when it’s done properly, there is nothing more you can do because you don’t feel like you posses your own body anymore; you’re so relaxed, the only thing left to do is to close your eyes, let go, and think, “This is how cloud nine must feel like.”
On top of this, Mandara’s signature massage combines shiatsu, Hawaiian lomi-lomi, Thai, Swedish, and Balinese massage techniques and the transition from one massage technique to another is almost seamless.

the ingredients
Mandara Spa has four different aromatherapy massage oils to choose from: harmony, Mandara, island spice, and tranquillity. This time, I went for the island spice oil, which is a concoction of clove, ginger and nutmeg. It has a warming effect and I found that the strong clove aroma of the oil did the difficult task of relaxing my mind. It tingled in the beginning, but the moderate heat was a pleasure from the first time it touched an exhausted body.

the extraordinary
In addition to the excellent spa products from Pevonia Botanica used by this spa, they also let you choose your own music. This, to me, is exceptionally excellent because not everyone’s idea of relaxing music is a line-up of New Age tunes. Sometimes, a little bit of jazz might be better on that particular day, or if not, a little bit of pop. After all, a spa experience is as personal as it gets. •

_{Ayodya Spa by Mandara,
Ayodya Resort Bali, Jl. Pantai Mengiat, Nusa Dua, T: 0361 771 102,
www.ayodyaresortbali.com}