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| Four Seasons, Langkawi/ photo: hotel |
MALAYSIA has laid claim to several intriguing firsts – the tallest twin towers, the biggest Mexican bun, the longest variety show and the most number of heads shampooed in one day at a mall. Now there’s another feather in the cap of Malaysia “Truly Asia” (as its TV adverts intone). We’re talking some of the best spas and spa resorts east of the Suez. It’s time to roll out the tikar (mat) and succumb to Mak Minah’s (Aunty Minah’s) therapeutic touch as she sinks her fingers into your flesh, kneading away ailments while realigning your spine and repositioning your organs. What the…! Did my big toe just switch places with my nose?
Malaysia spas offer a good range of offerings, from dedicated luxury spa resorts, small spa hideaways and traditional ayurvedic establishments, to healers and mystic masseurs with long waiting queues. You’ll find spa menus with the regular assortment of body scrubs, exfoliation, masks, massage, aromatherapy, reflexology and hot soaks. There’s something for everyone. Our Malaysia spas and spa hotel guide.
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Langkawi Spa Resorts
Head for the island of Langkawi in the Andaman Sea off Malaysia’s west coast where mythical tales, massages, facials, manicures and pedicures offer a heady mix for all wallets.
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| JivaRhu, Tanjung Rhu Resort/ photo: hotel |
At the JivaRhu Spa, Tanjung Rhu Resort, you’ll be pampered at one of 12 independent villas, built on a stretch of landscaped gardens with views of the Andaman Sea. Villas come complete with intimate open-air enclaves, private gardens, outdoor steam rooms, saunas, showers and outdoor Jacuzzis. Latticed woodwork roofs in the foyer and pathways create a genuinely local ambience. Expect Malay traditional treatments like the candlenut body scrub plus traditional remedies.
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The Rainforest Shower deserves special mention. Beginning with a sea salt scrub followed by a gentle patter of “rainfall”, it helps to generate a meditative and deeply relaxed state. Or perk up with the After Sun Healing package that promises to soothe your over-tanned skin with a cucumber and yogurt wrap, and an aloe vera body wash. Also available are Thai and Ayurvedic treatments. Prices start at RM250 for 50 minutes. The exchange rate is roughly US$1 = 3.34 Malaysian ringgit (RM).
Following a similar trend is long time favourite, Ayura Spa at Berjaya Langkawi Resort, one of the island’s first complete spa retreats. It’s a natural gem, quiet and peaceful, nestled between lush rainforests and crystal clear waters. A combination of unmistakably Malay influenced massages, facials, body scrubs, wraps, hand and foot spa treatments are offered. Marine based treatments like algae seaweed wraps are just as popular. Manicures and pedicures start from RM65.
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| The Spa, Datai Langkawi/ photo: hotel |
Other spas like the The Spa at The Andaman and the The Spa at The Datai are all Balinese inspired in hugely atmospheric settings – both resorts are sited in a secluded corner of Langkawi Island within mature, protected rainforest. The Spa at The Datai is a spoiling, upmarket escape, all the more pleasurable if you happen to be staying at this stunning property with its lovely beach cove. At the luxurious spa, a must-try is the Datai Massage: a fusion of Shiatsu, Thai, Swedish, Balinese and Hawaiian Lomi-Lomi, which is RM590 for two hours.
Recommended is Casa Del Mar’s The Spa, where massages take place in airy pavilions fronting the sea. Double massage sessions can be arranged for couples to unwind together. A one-hour relaxing aroma massage costs RM110. This is a nice intimate retreat, well worth a visit. The Heavenly Spa by Westin on the beachfront at the The Westin Langkawi Resort & Spa offers a wide range of massages and wellness and beauty treatments. Start off with a "Serenity Welcome" head and neck aromatic oil massage as you ponder the menu while being fussed over by trained therapists who will customise your session. Perhaps splash out on the 235-minute RM770 signature "Wish" package incorporating a Kese body treatment, a "Heavenly Massage" and relaxing facial. (Westin Langkawi Resort & Spa is showcased in our exclusive Top Asian Hotels Collection, featuring the best Asian hotels, resorts and spas in a printable A4 page with stunning visuals.)
The spa menu at Teratai Spa, Pelangi Beach Resort is extensive with a good mix of Asian-inspired facials, body wraps, scrubs, massages and hair care. The Moorish-style Four Seasons Resort Langkawi has 20 villas, each with a private spa and treatment room, as a well as a dedicated spa, "suspended over water" - a special touch.
Penang Spa Resorts
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| CHI, Rasa Sayang, Penang/ photo: hotel |
We continue our Malaysia spas guide in the island of Penang, just south of Langkawi, where pampering goes hand in hand with an obligatory bowl of steaming laksa (noodles in coconut curry broth). Look out for the luxurious CHI, The Spa at the Shangri-La Rasa Sayang Resort and Spa (that is back after lengthy refurbishment and remodeling). The rejuvenated Rasa Sayang hopes to raise the bar and energise Penang’s tourism comeback. CHI, The Spa occupies a separate wooded area, secluded but accessible, with individual treatment villas redolent of exotic aromas. A two-and-a-half-hour “Enchanted Journey” is RM690, and a one-hour massage is RM250.
A somewhat recent Penang addition is Sanjiwani Spa at Jerejak Resort & Spa. Set in the former penal colony of Jerejak Island, the spa, perched atop a hill, allows for stunning views of the sea, hills and glittering lights of the city. Choose top-to-toe pampering with traditional Javanese, Sundanese, Thai or Balinese massages, as well as facials, body scrubs, wraps and aromatherapy. A three-hour spa package, which includes a scrub, bath and full-body massage, is RM430.
The Northam is all reflective gold and glitter on the outside but remarkably tasteful inside. Suites are elegant with lots of gleaming wood and sharp finish. There is a Suite Spa at Level 9 with nine treatment rooms, all with turbo water-massage, Jacuzzi, steam room and sauna. Treatments start from RM90 for a 45-minute massage. The stunning pool on the same level, offers breathtaking views of Georgetown and the sea. There is a broad-timber lounging deck if you simply wish to snooze.
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| Parkroyal Penang St Gregory/ photo: hotel |
Close by Shangri-La's Rasa Sayang is the renovated 324-room Parkroyal Penang Malaysia (formerly Grand Plaza Park Royal). The place is cheery and is a good Penang family resort now with the addition of the St Gregory Spa Penang offering everything from aromatic rubdowns to Balinese massage for harried parents. Two hour treatments start from RM315. The “Love Bird” package for couples is around RM750.
Spa Resorts in Perak
Privately owned Pangkor Laut basks in all the usual publicity surrounding a top island getaway. It’s no wonder hundreds of travel pilgrims the world over keep coming back religiously to the Spa Village at the Pangkor Laut Resort. Spa Village has tended to the nails and toes of some famous stars. Perhaps dangerously, on this idyllic island, all cares (including your mounting credit card bills), are easily forgotten. Leap into the Ayurvedic, Chinese, Balinese and Japanese spa menus. There are resident Ayurvedic, Malay and Chinese spa specialists for consultation. Begin your spa experience with a footbath and an invigorating Chinese Foot Pounding – previously only enjoyed by Chinese concubines. Not to be confused with foot binding.
Next, relish the traditional Malay ‘circulating’ bath before surrendering to a Japanese-style cleansing with a goshi-goshi cloth. This is then followed by a dip in the heated rotenburu pool. Try the Shanghai Scrub, where a masseuse gently exfoliates and washes your body. The spa’s signature Malay herbal wrap, combines local herbs such as lemon grass, ginger, galangal and camphor to hydrate and detoxify the skin. A 50-minute massage is around RM290.
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| Spa at Westin Langkawi/ photo: hotel |
The Spa Village features both indoor and open-air spaces spread over four acres along a quiet bay between the sea and the rainforest. Stay at any one of the 22 spa villas, situated over the sea with direct access to the Spa Village. It’s enough to make you sing like Luciano Pavarotti. After all, he has stayed here too.
Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya Spas
Malaysia spas immediately bring to mind coconut trees and white sand beaches, but a lot of the unguents and potions are being applied daily at city spas, day spas and hotel spas offering an oasis in the urban swirl. The well-heeled are all clamouring to join the chic, award-winning urban Energy Day Spa. Kuala Lumpur's only real day spa is positively Zen-like, swathed in light, clean lines and contemporary aesthetics. Energy Day Spa adopts a holistic approach to wellness, treating the body, mind and soul with everything from sun damage and pigmentation to out-of-balance chakras. Get your facial fix with the one-of-a-kind Micro-cellular Facial, employing the use of frozen live-cells and diamond powder for improved texture. Or, try rebalancing and healing through vibrational energy. Without having to bust your budget, happily mix these with some yoga, Pilates, meditation, dance, tai chi and qi gong. After all, treatment prices run from only RM38 to RM448 while packages start at RM236. The spa’s location in one of the city’s malls means you can take your renewed self for some bargain hunting straight after.
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| Hilton KL spa room/ photo: hotel |
You don’t have to be close to the sea to enjoy its benefits. Simply check into The Spa at the Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur, a stone’s throw from the world’s tallest twin towers, for a complete sensory journey. The spa, drawing upon both eastern and western influences, helps you to soak your worries away in rich marine nutrients. A favourite is the Time Ritual Ultimate Body Treatment, which supplies the body with vitamins and minerals while firming, toning, and eliminating toxins. Shed the crusty wrap layer and emerge silky smooth. Other treatments include body wraps and floral facials.
Stylish Senjakala Spa, quietly tucked away, lures men in for some body pampering within its coloured walls and plush furnishings. This is your spot if you are the new urban male or metrosexual who doesn’t mind manicures, pedicures, body scrubs, facials or even waxing. Senjakala Spa defies the trend, offering unique experiences like the 90-minute Tantric Yoga Massage, for RM305, using varied techniques that tease and tantalise. For RM120, delight in the ultimate overhaul, the Twilight Touch Massage. Combining advanced Swedish, Thai and Malay techniques, it is topped up with a spot of chakra rebalancing to renew the libido. Hmm… The spa stays open till midnight on weekdays and later on weekends.
Got more time to spare for your Malaysia spa odyssey? Venture into the outskirts of the city to Sembunyi Spa at Cyberview Lodge Resort & Spa. Imagine 10,000 square feet of breathtaking surrounds right in the heart of the technology hub, Cyberjaya. With its rustic, tropical ambience, Sembunyi Spa is slowly becoming a hotbed of R&R for couples. Forever Yours allows couples to indulge in a rich milk bath, followed by a yoghurt scrub, petal mask and a revitalising massage. All for RM640 per couple. In Petaling Jaya (a 15-minute drive from downtown KL, if the traffic is kind), the Bali-theme Life Spa at the Hilton Petaling Jaya is an option.
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| Spa Village, Pangkor Laut/photo: hotel |
Pick your favourite blend of spice - the energizing baliaga (peppermint), balijegeg (sandalwood) or refreshing "sunrise" (jasmine and lavender). An hour-long massage is RM168 per person. Hilton Kuala Lumpur has a similar spa concept, Clark Hatch & Fitness Life Spa. A one hour massage here will set you back RM119.
Finally, dive into the ultra hip Angsana Spa, part of the revamped Crowne Plaza Mutiara. Try a two-hour Angsana massage, priced at RM322 using palm strokes and thumb pressure to de-stress and strengthen your inner qi. For something more esoteric, and fun, visit the Putrajaya Shangri-La’s Health Club & Spa for a zodiac sign consultation that forms the basis for your specific treatment. Each zodiac sign is associated with certain colours, oils, scents and rituals. Check out the “The Zodiac Ritual” (RM200 for 45 minutes), an energetic high of pressure massages, or pick something a la carte off the shelf and luxuriate in a wrap or scrub.
Pahang Spa Resorts
On the Malaysian east coast, there’s nothing particularly Swiss about the Samsara Spa at the Swiss Garden Resort & Spa. The theme is devoutly Balinese, from the use of herbs and spices like coconut and coffee to its exotic ambience. Trademark treatments like the Samsara Royal (RM270 for one hour and 45 minutes) and Samsara Spices (RM380 for two-and-a-half hours) are in great demand. Combine your treatments with a sampling of the spa’s exciting dishes, cooked in rich Malay herbs and spices. Treatments start from RM170.
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| Spa, The Andaman, Langkawi/ photo: hotel |
At the bit-of-everything Berjaya Hills (formerly the Bukit Tinggi Resort), should you tire of the rabbit park, golf, riding, the French chateaux and the Japanese Village, head for the Tatami Spa offering a bit of zen combining a spot of furo (bathing) with an onsen experience (alfresco hot rock mineral pool).
Terengganu Spas
Set in a beautiful Javanese garden with little ponds, Taman Sari Royal Heritage Spa at the Awana Kijal Golf & Beach Resort is one of the few spas in Terengganu. The spa is an extension of the well-regarded Mustika Ratubuana International list of spas in Indonesia. Naturally adapting a Javanese theme, from decor and music to treatment, the spa gives an unparalleled opportunity to relax and rejuvenate with traditional royal treatments. A Javanese full body massage will cost RM120 per hour.
The swish Tanjong Jara Resort - styled after a sultan's palace of yore - offers The Tanjong Club Spa Menu with highlights including a three-hour "Couples Spa Experience" with special body treatments based on Malay wedding rituals, and the "Urutan Gamelan", a traditional Malay massage for women.
Tioman Island Spa Resorts
Watch out for the up-and-coming Samadhi Spa at the JapaMala Resort & Spa. The spa promises an extraordinary experience. Your spa adventure starts as soon as you check in. Samadhi Spa is completely enfolded by towering boulders. Treatments are conducted either on the beach or in water pavilions by the sea.
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| Berjaya Tioman beach/ photo: hotel |
Therapies range from Thai and Javanese massages, exotic milk and flora baths to soothing and revitalizing wraps made of JapaMala’s own homegrown mangoes, aloe vera plants and even seaweed from the resort’s shoreline. The highlight at the spa is the JapaMala Signature Body Massage, incorporating Thai, Ayurvedic and Shiatsu massages. A special Samadhi scrub is followed by aromatic Ayurvedic hot compresses placed on the entire length of the spine. This deep tissue massage enables the release of energies locked in the spine, fingers, toes, limbs and torso. Prices start from RM110 for a 45-minute massage. The Ayura Spa at the Berjaya Tioman Resort has been renovated. Its 90-minute signature massage is around RM199. Berjaya Redang Resort's Ayura Spa is another option. There is a range of packages to relax, revitalise, energise or balance. They start from RM280 for two hours.
Sabah Spa Resorts
Our Malaysia spas guide now crosses over on a two-hour flight to Sabah (Borneo) to enjoy the blissful Borneo Spa set in the spectacular green surrounds of the Nexus Resort Karambunai, a 30-minute drive from Kota Kinabalu. This outdoor spa, sprawled over 40,000sq ft with 14 therapy rooms blends native Borneo massage skills with pure essential oils from plant extracts from around the world. Scented treatment rooms ensure utter privacy. Alternatively, outdoor massages overlooking the South China Sea and in-room massages can also be arranged. Time stands still at Karambunai. There’s no rush; take time to relish hot or cold spa pools, steam and sauna rooms, before showering for your treatments.
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| Shangri-La's Tanjung Aru/ photo: hotel |
The Borneo Massage employs lymphatic acupressure to improve blood circulation and digestion. Yes, it brings emotions into civilized balance. Individual treatment prices range from around RM188 up.
At the Shangri-La's Tanjung Aru Resort and Spa in Kota Kinabalu, the group's signature CHI, The Spa opened on its own secluded private island in February 2008 with a 4,161sq m spread including eight spacious island villas, a yoga pavilion that catches the sea breezes, and wholesome spa cuisine. Mix together tropical ingredients like volcanic mud and cocoa and you get some exotic treatments like the "Borneo Volcanic Mud Wrap" and the "Pearl Cocoa Scrub". CHI Balance meanwhile focuses on harmonising your energy flow with a tingling massage to get the chi flowing. Or opt for the "Himalayan Healing Stone Massage" with its roots in Tibet. Yoga can be enjoyed on an extensive timber deck that enjoys expansive views. Sister resort Shangri-La's Rasa Ria sprawls across a superb and broad stretch of sand with a dedicated spa close to the resort's signature golf course. The Spa at Dalit Bay offers a wide range of treatments.
Another option, perhaps, is vegging out at the Mandara Spa at Sutera Harbour. There are six treatment rooms for your own private massage, as well as six suites if you want to share the experience with a friend. Mandara Spa is open until 10pm, perfect for that post-dinner bit of pummelling you’ve always wanted.
Sarawak Spas
The Jungle Spa Retreat, part of the Borneo Highlands Resort, is aptly named. It brings the rainforests to you. Treatment rooms are reminiscent of Sarawak’s dense forests, with rooms decked out with tropical plants.
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| Nexus Resort Karambunai/ photo: hotel |
The spa opens out onto a well-manicured garden. Located high up in the Penrissen Highlands, the spa affords spa goers cool mountain views. Treatments include traditional massage, foot reflexology, aromatherapy and organic facial and body treatment. Its signature Bidayuh massage employs a local technique that helps to lengthen and loosen the muscles using homemade massage oil brewed of herbs, coconut, pepper and ginger. It heats and warms your body for better blood circulation and promotes skin healing. Jungle Spa takes you a step closer to nature and rejuvenation. A 60-minute Bidayuh massage is priced at around RM126. And, for Malaysia spas of every description, price and location, that’s a wrap.
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