Sydney nutritionist, health blogger and wellness coach Jessica Sepel recently visited Kamalaya and thought it was the "Most Heavenly Health Retreat' read on for her complete review:
Sydney nutritionist, health blogger and wellness coach Jessica Sepel recently visited Kamalaya and thought it was the "Most Heavenly Health Retreat' read on for her complete review:
My Kamalaya Experience:
My family and I recently jetted off to Koh Samui, Thailand, to immerse ourselves in two weeks of health and happiness. We spent five days in a villa soaking up the sunshine before heading to Kamalaya Koh Samui, a health retreat on the fringes of the island.
As a family, we live and breathe health. My mom is an insanely good cook and a recent yogi graduate, and my two sisters are super active health nuts. My dad treats his body with so much care, you would never guess he is 55 years old. I am so grateful to have that kind of connection with the people I grew up with. It also makes choosing holiday destinations easy!
Kamalaya is a beautiful wellness retreat in Koh Samui. Along with a fresh-is-best, healthy eating philosophy, it offers a range of programs to suit travelers’ needs: fitness, detox, relaxation, and stress relief. At its core, it aims to help you reconnect with yourself and the world around you and leave you feeling refreshed, relaxed and more rejuvenated than you’ve ever felt. At least, that’s what it did for me!
As soon as I stepped foot at Kamalaya, I knew I was somewhere special. I was handed a delicious hibiscus cooler (with a smile), and given the tour. I then went off to a Wellness Consult, where I chatted with a naturopath about my current health status and goals, as well as the kind of treatments I’d like to focus on during my stay. As I’d been quite busy setting up clinic and putting the final touches on my eBook in the lead-up to the trip, I settled on the Relax and Renew program. Best. Decision. Ever. My 6 days of bliss began.
A guest relaxing after Spa Treatment at Kamalaya
Location, location, location. Kamalaya’s setting in Koh Samui is incredible – and incredibly green! It’s actually located in a jungle of sorts, and is surrounded by lush greenery – which has an instant calming effect. It’s also home to its own stretch of white sand and what feels like a private ocean. When I think of the islands in Thailand, I think of palm trees and untouched beaches – and that’s exactly what Kamalaya delivered. The property itself is on a hill, which is a bonus as it keeps you fit and healthy during your stay!
I can’t rave enough about the staff. They are some of the most attentive, gorgeous souls you will ever meet. From the concierge to the masseuses and waitresses, they are all clearly passionate about what they do and they provide service with a smile. It’s infectious! I honestly believe that service can make or break a trip, and in the case of Kamalaya, it definitely made it!
Oh my goodness, the treatments! They were divine. The best part is that the therapies are inspired by a range of philosophies – Ayurvedic, Chinese, Indian, Thai, Western – so you can pick and choose the ones that align with you best. The menu reads like a book straight from heaven, loaded with every form of relaxation you could imagine: massages, facials, acupuncture, reflexology, head massages, baths and even colonic irrigation. At Kamalaya, the programs include several treatments, so I was visiting the ‘wellness centre’ and enjoying a pre-treatment tea (with a view) two or three times a day!
As a wellness retreat, Kamalaya is all about the mind, body and soul. Along with a fully kitted-out gym and class timetable, there are outdoor exercise spaces – including a yoga room with a sprawling view of the water. Imagine rolling out your mat, lying in savasana, and practically tasting the salt water in the air. Heaven! The retreat also has tours, walks, and beach fire ceremonies on its weekly calendar.
If you want to detox from the inside out, this is the place to go. Everything on the detox menu is gluten-free, sugar-free, dairy-free and preservative-free – and absolutely amazing. The staff use local, organic produce, and you can just taste how clean the food is. It’s prepared so carefully to suit your dietary needs, whatever they may be. There are two menus: regular and detox/weight management. Mind you, the ‘regular’ one is super healthy, but the detox one takes it up a notch. As a family, we tried to stick to the detox one – which wasn’t hard as there were so many options. It didn’t feel like we were depriving ourselves at all!
My favourite part of this menu is that you add a lean protein of your choice to each meal – like salmon, chicken, tempeh, or egg – which is something I advocate to balance blood sugars and increase energy. In other words, Kamalaya gets the JSHealth tick of approval! As well as serving up three meals a day (you can eat when it suits you around treatments), you can order fresh coconuts and other nibbles to enjoy by the pool.
On the Relax and Renew program, a typical day looked something like this:
6:30 am – Wake up, enjoy a shot of wheatgrass and a digestive shot.
7:00 am – Choice of Pilates/yoga/run in the gym.
8:00 am – Breakfast. The healthiest spread you will ever see. Again – the food was a highlight! I would start with having some mixed nuts and seeds with fruit followed by an egg omelet with veggies. Their gluten-free pumpkin bread is SO delicious.
10:00 am- Treatment of choice.
12:00 pm – Relax by the beach with a health book and fresh coconut.
1:00 pm – Family lunch. I loved starting with a papaya salad. Mains were often the mushroom saagwala soup with a side of grilled salmon. It was so amazing to meet with my family at each mealtime and catch up on the day.
3:00 pm – Treatment – yes, another one! Followed by a steam and herbal tea.
5:00 pm – Tea & reading time in the library or relaxation area. I usually ordered a delicious cleansing tea at this time plus a bowl of raw nuts and veggies.
7:00 pm – Family dinner. Absolutely stunning. A menu so good I found it hard to choose. All options are light, healthy and truly gourmet. I would usually have a piece of grilled chicken or fish with a vegetable curry or salad.
9:00 pm- Bedtime! Relaxed, at peace, and eager to recharge for the next day.
I truly couldn’t have asked for a more gorgeous and relaxing place to recharge. It certainly put me into the blissful mindset I needed during such a busy time. So much love and thanks to the beautiful people at Kamalaya who made the retreat more than I could have dreamed of!
You can connect with Jess on her Facebook or Twitter or visit her website at http://www.jessicasepel.com
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