Travel To Wellness Inc.

MALAYSIA SPAS

by Roberta Sotonoff

Walk the streets of Kuala Lumpur and you are surrounded by steel and glass. Throngs of bargain hunters, dressed in a hodgepodge of fashion-Western-style dress, colourful saris, Muslim women with headscarves and Saudi women dressed from head to toe in black, browse giant malls and designer boutiques. Five fast facts on Malaysia

Walk into a spa and a delightful aroma wafts through the air. Treatment might be infused with ginger, lemon grass, of turmeric, cinnamon, garlic, onion, citronella or even onion. Whatever they use you can be sure you will come out of your treatment feeling great. Here is a sampling of a few signature treatments.

The Equinox Spa at the Equatorial Hotel

Tucked away behind the fitness club, the spa itself is unimpressive, but not so the therapies. Honey and black sesame are combined to exfoliate during the Traditional Face Spa. It is followed by an extensive eye massage and macadamia nut oil to ease wrinkles. The rest of the treatment is literally chilling. The theory: cold revitalizes your face like a flower freshens when put in cold water. Once covered with gauze, a straight from the fridge, creamy, mixture of oats and yogurt is rubbed over the face. It smells like yeast. While your face is masked, your limbs are massaged. The mask is removed, the therapist uses her forearm down to her fingers to rub the face. This unique experience ends with cleansing and cold cream. (1 hour-RM158 or US$46).

The spa’s signature body massage is the Manja Relaxing Massage It starts with a cup of Gul Melaka—a ginger, brown sugar and padann leaf tea. After a foot scrub, the therapist combines aromatherapy oil like sweet blossom with gentle, continuous strokes to work deep into the muscles, especially the back and spine. Reflexology also plays a big part in the treatment. The masseuse seems to sense your sore spots and takes extra care with them. It is topped off with another cup of tea. This purpose of the Manja treatment is to detox and relax. It does. You come away feeling as taut as a wet noodle. (1 hr RM158 or US$46;

www.equatorial.com/kul

Kenko Fish Spa

This may be your most memorable experience. Dangle your feet in the u-shaped pool and feel the odd tickling sensation of Garra Ruffa, aka Dr Fish nibbling away at your dead and diseased skin. Once you adapt to it, the little munchers feel pretty good. Soon your feet and calves will be smooth and your calluses gone. Discovered in Kangal, Turkey, this treatment has been popular in Eastern Europe and the Middle East for eons (30 min-RM 38.00 or US$11;

www.kenko.com.sg

SABAH, BORNEO

Once, headhunters roamed the rainforest and jungles in Malaysia’s largest state, but it is no longer a popular pursuit. Now native peoples greet you with a smile instead of an axe. They live in the city, tropical rainforests and throughout undulating landscape or on the surrounding islands that boast white sand beaches. Sabah’s capital, Kota Kintabalu is a charming place with a small town feel to it. It’s the kind of spot where you can walk to the water and enjoy the sunset with the friendly locals or share exotic fruits and vittles with them at the stalls nearby.

When not spa-ing, you might want to explore the majestic Mt. Kinabalu (13,435 ft). No need to be a climber to enjoy the mountain. A leisurely walk in the orchid strewn garden on its slope is as relaxing as a good spa treatment. Here are two Sabah spas:

Jari-Jari Spa

Though located in a shopping center, the earthy tones in its dimly lit reception area exude a feeling of peace. The Dusun Lotud Inan Body Therapy begins with a foot bath filled with floating sunflower petals and rocks from the Ramau River. The massages technique uses thumbs to apply pressure at various points, mostly on the back and neck. According to the Dusan Lotud people this releases tension, relaxes and increases the flow of energy. That seems right. When the treatment is over, you don’t want to leave. (95 min-RM 160.00 or about US$47;

www.jarijari.com.my

Ka’Andaman Traditional Healing Garden

Because Ka’Andaman is located in the Hongkod Koisaan Unity Centre (a cultural center for some of Borneo’s ethnic groups) and surrounded by big drums and native huts, right away this place feels exotic. In fact, one of the huts is the spa. Guests are greeted with a cup of peach tea then lead to a treatment room. Many have stone tubs adjacent to them and spa beds are covered with brightly patterned sheets. Feet are soothed with a footbath of lemon grass and pamelo leaves. The body massage, which avoids the scalp and face, uses pressure and mild stretches to invigorate and energize the body as well as realign the pathways of the body. After it is over, one feels a nice nap would be in order. (1hr- RM148 or about US$42.60;

www.kaandamanspa.com.my


Five Fast Facts on Malaysia:
• Malaysia is a thin peninsula in Southeast Asia located between Thailand and Singapore.
• Though its official language is Malay, English is widely spoken.
• Drink bottled water.
• Malaysian food is quite spicy and international foods are plentiful.
• Kuala Lumpur is a fabulous shopping mecca. Though designer shops are rampant, fabric, batik, fine pottery and pewter are local products.

For more on Malaysia Tourism

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