It has been almost a year since Doris Kwan last stepped into a spa centre. Before the pandemic, the housewife from Selangor would regularly go for traditional Thai massages to help alleviate muscle aches and headaches.
“When I step into a spa centre, I can immediately feel my mind being put at ease,” she said.
Kwan, who is in her late fifties, added that she enjoys the relaxing ambiance that is created through scent, music and water features at the venue.
According to Kwan, the soothing music at spa centres transports her to a different location.
“Sometimes I feel like I’m inside a forest or at a riverside. I really feel a sense of freedom from my daily stress,” she said.
Kwan, who usually frequents spas with her husband, shared that going for a spa treatment allows her to have quality time with her spouse.
Kwan is certainly looking forward to her next rest and relaxation session now that spas in Malaysia are allowed to operate again.
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Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob recently announced that spas, wellness centres, massage centres are allowed to reopen beginning Oct 1.
The caveat is that all operators, customers and visitors will have to be fully vaccinated.
The latest development is good news for spa and wellness centres in the country which have been subjected to prolonged closure amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Better light
The official spa industry has been around in Malaysia for more than three decades. However, operators are still battling with the issue of negative perception among certain quarters of the public, and the authorities.
Earlier this year, the Association Of Malaysia Spas (AMSPA) president Datin Jeannette Tembakau and Malaysian Association Of Wellness & Spa (MAWSPA) president Datin Dorothea Justin Moduying issued a joint statement that called for the industry to be seen through a better lens. “We cannot understand why the word ‘spa’ has become such a bad word,” they said in the statement.
“No doubt there are a few bad apples who call themselves spas when they are not, but we think local councils who licensed them and have yet to close them down... should take responsibility...
“Why should genuine spas who have taken great pains to run a legitimate (business) and have done nothing illegal or wrong be made to suffer instead?” said the statement.
Tembakau and Moduying’s statement were in response to the prolonged closure of spa centres during the second movement control order that started earlier this year.
“It is most disappointing that in Malaysia we are deemed as ‘entertainment’ and we are viewed in the same light as cinemas, karaoke centres and nightclubs,” the statement continued.
An important aid
Both the women’s frustrations were warranted given how the wellness industry suffers from negative perceptions despite hugely complementing the country’s tourism and hospitality landscape.
“Spas globally have evolved and are now recognised as an important contributor to wellness as well as to tourism. Today, no hotel can consider themselves to be of international standards if they do not have a spa,” they said.
Tembakau and Moduying pointed out that most major hotel chains have their own well-known brand of spas. In Malaysia, these include the Shangri-La, Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur, Mandarin Oriental, St Regis, RuMa Hotel & Residences, W Hotel and the One & Only Desaru Coast.
Some of these spas have even won international awards.
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In recent years, wellness has grown to be an important offering in the hospitality sector. Experts believe that the wellness sector is set to grow even more as people seek to physically and mentally rejuvenate after months of lockdown.
“Wellness is seen as the new economic wave and more so as the aftermath (of the pandemic) sets in. Keeping well and de-stressing to acquire mind, body, spirit wellness will be the new mantra,” the statement noted.
A survey by the World Tourism Association revealed that over 24% of respondents would be “extremely likely to book a wellness vacation within the next two years”.
Another 78% of respondents, in the poll that surveyed over 3,000 consumers from 48 countries and territories, indicated that they already included wellness-specific activities to their travel itineraries, for when restrictions are lifted.
Tourism and hospitality sectors aside, spas will also play an important role in helping people better cope with the stress of the pandemic.
According AMSPA and MAWSPA, these days spas have a myriad wellness programmes that offer overall health benefits to clients including stress relief, and improved immunity and blood circulation.
“A couple of hours at a spa is a much-needed respite. Given the strict SOP, it is a safe (place) to regain one’s equilibrium,” it said.
Kwan for one, can attest to the benefits of a good treatment at wellness centres. But she plans to wait a while longer before she returns for her regular massages.
“While I’m glad that spas can reopen, I want to make sure that the centres adhere to strict health and hygiene measures before I visit,” she said.
For those who are planning to check in to a wellness centre for some rest and relaxation, there are a variety of treatments from all over the world to indulge in.
And for folks who have never had a spa treatment before, going for your first wellness session can be intimidating. Make sure to let your therapist know of any reservations you may have with regards to the treatments. It’s always a good idea to consult a healthcare professional before going for your first treatment, in case you have any underlying health issues.
Here’s what one can expect from some popular therapies that are available in Malaysia.
Those accustomed to massages in the West might find Thai massages to be very different at first. This is because Thai massage practitioners use a different kind of technique which incorporates gentle pressure with stretching, that is said to help the whole body relax.
This technique is different from the Swedish or shiatsu massages where a client usually just lies down on the bed while therapists work the muscles. In Thai massages, clients will participate more actively and may even be requested to move their limbs or arch their backs.
One way of visualising a Thai massage is by imagining the masseuse physically “arranging” your body into different yoga poses.
Some health benefits associated with Thai massages include lowering stress, relieving muscular tension, helping to ease headaches and stimulating blood circulation.
Based on holistic medicine established centuries ago in India, Ayurvedic massage is a type of oil massage. The therapy is centred on the ample use of warm essential oils and focuses on specific energy points in the body.
Generally, Ayurvedic massage (also known as abhyanga) takes on a holistic approach to the concept of wellness. It considers the whole person (including the mind, body and spirit) to relieve emotional stress in the pursuit of good health.
Joints and muscles are secondary to the massage, as practitioners focus on the body’s energy points. In Ayurveda, the body is believed to be composed of three energies or doshas – Kapha (space and air), Pitta (fire and water) and Vata (water and earth). A certified massage therapist and Ayurvedic practitioner would be able to recommend the most suitable form of Ayurvedic massage based on your needs.
Its name might suggest a relaxing soak in the tub, but sound baths are actually more of a meditative experience. The practice centres upon the ancient concept of healing bodies through sound.
The music used in the treatment usually varies depending on the place and culture (think the chanting of “om” during your yoga session). Typically, the tune is carefully constructed from selected instruments and voices with notable resonance and overtones.
The healing benefits of music has been proven through many studies which show that sounds could lower blood pressure, decrease pulse rate and even assist the parasympathetic nervous system. Sound baths these days is a form of modern sound therapy where practitioners use sonic waves to heal the body. A session can vary greatly at wellness centres, but they usually feature integrated yoga practices or relaxing massages.
Therapists typically use basalt stones, which are great heat conductors and are able to retain heat longer. During the session, the masseuse will hold stones in both hands and glide them along the muscles.
Hot stone massages are said to help in releasing toxins, relieving pain and improving sleep quality. It is also believed that the treatment helps to increase the body’s metabolism.
This type of massage involves the application of varying degrees of pressure to the feet, hands, and ears. The treatment is based on the concept that these body parts are connected to certain organs in the body.
The practice of reflexology can be traced to the ancient Chinese belief in vital energy, or also referred to as “qi”. The concept centres upon the thought that when a person is feeling stressed or unwell, their body blocks the qi from flowing smoothly.
Most spa centres offer reflexology as part of foot treatment. Therapists will work through the foot methodically using pressure, stretch and movement. Traditional reflexology usually does not use any oil, cream or lotion.
Some purported benefits of reflexology include improving blood flow, creating relaxation and boosting the immune system.
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