N°.3 H O N O U R I N G  H E A L I N G  C U L T U R E S MAY '24
FROM CHIK LAI PING
Dear guests,
As we enter spring, the season of new life, I hope this edition of our Spa Village newsletter also brings to you new breaths of fresh air in health, wellness and pampering. This year is really seeing travel come back in full throttle, if not in higher frequencies, and along with it, a rise in vacations and escapes prioritizing the mind, body and soul. Nobody is happier to see this than our team in the Spa Village Division of YTL Hotels. All of our Spa Villages have always prided itself in offering treatments that reflect their respective locale and its community – in this case, Malaysia, with her multi-ethnic population. Spa Village Cameron Highlands offers treatments based on the traditions of the indigenous people who live in the jungles of the Highlands; Spa Village Majestic Malacca is the only center in the world dedicated to the Peranakan healing culture; and Spa Village Resort Tembok is a standalone retreat devoted exclusively to promoting traditional Balinese therapies. In continuing on this ethos, we are pleased to share more about all our other worldly treatments from different corners of the globe in this month's newsletter. Spa Village Tanjong Jara is where to go for the signature Malay-inspired 'Raja Sehari' treatment, doling out regal treatments truly fitting for a king and his queen that leaves no body part unattended to. Spa Village Koh Samui offers the signature tok sen, where the body is relaxed and rebalanced by the rhythmic pounding of a mallet and a wedge. Spa Village Gaya Island does a deep-dive into the secret treatments of all the many native communities of East Malaysia from the Kadazan-Dusun forest families to the Bajau water tribes. In Spa Village Kuala Lumpur, guests can return to themselves with a sensory bath treatment that will leave the stresses of city life behind. With all that is going on in the world, it is more imperative than ever to take care of oneself, physically, mentally and spiritually. I hope you find in the coming pages, the tools you need to protect your own peace and nurture your inner soundness. Yours sincerely, Chik Lai Ping Senior Vice President, Spa Division, YTL Hotels WELCOME TO A SUCIMURNI WAY OF LIFE Purity of spirit, health and well-being. In the mystical coastal lands of Terengganu where Tanjong Jara Resort calls home, spiritual health and mental well-being continue to play a synergistic relationship of importance, born from the Malay Muslim way of life that encompasses four domains of life: self, community, environment and God. This same principle of well-being remains at the heart of Spa Village Tanjong Jara, where a taste of Malay is prevalent in all of its treatments and spa therapists are more than obliging to help tailor one best suited to your needs. One of the most intrinsically Malay treatments can be found with the Raja Sehari treatment, which translates from Malay to mean "king for a day". Traditionally showered upon newly wedded brides and grooms on their wedding day, Tanjong Jara opens up the opportunity to visitors wedded or otherwise to experience the full pomp, pageantry and traditional preparation. journey to tembok with chang fee ming
Discover the real Bali.
Born in the coastal down of Dungun, Terengganu, on the east coast of Malaysia, Chang Fee Ming has always had a unique affinity with the sea. It didn't take long before Malaysia's foremost watercolourist also discovered and fell in love with the seascapes of Tembok, Bali's northeartern coast. In a turn of fate, he came to meet Dato' Mark Yeoh, executive director of YTL Hotels, during the launch of Spa Village Resort Tembok, Bali, who suggested that Chang lent his talent to introduce the island's north via his art. The result is Chang's book Journey to Tembok, in which he taps into the inherent spirituality and humanity of Tembok and captures the vignettes of Balinese culture and life in a series of poetic and true-to-life watercolours. The kingdom of Singaraja, one of Bali's oldest, serves as his main focus, supported by the artistic heart of the island that's equally renowned the world: Ubud. His sketches outlines temple statues from Candidasa while his watercolours bring to colourful life locals immortalized in their common sights of preparing lawar, a local delicacy made from herbs, greens and different kinds of meats.
the tok sen strikes back
A celebration of Thai healing. Of the many Thai massages that have become household names in the world of wellness, perhaps none strikes – pun intended – intrigue as much as the tok sen. By the rhythmic pounding of a mallet and a wedge, stiff muscles are pummeled into tissue-deep, hence the treatment's name tok, which means to strike, and sen, which refers to the meridien energy lines of the body. Spa Village Koh Samui at The Ritz-Carlton, Koh Samui is one place to experience this age-old massage technique in the traditional way it had originated from the ancient northern kingdom of Lanna around Chiang Mai. In true olden methods, a wooden mallet and wedge are used to rhythmically stimulate the body's meridien lines, delivering deep-tissue healing vibrations that unblock, align and rejuvenate them. All that pummelling and energy-release relaxes the body and generates a sense of well-being since the energy is redirected back to its normal pathways. The rhythmic pounding creates a soothing, hypnotic atmosphere, helping to promote harmony and healing while the massage is being performed. If you're lucky, you'll benefit from a tok sen massage with one of the most highly prized tools in the traditional Thai massage armory: a mallet made from the wood struck off a tamarind tree by lightning and blessed in a monastery. Herein lies a truly ancient experience of magic, and one of the treasured moments that The Ritz-Carlton, Koh Samui is one of the rare few in the world to still provide.
distinctively bornean spa adventure
A tapestry of Sabah's cultural healing traditions. Nestled amidst a small mangrove forest on one side of Gaya Island Resort in Sabah, Spa Village Gaya Island is a beautifully crafted oasis in Malohom Bay that seamlessly blends in with the lush nature, yet offers all the tranquillity and elegance of a world-class spa. Wooden decks, spacious gazebos and glass-walled treatment rooms beckon you to step in, away from the sun, as a therapist quickly hands you an icy towel and a refresher made from guava, pineapple, lime and green chilli, known simply as 'the elixir'. A quick skim of the spa menu will leave you spoilt for choice as it offers a comprehensive medley of Bornean treatments for a distinctively Bornean adventure of the senses. One not-to-be-missed treatment would be the indigenous massage called Urutan Pribumi that draws inspiration from the local healing traditions of the multiple tribes of Sabah, used to restore the vim and vigour of the menfolk, who spend their days farming, at sea or, way back when warfare was a way of life, in battle. Then there’s the Tadau Kaamatan, a couple’s treatment that honours the element of rice, sacred to most communities in Asia, as a body scrub. The Deru Laut is inspired by the traditions of the seafaring Bajau people for a marine-inspired spa journey that involves a sea bird's nest body wrap, a facial incorporating Sabah's famous pearls, a seaweed hair masque and a seawater bath. For glow, the Borneo Vanilla Orchid & Honey Cocoon buffs the body with yoghurt and crushed vanilla pods, followed by a vanilla honey hair masque and a full body massage using delicious-smelling Coconilla oil.
a bath for the senses
An oasis of regeneration and beauty in the heart of the city. In the midst of the bustling city of Kuala Lumpur, Spa Village Kuala Lumpur offers a reprieve into an oasis of regeneration and beauty, delivered through a mix of the world's most sophisticated therapies integrated with the healing practices of the region. Paying tribute to the cultural diversity and rich healing heritage of the area, it blends ancient practices with modern techniques, using natural local ingredients to provide a blissful relaxation and recovery opportunity. For those seeking to discover themselves and get comfortable in their own skin, the Sensory Sound Bath experience will remove all pre-conceived expectations, unlock one’s awareness and connect one deeply and authentically with one's inner self. A Sensory Room has been specially built to engage with one's sense of sound, sight, smell, taste and touch to heighten your connection with the immediate world around you. Up to six guests will be guided on a ninety-minute's Sensory Sound Bath that includes aromatherapy, tasting, vibration, ancient and natural sounds and sensory relaxation, as well as a scalp and foot massage. With limitations torn down and a sense of inner grounding and connection renewed, the experience has been known to help many a visitor return to their true selves. 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 to health 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 | +60 3 2783 1000 ytlhotels.com