There is nothing better to improve the spirits than a walk beside the ocean… or is there? This month NOW! Bali takes you inside some of the island’s most exclusive spas to discover the secrets of the sea. Treatments using seaweed, crushed pearls and caviar are popular for skin rejuvenation, and the location of some of Bali’s best spas are within soft footsteps from the shore line.
Let’s begin in Jimbaran at the elegant Four Seasons where their riverside spa bale is nestled between the river and the sea. The River Treatment is set in the open air where the positive ions and ozone wake up tired minds and rejuvenate the body.
Try the Ocean Embrace treatment that begins with a seawater foot soak and includes a blue sea salt body scrub. The warmed seashell body massage is a perfect introduction to the bliss of being at the coast.
Climbing the hill to the Ayana Spa on the Rocks you will find some of the most luxurious spa treatments on the island, enriched with caviar, rolled with jade, dusted with diamonds. The treatment rooms are perched atop huge boulders on the very edge of the sea, making it seem like you are floating above the majestic power of the ocean, listening to the sound of sea foam caress the sands beneath.
Sparkle like the waters below with the Diamond Miracle treatment that includes an algae soak, Balinese massage and a sea quartz and diamond dust Le Mer facial. This two and a half hour treatment leaves you feeling so blessed to be by the sea.
Around the coast to the Bukit and the lovely Banyan Tree Resort and Spa, where even in inclement weather the spa nurtures and comforts from the buffeting of the world outside, this sense of being protected and cared for is an essential element in spa therapy as so often we are not physically but emotionally pushed around by the whims of others, we can feel a little like a great ship lost on the great ocean.
At Banyan Tree you can be brought into calm waters with their beautiful treatments and expertly trained therapists. The Banyan Tree is a place of nurture, the spa uses fine ingredients, warming sesame oils, fresh coconut milks and local candlenuts in beautiful treatments but to really gain the sense of ocean try the rain mist treatment where your body is massaged by what feels like a rejuvenating ocean spray.
Now edge over to the east coast and visit the lovely lawns of the Alila Manggis, just up the road from the bustling port of Padang Bai. Here on the east coast the waters are more gentle, a lapping sea folds rhythmically onto the crushed shell shore line, brightly colored fishing boats bob on the surface as coconut trees sway in the breeze.
Here nature caresses you, Alila Spa products are made from the finest ingredients, sourced organically and as locally as possible and are created to bring the best of nurture from nature to your skin, the freshest in fragrance to soothe your mind and the essential sensation of feeling once more balanced and at ease.
The North Coast of Bali contrasts starkly with that of the south, the arid slopes of the mountain ranges gather with clouds in the afternoons while the expansive ocean has views to the volcanoes of Java…here in tranquil gardens the Matahari Beach Resort and Spa offers a really stunning coastal escape.
The ‘north’ is something of a secret; the guests peacefully enjoy the coastal village daily routines and spend their nights away from the hurly burly in elegant suites and treatments from the Prawathi Spa. Enjoy the Sthira rejuvenation treatment to rebalance and re-energize and get the most out of being marooned on Bali’s beautiful north shore.
Now drift to the west, where the surf tumbles onto the volcanic sands and the black stone edges of the Pan Pacific Nirwana Resort. The Nirwana Spa here is exquisite, looking upon the holiest sea temple, Tanah Lot, it perfectly encapsulates a truly Balinese coastal experience.
We suggest trying the Beraban Indulgence treatment, with an aromatic foot ritual, full body massage and a scrub that uses hibiscus and pearl – the jewel of the ocean. Ask to have it in their seaside bale for full effect.
All around Bali, North to South, East to West, the surrounding seas are bound to bring life back into your mind, body and soul. There is magic on the coast, magic that the Hindu priests themselves recognize. So, when coupled with an amazing spa treatment you can expect nothing less than pure relaxation.
