The art of Thai massage has been refined during hundreds of years of practice and passed down through generations. In Chiang Mai massage is alive and well and enjoyed by hundreds of visitors every day. The methods used today date back to Indian Ayurvedic practice developed initially by Buddhist monks nearly 2000 years ago. All across Thailand, particularly in tourist areas such as Chiang Mai, you will find massage shops.
Here in Chiang Mai, spending an hour or two having your muscles kneaded, pushed, pulled and relaxed is an invigorating experience and banishes all the aches and pains you get from travelling, walking and sitting on long bus or air journeys. When in Thailand, this is one experience you should certainly indulge in, and the whole two-hour experience costs less than a price of a gym workout in your home country.
Those giving massages in Chiang Mai are properly trained and very skilled with their hands, offering a genuine muscle rehabilitation experience.
There are three popular choices of massage.
Thai massage: which involves vigorously treating more than 100 areas of the body, using hand pressure and the masseuses own body to apply forces that aim to work pressure points, and re-align energy lines in the body. Ideally, this process takes at least two hours and can be a little uncomfortable at times, but leaves you feeling very relaxed.
Oil Massage: is gentler than Thai massage and involves deep muscle tissue treatment using specially blended therapeutic oils. Of course it leaves you a little oily afterwards, requiring a shower to freshen up, but can be a very sensual experience.
Foot massage: works the internal organs of the body through manipulation of pressure points on the soles of your feet in much the same way as reflexology. This is another skill that has been passed down through the ages and can be quite effective in producing a mild detox effect on the body. At the Night Bazaar and Sunday Walking Street in Chiang Mai foot massage is widely available and a popular relief for tired feet.
Many places also offer massages specialising in specific parts of the body, such as the hands and head.
THE FINE ART OF THAI MASSAGE
114/4 Ratchamanka Rd. ChiangMai 50000
HATA WIT MASSAGE
21/9 Huay Kaew Rd. ChiangMai 50200
JR TRADITION MASSAGE
5/4 Moonmuang Rd. ChiangMai 50200
PETNGARM HATWAIT
Diamond Riverside, 33/10 Charoen Prathet Rd. Chiang Mai 50100
RINKAEW PHOTIVECH
183/4 Wualai Rd. ChiangMai 50100
SUAN SMOONPRAI
1 8 Wang Sing Kham Rd. ChiangMai 50300
THAPAE SMOONPRAI 1
2/3 Chaiyaphum Rd. ChiangMai 50300
THE FOUNDATION SHEVAKAKO MARAPAT OLD MEDICINE HOSPITAL ChiangMai
Across Old Chiang Mai Cultural Cente5, Wualai Rd. ChiangMai 50100
THE REPLACE THAI MASSAGE WORKSHOPS
With optional on-site accommodation, 1 Chetuphon Rd. (behind Rongrian Prin) A.Muang, ChiangMai ChiangMai 50000
WANG COME MASSAGE
301/2 Nimmanhemin Rd. ChiangMai 50200