Residents across Thailand will look to the sky this month in anticipation of the first full moon in November (which will shine November 21) for the celebration of Loy Krathong. The festival honors the Goddess of Water and is celebrated with floating rafts and incense.
Anantara Lawana Resort & Spa along Chaweng Beach on Koh Samui in the Gulf of Thailand will celebrate with a special Siam Thai BBQ on the beach front. The BBQ festivities will feature live cooking stations, traditional Thai dancing, a Beauty Contest and fire artist show, and a chance to float a Krathong into the sea. Check back to see the beautiful images just before Thanksgiving!
Tickets for adults are $47 and $23 for children ages 4-11. If you’ll be in Thailand for the festival, don’t miss Anantara Lawana’s magical setting.
Emirates Palace is host to the third annual Abu Dhabi Film Festival, starting today and continuing through next Saturday. The curtains will rise tonight for the Opening Gala and screening of ‘Secretariat’ which tells the true story of the Triple Crown winning horse. The movie was directed by Academy Award nominated director Randall Wallace and stars Dianne Lane and John Malcovic.
The Palace is also a favorite of Ivanka Trump, who shared in this month’s Town & Country that it’s her favorite place to stay in the city and she enjoys water-skiing in the Gulf in the early morning.
Want to get your starlet look on? Anantara Spa at Emirates Palace is just the place to pamper for the red carpet. The spa features a Moroccan-style hammam with double-heated marble beds, steam rooms, and an invigorating ice room.
Indian mystics have long used beds of nails to achieve balance between body and mind. The treatment remedies emotional, physical, and mental obstructions by targeting specific pressure points. Yet to achieve these healing powers one must lie on a bed of nails… and that’s not a real DIY project.
The new Shakti Mat uses the same Indian practice, but combines it with new Swedish technology for a more practical way to achieve relaxation and renewal – sans the hardware. For starters, lie on the mat for just 10-15 minutes per day and slowly increase to 20-40 minutes to relieve years of stress and tension. It’s a bed of nails that will feel like a bed of roses.
You don’t need a shaman or natural mystic to discover more yogic remedies. Find out on your own with Banyan Tours & Travels and customize your next India adventure!
We are pleased to report that the Anantara Spa at Anantara Hua Hin Resort took home the gold for an Outstanding Performance this week at the 8th annual Thailand Tourism Awards. Situated along the Gulf of Thailand, the Hua Hin region first came on the scene as in the 1920’s as a royal retreat and its early glamour is still evident today. An exclusive group of Bangkok residents have second homes along the coast as a quick city escape (think of it as the Hamptons of Thailand).
If a luxury spa retreat sounds enticing, the Anantara Spa should not be overlooked. Treatments combined ancient Eastern healing traditions fused with contemporary holistic therapies designed to address full body, mind, and soul healing and total relaxation. For instance, the Hua Hin Signature Journey includes a floral foot ritual, turmeric scrub, shower, and sand compress massage. Plan a visit and see for yourself just what all the fuss is about – it won’t disappoint!
Live like George (or Jane) of the Jungle… sans the dreadlocks and loin clothes with the new Jungle Yoga, Elephant & Spa Experience from Anantara Golden Triangle Resort & Spa. The day begins with an elephant ride along the landscaped surroundings and through a bamboo forest, followed by asana and pranayama practice at the al fresco yoga sala, tucked around the picturesque rice paddies.
The resort’s yoga guru will lead the class in posture and breathing techniques to encourage increased energy and circulation while working to improve the essentials, like flexibility, strength and body alignment. After the final OM at the end of class, the spa’s natural cleansing beverage (tastes like lime juice, but packs a little extra power) will be on offer.
Finally, guests will be pushing to see just how fast their elephants can move on the return trip, as back at the resort, they will be treated to 15-minute tension relief massages at the Anantara Spa. To sweeten the deal, all participants will also receive a 20% discount on all spa treatments throughout their stay. This is the best way to try something new while losing the evidence of anything old!
Nothing’s worse than arriving on a beach vacation only to realize your skin is just a little too dry for that new suit. The Anantara Spa at Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea offers just the solution so guests can test their buoyancy with no hesitancy.
The new Scorching Spa Promotion includes a free grape seed body scrub, followed by a relaxing one-hour massage and hydrating facial. The promotion cost is $247 and promises to deliver a freshened, shiny new you! (Just don’t forget the sunscreen so as not to burn).
Ramadan officially started August 11th and marks the month-long period where Muhammad is believed to have composed the Quran. In honor of this holy month, Muslims around the world will focus on inner peace and cleansing from now until September 9th through daily fasts during sunlight hours and abstain from any harmful habits that introduce toxins to the body (like drinking or smoking).
Ananatara resident spa guru and unofficial Ramadan expert, Liz Smailes, shared her advice with us on incorporating the relevant messages behind the holy celebration into daily life. (more…)
National Yoga Month is only 19 days away… and we at AMPR couldn’t be more ready! We were very surprised to learn, however, just how popular yoga has become across the country.
About 16 million adults practice yoga and spend $5.6 billion a year on classes and products. That’s a lot of classes (or mats and spandex?) given that the average class only costs $12.
If you haven’t joined the yoga bandwagon yet, don’t be shy! Three-out-of-four yoga practitioners have only been practicing themselves for five years or less.
So jump on and see just what the hype is all about. With lululemon stores generating an average of $1,800 in sales per square foot – three times as much as J-Crew! – looks like yoga is set to become the new classic Americana.
If you are looking for a peaceful afternoon outing after experiencing the energized excitement of Tokyo, a visit to Happoen Gardens is the perfect way to clear your mind. “Happoen” translates from Japanese to mean “the garden of eight views”, and was named so because its beauty is visible from every angle. Stroll along the ancient paths and take in the ever changing beauty of these meticulously maintained gardens. No matter which season you visit, the unique splendor of the trees and ground coverings will enchant you. There are cherry blossoms in the spring, azaleas in the summer, brightly colored leaves in fall, and an ethereal covering of snow in the winter. These gardens are well known for the authentic tea ceremony that is performed at the teahouse located along the garden walk. Take a leisurely walk through the gardens and participate in the tea ceremony, immersing yourself in the magnificence of Japan. Don’t forget to make a reservation, you cannot visit the gardens without one!
