Tapped out in the woods

Perched on the 11th floor of Sofitel So Bangkok, So Spa stands out not just for its treatments but because of its design, which is created around the five elements - water, earth, wood, metal, and fire - and, like the rest of the hotel, owes much to the talents of couturier Christian Lacroix, who was entrusted with the artistic direction of the establishment.

So Spa amazes from the moment you step out of the lift into the reception area. Most surprising are the real tree trunks. Naphatsakan Wongphan, the spa’s So Well Guru, says the interior decoration reflects the real Thai identity, and is inspired by the mythological Himmapan Forest. 

“The light shaft technique we use makes guests feel they are in a real forest. The light coming out through the shadow of the big trees gives the feeling of calm and relaxation,” says Naphatsakan. “The main theme colours are black, silver, wood and gold, which sets a mood of mystery.”

There are seven treatment rooms, all taking advantage of the view over Lumpini Park. Each room is named after a magical pond in the Himmapan forest: Srihapapata, Manthakinee, Gann Muntha, Chattan, Kunala, Anodarth and Rodkara. 

The products used are by Cinq Mondes, a multi-awarded professional spa brand from France and whose treatments include Rituel Fleurs de Bali, Ko Bi Do, Rituel Aux 

Cinq Fleurs, Savon Noir Beldi and Creme de Rassoul, as well as Thailand’s Ytsara’s brand, which uses herbs from the north. 

So Spa’s signature treatment is the 90-minute “Serenity of the Five Elements”. This combines acupressure aromatherapy massage with the use of a Thai herbal pouch and tapping techniques on the meridians that work as a deep tissue massage to release negative energy blockage and relieve deep muscular aches and tensions. 

The tapping technique is very hard to find anywhere outside the north of Thailand. This Lanna technique, known as “Tok Sen”, has been passed down through generations of masseurs for seven centuries but has now almost died out. “In ancient times, the master therapist would have used a small piece of elephant ivory,” says Naphatsakan. “Today we use hard wood that’s been struck by lightning.”

The therapist starts the treatment with a foot ritual to calm body and mind. Then a small Tok Sen hammer, which represents the wood element, is tapped over the body to give a deep vibration effect and help free stuck energy. If this is your first experience, you should probably ask the therapist to tap gently just to feel the vibration effect because tapping along the meridians tends to cause the body to stiffen automatically.

The therapist then relaxes the body and mind once again by applying Ytsara aromatherapy oil, which represents the water element. She taps a little bit more before gently pressing a warm herbal poultice on the body. The heat from the poultice represents the fire element while the therapeutic herbs represent the earth element. The treatment ends with a body massage using metal balls (the metal element). The metal balls give off a pleasant sound and have a soothing and calming effect.

I enjoyed So Spa’s signature treatment and found it both creative and healing. The Tok Sen therapy is known to give long time benefits, although the teaching method is normally reserved for the family of the mentor only. Because of this Chiang Mai University has been trying to revive the practise by teaching the therapy. However, if you are offered Tok Sen therapy in an ordinary spa, do make sure the therapists are fully trained.

 

 

SO WONDERFUL

<< So Spa welcomes you from 10am to 10pm everyday. Book an appointment at (02) 624 0000. Visit www.Sofitel.com