MASSAGE BEST PICKS – SOUTH WEST BALI - By Shari
( Third of a series on Massage )
You may be a newcomer to living in Bali and haven’t explored the spas yet or have friends and family visiting, who do want to experience a spa treatment during their holiday. Where do you go? What should you know before you go for a treatment? Here are some helpful hints for before you go to a spa:
• Benefits of massage are: it stimulates the blood circulation to bring fresh blood throughout the body for healing and regeneration, stimulates the lymphatic system to eliminate toxins, alleviates muscle tension and reduces stress by creating a relaxed body and mind.
• Contraindications are: pregnancy in the first trimester, skin rashes and auto-immune diseases, which could be stimulated to spread.
• Your massage practitioner should ask before they start if you have any areas they should avoid or pay extra attention to.
• Your practitioner should also ask about the pressure.
• The massage strokes on the arms and legs should mostly flow towards the heart.
• The practitioner should never push up on the coccyx
compressing your spine.
Here are some of my favourite places to experience a good massage. You don’t need to worry about having a bad massage in these places, as the staff are well trained and the facilities are clean and comfortable. Feel free to surrender yourself to these skilful hands and completely enjoy your spa experience.
Spa at the Elysian is located inside the boutique villa hotel in Seminyak. They have a small but lovely spa with well trained staff of five star quality. I tried the 90 minute Herbal Pound massage, which is a combination of Balinese massage with the addition of fragrant hot herbal packs to warm the muscles, leaving me in a completely relaxed state. They have an enticing spa menu that made me want to try everything. This is a spa to go to for a special occasion or simply to add some luxury to your existence. 20% discount for KITAS or locals. Prices start at 175.000 Rp. ++ 361-730999
Jari Menari (dancing fingers) is located on Raya Seminyak and only offers massage performed by primarily male practitioners. The spa is designed in a Japanese Zen style of open backed rooms overlooking a wall of splashing water and a moss covered Buddha creating a tranquil atmosphere the moment you enter. My practitioner asked me if I had any injuries or if any areas needed special attention before I was asked to lie down and experience the Perfect Massage, their most popular treatment. Ladies, no need to worry about having a man massage you, as you are discretely draped at all times. After a few minutes of compression and stretching over the entire back of my body, the dance began as his hands flowed over legs, arms and back. When he whispered in my ear “Is the pressure ok?” by then I was hooked! Most massages focus on one area at a time in a sequence, but not at Jari Menari. This is a completely different type of massage, as the hands flow in long strokes from the ankle to the shoulder to the arm and always returning to the back, the most appreciated spot on the body for kneading fingers. The dancing fingers quickly induce you into a state of deep relaxation. Jari Menari advertises they have the best massage in Bali and many people would agree. Discounts for locals10% Prices start at 300.000 Rp.
Espace located on Raya Seminyak is definitely a place to go for great massage and other treatments. It has comfortable rooms with professional staff. I completely enjoyed the best four handed massage I’ve ever had. The therapists maintained harmony during the massage, which is no small feat. The finishing touches to the back of the body were amazing. First I was rocked, then played like a drum with four percussion hands in a quick rhythm and finally stretched like I’ve never been before. At the end of the front of the body massage, again I was thoroughly stretched. My arms and legs felt much longer, my joints were looser. I felt fantastic when I walked out. The therapists are very well trained and the senior therapists are capable of giving a therapeutic massage to problem areas. Discounts of 10% for locals and KITAS holders. Prices start at 146.500 Rp.
Body Works in Seminyak was one of the first spas to open in Bali and it has continued to offer good treatments since 1996. The décor is chic with a Mediterranean style courtyard surrounded by treatment rooms, each with its own beautiful terrazzo bathtub. I tried one of the most popular treatments at Body Works, the exfoliation massage, commonly known as Mandi Lulur. The therapist was very skilful in delivering the massage, offering to adjust the pressure for my comfort. A fragrant chocolate body scrub left my skin silky soft. The grand finale was a soothing soak in the bath surrounded by flower petals. However, if you are a very shy person, you may find it an embarrassing experience as you aren’t covered during your treatment and may find yourself letting it all hang out following the body scrub. For the modest person, Shiatsu and Thai massage is an option, which is performed with clothing. Prices for massage start at 185.000 Rp.
Spa Bali located on Jalan Dynapura recently opened for business. The spa is spacious, clean and decorated in a modern style. They have 6 private treatment rooms for body treatments, complete with lovely bathtubs. I was impressed with how well the therapists spoke English. My friend and I tried the signature Spa Bali Massage, based on Balinese, Swedish and Shiatsu techniques. We were both very pleased with the massage, adjusting the pressure according to our comfort. They also offer, warm stone, Ayurvedic and chocolate dreams massages. At this time they are offering a 50% discount on all treatments until the end of July, which is a great deal as their prices are very reasonable to start with. There is a second location in Legion. Prices for 1 hr. massage start at 95.000. 361-737933
Home Base Spa located on Dynapura reminded me of the Thai massage places in Thailand, with the reflexology chairs sitting inside the entrance and the climb up the stairs to the massage beds. At the end of a row of massage beds separated by curtains and wooden dividers are two mattresses on the floor designated for Thai and Korean massage. I tried the Thai massage, which took me back to my days in Thailand; my body gratefully remembering the pressing thumbs and hands with the yoga type of stretches. To enhance my reminiscent pleasure funky esoteric music played in the background, which induced a state of relaxation. The Korean massage is a combination of Thai and Shiatsu. They also have Balinese and Javanese massage. Prices start at 60.000 Rp. You get a card with a stamp and receive a free manicure or pedicure after 3 treatments. 361-738856
Reborn is located on Sunset road and newly open. Originally from Malaysia, where there are 20 branches, they only have one in Bali so far. The place is large with several massage beds partitioned off with burgundy curtains, but with plenty of space around the beds and wooden poles secured above the bed for barefoot Shiatsu. I tried the Tui Na massage based on Chinese medicine, which is more of a therapeutic treatment and very strong. Make sure you tell your therapist how strong you like the pressure. The staff are very well trained and the senior members can give a therapeutic treatment for muscle problems. They also offer good Shiatsu, Acupressure and Balinese massage. They have a Happy Hour from 10 am to 2 pm with a 50% discount and 2 hour specials from 2 pm til closing for 118.000. Prices start at 98.000Rp. Open daily 10 am to midnight. 361-766744/ 767171
Cozy located in Kuta and Renon has a simple concept of delivering good reflexology and body massage for good prices. The premises are simple; with curtained rooms with large comfortable massage beds and a locker box for your safety and soft music to induce a state of relaxation. The female and male staff have been well trained. They have two body massages that use a cream base and one dry pressure point style. The massages use a combination of pressure points and Swedish type of strokes. For a stiff neck, the Cozy Dream massage is very effective by using stretching and pressure points to the neck area. Generally the massages are strong but the therapist can use a more gentle pressure if you prefer. I have had many massages here, all with good satisfactory results. Prices start at 79.000Rp. You can ask for a card, which is stamped with each visit and receive a free treatment after 8 treatments within 3 months. 361-766762
