The Malaysian Spa Culture

If you have always wanted to try out a spa, but are confused with the myriad of centres calling themselves ‘spas’, fret not, for here’s a run-down on the Malaysian spa culture and scene.

So you have been to a few spas. Perhaps tried out most of the treatments available. Then good for you. For the majority of the people out there, however, it’s not always a clear cut case of walking into a spa and getting your money worth. Often, you don’t get what you expect. Why’s that?

Spas in Malaysia have some nasty connotations to it. Ask your parents. They will tell you it’s a place you shouldn’t go. “Don’t be naughty, eh”.

Which is completely unfair to our burgeoning spa industry, of course. Many spas and wellness centres that have mushroomed over the past few years have invested huge amount of money, expertise and passion into building some of the most talked-about spas in the region. In fact, we are fast becoming the next spa destination in Asia, and our industry growth is the envy of many.

But when is a spa, a spa?

Jumping on the bandwagon of the current frenzy for everything spa-ish, are the mom-and-pop beauty salons and massage centres. Whilst there’s absolutely nothing wrong with such decent businesses, they are not technically a spa.

The general consensus in the industry is that a spa should contain several treatment rooms, offer a variety of treatments, have professionally trained therapists and have an ambience that soothes and relaxes.

In most spas, you should be able to obtain a massage therapy, and have the option for facials, exfoliation (body scrubs), body wraps, floral bath and so on. You will often be led through a series of consultations before you choose a treatment that’s suitable for you and that fits your budget and time. Some spas will go to the extent of offering ‘spa cuisine’ or healthy meals that’s low in calorie, fat-free and high in vitamins.

As a good spa focuses on relaxation and rejuvenation, you shouldn’t be made to go through lengthy sales pitches disguised as consultations and told to swipe your credit card for treatments you haven’t even decided on. If I’m you, I walk out from such establishments. Fast.

And a real spa don’t have skimpily dressed ladies at its entrances, nor allow you to choose your ‘masseur’. In fact, spas no longer use the term masseurs, in favour of the term ‘therapist’ as it’s not uncommon to have therapists spending up to a year in classes to learn academic and practical aspects of spa therapies.

Day spa vs. destination spa

As spas are each unique, the industry segments itself into various categories. It’s very much like hotels: you have 5 star, 4 star, etc, and you have seaside resort, city hotel, inns, and so on.

The most common type of spas is the day spa. This is very similar to beauty salons, in that you only visit the spa for the duration of your treatment, and when you are done – off you go. The difference is this: a day spa would have more variety of treatments than a typical salon, and focuses on pampering and rejuvenation instead of beauty and slimming. Which doesn’t mean a day spa does not offer facials and slimming, as most does.

A destination spa on the other hand, is built into a resort and is often the key attraction of the resort they are in. Some destination spas in fact, are entire resorts, and you cannot opt to just book a room – you need to take up the whole package. Which is why the new term hotel / resort spa has emerged, to describe spas that are based in a hotel or resort but is not the raison d’etre of their hosts. Similar to day spas, but often larger and more elaborate, destination spas also offer longer treatment sessions. A half day (3 to 4 hours) or full day (6 to 8 hours) is common, and you’re likely to see multiple day spa packages as well.

Day spa and destination spa asides, there’s now a multitude of new types of spas. Medical spa are gaining popularity in Europe and Japan, and don’t be surprised to see one in Malaysia very soon. A medical spa is essentially a day or destination spa that also provides medical treatments, usually skin-related, although treatments of allergy, high-blood pressure and other lifestyle diseases are common. A medical spa is run by a healthcare professional, and offers a combination of traditional, complementary and alternative medicine (TCAM) and spa therapies. A cruise ship spa and club spa are self explanatory.

A new trend is to have ‘specialist spas’ such as ‘nail spa’ or ‘hair spa’. These are of course not spas proper, but there’s no way to stop enterprising people from using the term. At least in these cases, you know what to expect.

Too expensive or too cheap?

For some, parting with RM 800 for a full day spa package seems like a small sum for a whole day of luxury and pampering. But to some, RM 100 for a one-hour reflexology seems like a rip-off when street-side peddlers are offering them at RM30. So, how much do you pay for a spa treatment?

The going price for a one-hour spa session in Kuala Lumpur is RM 80 to RM 250. The price you pay of course depends on the ambience, location, treatment, experience of therapists and facilities available. Like hotels, there’s various kind of categories – the more stars they have on that little board behind the reception, the more you should expect to fork out.

As spa visits are often very personal, even intimate in nature, you should not settle for anything less than a clean, professional environment. If you are offered a treatment for a lot less, be wary. Your therapist may be self-learned or worse, completely untrained – and you walk away with a back-sore and more problems in the future. If you can’t afford to go regularly to a good spa, then it’s better to save for an irregular session, than to visit a street-side establishment with dubious training and certification, that uses cooking oil (yes, it happens!) to massage you.

By William Ng, Chairman of Asia Spa and Wellness Promotion Council

In a nutshell, spa enthusiasts should look for credible spas and wellness centres to get your every cent counts. Because spa should care for your health & wellness, and not the other way round..