Bali’s highs

It was my first time in Bali. At first, I couldn’t understand why people I know fall in love with Bali and long to keep going back. In fact, at first glance, nothing really was noticeably different. Bohol and Boracay have better beaches, and Kauai has more verdant landscapes. It could just be another Phuket or Palawan. And then you are just ensnared. Its beauty unfolds slowly and it is very difficult to escape its charm. Suddenly, you are in love, high on Bali.

I was there recently for three days with my husband and we were lucky to be with locals who know where to go to discover Bali’s real charm.

Pervading Peace

There is peace everywhere. The service, the smile, the gentleness, the artistry. Everything grows on you and gives you a feeling of great peace. Maybe also because nature is so close and beautiful, God’s goodness and love permeate.

Jim Cramer, who dubs himself Mr. Bali in his website www.baliadvisor.com, claims Bali is a link to enlightenment. "The Balinese feel themselves to be a blessed people; a feeling continually reinforced by the wealth of their everyday life and strengthened by the splendor of their religion," says Cramer.

"The beliefs of the Balinese are a living force that pervades the island and reverberates outside it. The island sings of love. The love that spends an hour making an offering of woven palm leaves and beautiful flowers. The love that finds the time, every day, to think of giving something to the gods; by lighting a stick of incense, by praying a mantra, by sprinkling holy water or by doing a mudra (a sacred movement with the hands). Bali is also the love bestowed upon their children, the beautiful processions and the intricate offerings made with simple humility," Cramer continues.

Cramer explains that the aim of Hindu Dharma is to reach peace of spirit and harmony in this material life. No wonder I could feel the peace everywhere.

The World’s Spa Capital

Most people go to the spa to de-stress, get pampered and get lost in peaceful bliss. Bali is perfect for it. Its beliefs and philosophies bear rituals that are now heralded as great spa signature treatments.

Traditional salons have existed in Bali for many generations, offering treatments that heal most ailments, from sexual impotence to acne. Formerly well-guarded secrets and ancient natural cures, called jamu, have been commercialized.

Salons still exist in every corner of the island, offering traditional treatments. There are the famous Maria Tillar or Mustika chains. Because of their extreme popularity, hotels have incorporated the rituals in their spa packages. Locals believe though that the hotel spas are a rip-off. In the end, you pay for ambience, the service, the scents, and the totality of the experience.

If you want to go spa-hopping, you will never run out of a spa to try in Bali. All the hotels have one. Price of the signature treatments ranges from P2,000 to P5,000, but a traditional massage using fragrant oils or natural scrubs is less than half the price.

The problem is you should book a day in advance. If you are a hotel guest, you earn a discount and get priority treatment. My friend told me that if we go to a spa hotel further inside the island in Ubud, we will get a booking for sure. I had my doubts and true enough, the amazing sanctuary was fully booked.

Signature Spa Treatments

You should not leave Bali without trying any one of these signature treatments. There is the Javanese Lulur, the Balinese Boreh, and the Mandi Susu. You can cap this with a floral bath.

Cramer beckons: "A visit to Bali will refresh your spirit, mind and body. The spas of Bali follow a centuries-old tradition of belief in the sacredness of the body as a temple of the soul."

"The spa treatments range from traditional Swedish or shiatsu massage and aromatherapy to exotic island specials that use local herbs and oils. These oils are made from extracts of such plants as Jahe (ginger), Jepun (frangipani), Cendana (sandlewood) and Kelapa (coconut)."

The traditional lulur is called the queen of treatments since it has been practiced in the palaces of Central Java since the 17th century. Then, the lulur was an important step in keeping the skin soft, supple, and shiny.

Batik cloths are used instead of towels. Exfoliating scrubs, oils and lotions are presented to you in little handmade baskets and bottles before they are applied. Fresh flowers adorn the floor, as well as the massage table and side tables.

The whole treatment takes anywhere from one-and-a-half to three hours. First, fragrant frangipani and other floral oils are lightly massaged onto the entire body. Then, exfoliation with a spicy blend of herbs is followed by a coating of fresh, plain yogurt. You either shower or stay in a floral bath for 30 minutes. Then back onto the table for a finishing light, heavenly massage.

Most of the hotels in Bali have private villas, aside from the usual hotel accommodations. The villas cater more to the spa vacationer. Most villas have their own bath, small pool, outdoor shower and outdoor massage bed.

A local told me though that lighter-skinned foreigners do not like the lulur treatment because it causes their skin to temporarily become yellow. The turmeric used in the treatment causes this mild skin tint.

Scrub And Dip

The Balinese boreh therapy offers the most potent sensation of an overall deep heat experience. The scrub is a simple herb mix used by villagers of old to warm the body at the first sign of cold weather. The Balinese also used boreh to cure muscle pain and exhaustion.

The treatment starts with a shiatsu massage without oil. Then the whole body is rubbed with Balinese boreh. The body is covered for five to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, the face can be cleansed with cleansing milk. After rinsing, a toner can be applied, plus a mask of fresh cucumber slices, all over the face. A foot reflexology massage can also be applied while waiting for the boreh to dry.

The Mandi Susu, on the other hand, is a milk bath. This is an ancient royal beauty treatment followed by Javanese princesses. Milk, from goat, sheep, or cow makes the skin very soft to the touch.

The floral bath that caps the massage, scrub, and body mask rituals is a different experience all together. To someone who loves flowers like me, it is almost unbelievable to dip in a bath full of blooms. The colors, the fragrance, the tickling soft petals, all create a magical calm experience. Flowers combined include jasmine, gardenia, tropical magnolia, hibiscus, frangipani, bougainvillea, rose, and ylang-ylang.

If you wish to plan your dream spa escapade in Bali, you can try surfing www.balihealthandspa.com or www.baliadvisor.com

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E-mail mylene@goldsgymmanila.com for comments and questions.