The Good Life – Massages and Spa Treatments

The good life for Westerners in Bali includes massages and spa treatments, and I was ready to feed the local economy with my hard earned greenbacks. My daily schedule in Kuta was rather simple:

AM

• sleep in
• enjoy free breakfast at accommodation (very common offering – usually some combination of eggs, toast, pancakes, coffee/tea/juice)
• use internet
• spa treatment (something different each day – haircut, manicure, pedicure, aromatherapy massage)

PM

• traditional Indonesian food for lunch at restaurant for $2
• hang out, siesta, nap, shop
• go to beach if it looks like a good night for a sunset (tons of locals and tourists alike would head that way once the sun headed down, and it became cooler out)
• eat a $2-3 dinner, with $1-2 drinks optional (while watching a movie if eating at Swell – I caught 40 Year Old Virgin, Anchorman, and Dodgeball)
• sleep

I learned a difference of only a dollar or two can really change the quality of the massages. The cheapest are offered by the ladies on the beach, who can be rather aggressive. Those are a negotiable $5/hour. The beach is too hot, sandy, and hot for me to enjoy it though. I had one by a pool for about $5, which was OK, however I decided to take it up a notch and go indoors.

The little menu above was for a place in the shopping area known as Kuta Square that struck a good balance between cost and quality. Air conditioning, aromatherapy, candles, and a comfortable table were well worth the extra few dollars ($7-8 total).

Yes, you can live like a King (or Queen) in Bali if you have a bit of money. If costs remain so low, I may need to build a spa component into my Asian budget!

Dave Lee

Dave is the Founder and Editor in Chief of Go Backpacking and Feastio. He's been to 66 countries and lived in Colombia and Peru. Read the full story of how he became a travel blogger.