Get Pampered the Balinese Way
Photo: instagram.com/themuliabali
There’s a reason people go to Bali to reset, and it’s not just because Elizabeth Gilbert did it in her infamous Eat, Pray, Love round-the-world journey. With its rich history of healing treatments and natural beauty remedies, Bali is home to some of the best spas in the world. Cue: The spa at the Mulia Resort & Villas in Nusa Dua.
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On a recent visit, I tested out the Balinese massage and the hair oil treatment, two of the spa’s most traditional offerings. Both incorporate local ingredients and ancient recipes passed down from generations of Balinese healers. Here’s the scoop.
The Treatment: Balinese Massage
The Destination: The uber luxurious, 20-room Mulia Spa has it all, from Bali’s only ice fountain room (the 30-degree ice room uses Chromatherapy Chakra colored lighting to stimulate circulation and detox), to hydrotonic hot and cold water pools, to outdoor meditation yoga classes. They even have a full-day, six-hour ritual on the menu, if you’re looking to go all-out.
The Promise: This massage promises to relieve tension and improve blood flow using Bali’s ancient, deep-tissue massaging techniques.
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The Experience: The technician invites you to select an oil of your choosing—there are a variety of options, made of natural, local ingredients. Then, hop onto the massage table for a 60 or 90-minute, targeted massage session. What’s the difference between a Balinese massage and a Swedish or a Thai massage? It generally involves longer, more stretching strokes and includes a variety of different massage techniques rather than sticking to one style. The treatment, conducted by a 100 percent Balinese therapist, incorporates a combination of palming, stretching, effleurage (light stroking over the back), and pressure points.
After the session is finished, the therapist hands you their house detox drink made of red ginger powder (red ginger grows locally), honey, and lemon. Trust me, it’s so good you’ll want seconds and thirds.
Bonus: Since you are already on the massage table, add the one-hour hot oil treatment into the mix. It promises to melt the tension in your head, neck, and shoulders, and give your hair that special Balinese shine that the women of Bali are known for. The therapist applies a combination of virgin coconut oil, fresh avocado and oil of frangipani to your head, working their fingers delicately through each strand. Then they let the oil soak in your hair for at least 20 minutes before sending you to the shower to wash it with their special shampoo—no conditioner allowed here.
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The Results: Massages can often be equated to under eye creams—they feel good in the moment, but the next day you don’t notice much of a difference. That was certainly not the case here. I left feeling deeply relaxed and calm. The next day I was a bit sore, but it was the kind of sore you feel after a great workout, not pain.
As for the hot oil treatment, my hair could use all the help it could get. My locks definitely had more shine in the days that followed, now if only it could be as thick and flowing as the manes of the Balinese women. Go ahead and hit ‘confirm’ on that plane ticket to Indonesia right now.
