I STARED at my picture on the screen and it was not a pretty sight. Well, skeletons rarely are. But thanks to an amazing piece of tech that scanned my entire body from the inside, I found out a few things I didn’t know about myself. For a start, my posture is not great and I have flat feet.
Another 3D scan machine beamed up images revealing my bone, fat and muscle mass, alongside a series of measurements that was able to calculate how much I needed to reduce my daily calorie intake by. It was a fantastic, if sobering, start to my stay at Layan Life by Anantara wellness retreat in Phuket, Thailand. What followed was a personalised treatment programme that had me bouncing out of there four days later like a new woman.
Blended with nature, Layan Life wellness retreat
Opened in September last year to become part of the ever expanding global wellness industry, Layan Life is an impressive mix of both the ancient, modern and energetic – think cryotherapy followed by a trip to the gym then winding down with a soothing Thai massage.
It’s a long way from the spa where the emphasis is on gentle pampering. Layan Life certainly offers relaxation but it is within a medical setting and you have to move your bones a bit. There are an assortment of treatment packages available that also include group sessions like sound bowl healing as well as the opportunity to take part in fun outdoor activities, zip-lining between tree tops among them.
Meet the other you via Layan Life’s body scanner
After treatments, a chance to relax in style
If looks are anything to go by, then Layan Life’s are reassuringly serene, standing in a building that is filled with space and light and surrounded by nature in all its glory. It is a short buggy ride from the Anantara Layan Phuket Resort, where I stayed.
Rising unobtrusively up a hillside, the resort overlooks a picturesque bay in the Andaman Sea cocooned by wooded headlands. My villa opened out onto a walled courtyard and small pool and boasted lovely dark woods offset by occasional splashes of colour. It was a great starting point from where I would take the brief walk down to the sea for a swim every morning.
Reformer Pilates gym at Layan LIfe
Over at Layan Life, with initial consultation and diagnostics out of the way, my first port of call was with Pat, a friendly but no nonsense physiotherapist who was determined to straighten up my shoulders and improve my core strength with a series of exercises in the Reformer Pilates gym.
But first of all she used laser beam technology to ease the intermittent pain from an old knee injury, which was compromising my fitness. Later that day, a one-to-one “superstretch” session revealed how stiff I was. It was another thing I had to work on when I got back home.
Soothing – gut therapy, pao ya
A major pillar of Layan Life is Traditional Thai Medicine in which herbs are used to heal and boost vitality. I experienced several such treatments, including “alkaline bath”, designed to reduce the body’s excess acid, and a facial with a difference.
Most memorable was the gut therapy pao ya, administered expertly by Earnt in which she placed herbs on my stomach, doused them in alcohol before setting them alight. Great balls of fire? Not exactly but the affect was riveting.
Dr Kedar takes care of what he calls the body’s “software” via a long list of energy healing treatments like acupressure and reiki to create internal balance and harmony. These left me so relaxed, it was an effort to drag myself away.
Layan Life by Anantara
Layan Life is next to Anantara Layan Phuket Resort
Meals were taken at the resort where a “wellness menu” featured my favourite dish, Tom Kha, a hearty sweet potato-based soup. However, you were free to indulge in such delights as the taster menu at Dara Cuisine Phuket, one of four restaurants, Layan Life being as much about happiness as it is about health.
by Angela Cobbinah
Programmes at Layan Life by Anantara start from £966 for a 3-night retreat including approximately 10 personalised treatments, group classes and workshops.
Accommodation and meals are charged separately.
A stay at an Anantara Layan Phuket Resort Deluxe Pool Villa starts from £499 per night including breakfast. www.anantara.com