Soothing Sukhumvit
In downtown Sukhumvit lies a cultural crossroads, where spa offerings extend beyond traditional Thai massage to high-tech Japanese onsens, meeting the demands of both locals and tourists seeking deep relaxation. Traditional Thai massage recently gained UNESCO’s cultural heritage status. By making this list, Thai massage has been recognised as a practice to be preserved for future generations.
Whether in a humble shophouse or as a luxury spa, Thai massage is highly recommended for visitors and locals alike. Yet, according to Gotchagorn Olivia Berry, owner of Once Upon a Thai spas, the massage supply, as ubiquitous as it is, still fails to meet its huge demand.
Once Upon a Thai, which opened in September 2022, has branches at Phrom Phong, Ratchadamri, and will soon open a third location – a plan in the works even before completing the first branch. Olivia recognises that luxury spa services are as essential for tourists as experiencing Thai cuisine.
“One hotel can house hundreds of tourists, but a luxury spa can handle 10, maybe 20 customers at a time,” she says. “Tourists who come here to relax often schedule a Thai massage into their daily itinerary. We even have customers who book a year in advance, just to make sure that their vacation in Thailand includes spa time.”
There are also everyday Thai massage parlours catering to those needing relief from shopping-induced foot aches, or office syndromes. In those shops you can find a little Thai auntie with the strength of a thousand suns.
“A massage is a massage, whether 300 baht or 3,000 baht, it's ultimately performed by a therapist,” says Olivia. “What sets us apart at Once Upon A Thai is our commitment to high standards. We rigorously train our therapists and maintain a level of care that ensures each massage is a superior, holistic experience.”
High-end spas elevate this wellness treatment with music, aromas, impeccable service, and ambiance. Olivia also prioritises the use of natural oils over mineral oils, provides private baths in each room, and even offers homemade post-massage gelato.
Luxury spas offer a quick getaway, akin to a mini-vacation in just an hour. They allow the mind and body to relax immediately, providing a cost-effective and time-efficient alternative to booking a hotel or planning a trip.
A luxury massage for a tourist visiting Thailand can be so immersive that it may feel like a trip within a trip. Locals tend to view massage as a remedy for immediate discomfort, while onsens attract tourists, expatriates, and locals alike to their soothing baths for relaxation at any time.
If you’re a person that doesn’t like saunas, then sitting in hot air for five minutes can already feel tedious. But this 15-minute experience is very popular, especially in groups.
Onsens
As of October 2023, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan reports that 72,308 Japanese nationals reside in Thailand, with many concentrated in Sukhumvit's Thonglor, Ekkamai, and Phrom Phong areas, often referred to as Bangkok's Little Tokyo. This area is renowned for onsens, including Ichirin Wellness – albeit a version akin to urban onsens in Japan, complete with high-tech amenities, rather than a natural hot spring in the mountains.
Located in the Staybridge Suites on Soi Sukhumvit 24, Ichirin Wellness features advanced facilities including hot stone rooms, a cryo bath, Aufguss sauna rituals, and onsen baths. "These treatments are well-known among Japanese expats here, enhancing mood and circulation through thermal stress," explains Palandar Ketunuti, general manager of Ichirin Wellness.
Visitors can undergo a dramatic temperature contrast by starting with a –120°C cryo bath session, followed by relaxing on floors made of heated natural stones like magma rock and tourmaline, designed to detoxify. The Aufguss—a unique sauna experience where hot air is circulated by a towel dancer to rhythmic music—offers a dynamic and communal way to enjoy the sauna. Ichirin Wellness claims to be the only Aufguss sauna in Thailand.
“If you’re a person that doesn’t like saunas, then sitting in hot air for five minutes can already feel tedious. But this 15-minute experience is very popular, especially in groups,” Palandar says. “You get to have fun while burning calories, and reducing water retention, bloating, and sweating off those hangovers.”
The onsens are divided into male and female sections, each equipped with a cold bath, an herb bath, and a silk bath. Named for its silky whiteness, the silk bath is enveloped by a veil of white micro-bubbles, courtesy of a bubble generator. Alternating between the three baths, cleanses and rejuvenates the skin.
For locals accustomed to Thailand's intense heat, who typically avoid further warmth, the experience of a sauna offers a completely different kind of heat. "The outdoor heat is unstable, and indoors you're often blasted with air conditioning," explains Palandar. "Warming and cooling your body from the inside with a sauna, onsen, and cryo treatments provides a beneficial contrast that's unlike the discomfort of the sun or unpredictable weather."
Ice baths
In Bangkok's sweltering heat, the contrasting sensations of ice baths and sauna sessions are attracting more enthusiasts. Known as contrast bath therapy, this regimen involves alternating between the extreme heat of a sauna and the chill of an ice bath, enhancing cardiovascular health, mental alertness, and muscle recovery.
"The combination of an ice plunge followed by a sauna is a great way to stress-test your body. You’ll experience a head rush and even euphoria,” says Muha DK, brand ambassador of Dip Garden Onsen and Ice Baths. “Plus, the ice looks great for an Instagram post,” he adds.
