Review: Kamalaya Koh Samui, Thailand spa review

Set the scene

On a paradisiacal slice of sand on the Thai island of Koh Samui is Kamalaya – a wellbeing sanctuary that promises to help guests ‘live life’s potential’. Many of them religiously return year after year to do just that. Generally, they’re not here for the odd massage or facial: they’re on a bigger journey to repair themselves in some way – to reboot their gut, address anxiety, or even move past the adult trauma of their parents’ divorce three decades earlier. They flock here for therapies – many of them Ayurvedic – from all corners of the world. You could share a steam room with a German real estate broker here for a fortnight, a meditation walk with an Italian opera singer who’s booked a villa for a month, or sunbathe for a few hours on the beach with American CEOs on their annual detox. Many travel as couples but it’s at the communal table that walls are really lowered: here, solo travellers, of which there are dozens, come together to chat, while others choose to contemplatively dine alone, reading or gazing at the horizon.

What's the backstory?

Buddhist monks have been drawn to Koh Samui’s healing energy for decades: the island is scattered with mediation caves, and it is one such, 300-year-old, cave that founders John and Karina Stewart were shown when first on the island. John had become seriously ill with a liver disease, and the couple had relocated to Koh Samui to seek out a special herb that grew here. Twenty five years later, that cave sits at the heart of Kamalaya.

Around it, hilly paths lined with palms and flouro-pink bougainvillea wiggle between treatment rooms, yoga pavilions, pools and bedrooms. Therapists are carefully chosen by John and Karina to ensure they reflect the philosophy here. Take Raj, a former Buddhist monk and now a Kamalaya Life Enhancement Mentor, who they met at an ashram in India. Today, he is a part of the core team, helping guests unravel past trauma – divorce, grief, childhood emotional abuse – in sessions that mix talking therapy and guided meditation. Others, like Ashra, are requested in advance for Shirodhara therapy, while many guests book Bernie for acupuncture and cupping.

What’s the wellness concept?

Karina is a master in Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic healing, and that’s reflected in the therapies on offer at Kamalaya. The ‘sanctuary of transformation’ bridges a number of concepts – certainly a destination spa that offers more than pampering, less than a hardcore medi spa (you won’t find much medical intervention here beyond a body analysis session on the first day). Fitness is important to many guests – a 24m lap pool, large gym and numerous yoga classes help with that. Meditation sessions are a big part of the stay – to help guests with burnout, trauma and healing – yet 60-70 per cent of guests have never meditated before, and don’t realise it’s more than just focusing on your breathing (something you will soon learn, too).

The extensive wellness area is built into the rocks with a series of open-air mezzanines, treatment rooms, shady sea-viewing spots and plunge pools. Some are laid out with beds for breezy massages, others with comfortable chairs for guided meditation.

What are the signature treatments?

While you can treat a trip here as a holiday, booking ad hoc treatments as you go, Kamalaya’s programmes have been carefully designed to deliver results. It’s worth leaving the job in Kamalaya’s hands. Most guests visit for one of the gut-cleanse programmes, which can last from a week to a fortnight. A special detox menu helps guests keep on track – pad thais outside the Kamalaya boundaries are long forgotten – and complementary treatments include abdominal organ therapy and pranayama breathing. Others visit for stress and burnout – you’ll sense a lot of that here – with Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurvedic massage sessions.

Then there are those who come for emotional healing like that of the newer Embracing Change Programme, a programme that blends talking therapy and deep meditation with a life enhancement mentor, with complementary treatments on the side. Those include acupuncture (with each session bespoke to your particular physical and mental health challenges); Shirodhara therapy to relieve tension and balance nervous systems; Bach Flower Consultations to create your own concoction of herbal drops; and the Three Treasures treatment, which combines Tui Na massage, Reiki and crystal healing to balance mind, body and emotions to create a feeling of peace and ‘integral alignment’.

Which therapist should I book?

Time with any of the life enhancement mentors will be genuinely life-changing, but I spent hours in talking therapy and guided meditation with Raj, a former monk who spent 21 years of monastic life in South India, immersing himself in Vedic Hindu and Buddhist philosophies and mediation practices (and later securing a masters in psychology). He’s available on a number of programmes including Embracing Change, where guests address the recent or long overdue challenges they’ve been going through – or the change they want to adopt. Common issues include grief, divorce or exploring childhood trauma. Raj’s wisdom has helped guests move past emotional blocks more successfully than months in traditional therapy, and the strong backing of meditation gives you that ultimate mind-body balance.

Asha, from Kerala in India, is one of the most gentle and nurturing therapists I have come across. She shows real concern for your issues, working to heal hearts and suppressed emotions. Her key treatment is shirodhara therapy, where warm oil is dripped onto your forehead, and reiki, where you instantly feel the healing heat of her warm hands. Yet it’s unfair to name just two: all of the therapists possess a genuine aim to heal, and deliver treatments with kindness and expertise.

What makes it different?

You could return here year after year (many do) on a life-long mission of self-improvement. Unlike many spas that focus on the healing effects of treatments, Kamalaya goes much deeper, encouraging guests to explore more emotional issues in a safe space. In reality, these issues run through our life: a divorce, loss of a dear friend, change in job. The result? You could always come back. And while spirituality is a big part of a stay here, this is also a holiday in a luxury resort. Good food, a lovely beach and warm weather are the backdrop to all this inner reflection and journey to lifelong wellness. Moreover, there’s a trusted unspoken communication that everyone is there to help holistically heal themselves – even if you may not think it when you see them ploughing through crime fiction novels on the beach.

What else do they offer?

Mealtimes here can be as social or as contemplative as you like. A communal table is an option at breakfast and supper, detox shots popular at the former, organic wine common at the latter. Award-winning chef Kai Mueller has created a large and unusual menu that leans into the location, with a much healthier twist (all dishes that are safe to have on the detox programme are clearly marked). Pad Thai – less the salt and sugar – tastes very different when all the bad stuff is stripped out. Rich curries and gluten-free brownies are available if you’re looking to healthily indulge, and you won’t see the same dishes on the menu day after day. Coconuts on the beach and mid-afternoon smoothies keep hydration and vitamin levels high.

Guided meditation walks and yoga classes – some gentle, some extremely sweaty – run through the day, and SUPs and kayaks are available if you fancy an independent paddle on the beach. A large lap pool is a quiet place for lengths, water fitness classes or a different sunbathing spot.

Other new treatments that support guests on their personalised journeys include IV Therapy, with IV drips to enhance health and performance. And for those who just need a smarten up of nails and toes, a new partnership with Pedi:Mani:Cure Studio by Bastien Gonzales will see to that.

Where do you stay?

There are a number of small villas with private plunge pools that are perfect if you are really seeking solitude, but with other lovely spaces for swimming, including the pool and shallow-watered beach, you’d be perfectly happy in one of the less expensive hillside rooms (which are also great for solo travellers). Wherever you are, neutral palettes of whites and creams with bespoke dark wooden furniture create a sense of calm. Natural toiletries, journals and in-room yoga mats are a suitably Kamalaya touch.

A number of public spaces mean you’ll never really feel on top of other guests. It’s worth seeking out some in particular, including the meditation cave, Alchemy Tea Lounge, steam caverns and hot and cold plunge pools.

Anything else to mention?

If you’re seeking traditional practices like Traditional Chinese Medicine or Ayuverda, there’s truly no better place for it. The therapists here are the best in their field. And while you may arrive sceptical, you’ll soon be converted once you realise how much healing of your body and mind Kamalaya has achieved, even if you’re only there for a week.

Final word

Should you visit? A resounding yes. Spending time with a Life Enhancement Mentor is one of the most valuable ways you can invest in yourself. The treatments and setting are a bonus.

Healing Holidays (healingholidays.com/condenast; 020 7843 3592) can arrange a 7-night Relax & Renew programme from £2,749 per person sharing, including transfers, full board accommodation and inclusions of the programme.