Healing Travel: 3 Spa Traditions Worth Traveling For

March 5, 2014 • Travel Tips • Views: 3303

Feeling a little worn down lately?  In need of a little R&R?  These ancient wellness traditions may do just the trick.  Make your next trip absolutely indulgent by seeking out a spa featuring one of these holistic therapeutic traditions, and you’ll return home feeling replenished and rejuvenated.

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Holistic Health in Kerala

Beautiful Kerala, in south India, is famous for its unbroken tradition of the practice of Ayurveda.  Ayurveda, which literally translates to “life-knowledge” or “life-science,” is an ancient form of holistic medicine practiced throughout India, and deeply ingrained, in particular, in the Keralan way of life.  While those seeking treatment for ailments should seek out one of the area’s renowned Ayurvedic hospitals, tourism has led to the growth of rejuvenating and rebalancing Ayurvedic spas as well.  The best of these will offer a program, usually over a period of at least a week, built for your individual constitution and needs, leaving you feeling balanced and replenished when you step back into the real world (and perhaps instilling you with a few new healthy lifestyle habits, to boot!).  While there are many well-trained, excellent Ayurvedic doctors in Kerala and throughout India, looking for a spa run by families that have been Ayurvedic doctors for generations is always a good bet.

Ancient Art in Thailand

With origins in Chinese and Indian medicine, authentic traditional Thai massage is a relaxing and deeply healing experience.  It is practiced on a firm mattress, with the practitioner moving the recipient into various yoga-like positions, supporting their body and applying rhythmic pressure to points carefully chosen with knowledge of the energy lines of the body.  This beautifully healing, meditative massage-style is offered, of course, by individually operating practitioners but also, increasingly, in spa settings.  In fact, in the 20 years since the opening of its first dedicated spa, Thailand has become one of the highest-ranking spa destinations in the world.  While you can get a quality Thai-massage in almost any town in Thailand (and if you’re travelling through, we recommend you take advantage of this fact as often as possible!), you’re guaranteed to find a good spa or wellness center where you can experience Thai massage alongside other treatments in any major city or tourist center.

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Get Balanced in Beautiful Bali

Bali’s traditional treatments and beautiful setting make it a perfect place to seek out indulgent spa experiences.  As a bonus, these treatments are usually quite affordable by Western standards, so you can truly leave all anxieties behind.  Try traditional Balinese massage for a rejuvenating experience that features techniques similar to Swedish massage therapy.  Also popular is mandi lulur, a traditional treatment often done in preparation for weddings.  This relaxing treatment combines the massage with a body scrub comprised of herbs and spices, followed by a hydrating yogurt body mask.  To give your hair a deep conditioning repair while soothing tension out of your shoulders, try a creambath – deep conditioning cream worked through the hair over the course of a scalp and shoulder massage.

 

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