Is the Balinese massage a ritual or therapy?
If you are planning a trip to Bali Island, you must make time to go to the SPA, and not once or twice, but every day.
You may think it is expensive pleasure there. Not so- depends what SPA you choose. I recommend trying different options. At least that’s what I did. So far, in Asia, I’ve only been to luxury places. And now I’ve tried both more expensive massages, and those in less, not so lustrous places.
I found the following: The quality of the massage does not depend on how the place looks. In general, everywhere the level is very high, better than most places I have been in Bulgaria. Only in the SPA at Yastrebets Wellness and SPA can equate with the eastern massages and specifically one masseur, she knows who she is. 😊 I don’t mention her name because she is very much in demand anyway. About Yastrebets Wellness and SPA read more in the YASTREBETS WELLNESS AND SPA- MY ANNUAL SKI VACATION AT BOROVETS, BULGARIA.
In South Asia a massage is philosophy, a relation to man.
It is not only a good knead of muscles and skin to help you heal, to relax painful places or to prevent a cold. It is a holistic ritual that aims to harmonize physically and spiritually with every movement of the masseur.
In the traditional Balinese massage, the movements are slow, with smooth pressure in depth. That’s why you can’t feel pain. But if you’re still uncomfortable, you can always tell the masseur to reduce the strength.
The other interesting thing is, I’ve never come across a male masseur. I assume that’s mostly the ladies ‘ domain. I’ve read that there are male therapists, but I’ve never seen them. To be able to apply quality pressure, the masseurs are sometimes even required to board the massage bed.
To make it easier for you to find your way to Bali and start setting up massages, I offer to your attention sort of a comparative analysis between the different SPA centers.
The three places I visited:
- Coconut SPA, on the main street by Benoa next to the Bistro Coconut- price of aroma massage for 60 min. – 150 000 rupees, which is less than 20 EUR. In fact, this was on sale otherwise it is 200 000 rupees, which is equal to EUR 12. We chose it randomly when we were looking for a place where they were free. There are many SPA centers of this kind on Benoa and it is a question of flair and a personal feeling where you want to enter. There was this girl, standing outside waiting for someone to look at her to give away a brochure and tell about the promotion. She was nice and seemed tired of sitting in the heat, being rejected by the passers-by. But when I spoke to her, I asked her to give me instead of simple massage, an aroma one, even at higher price, she reacted instantaneously and welcomed us inside.
- Rumah SPA, a few steps from our Rumah Bali villas on, Benoa beach, Nusa Dua. We chose it by appearance. It looked like the most luxurious spa in the area.
- Biwana Spa- in hotel Nikko, a Japanese chain of hotels. It is located almost across from Rumah SPA, on the other side of the road. The price for aroma massage + foot massage-appr. 500 000 rupees, EUR 64. for 90 min. We chose it because it was nearby and looked good on the internet.
Everywhere the massage begins with a drink. The Coconut SPA gave us water. At Biwana-ginger tea with cinnamon, and in Rumah water with lime inside. After the procedure, only at Rumah SPA they served us ginger tea and cookies. Also, at Rumah SPAthey gave us to choose the aroma of massage oil, while in the other two they did not ask us at all. By standard, we should be questioned if we want soft, medium or hard force of pressure, but very strangely, in Nikko, they didn’t ask such a question. My masseuse had a hard-on, and I had to give her a hint that it hurts. The atmosphere was best in the Rumah spa, but in the Coconut spa apart from the small porch with reception, which looks quite modest, a little crowded and decorated with artificial flowers, inside, the rooms are very nice, clean and relaxing. Spa music was the best in Coconut spa. The greatest variety of options for therapies was offered in Biwana, but at a rather high price. Their biggest advantage was a small pool to the VIP room outdoors. A massage for children, aroma for 60 min. is available in all three places. The price for them is lower.
The best service and attention we got at Rumah SPA. All very smiling, calm. They had a very pleasant ritual that predisposes to relax. In Biwana, it seemed to me that we were pushed to pass faster through the ritual, in fact there wasn’t much of a ritual, and my masseuse was not smiling, which is strange for a Balinese girl. The girls at Coconut SPA were also very nice.
Overall, as a general experience I put on the firsl place Rumah Spa, the second is Coconut SPA and on the third– Biwana in Nikko. We visited twice the first center, in the second I’d go again, and to the third one – I wouldn’t.
As a price- quality ratio in the first place is Coconut Spa, then Rumah SPA and last Biwana.
The good thing is that there are massages for children everywhere, so the whole family can enjoy this kind of relaxation. For the kids safety the masseuse apply lighter pressure.
If you are already planning your stay on Bali, I recommend you try out the villas in which we stayed-Rhuma Bali. To know more about them, read my article Do you want to go to Bali Island with the whole family in comfortable villas with private pool? I know a place like this!
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How to get there?
Check-up for promotions of Qatar Airways with the QR code below. This is how we booked our tickets at very affordable prices.
Once on the island, to get to these three spa centers in Benoa, Bali, use the placescases.com and Google Maps Guide by clicking on the red pin in the map and then selecting directions:
Rumah SPA
A: Jl. Pratama No. 79 X Tanjung Benoa, Nusa Dua
T: + 62821 4419 6996/+ 62882 1904 6511
is: booking@rumahspabali.com
Coconut SPA
A: Jl. Pratama No 77, Tanjung Benoa 80363, Indonesia
T: + 62 361 775512
Biwana SPA
A: Nikko Hotel, Jl. Pratama No. 68x, Tanjung Benoa 80363, Indonesia
T: + 62 361 773577
Benoa, South Kuta, Badung Regency, Bali 80361, Индонезия
Benoa, South Kuta, Badung Regency, Bali 80361, Индонезия
Nusa Dua, Jl. Pratama No.79X, Benoa, South Kuta, Badung Regency, Bali 80361, Индонезия
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