Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [94]
Depending on the neighbourhood, prices for massages tend to stay fixed: at about 250B for a foot massage and around 500B for a full body massage. Most of the spas listed below also have massage services.
Buathip Thai Massage (Map; 0 2251 2627; 4/13 Soi 5, Th Sukhumvit; 1hr massage 270B, foot 250B; 10am-midnight; Skytrain Nana) Located in a part of town where massage is typically a euphemism for something else, the experts here are both legitimate and lauded. Buathip is located on a small sub-soi behind the Amari Boulevard Hotel.
Coran Boutique Spa (Map; 0 2651 1588; www.coranbangkok.com; 27/1-2 Soi 13, Th Sukhumvit; 1hr traditional massage 400B; 11am-10pm; Skytrain Nana) Offers traditional Thai massage by graduates of the adjacent Thai Traditional Medical Services Society, which also offers courses in Thai massage (Click here).
Ruen-Nuad Massage Studio (Map; 0 2632 2662; Th Convent, Th Silom; 1hr traditional massage 350B, foot 350B; 10am-10pm; Skytrain Sala Daeng, Metro Silom) Set in a refurbished wooden house, this charming place successfully avoids both the tackiness and New Agedness that characterise most Bangkok massage joints. Prices are approachable too.
Wat Pho Thai Traditional Medical and Massage School (Map; 0 2221 2974; Soi Pen Phat, Th Sanamchai; 1hr massage 220B; 8am-10pm; river ferry Tha Tien); The primary training ground for the masseuses who are deployed across the country; there are also massage pavilions inside the temple complex (Click here).
Spas
Unless you’ve spent your entire visit in an air-conditioned bubble (entirely possible in today’s Bangkok), at some point you’re going to need to rid yourself of the negative effects of the city’s urban environment. This can take the form of a simple scrub or can involve multistage treatments involving a customised choice of aromas and oils, a team of staff and possibly even acupuncture needles. There are countless spas in Bangkok now, many of them located in the city’s high-end hotels with high-end price tags to match. To round down your choices, visit www.spasinbangkok.com or consider one of the following.
Divana Spa (Map; 0 2261 6784; www.divanaspa.com; 7 Soi 25, Th Sukhumvit; spa treatments from 2500B; Skytrain Asoke, Metro Sukhumvit) Retains a unique Thai touch with a private and soothing setting in a garden house.
Health Land (Map; 0 2637 8883; www.healthlandspa.com; 120 Th Sathon Neua; spa treatments from 850B; 9am-midnight; Skytrain Chong Nonsi) A winning formula of affordable prices and expert treatments has created a small empire of Health Land centres throughout the city.
Oriental Spa (Map; 0 2659 9000, ext 7440; www.mandarinoriental.com/bangkok/spa; 48 Soi 38, Th Charoen Krung; spa package from 1650B) Regarded as among the premier spas in the world, the Oriental Spa also set the standard for Asian-style spa treatment. After 15 years and a recent renovation, the spa’s setting in a wooden house by the Chao Phraya River is better than ever. Depending on where you flew in from, the Jet Lag Massage might be a good option, but all treatments require advance booking.
S Medical Spa (Map; 0 2253 1010; www.smedspa.com; Th Withayu/Wireless Rd; spa treatments from 1000B; Skytrain Ploenchit) Part of the new generation of Bangkok spas merging alternative medicine with relaxation techniques and cosmetic treatments. The centre has a textbook menu of possible treatments, including acupuncture, hydrotherapy, nutritional counselling and exercise programs.
Spa 1930 (Map; 0 2254 8606; www.spa1930.com; Soi Tonson, Th Ploenchit; à la carte from 1200B, packages from 3800B; 9.30am-9.30pm; Skytrain Chitlom) Rescues relaxers from the contrived spa ambience of New Age music and ingredients you’d rather see at a dinner party. The menu is simple (face, body care and body massage)