I took a magical sojourn to Thailand recently. From the time I boarded the Lufthansa flight up to the time I landed in Bangkok, I felt like I was already in the "Land of Smiles."
As soon as Mary Manarang and I arrived in Bangkok we took off for the Chiva Som Resort in Hua Hin, a two-and-half-hour car ride from Bangkok.
With all the stress and worries that constantly plague our daily lives, people have turned to traditional medicine, herbal treatment and meditation for the cure. At Chiva Som, tranquility and harmony are the inner qualities that operate. The experience begins with creating an environment that only we can create. Thus, I was overwhelmed with a sense of peace that permeated this beach resort. There was a magical feeling of enchantment and inner bliss that I experienced as soon as I set foot in Chiva Som.
Resort director Paul Linder and marketing executive Nicole Kochornswasdi took us around Chiva Som, which is situated on a seven-acre site on the beach of Hua Hin. Thai-style pavilions provide privacy and traditional Thai charm at this exclusive enclave, which has only 57 units. It cost US$26 million to complete Chiva Som. This must explain why it is one of the best spas in the world.
Corporate director of health and wellness Sarah Noble says, "Chiva Som is a place where people come to relax and re-charge." The staff at Chiva Som advocates that wealth without health is meaningless. They believe that total health–physical, mental and spiritual can be achieved.
We asked a member of the medical staff about what activities would best suit our personal goals. Suphaphorn Pornjanakan recommended the mind and body liberation talk by Peter Crone (personal instructor to Hollywood celebrities), water aerobics, yoga, chi ball, Pilates and watsu.
The "Mind and Body Liberation" talk by Peter Crone was tops. He said that we must always create a balance in our lives. If we want to be happy, we must remove all the clutter from our mind, reach out, share ourselves and stop judging others. We must learn to look at the facts and not create our own misconceptions about the things around us.
After the talk, I headed for the bathing pavilion with an exercise pool, plunge pool, waterfalls, a large hydro jacuzzi, Kneipp therapy footbath and a multi-level steam room.
The spa has separate heat treatments for men and women with 42 rooms for massages, scrubs and wraps, reflexology, aromatherapy, electrical face and body reshaping and toning. There is a hydrotherapy suite with computerized spa massage baths, a jet shower room, a musical therapy room and a floatation chamber for de-stressing.
The Hotstone therapy uses black basalt stones for massage. In the Shirohadra treatment, warm medicated oil is poured on the third eye point on the forehead. The warm oil removes any blockage around the face and head and allows energy to flow properly. Chi Nei Tsang internal organ massage releases negative emotions and brings vital energy to the internal system.
One of the key elements of the Chiva Som experience is fitness and exercise–from the high-tech air-conditioned gym to the invigorating power walk along the beach. They also have a wide range of exercise classes, from energizing aerobics to contemplative yoga. For life enhancement, there is the Oriental Life Coach Counseling or Anapanasati Mind Training.
A meal at Chiva Som is a combination of Asian and Western food, which proves that low-calorie and nutritious meals can also be delicious.
Experience Chiva Som and learn to enjoy life more fully, and perhaps, live longer. After all, wealth without well-being is meaningless.