The Tropical Spa: Asian Secrets of Health, Beauty and Relaxation - Softcover

Benge, Sophie

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0794602622 ISBN 13: 9780794602628

Publisher: Periplus Editions, 2004

Synopsis

The Tropical Spa catalogs Asia's most luxurious spas with full-color photography and a wide range of stress-busting therapies.

The emphasis is on spiritual well-being and natural curatives rather than on modern chemicals and synthetic preparations. Traditional beauty treatments for revitalizing facials; relaxing baths and scrubs; refreshing, healthy tonics and meals; massage oils; blends and techniques; and much more are offered here in an easy-to-follow manner. Many of the spa techniques were handed down from generation to generation. They are all designed to soothe, nurture and calm the body and mind.

Practical tips and specific treatments are given to allow the reader to recreate the Asian spa experience at home. Many of the spa techniques were handed down from generation to generation. They are all designed to soothe, nurture and calm the body and mind. Also included are sections on bay treatments, Asia's top spas, and tropical pharmacopoeia.

About this title

Review

True to our understanding of the word spa, this is a lush, extravagant book that nourishes the spirit as well as the senses. Unlike the curative focus of European spas with technicians in white lab coats slathering chemical creams on aging faces, Asian spas offer sanctuaries of spiritual harmony, natural treatments, and an emphasis on creating beauty from the inside out. Author Sophie Benge (Private Hong Kong) does an excellent job of explaining how the ancient Asian spa rituals, such aromatherapy, herbal treatments, energy-based massage work, meditation, yoga, and qi gong lead to inner health and balance, which ultimately translates into outer beauty. Her smooth, elegant writing style works well alongside the generous full-color photography by Luca Invernizzi Tettoni (Tropical Asian Style). Tettoni has outdone himself with the splendor, vividness, and composure of his photographs--true works of art that are as restful and restorative as a floral foot soak in Bali.

Although this could easily be a display book, stacked among the coffee-table elite, this is a far more ambitious and utilitarian project. Benge offers a thorough profile of the best Asian spas, all of which are brought to life through Tettoni's stellar photography. The final third of this book is devoted to home treatments, such as instructions for giving a traditional Indonesian massage, recipes for specific hair and body ailments, suggestions for meditation exercises, herbal tonics, and even some spa food recipes such as Thai Seafood Salad and Lentil Wonton Soup. --Gail Hudson

About the Author

Sophie Benge, a resident of Hong Kong, has worked as a journalist for ten years in the United Kingdom and Asia. She was Deputy Editor of Elle Decoration magazine in Hong Kong and Orient Beauty magazine, a regional beauty title for Asian women. Her first book was Private Hong Kong, a coffee-table book featuring some of the city's interiors. Benge is also the author of Tuttle's Asian Secret's of Health, Beauty and Relaxation.

About this edition

• Publisher: Periplus Editions
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0794602622
• ISBN 13: 9780794602628
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 176