INVESTING IN HEALTH

SPA Trek

With Phuket only 10 minutes away by speedboat, it might be tempting for guests at Six Senses Destination Spa to escape the serenity of this secluded private island and head for the nightlife of the world-famous island resort.

General manager of Six Senses Destination Spa Phuket, Ana Maria Tavares, observed that holidaymakers at the spa usually prefer to have a good night's sleep in order to wake up early for another day of wellness activities.

''You may find this hard to believe, but 100 percent of our Asian guests choose not to go out. They become addicted to the slow life, and after one night here they don't want to go out. They can do that anywhere and at any time, but while they're here they want to make the most of a wellness vacation,'' said Ana Maria, a veteran of the hotel and wellness industry.

But before joining the wellness industry, the Portuguese hotelier was on the opposite side of the coin because her job at five-star hotels was to entice people to spend, eat and party.

''That was the lifestyle of the '80s and early '90s,'' she explained. ''Nowadays, instead of excessive eating and drinking, people want a more moderate lifestyle. We see more and more people looking at combining a vacation with wellness, to develop healthy habits and enjoy not simply a holiday, but an opportunity to transform their lives.''

With the wellness holiday trend, more people are looking for destination spa vacations where they can undergo a transformation to become healthier in mind, body and spirit. Destination spas have been around for ages but haven't been regarded as hot spots for a vacation because people may have perceived them to be beauty or weight-loss camps.

''In the past, destination spas were more about beauty, cosmetic surgery and the way you look. And there wasn't wellness, there was only starvation to lose weight,'' noted Ana Maria.

''They've changed a lot over the years, and become more like an educational place where clients take away information. It's a way to get a loyal clientele, because when they go to supermarkets and restaurants back in their city life, they opt for healthier choices with what they've learned from us in the back of their mind.''

By evolving into a wellness getaway, a destination spa will attract more clients because of the worldwide trend for people to perceive holidays as an investment.

''So you go to an exotic location, pay for expensive accommodation, pamper yourself. But what do you get out of this investment?'' asked Ana Maria rhetorically.

''People have come to realise that they should be investing in themselves. Living in a stressful

world they need this kind of wellness vacation where they can come and reflect on their lives and learn to do something different."

So who are all those people packing their luggage for a three-day or a two-week stay at a destination spa?

It was formerly perceived to be something for the middle-aged and above group, according to Ana Maria, but today, younger people are seeking this kind of rejuvenating vacation. In fact, the first guests at Six Senses Destination Spa Phuket was a young honeymoon couple from Japan.

"People making a big step in their lives, like getting married and planning a family, want to get themselves into a healthy and balanced lifestyle," she explained.

"Life also presents us with other challenges, for example traumatic events, relationship crises and retirement. Personalised programmes will help people develop a holistic and balanced approach to physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being to inspire a new and enriching life."

The launch of Six Senses Destination Spa in Phuket last year gives Thailand its second major high-end destination spa after Chiva-Som International Health Resort in Hua Hin. The affable Ana Maria was actually the founding GM and deputy managing director of Chiva-Som, and during her six years there, it was voted the World's Premier Destination Health Resort by the readers of Conde Nast Traveller magazine.

She regards it as a privilege to be involved in pioneering both upscale wellness retreats. Her new baby, Six Senses Destination Spa Phuket, boasts a prime location on Naka Yai island with a glorious view over Phang-nga Bay.

The tranquil haven offers villa accommodation, all with private pools, but it's likely that you will be out of the room, to follow a customised programme combining healthy cuisine, fitness activities, spa treatments, and wellness education. With spa treatments as a part of the wellness prescription, the 3,000-square-metre spa features four concepts: Chinese, Indian, Indonesian and Thai, with the architecture and treatments inspired by these Asian cultures.

The wellness activity menu will also keep you busy, with cooking classes, breathing exercises, biking, pilates, qi gong, yoga and many other ways to sweat it out.

"It's very important to include an education process, so we also have talks by nutritionists, naturopaths and international consultants. The talks are very informative and often they just click with people, making them realise how some small adjustment, like proper breathing and posture, can benefit your health," said Ana Maria.

She emphasised that you don't have to be unwell to come to a destination spa, which is neither a clinic nor a hospital. A wellness vacation is about prevention rather than cure, and people come to seek lifestyle changes before it's too late.

"Even insurance companies have welcomed this wellness trend by reimbursing certain therapies like acupuncture and sports massage. They want to look after you so that you don't get sick, as that would become more expensive for them," she added.

Until October, the introductory rate for a daily wellness package at Six Senses Destination Spa Phuket is 9,999 baht per person. This package covers overnight villa accommodation, three meals, wellness consultation, two spa treatments and a choice of daily wellness activities.

"It's a good investment," concluded Ana Maria. "If the choice is between a brand name handbag costing 10,000 baht and a healthy holiday, I'd say, put the handbag on hold and come for a destination spa vacation."

Relate Search: Six Senses Destination Spa, Ana Maria Tavares