Style: January 08, 2020
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66 STYLE | travel<br />
Wandering through the forest to the Glacier Hot Pools.<br />
Sleek grey-tiled changing rooms<br />
and exquisite landscaping remind<br />
me of luxurious spas in Thailand.<br />
door. I’m soon languishing in hot water as warm rain<br />
pelts down between canvas canopies, drowning out a<br />
cacophony of accents mingling in the mist. Compared to<br />
Hanmer or even Tekapo, this is a boutique experience,<br />
with just three public pools heated to 36, 38 and 40<br />
degrees, along with some private pools hidden in<br />
the native bush. Sleek grey-tiled changing rooms and<br />
exquisite landscaping remind me of luxurious spas in<br />
Thailand. It is part of Ngai Tahu Tourism’s portfolio<br />
of iconic tourism experiences, along with Franz Josef<br />
Glacier Guides and the West Coast’s newest helicopter<br />
company Vantage Helicopters.<br />
I reflect on what a great leveller the public pools<br />
are. Stripped of their diamonds or group tour T-shirts,<br />
backpackers and wealthy FITs (free and independent<br />
travellers) alike steep like different herbal tea bags<br />
together in the same pot, no doubt all quietly marvelling<br />
at their shared sensational experience.<br />
“You shouldn’t be able to do this at home,” says<br />
general manager Brad. “If you can, congratulations, we’re<br />
coming to yours.”<br />
Amaia Luxury Spa<br />
As I relax on my side on a massage table I watch a<br />
bright orange butterfly dancing around the lush green<br />
forest through the window. It is only when I see the<br />
reflection of my therapist, Hathai, approach that I realise<br />
it is the flickering flame on the candle she’s holding<br />
for an ear candling treatment. I am also treated to a<br />
warm bamboo massage, where Hathai applies deep,<br />
firm strokes to release muscles taut from driving and<br />
computer work before rolling various-sized warmed<br />
bamboo sticks over my back, arms and legs. Her expert<br />
technique, honed over years working in leading resort<br />
spas in Phuket, soon kneads every ounce of tension out<br />
of my body. It is undoubtedly one of the best massages<br />
I’ve experienced.<br />
Thai therapist Hathai is a master of South East Asian spa<br />
treatments, including Indonesian warm bamboo massage.
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