What’s better than a spa day? Multiple spa days.
Americans tend to think of spas in terms of treatments, which usually last a few hours at the most and completely wipe out your budget. Some special occasions deserve a fuller allotment of time, hence the “day spa” moniker, which designates that the facility offers amenities beyond treatments: hot tubs, saunas, steam rooms, and hydrotherapy. But spa services can be so much more than a massage or a soak, running the gamut from cosmetic work, hair and beauty care, esthetician procedures, facial and body treatments, manicures and pedicures, and a rundown of massage therapies. And in the U.S., you’re looking at a minimum of $50 for basic salon services and up to $500 for a multi-service package. Who has the money for all this wellness?
Planned correctly, you can have an affordable international vacation that’s centered around spa treatments that don’t break the bank and provide a rich cultural experience at the same time. You’ll need to plan your vacation to a culture that prioritizes wellness, and no one does that better than the Thai. Thai massage, practiced worldwide but most affordable and ubiquitous in Thailand, combines assisted yoga postures, Indian Ayurvedic principles, and acupressure in a relaxing ceremony. And that’s just the beginning of the wellness options. Getting to Thailand will take the bulk of your time and money in terms of costs, but once you’re there, your dollar will stretch as far as your muscles as the masseuse works out your knots. Here’s how to do it.
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A Note About TippingAlways do it! While it is not expected, it is hugely appreciated, especially from tourists, as a tangible way to show gratitude for mastery of craft and hospitality. Donate to temples and monks when you partake in their services. 100 baht is about $3. Consider that your minimum.
The Mountains
Start in Chiang Mai, Thailand’s cultural capital, tucked between lush mountains. Chiang Mai is both deeply traditional and quietly contemporary, meaning your spa experience can be based in ancient practices with modern technology: you can spend your morning at a monk-led meditation retreat and your evening in a laser skin treatment. There are two major wellness experiences to experience in Chiang Mai: a meditation session and a Thai massage.
Or join a free Monk Chat around the city. Monk Chats are tableside informal discussions with prep school-age monks that run the gamut from a pleasant cultural exchange to a deeply philosophical discussion. It’s a unique and spiritually satisfying experience for anyone exploring Buddhism and Thai culture.
An unbelievably affordable option (less than $10 for an hour) that gives back to the community is a traditional Thai massage from women being rehabilitated at Chiang Mai Women’s Prison. Their massage program began as a vocational training initiative to help incarcerated women develop income opportunities through professional Thai massage skills. While incarcerated, the women undergo at least 300 hours of massage coursework to earn official certification recognized by the Thai Ministry of Public Health.
The elegant Melia Chiang Mai understands that parents have an extra layer of struggle to add to the planning of sheer relaxation and/or spiritual enlightenment. Let your kids have their own “spa” day at the hotel’s unbelievable Kids Club, which extends room after room of kiddie heaven. Besides the video games, toys, arts, crafts, movie room, nap room, and more, there are on-site sitters to engage the kids. If you want a spa treatment close to home, don’t miss the hotel’s YHI Spa, which offers treatments like wraps, scrubs, facials, and massages.
1. One of the many rooms in the Melia Chiang Mai Kids ClubMelia Chiang Mai 2. A traditional Thai massage includes stretching3. A treatment room at YHI Spa
The City
Next up is Bangkok, Thailand, a city that doesn’t apologize for being vast, vibrant, and unapologetically alive. It’s the undeniable heartbeat of Thailand. Don’t miss Bangkok’s major sites–the royal Grand Palace, the many famous Wats, and a ferry or river cruise–not to mention the mouthwatering street food. While you’re visiting the Wat Pho, the iconic reclining Buddha, stop in to Wat Pho Thai Traditional Massage School for an extremely affordable Thai massage–we’re talking around $35 for a 120-minute massage. What are you doing for those 120 minutes? More than just dozing off–Thai massage is a guided exercise between you and your therapist. Rooted in ancient healing traditions, it can blend acupressure, assisted yoga stretches, massage, and rhythmic rocking, intending to open up energy lines and release tension.
If you don’t feel like waiting in line or making an appointment, head to ICONSIAM, the city’s largest mall. Inside, chain wellness centers like Let’s Relax Spa and Health Land Boutique Spa offer two-hour massages for about $22-37. You’ll change into loose clothing, stretch on a mat, and walk out taller, lighter, and ready to shop.
With salons and parlors on every block in Bangkok, you’re spoiled for choice–find one that fits your vibe (girls’ day out, zen, no-frills, whatever) and you’ll find relatively comparable prices. Bangkok is chock full of salons that offer nearly free or donation-based treatments. With all the money you save, you can get a massage every day.
You’d be hard-pressed to find a cooler stay in the city than at the hipster-chic INNSiDE by Meliá Bangkok Sukhumvit, with freebie wellness activities like a 24-hour gym. But the real wellness score is its iconic rooftop infinity pool, where you can relax by the bar, look out over the skyline, and relax like the spry and sophisticated health enthusiast you are.
1. The rooftop poolINNSiDE by Melia Bangkok Sukhumvit; Jade Bilowol for INNSiDE by Melia Bangkok Sukhumvit 2. The gym overlooks the city
The Beaches
The beaches of Thailand offer a natural serenity and spa experience: bright sun and the tranquil ocean beg for long stretches of relaxation. After the whirl of Bangkok or the thrum of Chiang Mai, this stretch of the Andaman coast is where limestone cliffs rise from the sea and the air smells faintly of salt and frangipani. The province of Krabi is downright dreamy.
Evenings are for wandering the night markets in the town of Ao Nang, where locals sell grilled corn brushed with coconut milk and piles of just-fried roti. Music spills from beach bars, and an herbal scent wafts from cannabis dispensaries. And the beaches, pools, and lagoons sparkle, waiting for you to bask in their clarity and calm. You’ll find beachside massages here as well as spas, so you never have to miss a minute of sun and surf. In the town of Ao Nang, you’ll find basic Thai-style massages for $5-10 per hour at more local/back-street shops. If you choose to go to a shop, there’s a wide variety of affordable spas: download the GoWabi app to compare prices, appointment times, and style of treatment for the many great options in town.
While you’re in town, don’t miss out on other salon services besides massages–get a pedicure, manicure, facial, haircut and color, eyelash extensions or tints, waxing, and other treatments. At Sankara Thailand, you’ll find pedicure packages for around $25. Stop in for a free chiropractic consultation or an extremely affordable acupuncture session (around $13) at Bontanic Nails and Salon. You could even get a tattoo (prices vary based on size, complexity, and the artist’s experience) along with your shape up at These are just a fraction of the many services available across Krabi–everything you could want to suit all your spa and relaxation needs.
At the Banyan Tree Krabi, the spa is more than just one treatment. The Rainforest Spa offers a tropical garden experience meant to melt your stress away. The hydrotherapy circuit includes a huge variety of water treatments, including a rain walk, steam, sauna, ice fountain, vitality pool, three outdoor plunge pools of different temperatures, a jet pool, and a heated bed. The full room experience can be done alone, with a partner, or even as a family.
1. The Rainforest Hydrotherapy Circuit2. Plunge Pool at the Rainforest Hydrotherapy CircuitBanyan Tree Krabi
Visiting Chiang Mai, Bangkok, and Krabi allows you to experience dreamy destinations in the mountains, city, or beach–or better yet, all three. Using the Thai-owned budget airline AirAsia allows you to hop from spot to spot on flights for less than $100 each. Melia and Banyan Tree brand hotels offer airport transport service, which makes a huge difference–in some cases, the flights are about as long as it takes to get to the airport, so it’s super helpful to have that service to completely take the thought out of the matter.
