8 of the Weirdest and Wonderful Wellness Treatments Out There

Stuck in a hot box, getting beaten with hammers, sensorily returning to the womb… here are 8 unusually weird spa treatments you probably haven’t considered but that all rely on some level of tradition to get really creative in getting you well.

I’M NOT SURE WHY I was surprised to see a woman in black brandishing a large cello when I walked in for my massage at the Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore spa. After all, I had booked a treatment called the “Cello Concerto,” which promised an “enchanting and relaxing massage perfectly synchronised with classical melodies played live by a cellist…” Nonetheless, I did a double take at the unusual sight, forgetting the part about her being “in the same room.” Who would be the audience? Her or me?

With wellness, a critical component of travel in the post-pandemic era, luxury hotels are upping their spa game with more imaginative and lavish offerings. Whether it’s musicians sharing the room with you, being knocked about with a wooden hammer and chisel, getting hot wax poured on your back, or having a multisensory experience inspired by being in a womb, why not try something a lot more unusual than your standard massage and facial on your next spa visit?

8 unique and wonderfully weird spa treatments to try now

1. Cello Concerto
Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore

Composure regained, I settle in for a 60-minute massage. On cue, masseuse and cellist begin in harmony. The therapist applies long, smooth strokes to match the tempo of the music, which is a relaxing 60 to 80 beats per minute. I’m soothed by the sounds of classical compositions by Mozart, Debussy, Bach and other masters, with the cellist close enough that I can feel vibrations from the strings.

It’s all going well until the urge to relieve myself strikes, the consequence of drinking too much water beforehand. Fortunately, there’s a toilet in the suite but next time I’ll remember my editor’s wise advice to “pee twice before you spa.” Treatment over, I’m left to enjoy a soak in the Ritz-Carlton Spa Suite’s hydro jet bath, glass of champagne in hand.

SGD 550++ for one person, SGD880++ for two persons; minimum 48-hours advance booking required
www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/sinrz-the-ritz-carlton-millenia-singapore/

2. Tok Sen
Capella Bangkok

Before starting the onomatopoeically named Tok Sen, a traditional Thai therapy that dates back to the ancient Lanna kingdom, I’m shown an array of simple tools that could belong in a carpenter’s workshop. They include wooden hammers, wedges and blunt chisels specifically created for the treatment.

Tok, tok, tok. That’s the sound of the therapist knocking away at my back, the rhythmic tapping along the body’s energy lines designed to release tension. Over the course of an hour, a continuous tapping along spine and between shoulder blades is interspersed with firm massages by hand and a singing bowl to end. The hammering is slightly painful but the masochist in me doesn’t entirely dislike it, and would be a great option for people who like a strong, deep massage.

From THB 4,500++ for 60 minutes
capellahotels.com/en/capella-bangkok

3. Signature Bamboo Massage
V Villas Phuket

If the idea of having hot wax poured over your body appeals, then the signature bamboo massage at V Villas Phuket is for you. On entering, my therapist lights some scented soy candles and lets the wax melt before slowly drizzling it over my back. After applying, the masseuse uses a heated bamboo stick and her hands to firmly knead the wax into my skin.

It’s a pleasingly sensual sensation, the warm liquid feeling like a cross between oil and a malleable film. The process is repeated from the neck and shoulders to arms and legs. Fret not, you won’t leave looking like a figure in Madame Tussaud’s, the wax is removed once a section has been tended to.  

From THB 5,000++ for 90 minutes
www.vvillasphuket.com

4. Afternoon Tea and Spa
The Peninsula Hong Kong

It’s important to remember that many of us visit spas not only for wellness, but for pampering and indulgence. That’s what the Peninsula Hong Kong offers with its afternoon tea and spa package, where you can detox and retox. The treatment itself isn’t particularly unusual: a relaxing 90-minute aromatherapy massage using Voya organic oils. But the clincher is the invitation to the hotel’s famous afternoon tea in the grand The Lobby afterwards, without having to join the queues that frequently form for a table. 

From HKD 2,480 + 10%
www.peninsula.com/en/hong-kong

5. Maldivian Serenity Ritual
Mirihi Maldives

Tuna and coconuts are staples of Maldivian cuisine. One of them is also especially good for spa treatments, and thankfully, it’s not the fish. At Mirihi, guests can partake in a top-to-toe coconut treatment that starts with a freshly ground coconut-vanilla body polish and coconut hair mask combined with Indian head massage using rosemary-infused coconut oil. A full body massage follows, using 100-percent pure organic coconut oil, leaving your hair shiny, skin soft and you smelling tropical. Ask nicely and you might even get a freshly plucked coconut to drink at the end.

USD 250++ for 120 minutes
mirihi.com

6. Swedana Ritual
Six Senses Bhutan (Gangtey)

Sitting in the wooden contraption with only my head sticking out during the Swedana Ritual at Six Senses Bhutan, I can’t help but think that I’m in a magician’s box, the kind that hapless assistants step into before being sawn in half. Thankfully, that doesn’t happen. Instead, I’m getting a herbal steam clean to purify my body and remove toxins. It’s hot and a little uncomfortable in that box—though, luckily, the views of the gorgeous Gangtey Valley distract me. Emerging squeaky clean, I’m given a soothing head massage to end the treatment.

USD 185++ for 100 minutes
www.sixsenses.com/en/resorts/bhutan/lodges/six-senses-gangtey

7. Mandi Embun
The Datai Langkawi

Forest bathing has been a thing Malaysia for centuries, apparently. At The Datai Langkawi, the practice, known as mandi embun, starts at dawn, which in this part of the world, is mercifully late. Guests are taken on a guided walk by a naturalist through the rainforest to a pristine stream. A series of light breathing and stretching exercise follows, before a cooling dip in the stream. You can do this two-hour ritual on its own or as part of a full-day Malay Wellness Journey, which includes lunch and a massage after.

MYR 280 + 10% for Mandi Embun; MYR 1,220 + 10% for Malay Wellness Journey
www.thedatai.com

8. Light Sound Vibration (LSV)
Potato Head Bali

Forget singing bowls, Potato Head’s LSV experience takes sound healing to a trippy new level. It’s “inspired by the experience of being in the womb,” and involves lying on a custom-made sonic waterbed with built-in vibrating speakers. Each session varies depending on the practitioner and could include singing bowls, gongs, didgeridoo, voice and electronic music, with light frequencies synchronized to the sound. Up to eight guests can take part in the 90-minute multi-sensory journey at any one time.

IDR 1,000,000 net for 90 minutes
sanctuary-experience.com

This story first appeared here.