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Almost thirty years after
the communist troops of North Vietnam kicked out the decadent southern
government of Saigon, a gentler revolution is taking place. Barely
noticeable amidst the invasion of Coca-Cola, karaoke and KFC are
scattered pockets of calm dotted around the south. With an approving
backwards glance in the direction of decadence, the former capital
of southern Vietnam is warming to the delicate pleasures of spa
culture. In a city where the unlikely marriage of ‘Karaoke-massage’
is offered on every other street corner the very notion of a kosher
rub down is alien. Vietnam’s new spas herald a change.
Spa Tropic in Ho Chi Minh City opened in March 2002 down an unassuming
lane in District 3, just yards from the bedlam of Hai Ba Trung street.
The thick walls of this self styled “first tropical, urban spa in
Vietnam” do much to screen the aural bombardment from the herds
of street sellers, cyclos and stampeding motorbikes that patrol
the streets outside.
The old French colonial villa surroundings of Spa Tropic are shrouded
in Bamboo and Banana tree canopies which overhang a mock Japanese
garden. Entering the scented reception with its subliminal music
is to teleport yourself far from the urbane. The entrance room to
this boutique spa is spacious, minimal, calm and most important
of all - quiet. Although there is a definite Japanese feel to the
place the Vietnamese American owner Thuy Do insists this is not
a Japanese spa. “The idea was to create a calming, natural ambience,
Japanese style lends itself to that, but this isn't a Japanese spa
per se.”
Massage sessions are conducted in a room adjacent to the garden
and behind bamboo shutters. Subdued lighting, distant music and
the scent of peppermint, lavender and ylang ylang melt customers
into the required state to begin the quest for bodily bliss.
Six trained Vietnamese masseurs are on hand in the three treatment
rooms and a regularly revised menu offers the usual array of head
to toe spa hits including Shiatsu and Thai massage, pedicures, facials
and feet reflexology.
Vietnam isn't known for its generic health treatments, having leant
for centuries on a hotchpotch of Chinese herbal influences. However,
where possible, Thuy does include hints of Vietnam in her repertoire.
“Most treatments in Vietnam still have a strong Chinese influence,
but we try to include what Vietnamese elements we can on our menu.”
Thuoc Bac, or ‘warming medicine’ is a Chinese concoction which consists
of seven herbs including cinnamon and star anise. It is widely used
for its medicinal properties to aid arthritis and rheumatism, help
the circulation and calm jangled nerves. Thuy picks bags of the
stuff up in the Chinatown district of Cholon. This potent herbal
brew is added to a foot soak as a precursor to reflexology ($15).
In other treatments, local Pennywort is powdered and mixed with
Soy Milk to provide a cooling herbal body scrub to exfoliate and
moisturize the skin. Thuy took the idea from the popular bitter
tasting Pennywort drink called Rau Ma served on street corners throughout
the city known for its cooling properties.
From a little further afield and ideal for the spa garden in the
dry season is a Dead Sea mud body mask ($35). Customers are treated
outside and allowed to ‘bake ‘n’ cake’ naturally for ten minutes
in the vitamin K rich sunlight. A good rinse follows in the outdoor
shower before the calming finale; a milky, kaffir lime and lemongrass
cream massage.
Spa Tropic has brought Thuy full circle. Her parents are Vietnamese
although she spent her earliest years in Laos. Post-war her family
left for a new life in Colorado when she was five. Asia and her
parents’ native Vietnam remained in her thoughts and when she was
old enough she went on a ‘Study-Abroad’ programme to Indonesia and
Singapore. This led to travel jaunts throughout the region finally
winding up in Vietnam in 1992. Captivated by the “empty parking
lot” like opportunities she saw around her she decided to return
and stay long term, but she found something lacking in her new surroundings.
“There was nothing here,” she says. “Nowhere to relax, nowhere away
from the rush and no privacy. You could say the spa was a selfish
decision.” A lack of supplies didn't help initially, but Thuy felt
sure any difficulties could be overcome as the market was just begging
for someone to join the dots and open the first spa. Japanese giant
Shiseido has since arrived and the Equatorial Hotel offers its own
spa services, but Spa Tropic is the first of its kind in Ho Chi
Minh City.
And Thuy has higher hopes, there are plans for an extension to include
a steam room and hydrotherapy treatment, but only if the details
are right. As Thuy says, “A spa is so much more than just a jacuzzi.
It’s the whole shebang, physical, mental, spiritual.” The happy,
restful faces lolling around the lounge entrance area are testament
to the hit status of the spa and the realization of this ambience.
Glancing through the guestbook, over a complimentary herbal tea
after my own invigorating shiatsu session, my gaze noticed approving
words from around the world. One American lady wrote, “Fabulous!
Best Shiatsu massage I've ever had – and I've had lots! Wonderful
surroundings, great people – a magic place.” “And she,” says Thuy
with a hint of pride, “is a regular at one of the best spas in Santa
Fe.” Praise indeed. This being my first exposure to Shiatsu I didn't
feel I was in the best position to comment, but it didn't stop me
making a second appointment for a comparative study.
After the welcoming delights
of Spa Tropic, I was expecting something on a par at the new Japanese
joint in town, Saigon Spa. I was sorely disappointed and for good
reason, by rights I shouldn't have even been allowed on the premises.
Men are banished on sight at this women only, Japanese run, urban
spa and I had to be quick if I was going to get a sneak insight
before the babes arrived.
Opened in 2002 Saigon Spa takes up a prime plot of turf in a modern
colonial style villa on a busy corner of Ho Chi Minh City. An early
start was necessary if I was to get a glimpse into the pampered
world of the fairer sex. The first customer was due at 9am and I
had to be in at 8 and out by 8.45.
The dimly lit spacious lower ground floor has a central seating
area surrounded by massage cubicles, changing rooms, steam room
and entrance to the ground floor pool area. The upper floor houses
further massage rooms and the pedicure centre. In all the spa can
cater to a maximum of 30 customers at a time. Every visitor (apart
from me) receives a Batik to walk around in and wear in the flower
strewn, herb infused spa pool.
On the menu are five massage treatments including an hour long Lemongrass
massage ($18) and a 1 1/2 hour Ginger Oil massage ($30). Standard
body scrubs, wraps, reflexology and facial treatments are also available.
For the indulgent, 3 to 6 hour head to toe package treatments range
from between $55 and $110. Nail treatments and intricate ‘Nail art’
are a particular hit with the spas many Japanese visitors as Sales
and Marketing Manager, Miwako Kondo says, “In Japan just one nail
costs $10, here we can do all ten for the same price.”
Just as I was warming to the place, my time was up. “We should go
now,” pleaded the accommodating Assistant Director Miyuki Wada.
The Saigon Spa courtesy bus, chockfull of eager young Japanese tourists
had been spotted pulling into the entrance. I made myself scarce.
International incident averted, I hatched a plot to send in my undercover
force (the wife) for further detailed analysis and, being French,
she wasn't going to be easily satisfied.
A herbal steam bath and herbal spa ($15) ensued followed by a 1
hour aromatherapy massage ($32). The staff were friendly, very attentive
and guided her between the various rooms and phases of treatment.
I was still smarting after blagging my entrance into this sanctum
of femininity, but I had to contain my jealousy when my clandestine
visitor divulged further details. “I didn't have to think, I just
let them take control,” she told me. “It’s very well run and I think
that's probably the best massage I've ever had in Vietnam.” No amount
of wig wearing, leg shaving or cross-dressing was going to get me
in there again. At least I still had my second appointment at Spa
Tropic to console myself with.
Saigon Spa
68 bis Tran Quoc Thao
District 3
Ho Chi Minh City
Vietnam
Tel : 00 84 (0)8 932 1230
Fax : 00 84 (0)8 932 6320
©2003 Graham
Holliday
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