A traditional coolamon, with native leaves and moss, used in the Aboriginal smoking ceremony.

Christmas in May - June - and July in the Blue Mountains.

I’ve just returned from celebrating the official start of 30th Yuletide in the Blue Mountains. We went, all dressed up to the Midwinter Ball. It was held in The Mountain Heritage Hotel and Spa Retreat in Katoomba, a lovely historic hotel with long passageways lined with old prints, lots of wood, and open fires. It was very romantic. The next day we headed over to associated spa, called Spa Sublime. They use LI’TYA products here and we even had a traditional smoking ceremony before the massage started. The massage was great, and I will be reviewing the whole experience for the main Day Spa Guide website, but the facial was incredible. My wife said it was the best facial ever.

Serge Dansereau at Bathers pavillion

I’ve just returned from visiting the Bathers Pavilion, at Balmoral Beach in Sydney, where I tasted food available at Thailand’s famous Chiva-Som resort, reproduced here with the input of well-known Australian chef Serge Dansereau.

Spa cuisine ranks as a major consideration for travellers when choosing which health resort to visit, and Chiva-Som offers some of the world’s leading spa cuisine. It’s based on the belief that spa cuisine can in fact be a gourmet experience and not boring and uninspired.

The kingfish carpaccio in sesame and soy vinaigrette and seaweed tuile serves at Bathers Pavillion

We started off with a delicately-prepared Vegetable Roll, which featured cabbage and avacado. It was presented sushi-like with a drizzle of soy sauce. Then came a dish of kingfish carpaccio with a sesame and soy vinaigrette and seaweed tuile. It was a cross between the famous Italian raw fish dish and the thicker sashimi creations of Japan. It was just – perfect.

The main dish was five spice poached chicken with an stunning eggplant paste, goats cheese, and mops of zucchini. Dessert was a beautiful coconut pannacotta with a barnacle-like side of truly excuisite ground sesame seed, and spiced and thinly-sliced pineapple.

I sat next to Chiva-Som’s Executive Chef, Paisarn Cheewinsiriwat, and also watched him make a typical Thai sweet called Tago Bai Toey, created from chopped water chestnut, rice flour, honey, mung bean flour, coconut milk, and water – wrapped in a small origami box of pandanus leaf.

Chiva-Som is a luxurious, beachfront health resort dedicated to revitalising the mind, body and spirit. It’s nestled within lush tropical gardens. Thirty percent of its guests come from Australia. It’s widely regarded as the Best Destination Spa in the World. Chiva-Som is located in Hua Hin, less than three hours by road south of Bangkok.

Executive Chef Paisarn

For a review on Chiva-Som look up  Overseas Spas on www.dayspaguide.com.au

relaxing at Chiva-Som

Australian spas note – gold is a girl’s new best friend! Spectacular Swiss health retreat Grand Resort Bad Ragaz has launched the new  “Gold  Temptation” massage an extravagant new spa experience that allows guests to indulge in the glamour and opulent health benefits of 24-carat gold!

Throughout history, gold has been recognised for its rich beautifying properties. It is believed that the classical beauty Cleopatra used pure gold to maintain a radiant complexion and in ancient Chinese medicine, gold was the key to youthful skin. A soft metal, gold extract can hydrate, firm and moisturise the skin, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and leaving skin feeling and looking smooth and radiant.

The Gold Temptation massage starts with a carefully drawn lavish bath that has been enriched with oils and 23-carat gold leaf that soothes and relaxes tired skin.  Before your therapist then leaves you to bubble away, a glass of chilled Champagne infused with 23-carat edible gold flakes will be poured for you to enjoy. After bathing for a tranquil 20 minutes, the body is treated to a luxurious gold full-body massage. First, 24-carat gold leaf is placed on the back and legs. A skilled Bad Ragaz therapist then gently massages the gold along with a mixture of carefully chosen oils until it is completely absorbed into the skin. The process is then repeated on the stomach, legs and arms. This super-hydrating treatment not only stimulates the mind and spirit but will lift and firm the skin, leaving it feeling silky smooth with a healthy, golden glow. The Gold Temptation massage (100mins) starts from €311 (£280).

Nightly B&B rates at Grand Resort Bad Ragaz (www.resortragaz.com) start from €587 (£495) staying in a Spa Suite. Rates include complimentary internet access, non alcoholic drinks from the mini bar, use of the To B. Wellbeing & Spa area and Tamina Therme as well as VAT.

No luxury holiday is complete without a little indulgence and lucky for you Arabian pampering extends to splendid spas.

Abu Dhabi has its fair share of opulent hotels with equally magnificent spas. Try the traditional Hammam experience, involving a full-body henna mask and some serious scrubbing!

Here are a few of our favourite spas:

Chi Spa, Shangri-La Hotel
This hotel’s state-of-the-art Chi spa complex houses a superb hammam, herbal steam rooms and hydrotherapy tanks.

Open daily from 10.00am to 10.00pm
www.shangri-la.com

Anantara Spa, Emirates Palace
This spa has blended Moroccan and Thai traditions, and provides retreat rooms for couples or individuals.

Open daily from 10.00am to 10.00pm
www.emiratespalace.com

Zen Spa, Beach Rotana Hotel
Here a dedicated team of therapists provide a wide range of treatments menu to suit all guests.

Open daily from 10.00am to 10.00pm
www.rotana.com

One of our bloggers, Veronica Matheson, is having a long-haul spa safari in Europe and the USA. She has recently visited the spa at Seaham Hall in north east England. The mansion was once home to Lord Byron. She also visited the spa at the Doonbeg Golf Resort on the West Coast of Ireland. The course was designed by Greg Norman. She also popped into a spa in Northern Ireland where she had a surreal experience bathing amid fresh seaweed just harvested from the Irish Sea. In mid-march she is heading to the spa at the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills (LA) before taking a cruise to Acapulco on Silver Spirit, which has a dedicated spa area.

Read about some of Veronica’s latest Irish spa visits on www.dayspaguide.com.au

There’s something deliciously naughty about running away from the office and heading to a 5-star city hotel for some afternoon delight. We’re talking spa treatments, people – keep it clean!

Four Seasons Sydney is as lovely a hotel as any to while away an afternoon and renew the spirit. Located on busy George Street, it’s a 5-star hotel with elegant manners and ambience: uniformed bellhops usher guests in the front door to a lavish lobby where great romances might just begin.

Up on the mezzanine level, the Spa at Four Seasons has an intimate, warm and soothing ambience. It isn’t as big as some of the mega-spas around town, but the service is impeccable and the quality of the treatments consistently high.

The Sodashi Crystalus massage was specially designed for the spa and gets the tick of approval from us. A blend of Australian healing stones and crystals are warmed then dipped in oil and rubbed over the body from head to foot to balance the mind, body and soul and bring about a sense of balance. The firmness of the stones creates a deep, strong massage.

Whether or not the amethyst and red-banded jasper stones really did stimulate my sacral chakra to promote creativity and courage, who’s to say? All I know is it felt great and was incredibly relaxing (sleep came quickly for me during the treatment).

Produced in Western Australia, Sodashi products work holistically to nurture skin and are free from chemical and animal products. Some say Sodashi offers the purest range of spa treatments in the world. The specially-blended massage oil is very nurturing and hydrating.

The 90-minute Sodashi Crystalus treatment is priced at $205.

- Kristie Kellahan

For further information on the full range of Sodashi treatments available exclusively at The Spa at Four Seasons Hotel Sydney call +61 2 9250 3388 or visit www.fourseasons.com/sydney/spa.html

This March Bush Essentials will launch the first product in their professional range, the Bush Essentials Massage Oil. This massage oil is a divine mix of base and essential oils, and natures own ingredients that will ease tension, relax and unwind. The fragrant blend stays workable and yet sinks into the skin, leaving no oily residue, just touchable, soft skin. The Bush Essentials Massage Oil is exclusively available for the first time in a professional 500ml size pump bottle, perfect for Day’s Spa, Salons or even home users that prefer natural products.

The lightweight formula can be used from head to toe in massage and can even be added to a bath. This multipurpose oil can also be rubbed onto skin after a shower whilst still wet, to seal in moisture and prevent skin dryness.

All the ingredients are 100% natural and safe for pregnancy massage (after the first trimester) or baby massage to help your little angels get a good night’s sleep. So bring the delicious aromas of Australia’s natural flora into your treatment room or bedroom.

The Bush Essentials Massage Oil’s rich ingredients include delicious Macadamia oil, Jojoba, Vitamin E, Patchouli, Lemon Myrtle, and Lime.

The Bush Essentials Massage Oil’s unique blend is made with love and care, by hand on the beautiful Australian Sunshine Coast, with just pure 100% natural ingredients and pure essential oils. There are no additives, preservatives, colourings, parabens, chemicals, or sulphates.

The Bush Essentials Massage Oil 500mL rrp is $50.00

Other products in the Bush Essentials collection include the legendary Bush Essentials Body Scrub, Bush Essentials Moisturiser, Body Wash, Body Oil and Lip Balm. There is also a baby range to cater for little ones with the Bush Essentials Baby Lotion and Bush Essentials Baby Wash.

Bush Essentials™ products are sold across Australia, New Zealand and worldwide, for more information or your nearest stockist visit: www.bushessentials.com or contact 07 5445 3383.

I was at a press conference at Quay restaurant in Sydney this morning when it was announced that Royal Caribbean International will double the number of cruise ships it sails out of Sydney next year. From October 2011 Rhapsody of the Seas will be joined by Radiance of the Seas, the first 21st Century superliner to be based in Australia. It’s taller, longer and bigger than its sister ship and will carry 2,200 passengers. It will feature a half-size basketball court, mini golf, a dedicated cinema, a kid’s swimming area with waterslide, and five restaurants – including two signature fine-dining experiences. More than half the guest cabins will have balconies. And, of course, there’s a spa! Radiance of the Seas is currently based in the USA.
See: www.royalcaribbean.com or call 1800 754 500.

The team at dayspaguide.com.au have been ooh-ing and aah-ing over these beautiful new spa eye pillows from renowned Australian artist Chris Chun. The limited edition silk satin eye pillows feature Chris’ original handpainted art in a choice of four designs: Renewal, Tranquility, Happiness and Longevity. Each one is ethically made in Australia using 100% Natural Lavender & Flaxseed, making them the perfect eye pillow to use during spa treatments.(Dedicated Chun-istas will recognise the designs from a range of collectable greeting cards sold as far afield as Manhattan).

Karma points to Chris and all who buy the eye pillows: from each sale made online at www.chrischun.com, $25 is donated to The Fred Hollows Foundation which will pay for someone’s eyesight to be restored.

“Being able to buy something beautiful and nurturing for yourself and at the same time, give someone else the precious gift of sight is the true blessing of double happiness!” says Chris.

Now, which one to choose…. might have to ask the Birthday Fairy to be doubly generous…

- Kristie Kellahan

While it may be enough to make one’s skin crawl at the mere thought of it, people have been flocking to a spa in Israel for the latest craze in avant-garde massage therapy — real-life snake massage.

You might consider the ultimate masseurs to be hard-bodied experts, but at Barak’s Snake Spa in Talmei Elazar, northern Israel, the customers are raving about the sensation of slithering snakes across their skin.

Ara Barak claims her pet snakes provide a therapeutic relaxing value for stress relief. She was inspired for her latest massage technique after noticing her friends became more relaxed after holding them.

“Some people said that holding the snakes made them feel better, relaxed.” she said. “One old lady said it was soothing, like a cold compress.”

Ara said her snakes produce their unique massage as their slithering causes a rubbing sensation on the body for aching muscles and joints.

The size of the snakes depends on the type of massage — the larger ones are said to alleviate deeper muscle tensions and the smaller ones create a lighter ‘fluttering’ effect on areas such as the face.

For those a little leery or reluctant, you might be relieved to know that all snakes used are non-venomous.

Ada Barak’s snake spa uses California and Florida king snakes, corn snakes, and milk snakes for the massages, for a mere $70 US.

If reptiles are too much for you, Ada also offers a rodent-style massage where mouse and rats are placed on the bottom of your feet instead.

The therapist had relied on exhibiting her scaly friends to make money, but found there was more money to be made from people wanting a massage reptile-style.

She began offering the service at the Talmey El’Azar tourist attraction in 2006, but most of her income currently comes from displaying plants at her carnivorous plant farm which eat everything from insects to small mammals.

If snakes and rodents aren’t quite up your alley, perhaps some more conventional techniques might appeal to you, which you can learn to do in your own home.

See the movie on the Day Spa Guide Facebook page.