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Other than the waves, or on second thought, more than the waves, the one most distinctive sound heard while walking along Koh Samui’s beaches is the never-ending, high-tone, screeching “THAI MASSAGE” plea made by Thai women that run the endless number of massage booths that dot the coastline.
Every 15 yards is another booth, usually in the shape of a small hut, with 3-4 mattresses and a few pillows, a few feet from the waterline, in a unique setting that provides an authentic and natural massage experience.
The small booths all provide the same treatments, including traditional Thai massage, oil massage, foot massage, and pedicure/manicure, and all for the same and very low prices. A one-hour treatment costs less than $10, and because of the relaxed setting, one-hour can quickly become two as time here is a non-issue.
The quality of treatments from booth to another vary, mostly dependent on the luck you have in terms of who your therapist is, but it is not the quality of the treatment that most people come to these booths for. The real ‘secret’ behind this experience is the setting, the surrounding, or in this case, it is not the actors that make the difference, but rather the stage.
Where else in the world can you find yourself laying on a mattress, a few feet from the waterline, the smell of the sea combined with the scent of the oils covering your body, the cool breeze coming from the ocean soothing your body, and the (mostly) gentle hands of a Thai therapist giving you a traditional Thai Massage?
No architects or designers have a part in this experience, no fancy reception or special bath robes, no Jacuzzis or warm rose pedal baths. This truly natural and genuine experience is just part of the Koh Samui beach scenery, and always leaves you smiling at the end of your visit.
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