Spas in Chiang Mai - spa treatments

Oasis Spa offers several relaxing venues in the city

There are many options for day spas in Chiang Mai, ranging from the full pamper luxury treatment, to more down to earth treatment with matching prices. In fact, Chiang Mai is an ideal place to indulge yourself, it's laid back and cheap and you'll certainly want to stay longer. The growth in spas in Thailand in recent years reflects the Thais expertise in creating a relaxing environment and offering a pampering experience and a treatment should certainly be on your itinerary. Here are some recommended spas in Chiang Mai.

The Oasis spa has expanded over the past two years to become one of the leading spa groups in Chiang Mai and now has three well-appointed branches with one conveniently located in the old town beside Wat Phra Singh, another near Thapae Gate in the Amora Rydges and a third in the Nimmenhemin area. Open from 10am to 10pm. Facilities include a jacuzzi and steam bath and they offer a range of packages to suit all budgets and time scales.- Tel. (053) 815000

Sinativa Spa is a long established spa in the Nimminhemin area with a good reputation. They offer skin detoxification, facial treatment, a relaxing full body holistic aroma massage, an anti-oxidant body scrub, herbal steam, and a mineral / scented floral bath in a Jacuzzi. Tel. 086-659 2545.

The new Rarinjinda Wellness Spa and Resort has set a new standard in independent spas with its fancy building opposite the Riverside restaurant. Unlike the lovely landscaped atmosphere of others, this is an actual live-in centre with a luxurious resort/hotel and fully equipped spa all in one modern building. These professionals offer a complete wellness experience. Tel. (053) 247000.

For something in between, try Ban Sabai on Charoen Prathet road. This Chiang Mai spa offers a relaxing retreat in stylish rooms, with affordable prices in a convenient location. Call +66 (0) 53 285 204 for bookings. They also have a resort spa outside of the city in San Phi Sua, if you need to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Ban Sabai Spa Villa +66 (0) 53 854 778

For the ultimate in luxury The Dheva Spa, in the exceptional grounds of the Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi, is not only the last word in posh, but also housed in an extraordinary recreation of a Mandalay temple. It might be considered expensive by some but offers 25 treatment suites, with staff trained to the highest level in ayurvedic and health treatment methods. Tel. (053) 888 888 ext 8983.

You must have Flash installed and Javascript enabled to view this movie.

Travellers footage: The spa pampering experience

Another hotel spa offering a five star service is the Four Seasons Spa, which was chosen as the World's Best Spa by Conde Nast Traveller (UK) in the 2007 Reader's Award. It features seven spacious treatment suites offering total privacy for individuals or couples and a host of rare products and special treatments. No detail has been spared in this venue to create the ultimate atmopshere and experience. Tel. (053) 298 181.

The new Chur Medical Spa on Changmoi road has treatments that work on your cellulite, reduce stress or firm your body. It's a more modest and affordable option for those on a budget. Experienced staff will give you consultations pre- and post-treatment. For bookings, call +66 (0) 53 233 923.

Outside of Chiang Mai, Angsana Spa is located at the Green View International Resort on the Chiang Mai-Mae Rim road. If you really want to be pampered, with a matching price tag, try this one. It is a sister brand of the award-winning Banyan Tree resort and spa group. Here, you can spend a day being treated like royalty - you can do a treatment with a friend too, as they have double treatment rooms as well! Reservations are a must and the spa will provide free pick-up Tel. +66 (0) 53 297761.

Tao Garden Health Spa and Resort has a good detox and slimming program, including chi organ massage, karsai genital detox massage, deeper skin detox and a herbal skin detox. Their scientific approach to health is blended with a natural environment and they are located outside of Chiang Mai in a lovely natural setting. Tel: (053) 495596-9.

These are some of the best spas in the city, a few hours in one of these can cost anywhere from 2000 to 8000 baht. But there are dozens more to choose from and many modest places that are actually massage and beauty salons passing off as spas. Others have created a spa-like environment and can offer some relaxing treatments which might suit the pockets of the budget traveller.

However, for those who are more interested in learning about how to give spa treatments or Thai massages, there are also courses available. These can range from one-day "experience" type courses to full-blown certification courses that can take up to three months to complete. A very popular and renowned massage school is the Thai Massage School of Chiang Mai (TMC), with two locations next to the Chiang Mai University Art Museum or on Chiang Mai-Maejo road. It has a course to suit your interest, budget and time. A full accreditation course is also available. The massage school also offers massages - it is sometimes possible to get free massages from the students as well - but these have to be booked in advance. The school can be reached at +66 (0) 53 218632.