Confessions Of A Spa Gazer

Chiva-Som's holistic-healthy attitude leaves Sonia Nazareth determined to change her lifestyle.

- Sonia Nazareth

We’ve all heard it—the insistent tone, the surging enthusiasm, “Oh, you’re going to the beachside town of Hua Hin in Thailand? You have simply got to visit Chiva-Som.” This international health resort and destination spa that opened in 1995 has a reputation that precedes it—as the place to go for a holistically healthy getaway. The emphasis here has long been as much about the mind and spirit, as it is about the body. 

After years of being accompanied by a mobile phone, it comes as blessed relief to find myself signing a form on arrival that requests separation from devices (only permitted in the privacy of one’s room). Smoking isn’t permitted either (except at a smoking table), and talking in quiet tones encouraged—all gentle initiators to embark on a path more mindful. A haiku of water bodies and tropical gardens, interposed with elements of Thai architecture, meet my gaze.

Even if one is an accomplished spa hopper, it’s hard not to be staggered by the permutations of evolving treatments and specifically-targeted retreats on offer here. The Cell Vitality Retreat, for instance, has been created to support guests in remission or recovery from cancer. The revitalising of cellular health encourages treatments ranging from acupuncture sessions to dietary programmes that help restore appetite.