Spoil yourself on Koh Samui

Posted by Arda on June 3rd, 2007 filed in Samui, Leisure, Hospitality, Southern Thailand, Thailand travel

By Dave Besseling

Before every bored housewife and spiritual dilettante caught onto the caboose of the yoga train, Ko Samui was already known as a place to go and recharge your batteries with authentic regenerative practices.

Any sort of treatment conceivable is on offer in this tropical island paradise in southern Thailand. Whether you’re seeking to iron out some wrinkles, touch your knees with your nose, have your muscles unclenched or steam out the toxins ingested from a life of urban inhalations, Ko Samui has what you’re looking for to help you unwind.

There are many types of treatments and courses that skirt the razor of widespread conventional yoga and massage like fasting retreats, reflexology courses and lessons in trophology. An increasing number of restaurants on the island are dishing out ‘spa cuisine’ menus, where you can be sure the dish has been prepared keeping in mind the combinations of ingredients, the medicinal properties of the herbs, and the seasonal freshness of the organic vegetables.

Aside from the impressive variety of treatments and pamperings available on Koh Samui, there are as many venues that cater to different personal tastes. Yoga, cooking or massage classes vary in size and can be socially beneficial, but if privacy is what draws you to the getaway, there are ample selections for those seeking a more private atmosphere.

Even just lying around on the beach can be therapeutic, and if you’re not riding the new age trip nor are you into the alternative healing racket, there are plenty of resort options where you can just do your own thing and sip umbrella cocktails under the palm trees. There are also dozens of beauty salons and massage joints for those who haven’t booked into a resort.

Thailand has enough places where beach bums and lounge lizards hold sway over the sandbars and beaches. Coming to Koh Samui without experiencing some of the ancient knowledge in how to revive the weary would be a missed opportunity.

Getting to any of the best resorts and spas on the island is easy enough, with most of them concentrated around Laem Set Beach, Koh Samui Beach and Chaweng Beach, the latter a simple 10-minute drive from the international airport and just 25kms from the ferry pier. Resorts on Samui

The real choice lies in what level of luxury you’d like to slip into. If you want a resort with all the amenities of a modern hotel like conference rooms, swimming pools, a fitness centre and excursions around the island, the Muang Samui Spa Resort is a good choice.

The Banburee Resort and its attached spa cater to a wide variety of visitors, from vacationers, business travellers and a younger clientele as well as those who have come specifically for spa treatments. The resort has all you’d expect such as airport pick-ups, room service and all necessary tidbits you may need waiting for you in your room.

If you’re ready to go all out for the exclusive and private spa experience, the Tamarind Springs spa resort is sure to delight the pickiest of holidaymakers. The natural setting is enough to wow the most jaded jetsetter, situated in a coconut grove at the bottom of a swooping mountainside. There are only eight villas so privacy is guaranteed. Treatments available in the traditionally designed buildings and gardens include Thai massage, oil massage and hot stone massage. Between rub downs there is a herbal steam room to enjoy and a plunge pool close by for a dip between steam sessions.

Spas on Samui