In Reply to: Massages on the beach..... posted by ibulol on Friday, 3. October 2008 at 20:45 Bali Time:
- the cost of a massage will be what you wish to pay for it. If you want to purchase a carving in a shop you will agree on a price with the owner and, unless the tricky seller turns their back and wraps up a similar item but of lesser quality, you will get what you pay for.
Services have a similar tricky loophole that a seller can use. If you bargain hard you can probably get a massage for Rp50,000 and it will be the 'Tourist Standard Massage'. If you bargain even harder on a quiet day, or a Monday morning, you might get a massage for Rp25,000. It will not be the same massage however; perhaps a 'Standard Tourist Massage Level 2'.
At my favourite beach I often pay Rp100,000 for a massage. It sounds expensive but it is not really, given the treatmant and care that I get, a clean sarong spread over a thin but soft mattress, with top quality scented massage oils or creams rather than coconut oil SAE Grade 30-50, a selection of balms on those little sore spots that make one wince just a little and which the masseuse will certainly pick up but may choose not to pay due attention to in the 'Standard Tourist Massage'.
Do not bargain too hard and you will both enjoy the experience a lot more.