We decided to explore Karon Beach on our third day in Phuket. The heat was still insane and we were soaked in sweat shortly after we reached Karon Beach. I also insisted on smearing a large amount of sunscreen on the boyfriend before he was allowed onto the beach. I have no idea why guys are naturally averse to applying sunscreen.
Beach umbrellas were neatly lined along Karon Beach and the beach was fairly deserted and peaceful. I like the tranquility along Karon Beach, without much activities and the milling crowd.
I wanted to book a spa session at the Cheeva Spa in the Mandarava Resort where we were staying but they were full so the boyfriend and I decided to search for a spa along Karon Beach. We found several dodgy little massage shops along Karon Beach but none looked as awesome as the Movenpick Spa. The Movenpick Spa was luxurious but exorbitant. Each of our Swedish body massage cost 2000 baht (including service charge and tax) which was really expensive. I think this was the one most expensive thing I indulged in when we were in Phuket.
It was easy to locate the Movenpick Resort and Spa along Karon Beach. Walk down the footpath and follow the sign to the Spa.
The reception area was housed in an individual little hut and the nice lady behind the counter arranged for our massage before serving us our spicy ginger tea. The spicy ginger tea was really spicy, but felt nice and comfy in my belly.
After we finished our tea, the masseur led us into another small hut where the massage would be. The room inside was dimly lit and there was a tiny dressing room to the side with shower facilities. They provided robes for us to change into and a wardrobe with a safe box for us to deposit our valuables.
The massage was enjoyable. It was good, skillful, and relaxing. We had the Swedish Massage and I asked for greater emphasis to be placed on my shoulders and legs which were the body parts with the most knots. The masseur kneaded my muscles in my shoulders skillfully and it was fantastic!
The masseur advised that we should not shower for 2 hours after the massage to allow our skin to absorb the essential oils. I did not believe at first, but decided that I should probably heed her advice, so we did not shower in the massage room and left. When I returned to the resort, I decided to run a google search to see if that was true, and indeed! The usual advice is that we should not shower for 2 hours after the massage to avoid rheumatism and to allow our skin to absorb the oils. So now we know.
We left Movenpick Spa and walked around searching for a restaurant with air-conditioning because it was just too hot. We found Coral Restaurant near the Karon Circle and went right inside for a quick respite from the heat.
We ordered a Carbonara with bacon bits and a Smoked Salmon Pizza. The Carbonara was delicious. Al dente spaghetti, crispy bacon bits, and a light creamy sauce. The Smoked Salmon Pizza was not too amazing though. A terribly hard crust with slices of smoked salmon which were completely dry and tasteless.
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