Winter 2019 - 4. Massages

4. Massages

Bali is known for their Health Culture. Bali is a center for the ancient and/or New-Age holistic use of medicine. Yoga, wellness centers, massages, special baths, are offered in many places throughout Bali. Carol and I tried a few Spas’ but quickly settled on a place near Uma Sari by the name of Budaya Spa. First I need to say that getting a massage seems a bit of a luxury and in addition I have a natural tendency to not want people squeezing and prodding my body almost everywhere. I had a real reluctance to get a massage. But, the whole purpose of being in a foreign place is to do as the locals do. There is nothing wrong with getting a massage; it is just inside my head that it seems ‘odd’. It is not harmful, in fact is very beneficial, so I needed to reprogram myself somehow.

Lily Spa, Cheaper But Unprofessional

So I forced myself to change my inner prejudice. Our first massage was at a place called Lilly’s Spa and it was not a good experience. The place had a cheap atmosphere and the people working there were just doing a job. It was such a routine to the masseuses at Lilly’s that they were actually bored doing their job and that bored feeling transferred over to me as a big negative.  Their talking in Balinese and giggling between themselves was very unprofessional. I thought, if that is how it is, then NO, I don’t like it at all. I felt like an imposition to the workers.

But then we tried Budaya Spa, the place near Uma Sari, and I had to change my mind. From the reception to the afterglow, this place was different. I tried the foot massage first, a 30-minute procedure that had you sit in a chair and with a women working over each toe, foot, heel and calf. Each leg was kind of stripped to its smallest denominator and rubbed, scrubbed and prodded. It did not hurt, unless you count some pricks with a blunt, small stick pressed against your toes which was unpleasant, but in general it was a relaxing session. No talking during the massage was the house policy, just sit back and let them do their work. This was not a social chat; it was serious work for the masseuse. I actually liked this place Budaya. 

Outside Budaya Spa - Sit to Remove Shoes

The next time at Budaya, a few days later, I opted for a facial massage. Not knowing what to expect I was surprised how relaxing the strong fingers of the woman giving me the massage felt. Creams and oils were used and my hair was a bit messy afterwards but all the tension of the travels so far, melted away. Even my shoulders benefited from having my neck and head kneaded.

Ganesh Welcomes You to Budaya

Finally, after I tried the ‘easy’ routines I progressed to a full body massage. You strip down to your skivvies and you lay face down unto a special table. The girl doing the work asked me if I wanted a gently or a thorough massage. I opted for a full, kind of rough handling, because I thought with their small statue how hard could they push on me, right? Ah, how wrong I was!  The hands of the woman doing the work were very strong. They do massage every day and build up their muscles in their hands and arms. I could feel the whole weight of the person push down into my back. Uff, I received a good work out from them plying my flabby muscles. Scented creams and oils were used to lessen the friction and made the experience sublime. Again, there was no talking. 

The whole house, the section where I received the treatment was clean, orderly and well thought out as to conveniences and space. This place, Budaya was not a ‘massage parlor’ in the cheap sense. It was a health resort in the finest sense. I learned from the desk manager, Agung Alit, the young man who actually ran this place, that the owners of this place were a French couple who ran a restaurant in France and invested into the health culture in Bali by giving the locals work and were rewarded with both financial gain and the feeling that they helped people in the 3^rd world.

Agung Alit In Reception Area

The Budaya Spa has rules:

Shoes off outside, you can only enter in bare feet or sock-covered feet. Yes, there is a bench outside where you can store your shoes; there is a seat where you can sit to put them back on, etc. 

No loud talking, even in the reception area. No talking at all during treatments. Of course there was no smoking, drinking or food during a treatment session. Enjoy a hot cup of ginger or lemongrass tea after your treatment and a ‘snack’ of fresh cut fruit, along with homemade chutney. That was compliments of the house and incl. in the price.

You must fill out a paper before each treatment, no matter the treatment, no matter how well they know you. This sheet of paper is used to track who was there, what was done etc.

Trying to Decide Which of the Many Treatments to Have

The prices were 180,000 Rupiah for a full body treatment (U.S. $12.64) for a 1-hour procedure. This price included the tea and snack at the end of the session. I negotiated a discount of 10% for each treatment because we would return twice a week to this place and we were always 2 people, Carol paid her own way of course, but both of us received the discount. 

The cost of the creams and oils were included, so were the tips. There is no tipping in Bali.

Getting those massages is what I call a different vacation, where you visit every few days and get a treat. Each massage gave me a certain ‘glow’ that lasted a few days. My skin felt softer, more pliable. The oils and creams seemed to nourish my old skin and if I lived in Bali I would have these massages for the rest of my life. 

Yes, I was apprehensive, but after the 4 weeks we spent in Bali, with all kinds of different massages, I must say that the massages are one of the best things you can do in Bali.