HEALTH TRAVEL A WELLNESS GETAWAY

A low-down on what some of the popular wellness resorts have on offer this season

Nowadays, city-dwellers are devoting weekends to their health by checking into wellness spas. A typical day at such resorts begins with a complimentary class of yoga, followed by a day full of massages and healing therapies. One can also enjoy delectable nutritious food that are locally sourced. Check out a few places that are less than a five-hour drive away from Mumbai. Most spa treatments conclude with a sauna session, but this starts with one. The movements in this massage are designed specifically to work collagen build-up. It involves the movement of both palms parallely in opposite directions. The masseur informed us that it borrows from a Japanese massage technique (our guess is anma not shiatsu). Instead of oil or cream a gel is used for the massage. The body wrap too is gel-based, and it takes some time to get used to lying with a somewhat slimy layer on your skin. Once the entire procedure is done, your skin is slathered with generous amounts of lavender moisturiser (except on the face) leaving it supple yet firm. It’s recommended for those who prefer cold massages. This 90-minute treatment combines hot stone therapy with a body massage and a facial. After a steam, you are treated to a massage that i includes a variety of strokes — big, broad and smaller strokes on the lower back, and mini strokes on the upper back and n neck, which leaves you relaxed. T This is followed by a massage with hot stones, which were not as hot as one would expect, but they relieve stress from the body. Long and circular s strokes using smooth and heated stones relieve muscle pain. The massage is followed by a facial, which has the usual suspects — cleansing, scrubbing, taking a steam, moisturising that cleans and purifies the face. This treatment combines two iconic therapies into one spa treatment — micro massages with body elixir (a non-greasy body oil) il) and potli massage.. The treatment begins with the former micro massagesage followed by the potli massageage which uses heated herbal pouchesches also known as potlis (or poultice). The potlis are kneaded onto specific pressure points to help heal the body. The last step is an algae body wrap made of detoxifying algae, seaweed mixed in mud or clay, and warm waterwater. It’s hot when applied all over the body, and you are cocooned in towels. After the wrap cools off, your body heats up once again and this change in temperature helps the body get rid of toxins as your skin cells are stimulated. In this massage bamboo sticks of various shapes and sizes are used. The pressure is more focused unlike the ones created by the fluid movements of a masseur’s palm as bamboo wood is soft and distributes pressure evenly. This mechanism works well especially in areas around the collarbone and above shoulder blades. Especially on the toes, the slimmer sticks work wonderfully at easing the kinks. The massages in this session are of a neutral temperature. Therefore, this therapy is apt for those who prefer massages that are not warm due to friction created by the movement of the palms.