Health and wellness in Bangkok

Teaching tablet at Wat Pho by Casper Moller Creative Commons Attribution

Bangkok could mount a strong claim to being the massage capital of the world. According to the teachings of traditional Thai healing, the use of herbs and massage should be part of a regular health-and-beauty regimen, not just an excuse for pampering – music to the ears of many a visitor to Bangkok. In Bangkok options run the gamut from storefront traditional Thai massage to an indulgent spa ‘experience’ with service and style. And even within the enormous spa category there are choices: there is still plenty of pampering going on, but some spas now focus more on the medical than the sensory, while plush resort-style spas offer a laundry list of hyper-specific treatments.