A trip to thespais a commontravel activity.Not just forgetting clean,a spa can be a great way to experience local culture and customs, enjoy some serious relaxation and/or remove the grime that accumulates while on the global road.
While a professional spa treatment can cost a fortune, they are usually relatively cheap in low-income countries. They usually take their time, and are not fortravellers in a hurry.
- See also:Hot springs
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Understand
[edit]The wordspais derived fromSpa,a town in Belgium, though folk etymology, repeated through marketing, has claimed it to be an acronym ofSanitas per aquamor other Latin phrases.
Springs of water have attracted travellers since prehistoric times, some of them withreligious importance.While bathing was a virtue in societies such as theRoman Empireand theOttoman Empire,it fell out of fashion in medieval and early modern Europe, with some exceptions.
Modern spas combine different diets, treatments and activities forphysical fitness,such assport,yoga,meditation,sauna,andvegetarian food.
Spa towns
[edit]In the 19th century, springwater drinking, bathing and exercise were again promoted as healthy; founded on science as well as romanticism for nature.Rail travel,steamshipsand other modes of transport allowed the middle class to visit sparesorts.Many visitors came for entertainment and social life, rather than health.
Spa towns, some of the earliest resorts, later diversified to cope with increasing visitors and meet their expectations. Whilst the fortunes of many traditional spa towns peaked in the early 20th century, the legacy left behind can be both substantial and impressive.
With modern spas more or less everywhere, the traditional spa resorts have got tough competition.
Get treated
[edit]Foot baths
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Although most services are ordered a la carte, if you opt for a package treatment you'll most likely begin with a foot bath delivered by your attendant. This usually involves having your feet washed and scrubbed in a basin of warm water with flowers. A pumice stone may be applied to your feet as well as some scented oils and/or soaps. Foot baths, accompanied with a foot massage, are also popular treatments for those wanting some personal care (especially after a long day of sight seeing) but aren't interested in the full body experience.
Scrubs
[edit]A body scrub is an exfoliating spa treatment. A therapist rubs a coarse mixture over the body to remove dead skin cells and stimulate circulation. The mixture is rinsed off leaving the skin soft and smooth. A variety of materials are used as the exfoliant - salt, sugar, apricot shells, polyethylene beads, jojoba beads, pumice, ground loofah, sand, crushed grape seed and more. This material is suspended in a liquid that can contain essential oils, oils such as sweet almond, sunflower, and coconut, herbs, and/or vitamin A, C, E. Scrubs are also known as Salt Glow, Sugar Scrub, Full Body Exfoliation. The beauty of body scrubs is that they are one of the spa treatments that you can do yourself at home with great results.
Wraps
[edit]Wraps can be enjoyed on their own or as part of a package, in which it will usually follow the scrub. During a wrap treatment, your attendant will cover you in a warm sticky covering that has the consistency of jam or jelly and comes in lovely smelling mixtures, such as papaya and aloe or more earthy concoctions such as seaweed or volcanic mud. Either way, you'll be covered from your neck down in your selection and then you'll be wrapped up in a cocoon made from a variety of natural materials, banana leaves are common. For the next 15–30 minutes, you'll be left in isolation and your skin will soak up the ingredients while you drift in and out of a light sleep.
Facials
[edit]A facial treatment can also be enjoyed on its own or as part of a spa package. When part of a package, it typically follows a wrap or scrub—after most of your body has been scrubbed and you are relaxed, you'll be stretched out on a table and all of your attendants attention will be focused on your face, neck and head. Usually a facial involves the deep cleansing of the skin on your face and may also include a neck and/or scalp massage. A facial treatment may use scented cleansers and may last between 15 minutes and one hour.
Massages
[edit]Aromatherapy baths
[edit]Aromatherapy baths are often part of a spa package and entail relaxing in a large tub filled with warm water. Typically, the tub will be decorated with fresh flowers floating on the surface and may also have scented oils, where the aromatherapy comes in, added to the water. The idea is that while relaxing in the water, the scents will deepen your state of relaxation.
Hamam
[edit]TheHamamis a Turkish style bathing system that occurs at a marble setting. Usually the real hamams inTurkeywere built on thermal fountains.
Sauna
[edit]The Finnish version of hamams. Much hotter, but also much drier to compensate. Ubiquitous in Finland,saunasare common in spas also in some other regions. These are rooms heated by a stove you now and then throw water on to get more heat. Outside Finland, Germany and Russia, what is called a sauna is often quite different from the original.
Destinations
[edit]Particularly inSouth-East Asia,you'll find your spa visit to be much less expensive than you would find in North America and Europe without cutting out any of the ambiance or experience (you'll likely have more).
- Bali- Probably one of the premier destinations for those looking for a variety of spa treatments. Coffee and Javaneselulurbody scrubs are popular items on most spas menus. Facilities range from the quiet, basic and unpretentious (such as inLovinaon the northern part of the island) to the opulent, extravagant, and luxurious (such as inUbudandSeminyak). Better yet, Bali is one of the most affordable locations in the world to have a treatment; if you ever had an urge to splurge on a spa and were on a budget, this would be the place to do it.
- Boracay- Has a wide variety of spas and treatments available, probably due to its large international visitor base. As a result, you choice of spas will be quite broad to suite any appetite and price range.
- Kuala Lumpur—While not as inexpensive as other places in Asia, KL does not disappoint those looking to be pampered. A variety of treatments can be found in this cosmopolitan environment for a variety of prices. Even the finest treatments in the most luxurious spa will be at least half of what you would pay in Europe or North America. Individual spas are located throughout the city with the largest concentration being found in Starhill Gallery shopping center, where you'll find a dozen treatment centers appropriately clustered on the floor called "pamper".
- India- Being the land of Ayurveda and Siddha Vaidya, India offers unique spas with various shades of Indian treatments. An Indian spa experience is best enjoyed at traditional and reputed clinics and homes of traditional Ayurveda and Siddha Vaidya physicians. Authenticity is the core of an Indian spa rather than the luxury component. Indian spa therapies are generally priced lower than imported ones.
- Maldives- Most resorts at this famously beautiful honeymoon paradise include a spa, but treatments tend to be charged at famously expensive Maldivian prices.
- Manila- You'll find most of the spas within the Makati business district's upscale hotels: Mandarin Oriental, Peninsula, Discorvery Suites, etc. Like the hotels that host them, the spas within these establishments offer an excellent value compared to what you would find outside of Asia.
- Singapore- It is become one of spa destinations in Asia. Singapore Tourism Board and Spa Association Singapore have been continue to support and ensure excellent services and treatments from Spa outlets. Today, You can find Spa outlets in every corner of Singapore. Most of them provide their uniquely spa services and treatments. However, unlike in neighbouring countries, spas are generally expensive with prices only slightly lower, if not on par with Western countries.
- Thailand- A visit to the spa seems to be on the agenda of every visitor to Thailand, and for a good reason; Cities such asBangkokandChiang Mai- and islands popular with tourists, such asPhuket,&Ko Samui- have affordable, high-quality spas. And although not strictly speaking the same as spas, even the smallest provincial town will have massage parlors dishing out bone-crackingly good Thai massages for a few hundred baht per hour.
- Turkey- there are geothermal spas near faults. For details, see local articles, e.g.Amasya
Public baths in Japan,often based around hot springs, are an important cultural and social institution in Japan.
Sitting on top of major fault lines has given Japan at least the benefit ofOnsenculture. Japanese often use the opportunity to bathe in hot volcanic water to relax after a busy day, or bond with their friends and family on a weekend.Beppuis a famous spa town in the far south-west of the country with many public and private onsen to enjoy.
Another country on a major geological fault line, New Zealand offers hot spa destinations in towns literally on volcanoes, such asRotorua.
United States
[edit]- Chichen Itza,Yucatán, Mexico. In this famous Mayan archaeological site, the traditional Mayan healing methods are still practice by native Maya medicine elders female healers are known as X-Men while male healers are known asJ'Meen.Mayan healers offer various unique spa experiences based on ancient herbal traditions, holistic healing ceremonies, purification and beauty rituals. Chichen Itza has one of the best eco-spa wellness destinations in North America, which is dedicated to preserving the Maya culture and bringing Spa goers the opportunity to experience the vast Mayan holistic traditions still practice by the Maya in Yucatán.
- Vermont,United States.Vermont has some of the best known destination spas in North America. Spa goers can take advantage of the outdoor activities such as hiking and cross country skiing in the Green Mountains.
Belgium
[edit]Belgiumis home to the town ofSpawhich became famous in the 14th century for its cold healing mineral springs, and from which all other spas took their name.
Bulgaria
[edit]For its size,Bulgariais relatively rich in mineral water and hot springs and has a number of spa resorts. These includeHisaryaandPavel Banyain Central Bulgaria,VelingradandDevinin theRhodope Mountains,Bankya close to the capitalSofia,Sapareva Banya andSandanskiinSouth-Western Bulgaria,and resorts near some major cities, likeBurgasandHaskovo.
Czech Republic
[edit]TheWest Bohemian Spa Triangleis famous for its mineral springs and was a favorite Spa destination for numerous crowned heads, rich and famous of the pre-World War Iera.
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There are dozens of spas and spa hotels in Finland. Some of these are traditional health spas and others are modern tropically warm indoor water amusement parks with spa treatments.Saunabathing is very important in Finnish spas, because of Finland's strong sauna tradition. Modern spas are family resorts with children's pools, water slides, jacuzzis etc. There are famous spas in these destinations:Hämeenlinna,Imatra,Ikaalinen(founded 1884, one of the most well-known),Kuopio,Lappeenranta,Naantali(the largest spa in Finland),Nokia(the most popular family spa destination in Finland),Saariselkä(the northernmost spa in Europe),Savonlinna,Siuntio,TampereandTurku.
In Germany Spa towns are often granted the title "Bad" which theymayadd to their name (as the example ofAachenshows, even when granted, this title may be omitted in this case due to being listed first in alphabetic lists). "Bad" is cognate with "bath" and can be translated as "Spa".
Germany features the earliest seaside spas of Europe, such asHeiligendamm,Norderney (one of theEast Frisian islands), Putbus andRostockwithWarnemünde.The islands ofUsedom,Rügen(Rügen) andSyltare internationally renowned for their seaside spa resorts.
Famous inland resorts includeBaden-Baden,Bad Doberan,Bad Ems,Bad Kissingen, andWiesbaden.
In theBlack Forestregion,Baden-Badenwas home to Roman baths before being lost after the fall of the empire. The baths were only rediscovered in the 19th century and the town has become a magnet for the rich and famous.
The German seacoast has had a spa tradition since the late 18th century withEast Frisian islandslike Norderney getting recognition as spa towns in that time and some places on theGerman Baltic Sea Coasteven earlier. During the 19th and early 20th century, crowned heads and high ranking government officials cured various ills by bathing in the sea and even today many combine leisure with physical recuperation.
Somewhat different traditions from South-Eastern Asia, seeBudapest#Thermal bathsfor background.
- Kopaonik:Grand Hotel; Kraljevi Čardaci
- County Kerryin the south west of Ireland is home to many five star hotels that specialise in many different Spa treatments.
- West Corkis easily accessibly to nearbyCorkand many quality hotels have stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Coast.
Luxembourg
[edit]Mondorf-les-Bainsis by far the most popular and the oldest spa town in Luxembourg.
Netherlands
[edit]There's a wide range of spa facilities in the Netherlands. Notable ones are Thermae 2000 inValkenburg aan de Geul,Elysium in Bleiswijk (nearZoetermeer) and Sauna Drôme in Putten (near DeVeluwe).
Switzerland
[edit]The Romans brought the concept of baths to England, with the great former Roman city ofBath,being the most prominent.
Cities such asBuxton,Malvern,Royal Leamington SpaandTunbridge Wellswere also noted for their mineral springs.