With a millennium-old medical system rooted in massage and herbal treatments, it's not surprising that Bangkok has emerged as the spa capital of Asia, if not the world. And it certainly lives up to its name. From small salons with a few foot-massage chairs and an open-air herbal sauna to the most opulent resorts for the jet-set, Bangkok has something to offer everyone in search of health, beauty and serenity.
Skim through any tourist guide when you arrive in Bangkok and you'll see a host of ads for the Ananda Club, Devarana Spa, Samsara Spa, the Oriental Spa and so on. The list seems almost endless. And they all feature glossy pictures of ecstatic spa-seekers lounging in pools strewn with petals or being massaged by four hands, or lying in seeming bliss with hot stones perched on their backs.
