Blue waters, white sand and therapeutic pilates at a luxury wellness retreat

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Blue waters, white sand and therapeutic pilates at a luxury wellness retreat

Sometimes, even if we don't realise it, at that place is admittedly nothing wrong with indulging in extreme me-fourth dimension – peculiarly with a specially curated dining card.

23 Apr 2022 06:30AM (Updated: 04 Jul 2022 04:37PM)

Information technology all began when I decided I would train for a marathon to lose some weight. But persistent physical issues similar wonky knees, a bad neck from too many hours spent hunched over a laptop and, yes, a weak volition, began to make my regular fitness sessions more than painful than they were worth.

That's when I decided to sign up for a wellness retreat. While these are not new, the latest slew of holistic retreats offer a lot more than a relaxing getaway, with a plethora of culling therapies and fettle offerings for motivated vacation makers.

To cater this growing grouping of health-centric travellers, an increasing number of resorts similar The Sanchaya in Bintan and Joali Maldives host a regular roster of visiting gurus to help guests footing themselves, detox their systems and maybe become ripped in the span of a few days. Even tried-and-tested favourites similar The Farm at San Benito in the outskirts of Manila have upgraded their treatment menu with a new aesthetics centre that specialises in not-invasive cosmetic procedures like laser therapy and hair restoration.

What caught my middle, though, were the newly launched intensive immersions at Aman Resorts. I loved the premise that the retreat would be tailored specifically to my needs, a refreshing change from many other programmes where a fixed schedule is prescribed to all participants. So off I went to Amanpuri, the group's flagship resort in Phuket and as well its first to offering spread-out immersions that include integrative medical services, a bespoke programme and fifty-fifty a specially curated menu.

Amanpuri's Holistic Wellness Centre. (Photograph: Amanresorts)

A VIP Health Feel

At Amanpuri, the view of the azure blue waters and soft white sand almost makes me wish I was at that place just to sunbathe. Only before I get lazy, I am whisked off to the holistic eye for a one-on-one consultation with health immersion manager David Melladew, an oriental medicine specialist, who does an assessment to determine if there are any underlying root causes to my aches and pains. It turns out I have what is termed a liver claret deficiency which leads to qi (free energy) blockages that may accept aggravated my neck and human knee problems.

Next, I take a loftier tech 3D torso scan where I realise with a stupor that two weeks of battling a debilitating flu issues and over again, my terrible posture, has made me flabbier and slouchier than I imagined.

Physiotherapy sessions are part of the resort's wellness plan. (Photo: Amanresorts)

Based on these findings, I receive a schedule for the next three days, ranging from physiotherapy sessions, personal training and Muay Thai lessons to acupuncture and a private therapeutic pilates session.

What strikes me immediately is the amount of individual facetime I take with the resort's wellness experts – there's rarely such a broad range of specialists on staff at a vacation destination.

It is very indulgent and befitting of the resort's usual clientele of the rich, famous and influential but I very rapidly acquire there are many benefits to such personalised attending for a mere mortal similar myself that makes it worth the splurge.

For starters, even though each specialist covers a unlike expanse of expertise, the entire squad works closely to ensure every session complements the others. This is easier said than done but they manage to pull it off.

I am put through my paces with various fitness trainers who know exactly which of my weak spots to target. The physiotherapist Pop Pimchanok administers a phenomenal ultrasound therapy that provides immediate relief to my tense muscles while the pilates instructor James Jackson works wonders with rebalancing the curvature in my spine that is limiting mobility in my upper back.

In just three brusk days, my physical problems miraculously vanish (at least temporarily) and for the first fourth dimension in a long time, I can exercise with piddling discomfort.

A traditional Thai herbal compress massage. (File photo: Amanresorts)

FACING MY FEARS

What I am nigh apprehensive about is the acupuncture because I am terrified of needles. My peel turns clammy and I keep my eyes tightly shut. Unperturbed, Melladew, a US board certified acupuncturist who is administering the handling, keeps me distracted by telling me about TCM principals, though I am not sure how much information I really process.

Nevertheless, I soon realise that needling is really barely painful – at most, it feels like poking a fingernail in the skin. Somewhere along the way, perhaps as my qi started flowing, I began to feel more than relaxed and may accept fifty-fifty fallen comatose. I end the session feeling similar a weight has literally been lifted off my shoulders.

The resort's yoga pavilion. (Photo: Amanresorts)

AN UNEXPECTED OBSTACLE

Surprisingly, what gets me is the food. Mainly because I typically eat any my heart desires, I've never known how tough it is to have food restrictions. Here, I'm on a ketogenic diet of low carbohydrates, high protein and lots of vegetables to reduce inflammation. I even have my own specially curated carte with dishes like pasta primavera made with zucchini noodles and raw vegan mushroom soup. The food is delicious and apparently cooked with smashing care only I soon discover a slight problem.

At breakfast, my order of poached eggs with smoked salmon and avocado (some of my favourite foods) arrives with no breadstuff. I confess I may have considered request the side by side tabular array for something from their staff of life basket. I send a film of my carb-gratis meal to my boyfriend who replies with an unsympathetic "#firstworldproblems". Judge I deserved that.

The author's carb-free keto breakfast. (Photo: Karen Tee)

My in-room mini bar though, saves the day. Information technology is thoughtfully stocked with good for you treats such as tea infusions, coconut water, almond milk and vegan chocolate bars to keep the munchies at bay.

At the end of the immersion, I am gratified to be standing straighter and to have lost some of that flab. But more than the external transformation, information technology feels astonishing to be rid of persistent hurting.

I go out with ane big realisation – that sometimes, fifty-fifty if we don't realise it, there is absolutely aught incorrect with indulging in extreme me-fourth dimension, which is exactly what a retreat empowers i to do. In that location is a limit though, a fitness immersion cannot make me run a marathon but that's okay because I am mentally ready to start running and exercising in earnest again.

Blue waters, white sand and therapeutic pilates at a luxury wellness retreat

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