Tranquil Thai retreats where you can simply switch off
Welcome to the kingdom of renewal. These luxury Thai retreats will leave you energised in mind, body and spirit, writes Larissa Dubecki.
Hua Hin
CHIVA-SOM An encyclopedic array of the latest therapies and time-honoured spa rituals lie at the heart of this worldleading wellness destination (www.chivasom.com) that has pampered the glitterati in perfect comfort since 1995. The stunning sanctuary set on the soft white sands of Hua Hin, about three hours’ drive south of Bangkok, is reason enough to pack your bags but the personalised treatment regimen that will see you re-energised and refreshed is in another league. Sweat and stretch in classes including yoga, tai chi and dance, indulge in the services of a full medispa and relax with outdoor massage in the tropical gardens. Then treat yourself to the wholesome menu based on organic ingredients.
Koh Samui KAMALAYA
Regarded as one of Thailand’s best health retreats, Kamalaya (kamalaya.com) is located on the southern coast of Koh Samui. It’s a haven for stressed and burnt-out guests, who are drawn to its East-meets-West programs promoting emotional wellbeing. A private resort clinging to a steep hillside, it provides every facet of a five-star getaway (the most desirable villas boast generously sized swimming pools overlooking the ocean) but it’s the rambling spa with open-air treatment rooms hidden in the jungle-like terrain that’s the raison d’être. There you can sample a range of Ayurvedic treatments and acupuncture, reboot with therapeutic massage and reflexology or soak up the wisdom of yogis and life coaches to make the whole experience endure.
Chiang Mai DHARA DHEVI
It’s an upmarket hotel first and foremost – a palatial wonderland of imperial Thai design set amid 24 hectares of well-tended grounds – but The Dheva Spa and Wellness Centre is the jewel in this northern crown (hotel.qantas. com.au/dharadhevi). It took 150 artisans more than three years to build the complex, which is modelled on Myanmar’s Mandalay Palace and richly decorated in gold, white marble and Buddhist motifs. Its 3100 square metres encompass options across a vast selection of European, North African and Asian treatments, whether it’s a holistic yoga program, hydrotherapy room and Vichy shower, the steamy hammam or the Watsu pool for one-on-one aquatic bodywork.
Phuket KATA ROCKS
In Thailand, there’s no dearth of retreats that hark back to past holistic health philosophies. But a destination that combines traditional methodologies with a dash of the futuristic is rare, which brings us to Kata Rocks (hotel.qantas.com.au/kata rocks). Located in southern Phuket, it’s a collection of 34 swanky villas that cascade down a hill to a rocky outcrop that plunges dramatically into the Andaman Sea. Each villa enjoys sweeping water views, while the sunset-facing infinityedge pool located at the heart of the resort gets our vote for the most photogenic spot in Thailand – particularly at dusk. But the biggest drawcard at Kata Rocks is its spa, which offers three-, five-, seven- and 10-day detox programs, plus a raft of therapies that incorporate timeless wisdom as well as cutting-edge technology. Try the two-hour Senso Healing treatment, which includes a massage while on a waterbed preheated to soothe tired muscles. Or opt for a treatment in the spa’s chromotherapy chamber, where subtle changes in lighting effects are claimed to balance your chakras.
Koh Kood
SONEVA KIRI
A beachfront hotel promoting the beguiling notion of “barefoot luxury” on the unspoiled island of Koh Kood, Soneva Kiri (hotel. qantas.com.au/sonevakiri) is a short private plane ride from Bangkok and light-years away from the rat-race. Its Six Senses spa, tucked discreetly into the rainforest foliage, is a refuge of stress relief where you can relax to the max with a fiveto 14-night yogic detox program, or choose à la carte with an Oriental massage, a Thai silk facial or detoxifying coffee body wrap. The aprés-spa activities are topnotch, too, whether it’s dining in a treetop bamboo pod, enjoying a movie at the open-air cinema or gazing at the stars in the observatory with the resident astronomer.
Chiang Rai
MUSEFLOWER RETREAT & SPA
An early-morning yoga class on a pontoon anchored in the serene lake is a pinch-me highlight of this simple yet elegant eco-friendly hideaway (musefloweretreat.com), the ideal place to find your balance by virtue of an organic, vegetarian menu and a digitaldetox philosophy. Take your pick from three-, five- and sevennight yoga or spa retreats, sign up for a spiritual program or tailor an escape to include everything from qi gong to Pilates, sound bathing and crystal massage. There’s even a DIY body-scrub workshop for the gift that keeps on giving.
Bangkok
MANDARIN ORIENTAL
Who says you can’t create a tranquil haven in the heart of bustling Bangkok? Certainly not the Mandarin Oriental (hotel.qantas.com.au/mandarin orientalbangkok). The grande dame of the city’s high-end hotel scene offers personalised three-day retreats at its opulent Oriental Spa, reached by a short boat ride across the Chao Phraya River. A broad range of treatments seamlessly incorporate an Asian holistic approach and modern Western therapies. Body wraps, herbal compresses, massages and facials are the order of the day – leaving you glowing and ready for aperitivo hour at The Bamboo Bar or dinner at the hotel’s two-Michelin-starred Le Normandie restaurant.