JIMBARAN Bali's stunning Jimbaran Bay is never a bad place to while away some time. And if you can do it in the tranquil environs of the Four Seasons Resort Bali's Jimbaran Spa, all the better. Tinkling pan-pipes, harps and the sounds of nature trickle through the air, mingling with the soft pitter-patter of the staff's sandalled feet on achingly beautiful teak floors, while aromatic oils tease your nostrils. Natural, local ingredients, herbs and flowers, are of the essence. My first treatment was a soothing and invigorating all-over body scrub using a coarse mixture of hot sea salt and aroma oils to massage, exfoliate and enliven my skin. Then, while I lay face down, came the rain - a real, warm, trickling rainshower flowing from bamboo-encased taps that filled the room with a saintly mist and the sounds of a light shower. Suitably refreshed, I was led into a Swiss shower - steaming hot and powering from all angles - to rinse and open up my skin's pores. Back on the massage table, the real work began. Starting from the tips of my toes to the top of my by now sleepy and relaxed head, the masseuse poured and rubbed sensuous aroma oils into the upper layers of my skin and then into my deep tissue, working away all the tension. Next, I stepped into a traditional flower bath, filled with red and yellow frangipani flowers and lavender oils, in the small, quaint garden outside. I relaxed in this sweet, hot tub for 15 glorious minutes, soaking up the heat and enjoying the sounds of nature with a cup of fruit tea. By now, my body felt soothed and so relaxed that I found it difficult to drag myself back onto the therapy table for the grand finale - a complete cover of sweet-smelling body lotion. The sense of bucolic bliss exends to the resort's accommodation, which blends effortlessly with the surroundings - lush gardens blooming with frangipani trees, bright bougainvilleas and rolling lawns. But the spa is the star attraction; it'll leave you desperate to come back for more. SAYAN When the people of Bali greet you, it is as if their smiles light up the universe. It was with this welcome (and a refreshing cool towel and fruit juice) that I was met at the majestic Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan. Perched like an eagle's nest in the lush greenery of Bali's highlands, the resort is an architectural feat of wood and glass overlooking rolling terraced rice fields sweeping down to the sacred Ayung River. Again, the villas blend in with the environment, and again, all treatments at the resort's spa are based on earth elements. On arrival at the spa, I was given some cooling tea to help clear and refresh my mind and then enjoyed a soothing foot wash. The Suci Dhara treatment that followed is based on ayurveda or the 'science of life', an intriguing Indian system believed to be the oldest healing therapy in existence. Lying face up in the warm, light, aromatic therapy room, it began with a heavenly scalp massage. Rolling fingers helped soothe my muscles, and gradually, I felt my eyes become droopy and my body relax. Then, warm herbal oils were rhythmically dripped onto my forehead, or 'third eye'. The sensation was surprisingly pleasurable, and as the dripping continued. It felt like one long stream of luscious oils, dropping then rolling over my forehead and into my hair. The treatment was most likely only about 15 minutes long, but it felt like one long exquisite lifetime. A warm oil body massage followed, including a foot massage. The finishing touch was a steam bath so intensely hot, it was difficult to stay in the room for more than a few minutes. Afterwards, I was free to use the spa's Roman bath and outdoor plunge pool. THE FOUR SEASONS JIMBARAN BAY AND SAYAN www.fourseasons.com/sayan/ www.fourseasons.com/jimbaranbay/
