Koh Phangan Spas
Although Koh Phangan is better known for its boisterous beach party scene, pristine unspoiled beaches and backpacker crowds, there has been a growing quantity of health spas and resorts popping up all over the island in recent years. Many of these health resort and spas also incorporate other facilities such as yoga or meditation classes, giving them a distinctly different flavour from health spas found elsewhere in the world. Within Thailand it is perceived that a healthy body is a by-product of a healthy spirit, many of the spas to be found on Koh Phangan have this fundamentally Buddhist ideal as their driving concept.
When it comes to budget, there are health spas on Koh Phangan to suit everybody. At the lower end of the price scale a visit to the public herbal sauna at Wat Pho in Ban Tai costs a handful of Baht, and is immensely popular with both visitors to Koh Phangan and the local Thai population. At the upper end of the price spectrum there are luxury health resorts and spas which combine five-star accommodation, excellent restaurants, swimming pools and gymnasiums with a full health spa, massage centre and other health focused amenities.
Many people decide to spend several weeks upon Koh Phangan each year, taking advantage of these competitively priced health centres, many of which make a great location to enjoy a relaxing holiday in stunning tropical surroundings, whilst using the health facilities of the spa to do something positive for their bodies. Additionally, yoga is a particularly popular feature of many of the Koh Phangan health resorts and spas, with internationally noted yoga teachers spending time on the island each year, teaching both groups and individual students.
Most of the more upmarket health spas are found in the southern part of the island, in and around Haad Rin, where they form an interesting counterpoint to the party scene around the time of the full moon. Over the last two or three years some excellent spas, health resorts and yoga retreats have been constructed in the Northern part of the island, and these are far more suitable for people who prefer a quiet location, which is a little more off the beaten track.
Several of the major health spas on Koh Phangan also offer training or teaching in several health techniques such as meditation, massage and yoga. By combining these more spiritual forms of health issues, alongside more traditional physical forms, visitors are able to take advantage of the deeply tranquil nature of the Buddhist religion, whilst undergoing a period of rejuvenation enabled by modern detox techniques and other advanced health care methodologies.
All in all, Koh Phangan makes an excellent choice of destination for those wishing to sample a health spa with a difference. So much more than a simple health resort, Koh Phangan spas offer a total package designed to not only reinvigorate the body, but to cleanse and invigorate the spirit.