BANYAN TREE SPA SANCTUARY
HIGHLIGHT
The resort’s flexible wellness programme is designed for travellers who want to dip their toes into this journey before making the full commitment. The number of offerings—50 to be exact—ensures that there’s something for everyone, whether you want to improve your physical strength, nourish the mind or simply just need a breather from the daily grind.
WELLNESS PHILOSOPHY
Banyan Tree Spa Sanctuary’s wellness programme is anchored on the belief that your well-being is linked to not just your physical strength, but also your social relationships, mental soundness and connection to nature. In order to guide its well-heeled residents on this journey, the resort offers 50 weekly activities that include practice classes, workshops and inspirational activities. Each one caters to different aspects of well-being, but guests are given the freedom to pick and choose what they want, says marketing communications director Nikki Tipaxsorn. I started my three-day retreat with a consultation with the specialist, who, after finding out my likes and dislikes, crafted a cardio-intensive itinerary to improve my physical strength— the foundation, says Tipaxsorn, of a healthy well-being. The classes are held in small groups in the fitness centre, but I opted for private sessions with personal trainer Surapong Suya for the core pelvic strength session, which improves the core, as well as the daily agility session, which focuses on the upper body strength and balance—both of which I sorely lack. These included a lot of weights, squats and the much-dreaded TRX (where your legs are suspended in ropes while you do planks, mountain climbers and push-ups). After an intensive workout, it was a welcome change to be sitting in an air-conditioned room with an iced lemongrass drink for a daily naturopathy presentation. This workshop reiterates the importance of a holistic lifestyle, the value in meditating for a few minutes each day, and being thankful for what we have and aspiring to be better versions of ourselves. No stay at Banyan Tree would be complete without its signature massages. I opted for the newly introduced therapeutic massage that combines the principles of Thai
massage and yoga, and which was crafted by the experts at the Banyan Tree Spa Academy. The star-studded sky and serene lake served as the perfect backdrop for my treatment, which took place in the evening at the outdoor sala of my villa. While I was lying on the massage table with the soothing spa music in the background, accompanied by an orchestra of croaking frogs, chirping birds and buzzing insects, my masseuse proceeded to knead my shoulders before stretching my back, arms and legs. I must admit that at times, it felt like a workout, but the benefits showed themselves a few days later—i no longer felt the tension in my shoulders and lower back. My journey to mindfulness was also greatly enhanced by my experience at the villa, which is fashioned after a traditional Thai royal house with pointed roofs and local artworks adorning the walls. While the shell is archaic, the interiors are distinctly modern. The bedrooms have been updated to promote better sleep: the king-sized beds are fitted with soft fabrics and pillows; the pendant and cove lights have been patented to balance the blue light on your devices at night; and soothing music automatically plays to relax your mind. I dedicated my last day to appreciating nature by cycling outside the 89acre property to enjoy local culture, and spent an hour by the beach practising breathing exercises with master practitioner Rajesh Thazhe Thatathil. “Breathing is very basic yet most of the time, we don’t do it properly,” he lamented, highlighting that if we master this simple yet crucial act, we will reap wonderful effects.