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H O N O U R I N G H E A L I N G CU LT U R E S

JUNE ’23

HEALING
WITHHEARTS& HANDS
Honouring the healing traditions of the Balian atSpa Village Resort Tembok, Ball.

A WELCOMEMESSAGEFROM CHIK L AI PING

Dear guests,
When YTL Hotels mooted the idea of a spa for Pangkor LautResort, we wanted its concept and realisation to reflect thelocale and community. In the case of the very first Spa Village
at Pangkor Laut Resort, the inspiration was simply Malaysia;
with her diversity of people and their age-old healing cultures
and traditions.
Two decades and many more Spa Villages later, this philosophyof mooring a Spa Village to its immediate living heritage has
defined our ethos and identity. The Spa Village brand has
stayed true to its core purpose even as it expands into newcities and lands. The unique offerings of each Spa Village
promise to invigorate your senses in ways which are both
wonderful and exotic.
Discover this and more on your next visit to the genesis
Spa Village at Pangkor Laut Resort, officiated in September2002 by the late Luciano Pavarotti, to the later additions ofSpa Village Kuala Lumpur, Tanjong Jara, Cameron Highlands,
Gaya Island and The Majestic Malacca, as well as thedestination Spa Villages in Tembok, Bali, at The Ritz-Carlton,
Koh Samui, and the Floating Spa of Monkey Island Estate.
We invite you to a world of wellness, where the practiced
hands of our therapists heal with heart.
Yours sincerely,

Chik Lai Ping
Senior Vice President,
Spa Division, YTL Hotels

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A WEALTH OF HOLISTIC HEALING TRADITIONS FROM ALL OVER ASIA

The story of Malaysia is not the tale of a single culture, butrather an interwoven tapestry of traditions, beliefs andethnicities created over the course of centuries. At Spa Village
Pangkor Laut, a sprawling temple of wellness at the core ofPangkor Laut Resort, highly skilled therapists tap into awellspring of different Asian healing traditions from Indonesia,Japan, China, India, Thailand and the indigenous people ofMalaysia.
The Spa Village offers a curated selection of the best andmost exclusive treatments from each tradition. For instance,
Chinese Foot Pounding, a reflexology technique designed torestore alignment, was once only available to the highest
concubines in feudal China, while the exfoliating Shanghai
Scrub historically was a privilege reserved for noblemen. Inbetween, a visit to a miniature Japanese-style bathhouse witha warming soak in a Rotenburo pool boosts circulation much
like a classic onsen. Meanwhile, a cool dip in a Malay fountainfollowed by deep inhalations of four kinds of incense awakens
the mind.
The programmes at Spa Village Pangkor Laut combine
physical and spiritual health and well-being, and are based on
one of four umbrella concepts: Rejuvenation and Longevity,

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Relaxation and Stress Reduction, Detoxification, and Romance.
For the full spa experience, many guests select one of several
combination packages designed to work in tandem to aid
different areas of the body.
An Ayurvedic Day, for example, begins with an invigorating
yoga session and includes a facial, hair treatment and massage,
all of which use a customised selection of aromatic, purifying
oils concocted to help restore the prakruthi, or body’sconstitution. Meanwhile, a Chinese Day seeks to rebalance thebody’s qi, or life-giving energy, and restore harmony toS PA V I LL AG E PA N G KO R L AU T

disparate elements through treatments such as gu fang xun
shen, in which smouldering medicinal herbs release a pungent
smoke with potent curative properties. Finally, Malay Day turns
to thousand-year-old wisdom from the time of the Malacca
sultanate.
Here, an integrated approach to wellness, one that embraces
the best of Asian healing traditions, offers guests all therestorative benefits of centuries of learning. Those who enter
Spa Village Pangkor Laut exit with both a natural glow and a
deeper understanding of this multicultural land.

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AN ANCIENT RESTORATIVE JOURNEY ONCE RESERVED FOR ROYALTY
The fusion of cultures woven into the rich tapestry of Malaysia’s
history can be seen in the country’s distinctive architecture,
fashion, food, and, as a visit to Spa Village Tanjong Jara will
prove, its healing rituals as well. Collected within the intimate
complex of structures, gardens and pools that make up theaward-winning Spa Village Tanjong Jara are treasured traditional
Malay healing methods selected for their authenticity andtherapeutic potency.
The half-day Couples Spa Experience provides an illuminating
taste of the pre-wedding treatments typically lavished on a Malay
bride and bridegroom. The dual series of special body treatments
are rooted in ancient Malay customs, reflecting the pomp andpageantry of the traditional wedding ceremony as the couple istransformed into the King and Queen of the day - or Raja Sehariin Malay.

A holistic approach towards the couple’s mind, body and spirit
runs through the entirety of the experience. Ladies begin theDandan Puteri Tujuh programme with a detoxifying full body
Urutan Gamelan massage, using oil scented with soothingjasmine and tropical magnolia. A hair cream bath, known as
Ikal Mayang, may have its origins from Malay princesses whokept their crowning glories silky and glossy with a concoction ofcoconut oil, rice paddy stalks and pandanus leaves. An herbal
body scrub of turmeric and galangal is applied to the face andbody, gently removing dead surface cells and encouraging
the radiance beneath to shine through, after which a fragrantBersiram milk bath awaits. Exotic flower buds and petals are castinto the pearlescent water as the milk nourishes and smooths
the skin, just before the lady is guided into a sauna scented
with jasmine and rosewater, emerging later glowing and utterly
uplifted from the steam. Gentlemen embark on their Panji
Alam journey with Urutan Panglima - a warrior’s massage which
restores their body’s structural alignment and flexibility by using
deep tissue strokes to manipulate the fascia and increase bloodcirculation.
For hair and body, the Ikal Cuci hair conditioning treatment andthe Boros Akar scrub harness the power of Malaysian herbal
roots, lending protection to the scalp, enlivening muscles andcoaxing skin back to its former firmness with a series of thoroughrubbing strokes. Sinking into a bath infused with kaffir lime andfenugreek, this herbal spice soak strengthens and sculpts thebody, preparing it for the herbal oil steam bath - an unbeatablerelaxing sauna session made more effective by a penetrating
blend of essential oils. As the finale, the couple is served herbal
tonic drinks - hers, an anti-ageing recipe of scented roots andflower buds, and his, a root tonic brewed in an earthen pot
and sweetened with jungle honey – while they bask in the utter
relaxation that comes only from Spa Village Tanjong Jara’s royaltreatment.

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ON THE LESS EXPLORED SIDE OF BALI, THE SUNSHINE & SMILES ARE BRIGHTERSpa Village Resort Tembok on Bali’s north-eastern coast holds
the key to the rich cultural treasures of the island and issurrounded by the bounties of Mother Nature. The oceanstretches away to the horizon in front; the mountains, mothervolcano Agung and the vast crater wall of ancient Mount Batur,rise behind, circled by unspoilt countryside and traditional
villages. This is Bali’s heartland, a world away from the bustle ofthe towns in the south.
At 5.30am, the ocean is like gently undulating liquid glass.
Then, the horizon starts to be streaked with yellow, red andorange as the edges of the star of the show appears, glowing
bright and illuminating the surface of the ocean. Back at theS PA V I LL AG E R E SO R T T E M B O K , B A L I

resort, it was soon time for a spa experience. The resort’s spa
has a menu emphasising and celebrating the healing traditionsof its Tejakula location. Fresh-from-the-garden ingredients suchas basil, neem, mint and lime are combined to gently exfoliate
the skin as part of the Sangkarajaya therapy. This is followed bya treatment to relax scalp and facial muscles. A rhythmic
full-body coconut oil massage completes this invigorating
treatment. Guests also enjoy frequent opportunities to learn
about Balinese home crafts as well as immerse in local customs.
The good humour of the staff as they share their traditions isinfectious. In a place like this, it is easy to believe that the gods
have certainly blessed the land, bringing contentment andhappiness as the day is long.

PAG E 6BATH TALES
The city of Bath offers all the ingredients for a rewarding weekend.
“Bath is the worst place to get any work done,” so remarked
the humanist British politician William Wilberforce in the 19thcentury. The city, embedded in the rolling hills of Somerset,
England, has a history dating to AD 60 when it was a Romancolony, regaled for its healing waters attributed to the blessingsof the goddess Minerva. These famed springs containing overa million litres of mineral-empowered waters have healed bothkings and commoners. Today, Wilberforce’s view holds evengreater sway.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the city pulses with thriving
culture, arts, theatre and food scenes, attracting local andinternational visitors to its compact, cobblestoned pathways
lined with charming shops, cosy cafes and notable restaurants.
Also in the area is the city’s only luxury hotel The GainsboroughBath Spa and its Spa Village, both of which have placed Bath on
the radar of travellers who expect only the best.
The Grade II-listed 99-room hotel and its spa, named after theartist Thomas Gainsborough, comprises a quartet of former
hospital structures - Bellott’s and Royal Hospital Building - thatoffers exclusive access to the city’s famous healthful thermalwaters.
All guests have access to the thermal pools at Spa Village.

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Known as the Bath House experience, it involves a sequence ofnatural thermal pools with differing temperatures, infrared andconventional saunas, a steam room, an ornate ice cove and spaces
designed for unwinding while sipping a custom-created traditional
Georgian hot chocolate peppered with cloves and chilli. Thetreatment rooms are elegantly appointed in sophisticated shadesof grey. Opt for an invigorating Ginger Renewal treatment,
composed of a body exfoliation using ginger and minerals; a neck,shoulder and back massage using ginger oil and hot stones tounknot kinks; and ending with a warm body wrap to seal in all thehealing and nurturing properties of ginger.
Bath is, indeed, a place where one gets little work done, though
its distractions - including in wellness and therapies - are invariably
more welcoming that what Wilberforce imagined two centuriesago.

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Published every quarter, the Spa Village - Honouring Healing Cultures aims
to share the latest Spa Village news from our collection of spa destinations
worldwide. Coupling age-old practices together with modern approaches tohealth and well-being results in a tailored one-of-a-kind experience, delivering
award-winning results to our guests. Each Spa Village offers a consistently
unique and uplifting opportunity for rejuvenation.

YTL Hotels Travel Centre, Level 2, YTL Plaza,
55 Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
travelcentre@ytlhotels.com.my | +60 3 2783 1000
www.ytlhotels.com