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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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