In Reply to: Massage posted by mtippett on Thursday, 1. December 2005 at 22:54 Bali Time:
I've always had beach massages, formerly full massages but then I discovered the absolute bliss of sitting on a beach chair getting the foot massage. I love it. I pay the same price as a full massage and get the full hour but am sitting up instead of getting hot and oily flat on my belly. Does anyone else hate to lie down on a firm beach chair and squash their boobs with their body weight? OK so I'm weird about that. My better half gets the full hour with feet and head and shoulders. I can watch the passing parade and chat with passing traders sharing my shade. Cool drink in one hand and maybe some fruit from the passing fruit seller in the other. Wow does she get those pressure points!!! "She" being Made #151 at the back of Kumala Pantai/Zanzibar Restaurant. If you sit on the beach chairs worked by Jaya and Suni you will find they have an arrangement with Zanzibar so that you can use their loos. It hit my funny bone to walk in and say "Suni sent me" as if I was there to pick up a case full of money or drugs. I almost expected them to come back with a password or something, maybe "The moon in Bali is bright tonight". I bet they wondered what the "Turis" in the "Kamar Kecil" was laughing at.
In that area there is still a firm demarkation line, never crossed, the massage ladies massage and the manicure ladies manicure. In some areas they all do whatever and most of the younger manicure ladies are just not as good as the older women who massage.
Having said that, the quality does vary but in general if you go for one of the older women, who have massaging on the beach for more than 20 years in some cases, you will get a "real" massage. It's a different experience from getting a massage in a spa and I think it needs to be seen as such. If you want soft music, privacy, air conditioning etc. then this is not for you and you should definitely enjoy the whole spa experience.
Oh God I want to be there NOW>