96 HARPER’S BAZAAR AUGUST 2010

Soul restoration to spirit preservation, a week's retreat at Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary in Koh Samui brings unforgettable bliss. By Tengku Zai. Lush greens, five-star service

and healing therapies – the world’s best wellness resorts are made of these. But what if a resort could give you more than knot-free shoulders amid

rolling hills? The Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary on Thailand’s Koh Samui takes on a holistic approach to wellness, giving back to you what an urban life takes away from the inside out. Having fallen victim to city life, I signed up for one of Kamalaya’s Stress and Burnout Programmes – the five-day Asian Bliss package. Other packages include tailor-made detox and fitness plans. But because everything’s so flexible, there’s no need to commit to a ritual – especially if

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all you want is a relaxing holiday.Kamalaya, named after the Sanskrit

kamal (lotus) and alaya (realm) – an ancient symbol of the unfolding of the human spirit – is exactly what it suggests, about healing from within. Aimed at Zen practices for inner healing and a synergy of Eastern and Western healing practices for the physical body, the award-winning retreat was also built around a centuries-old monk’s cave. Here, Buddhist monks once came to meditate, for Samui Island itself is regarded as a special place that allows one to connect with universal energies at a much

deeper level leading to greater spiritual enlightenment. And this sacred site is still open to Kamalaya’s guests, making for a sanctuary to rediscover yourself and be at peace with your surroundings. Even the lifestyle there was dreamy – early morning Pilates and yoga sessions, and afternoon tai chi and stretching.

So holistic is Kamalaya’s approach to living, that even its meals are known as ‘Wellness à la carte’. Soma Restaurant, which means ‘food of the gods’ in Sanskrit, curiously has two menus – one offering detox cuisine and the other, healthy dishes

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Amrita Café by the pool

Kamalaya’s Lap Pool

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consisting only of white meat and seafood. As the kind of girl who loves her steak, I never knew that detox dishes could be so delectable. From carrot soup served with a dash of cinnamon to tartar of beetroot served with cucumber and wasabi-lime papaya vinaigrette, everything on the Soma menu is prepared in-house and all its fresh produce is grown locally.

Everything about the place is perfect, and it’s all in the details. The outdoor bathroom, locally-made furniture and artworks handpicked by John Stewart, Kamalaya co-founder, who serves as an advisor to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Then, of course, there was waking up to a majestic view of the South China Sea in my hillside villa, birds that chirped at sunrise, and the relaxing swish of waves lapping up against the resort’s private shoreline. Throughout the rest of the day, I was also able to lounge on the day beds of my large verandah in utter bliss. Because it’s a whole other world, I was halfway through my stay before I realised there was one key thing missing in my villa – a television. Back in ‘reality’, we become so caught up in the chaos that we no longer realise the difference between what is – and isn’t – necessary.

THE TOUR DE ASIAAt the Wellness Sanctuary, set amid a lush natural landscape, there are two things every new visitor must do – take a Body Bioimpedance Analysis, and go for a wellness consultation with one of four of the centre’s naturopaths. All together, this large and exclusive haven has over 50 practitioners, over 30 treatment rooms, one medical doctor and two in-house Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioners. And so the real journey begins. Escapism from the maddening bedlam of urban life is a five-day long indulgence in ancient healing traditions from all over Asia.

First stop, India, for an Indian Head Massage. Taken from the ancient healing practices of Ayurveda, this massage uses pressure from the fingers and thumb, relieving tension and blockages from the shoulders up using natural Indian coconut oil. Then, the Royal Ayurvedic Body Massage

– where a generous amount of warm oil covers the body before its kneaded using a combination of movements to increase circulation for a rejuvenated body. A private round of yoga with the retreat's specialist practitioner is also part of the package.

Taoists believe that the gut is like the body’s second brain. And so, Chi Nei Tsang, is a Taoist Abdominal Massage unique to Thailand that rebalances the nervous system and promotes the health of internal

organs, while also releasing stored emotional and psychological stresses. A must-try is the Traditional Thai Massage with Compress. Here, herbal ingredients meet thermal action in a centuries-old healing ritual. The detoxifying massage utilises a heated Luk Pra Kob herbal ball, made in-house, full of good-for-you ingredients like turmeric, lemongrass, kaffir lime peel, camphor, tamarind and plai (a local ginger-like plant).

More relaxing than it sounds, the Traditional Asian Hand Massage is inspired by Korean hand acupuncture. Believed to balance out your psyche, the 45-minute massage also increases the flow of chi to your chest, lungs and heart. Moving down to the toes is a Chinese tradition five millennia old – the Traditional Asian Foot Massage. Like miniature maps of the body, applying pressure to and massaging specific points on the feet stimulates all organ and tissue functions.

Finally, a round of Reiki (Japanese for ‘universal life energy’) sums up our tour around Asia. Best done while taking in the resplendent view of the sunset over Samui, a specialist healer uses an effective and nurturing technique to alleviate stress. With the view, exceptional service by friendly and professional staff, and the ultimate in Asian wellness techniques, being in Kamalaya is quite a fantasy. � Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary and Holistic Spa, 102/9 Moo 3, Laem Set Rd, Na-Muang Koh Samui, Suratthani 84140, Thailand. Tel: +66 0 77 42 98 00. www.kamayala.com

with Kamalaya's hidden gems

The Monk's Cave at Kamalaya once served Buddhist monks as a place of meditation and spiritual retreat

Some of the natural herbs used at Kamalaya

Alchemy Tea Lounge at Kamalaya

Two-bedroom beachfront pool villa at Kamalaya

Traditional Thai Hot Herbal Compress

TREASURE TROVE - Unwind and relax

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