It seems like there’s a new spa opening every week in Phnom Penh. Well perhaps not quite that frequently, but the past twelve months has seen huge growth in the industry.

Just a few years ago, if you wanted anything more than a simple head or neck massage you would have to visit the spa at one of the city’s finer hotels, and pay a suitably luxurious price for the pleasure. The ongoing restoration of the city, coupled with an influx of more affluent residents and visitors, has brought an appetite for improving standards across the board. So it’s perhaps not surprising that the range of spa services available here in Phnom Penh has also grown dramatically, with prices starting at just $6 an hour for a basic massage up to $50 an hour and beyond for a more sophisticated experience. The list of available treatments seems as extensive here in Phnom Penh as anywhere, popular options ranging from aromatherapy and hot stone massages to esoteric therapies from many different countries including India, Sweden, Egypt, China and Indonesia.

Two popular treatments here are the traditional Thai massage, and its cousin the traditional Khmer massage. Thai massage (known as Nuad Bo’ran in Thai) has its roots in the Ayurvedic system originating from India, and was introduced by missionary monks over two thousand years ago, initially to help soothe the muscles of workers from the rice fields. The masseur uses his or her thumbs, palms, forearms, elbows, knees and feet to work along energy meridians called Sen lines, thereby increasing the flow of energy and helping the body to detoxify, balance and heal. The treatment is one of the four cornerstones of Thai medicine, the others being herbal remedies, nutritional medicines and spiritual practices.

Similarly, Khmer massage forms one of the five pillars of traditional Khmer medicine, the others consisting of: medication, treatment by magic, therapeutic burning and rubefaction. The latter two treatments are often referred to as “cupping” and “coining”, involving the use of coins and/or a flame under a glass to stimulate blood flow, draw toxins out from the skin and promote good health. They are traditionally used to help balance “khyol” or “wind illness” – coining is known as “khos khyol” or “rubbing the wind” whereas cupping is known as “choob khyol” or “sucking the wind.” A third variant, “chab khyol” involves using the first and second fingers to pull upward hard on the skin. These three treatments leave red welts and bruises on the skin, however, and while you often see such patterns on local people, the techniques have perhaps unsurprisingly found little popularity with Westerners. Khmer massages offered at spas around Phnom Penh rarely use these treatments, preferring an approach more akin to the Thai practice.

Whatever your requirements, you’ll find that Phnom Penh will have something to suit you. Many hotels also offer massage services so if you really want to relax you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your room.

Edited from Cambodia Pocket Guide (July 08)