SPIRITUAL REJUVENATION

There is more to Phuket than just the seedy bars and raucous streets

EVEN FOR THE most resilient, the rigours of life can whittle your energy reserves to zero. Depleted was exactly how I felt towards the end of 2018, which I could not wait to leave behind. A friend mentioned a mystical place in Phuket. “Amatara,” she suggested. “It could do you good.”

A quick Google search revealed more. Amatara is a luxury wellness resort towards the south of Phuket (and far, far away from the seedy parts of the island). It faces the Andaman Sea, which is a plus in my book. More importantly, it offers a variety of programmes that promise to rejuvenate, de-stress and detoxify the world-weary soul.

From yoga retreats to weight management, the resort’s itineraries can be tailored to your specific needs. However, I opted for a stock staple: Amatara’s well-designed Active programme, a four-day sweat-fest that included various Muay Thai, TRX, Pilates and gym sessions. It’s not exactly the most relaxing holiday option, but I wanted to work it all out of me.

Healthy Cuisine

What I didn’t expect was the cuisine for my stay. As part of its wellness programmes, Amatara Phuket also encourages its resort dwellers to adopt its healthy cuisine philosophy. Think whole, raw foods with minimal processing, and vegetables. Another surprise came when I perused the beverages I could order. Besides the usual suspects such as coconut water and various juices, there were Chinese herbs like cordyceps and jiaogulan. These came in the form of smoothies, mixed together with more appetising fruits like blueberry and mango.

Having lived in Singapore my whole life, I consider myself to be quite familiar with Chinese herbs, and they aren’t exactly my favourite ingredients in the world. I associated them with foul-smelling brews that made me retch, and dusty, ominous medicine halls staffed by folks who never looked happy to be there.

But heck, I thought to myself, if 2018 was about letting go then perhaps I should let go of those childhood notions as well. So, I took the plunge and ordered one.

When the drink came, I looked at it with some apprehension but decided to take a sip anyway. The moment it touched my taste buds, though, I was blown away. I never knew Chinese herbs could taste that good. And paired only with fruits, sans any added sugar or flavour enhancer at that. From then on, I ordered one of these smoothies at every meal, quickly exhausting the options the kitchen had. And each was just as good, if not better, than the last.

Stellar Suites

The accommodation also deserves special mention. Perhaps understanding the rejuvenating qualities of an ocean view, every room faces the sea, from the cosier pavilions to the larger, more luxurious villas with private pools. I found myself gravitating towards the balcony every evening to enjoy the ocean view and watch the sun slowly disappear beneath the horizon, while the

moon took its place. Sometimes, being by yourself, enveloped in your own thoughts, with a salty breeze caressing your face, is the best panacea for urban stresses.

Amatara Phuket also forbids smoking on its premises, as part of its aim to promote a healthy lifestyle. The only place you can light up a cancer stick is the balcony of your own guest room. But after you’ve been eating healthy and staying active throughout the whole day, a cigarette is usually the furthest thing from your mind. And many of the guests I spoke to felt the same. No one opened their packs.

“AMATARA PHUKET IS MOST FAMOUS FOR THE THAI HAMMAM JOURNEY, A 105- OR 165-MINUTE TREATMENT THAT MIXES THAI HERBS WITH MIDDLE EASTERN TECHNIQUES”

The Thai Hammam Journey

While I had opted for the Active itinerary, there were also pockets of time that the resort had set aside for massages. And the one Amatara is most famous for is the Thai hammam journey. A combination of traditional Middle Eastern hammam techniques with Thai spa essentials, the 105-minute (or 165 minutes, if you feel like your knots need more attention) experience was the best treatment I’ve ever had in my adult life.

Comprising 16 steps, the journey begins with a five-minute trip to the dry sauna. According to a Finnish study, going to a sauna reduces blood pressure and improves your vascular strength. Of course, the participants in that study stayed in a sauna for 30 minutes, but I wasn’t about to complain. Five minutes was enough for me to get the heart pumping. The next 100 minutes were a whirlwind of cold showers, body scrubs, return trips to the sauna, ice and mud baths, and even a brief stay in a salt cave. Apparently, salt is an effective anti-inflammatory particle and improves the health of your lungs. Perhaps it was a placebo effect, but I left the Thai hammam journey feeling significantly more relaxed, cleaner and, more importantly, healthier.

Ready to Tackle the Year

The Thai hammam journey happened to coincide with my fourth and final day at Amatara Resort, and I finished it just in time to watch the final sunset of my all-too-brief wellness holiday.

As I watched the last entrails of Helios’s chariot release its grip on Phuket, I reflected on the days I had spent in Amatara, and the reasons why my friend recommended this place to me. Yes, Amatara Resort’s programmes help you to physically and mentally rejuvenate, but I realised they also had some beneficial and unintended side effects. They revitalised my soul. So thank you, Amatara. AM