This is the undisputed queen of spas. After Chiva-Som’s 28 pioneering years at the forefront of medical and holistic health, there is nowhere better to support, soothe and save than this seaside resort in Hua Hin, three hours’ drive from Bangkok. I had last visited two decades before, so was intrigued to see if the Thai idyll still held ground. As an iconic destination spa in today’s competitive global playground, it couldn’t be as impressive as I remembered, could it? Wouldn’t it feel outdated?
All my misgivings melted the moment I arrived. Everything was updated, with slick attention to detail. I instantly felt safe amid its manicured beauty. Cheewee Khongtreekaeo, whose name means “life”, gave me a wellness consultation, and having concluded that my body was rigid with shock, immediately prescribed me an alkaline gut healing menu to reset my acidic digestive system. She educated me on stress release. You have to address the physical pain and trauma first, then when the body loosens, the mind can begin to let go. “Eat slowly,” she coaxed. “Allow yourself to reset.”
After 24 hours, I realized that I was too weak and mentally fractured to cope with the hunger of the low-calorie, gut-boosting menu. The food on this stricter program is designed to reduce inflammation and stimulate liver detox. I needed nutritional nourishment; to build myself up. Meal times soon became punctuations of utter delight each day. Since my last visit a stunning glass restaurant by the beach had been added. The food alone balms the soul. Exquisite bone broths, probiotic salads, tiny pops of sweetness. This is world-class sustenance: guilt-free, alkaline, health-defining cuisine that makes your system sing. Khongtreekaeo was angelic, curating my schedule to suit my erratic needs. Too tired for yoga? Have flotation therapy instead, where the candle-lit, salty womb-like pool encourages emotional and spiritual release. Information is instantly conveyed between therapists, so your healing journey ticks along in a beautifully bespoke manner.
What still elevates Chiva-Som above other destination spas is the intuition of the therapists. I wept when one of the physiotherapists took one look at me, touched my shoulder and said, “I understand”. I had been hunched, trying to protect my heart. Compositional analysis of my body proved that my spinal health was good. I was reassured there was nothing structurally wrong with me but it was essential that I mentally release. Brilliant Japanese acupuncturist Satoshi Hashimoto provided a sobering wake-up call. Unless I let go, he warned, I was heading for a full-on breakdown. Using thin Japanese needles, he practiced a form of bloodletting at my feet and at the back of my head to promote energy. I sobbed uncontrollably. With pranayama classes to steady my frazzled mind, and stretching sessions with a physiotherapist to elongate my body with skilled precision, I began to release. Listening to the sea breeze rustling the frangipani leaves by Saan Taa Yai spirit house became a daily emollient for my psyche. Advised that I needed space within my body to allow in breath, I expanded in every sense. When in extremis, Chiva-Som gave me perfect intensive care. —Anna Pasternak
