Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary

This Small Thai Island Is a Global Wellness Destination

"A renowned wellness retreat set on a vertiginous hillside with roughly 50 scattered treatment huts, dark steam chambers, and small round soaking pools that “glow like moonstones.” The property includes Arjan Cave, a sacred hollow once inhabited by monks, where guests meditate by candlelight amid incense and granite; the author notes having violated the retreat’s sanctity by taking a photo despite a broader no-phones-in-the-restaurants rule. Treatments include an abdominal brûlée known by its Thai name, Lanna samunphrai ron, described in detail: rolled washcloths smeared with “a golden paste of turmeric, galangal, and other pungent rhizomes,” a wet protective layer doused with 70 percent alcohol, and then set aflame — the therapist Thitivorada “Pop” Terananont asked, “Are you ready?” before striking the lighter. Communal dining and social rituals are emphasized (a fellow guest told the author, “You just missed us at the communal dinner table”), and a chance encounter at the host stand produced the exchange that ended with Parker Posey echoing, “That’s what I’m here for.”" - Adam Erace Adam Erace Adam Erace is an award-winning food and travel writer, restaurant critic, and cookbook author. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife and three maniacal rescue dogs. His favorite country is Mexico and his favorite airline is whichever offers an upgrade. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines