Bangkok's Health Land Massage - for those in-the-know

Now that the Bangkok airport siege has ended, a trip to Thailand (one of my favorite travel destinations) seems more appealing. One of the biggest reasons why I love traveling to Thailand (and have never complained about having a layover there), is the traditional Thai massage.

Although Naruwan at Body Tune is my favorite masseuse in Bangkok, lately my husband and I have been going to Health Land Spa & Massage, which is the place for those in-the-know. If you go to Bangkok fairly often (as we do), or you will be in Bangkok long enough, quickly make your way to Health Land. You can buy a coupon book for 10 2-hour Traditional Thai massages for 3,500 Baht, which works out to 350 Baht per 2-hour massage. The price cannot be beat, the quality is uniformly high, and the facilities clean and attractively presented.

I do recommend making a reservation, as their masseuses get booked up. If you don't want to wait, they can arrange a private room, which incurs an additional 100 Baht fee. (The regular massage takes place in a large room with individual partitioned massage spaces, which are perfectly fine.) We go to the Sathorn branch, but there are 3 other locations in Bangkok and one in Pattaya as well

Health Land Spa & Massage, Sathorn Branch
120 North Sathorn Road, Silom, Bangrak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand
+66 0 2637 8883
Open daily 9:00-23:00

Jaruwan at Body Tune has the hands of a baseball pitcher - and that's a good thing

The best masseuse I've ever had (and I love my massage) is Jaruwan (#7) at Body Tune massage on Silom Road near the Sala Daeng BTS Skytrain station. She is the nicest lady and knows intuitively what spots need extra attention. She was so good, that after my first two-hour Thai massage session, I returned the next day. And after continuing onto Cambodia, ventured back out to the city during my return layover at Bangkok airport to squeeze in another massage. As a friend said, who went after I recommended her, she has the hands of a baseball pitcher - and that's a good thing. Back in 2003, a 2-hour massage was about $15. Prices have risen ever so slightly since then, but a massage in Thailand is way more reasonably priced than in any western country.

Body Tune, Silom Branch
56 Yada Bldg., 2nd Flr., Suriyawong, Bangrak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand
56 อาคารญาดา ชั้น 2 ถนนสุริยวงศ์ บางรัก กรุงเทพฯ 10500
+66 0 2238 4377
near the BTS Saladaeng Station, Exit 3