From sleepy temples and beaches to the rural charm of its surrounding villages: there are plenty of reasons to visit the Thai city of Hua Hin, especially as it’s just a short drive away from Bangkok. We have had the pleasure of visiting a number of times, though admittedly, we’ve often found it hard to venture out away from the luxuries of Hua Hin’s top resorts. While the region has welcomed an astounding number of getaways to its shores in recent years, we were quite taken with one wellness resort in particular.
The Chiva-Som is memorable to say the least; not just for its commitment to making an experience out of wellness that doesn’t stop at massages. While fitness assessments and nutritional consultations aren’t always music to our escapist ears (no one will make us part with our sugar-laced coconut ice-cream!), the property’s ‘energy’ programme is something to write home about. It makes use of a variety of therapeutic procedures that include chakra balancing and crystal massages among other things (the latter are a must!). Even established wellness aficionados will be impressed by the hotel’s innovative approach: we loved the refreshing touch of spirituality in the Japanese Reiki gemstones therapy, realigning invisible flows within the body. We were also impressed by our craniosacral session that calms the nerves with the help of soft touch?
Frankly, we’d argue a visit to Hua Hin would work wonders for your stress levels anyway. Either way, if you’re thinking about a trip here, be prepared to spend a lot of time at the Chiva-Som – why leave zen once you’ve found it?
Photography courtesy of Chiva-Som
