SPA Trek
Chiang Mai's latest luxurious destination spa offers a wellness retreat combined with the perfect vacation
NOKO
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The well-preserved, 140-year-old Thai teak house in the middle of the resort; and the fabulous, indoor hydro pool for a relaxing water massage any time of the day. |
Despite its modernisation, the city of Chiang Mai remains a charming place to recharge batteries as long as you find the right spot. Despite being located on a strip famous for riverside restaurants, RarinJinda Wellness Spa Resort serves as a serene sanctuary to get away from it all.
With the magnificent Ping River across the road, the 35-room resort is the latest venture of Wiboon Utsahajit, founder of Let's Relax Spas, which has six branches in Thailand. Formerly, this property with its grand 140-year-old Thai teak house, belonged to famous Chiang Mai physician Dr Jinda - reflected in the spa's name.
Wiboon has earnestly given it a new lease of life, restoring the teak house to preserve its original beauty. The resort's new buildings, with one dedicated to perhaps one of the biggest spas in Chiang Mai, however, takes on contemporary architecture.
"Westerners like to have a Thai traditional massage on the second floor of the teak house, which has been transformed into treatment rooms to offer an exotic ambiance," says Wiboon. "Those preferring a modern environment can go to the main spa, where a variety of health, beauty and spa treatments can be provided either in treatment rooms or private villas on the top floor of the spa, which allows a nice view of the Ping River."
Private spa villa overlooking the hills of Chiang Mai. |
The unwavering entrepreneur, whose family are famous cartoon publishers, started a small outlet offering foot reflexology and Thai massage in Chiang Mai some 10 years ago. When Lonely Planet put it in a travel guide, his humble business really got off the ground and today has expanded into a spa chain, with a sister Rarinjinda day spa in Bangkok.
The Chiang Mai resort, though, serves as a full-scale destination spa with facilities including gym, infrared and steam sauna as well as a big hydro pool.
"With all the travelling for leisure as well as attending spa expos, I had a lot of ideas for designing this wellness spa. Generally, people come to a spa for merely a massage or beauty treatments, when spa-ing was originally about healing through hydrotherapy," says the resort owner. "Besides a hydro tub and Vichy shower, we have a seven-station hydro pool. Spa-goers should try it out and at each station a different intensity of hydro-massage will help heal specific muscular aches and pains."
Ancient bowls used in the Tibetan sound therapy. The sound vibrations represent the Wind element. |
RarinJinda Chiang Mai's spacious, well-decorated area for foot reflexology. |
In contrast to its modern facilities, the spa philosophy embraces a traditional holistic approach to attaining physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. An aura-chakra analysis and consultation with Sushil Rahul MD, a doctor of Western medicine who also specialises in Ayurvedic treatments, will help choose the best treatment or package to promote wellness. "Having no symptoms doesn't mean that you're perfectly healthy," says Dr Rahul. "The aura-chakra analysis will help identify an energy imbalance within your body that hinders optimal wellness. From there, treatments and lifestyle modifications are recommended to promote a balance."
He adds that integrated treatments will provide a better outcome. For example, 30 minutes in the infrared sauna, a plunge in the hydro pool, foot reflexology or a massage on a warm sand bed can be combined to kill muscular discomfort.
The serene Tibetan sound therapy. |
The spa's signature Elements of Life treatment features warm sand bed therapy, which also involves Tibetan sound therapy through the hitting of ancient bowls. Interestingly, it was designed with the sand to represent the Earth element; the heat the Fire element; the rose extract the Water element; and the sound vibrations, the Wind element.
For burnt out urbanites, Dr Rahul points out that with accumulative stress continuous treatments are required to gradually clear it up, by which the Ayurvedic Shirodhara works well as an emotional detoxification. This ancient therapy involves the pouring of warm oil infused with herbs onto the third eye on the forehead to calm emotions.
Those requiring a rejuvenating overhaul may be interested in the resort's detoxification, weight management and wellness packages that require a two to seven-day stay.
RarinJinda Wellness Spa Resort is on Charoenraj Road, Wat Kate, Muang district, Chiang Mai. For more information, please visit http://www.rarinjinda.com or call 053-303-030.
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