We decided to travel to Thailand because we like Thai food and were intrigued by the little we knew about the place, and most of all because we wanted to see the great work being done at Elephant Nature Park. However we did know of the reputation of the Thai sex industry, so we initially viewed with suspicion the invitations on every street to have a massage. Our hostess Orn, at Baan Boo Loo. assured us that the sex trade was mainly in Bangkok and not in the old city of Chiang Mai. She arranged for us to go to a very nice and reputable establishment for Thai massage. The taxi to Fah Lanna Spa was complimentary and punctual, so we hurried downstairs, but without our glasses, as we discovered reading the massage menu. Squinting, we chose one hour of this (pointing) followed by one hour of that (pointing). After a very relaxing cup of herbal tea, we were ushered down a walkway bordered by fish ponds to a very private area where we donned the largest size they had in modesty garments and lay down as instructed. Hot rocks were applied to us… VERY hot rocks. At least we were only going to be having this phase for… um… one whole hour. I tuned out after a while and it became better. There followed a pummeling which seemed disproportional in strength to the stature of the elegant Thai ladies who were administering this therapy. Politely they asked us if we were OK. Politely we answered that we were. After all this is what we had requested. The massage although set at the softest of the available choices, was thoroughly chiropractic. At the end of two hours I stood up feeling that I must be two inches taller. Surely this was akin to a benevolent elephant stomping. We made our way back to the reception area where we had more very lovely herbal tea. It really was nice, but I’ve no idea what it was; I almost suspect there was something pain-killing in it, as we vowed to return for more before we returned to Australia… but next time, with our glasses.
Massage (of the entirely appropriate kind) is very cheap in many places along the roads and we had massages at various places. Some are little caravans or demountables but one place was an art deco building which may one have been a bank turned into a mix of a polite granny’s lounge and a clean swimming pool change room. We had neck and leg massage there for an our for about $4.50 Australian. Just the thing if you’ve been walking around all day. From the outside of the building though it looked like nothing in particular.
Next time at Fah Lanna Spa we had a facial and a massage more like what a sports therapy person would deliver back home. We had this in a large open room which was very relaxing and this I would recommend to anyone.