Mandara Spa
Add: Nikko Bali Resort & Spa, JI. Raya Nusa Dua Selatan, Nusa Dua, Bali 80363
Tel: +62 361-773-377
Hours: 10:00am-10:00pm
Website: www.mandaraspa.com/spa/Nusa-Dua-Nikko-Bali-Resort-and-Spa.aspx
Visited: Nov 2010
A trip to Bali wouldn’t be complete without spa. The wide range of choices might seem overwhelming as each hotel has their own spa specialties, and countless independent spa salons also offer a myriad of treatments. The Mandara Spa at Nikko Resort would be a safe and affordable choice if you don’t know where to go. We went for their signature Balinese massage (reserved in advance through email), which is around 1 hour and 20 minutes of gentle and attentive pampering within the hushed havens of private villas, for 80USD. Highly recommended.
After ice-cold towels and chilled ginger tea at the reception, we were presented with four different blends of essential oils – Mandara, Island Spice, Harmony, and Tranquility – each having its specific aroma-therapeutic function. I settled on the Mandara.
There is a total of eight private villas, all designed with lush tropical foliage and water fountains. Though the villa is open-air, the treatment area is covered and set behind high stone walls so there is no worry about privacy. Once inside the villa, we changed into robes (more like a thin sheet of cloth) and paper underwear provided by Mandara Spa.
The Balinese massage package includes a foot massage, a floral bath, and a full body massage. The foot massage began with a warm floral foot bath, followed by a gentle scrubbing using sea salt. The massage is then completed with your choice of essential oil – lavender, peppermint, or lemon grass.
When entering the floral bath, do NOT remove your paper underwear – you are supposed to wear that into the bath and you might scare your therapist if you bare yourself (though I’m sure they’ve seen the worst of things…) A warning for those with insect phobia: there will be small bugs on the flower petals.
After the bath came the body massage. This traditional massage combines stretching, long strokes, skin rolling and palm and thumb pressure techniques to relieve tension, improve blood flow, ease stress and calm the mind. It was so gentle and soothing that I almost fell asleep even in the bright day light.
If you don’t mind spending a little more money, the Mandara Massage package (130USD) would be a good choice – you will be served by two massage therapists at the same time and the synchronization is supposed to be a very, very interesting sentation.