A Step Off The Beaten Path

Daracha Massage

So much has been said about Thai massage. It’s truly a must-do activity when visiting Thailand. And I’m not exaggerating when I say that massage parlors are almost as common as restaurants. They’re everywhere! Most of these establishments advertise their services (and prices) right out in front so that passersby are enticed to enter. And topping the list is usually Thai Massage, followed by Oil Massage. These are very different massages! Oil Massage closely resembles Swedish Massage with a few “Thai” additions thrown in. I don’t know of anything comparable to Thai Massage. Both are super cheap and Lori and I left the kids back at the hostel to try Thai massage this afternoon at Daracha Massage.

One thing about Thai massage, you don’t tend to get a private room unless you go to a more upscale salon or spa. Instead, the typical massage parlor offers a raised platform on which several mattresses (more like long cushions) are evenly spaced and each is separated by curtains. Believe me, it looks and feels way better than it sounds.

The place we went to today has the whole process worked out to a science. You remove your shoes at the door and within moments, a masseuse brings a bowl of warm water with flower petals and limes (and who knows what else) in which to wash your feet. They do all the washing and drying and then lead you to your cushion, where you are given a light fitting shirt and a pair of strange “fisherman pants” to change into (Unlike oil massage, you aren’t fully undressed for Thai massage.) Depending on the style, you may feel like you’re taking an intelligence test while trying to figure out how to properly put on these pants! Luckily for us, our place kept it simple, and the pants just went on with an elastic waistband.

What sets Thai massage apart is the all the pulling and stretching that takes place. Gone are all those wonderful, relaxing effleurage strokes, replaced by lots of pressure applied to your muscles and joints. The Thai masseuse who worked on me had a more slender build than I do (if you can imagine that), but had the vice grip and finger strength of a gorilla. He bent and contorted my body in ways I wasn’t sure were possible. It felt a little like doing yoga, but involuntarily! This guy knew what he was doing, though. Each time I thought I couldn’t take it a moment longer, he relented and moved on to the next move. At one point, I almost burst out laughing as the absurd vision of me “tap, tap, tap”-ping on the mat as if I were participating in a UFC bout rushed through my mind. I couldn’t shake the thought, and a smile came unbidden to my face, only to turn into a grimace as he suddenly stood up and performed a very practiced move on me in which he twisted me backward, first to my left, and then to my right. Then, very quickly, he pulled back my arms and rammed his legs into my lower back causing me to arch backwards. I’d never before heard my back make so many cracking noises …very disquieting! Honestly, if this guy doesn’t perform his twists and pulls in just the right way, I can easily see how someone could sustain a serious injury.

After that last maneuver, the last couple minutes of the massage went missing from my memory, and Lori and I emerged to find hot tea and a snack of sliced banana with honey outside our curtain. The whole thing cost only 200 Baht (about $5.50) for the hour. That’s just nuts! Lori reported that her experience was similar to mine, but a little less intense. You’d think from all my whining that I felt miserable. Don’t get me wrong, I’m certain I will be sore tomorrow, but I’m feeling surprisingly loose and limber right now. The verdict? Success! . . . 🙂

UPDATE:  Yep, I’m sore all over.