khmer sources

perfect. Pouring scented oil from a small blue bottle, she sets to work on the souls of the feet, working up the legs, methodically kneading away the tensions of a very long, stressful day.

Health professionals recommend massage as a way to reduce stress and anxiety, enhance calm thinking and creativity, self esteem and feelings of well-being, according to the American Massage Therapy Association. Clinical tests have also suggested it can benefit a range of physical medical ailments from headache and high blood pressure to arthritis, depression, stomach problems and even some respiratory conditions. There is no need, then, to feel guilty about taking the time out to be indulged through a health-giving massage.

Think of it as a lusciously enjoyable way of making life more productive. Maysom is one of about 16 professionally trained and experienced therapeutic masseuses who work at In Style, in the heart of Phnom Penh. In Style is perhaps the capital's best known and most established private body treatment center, and has been lovingly developed and nurtured over the years by its Indonesian owner, Endang Little. "The aim is to create an oasis of peace, where people can spend quality time relaxing and forgetting the stresses they cope with outside," she says.

"We are getting more and more Khmer clients coming in for the whole experience, as well as tourists and expatriates. We promote the idea of couples being able to enjoy our beauty and massage packages as couples together, and that is proving very popular." Besides several styles of therapeutic massage, including traditional Thai massage, Balinese massage and oil massage, In Style offers facials, manicures, pedicures, hairdressing, hair spas, body wrapping and treatments, waxing, herbal baths and a Jacuzzi area. But it is the massage that really relaxes, and it forms an integral part of more than half of the sumptuous special packages In Style offers for those wishing to give a special gift or to take the time to indulge themselves, and, perhaps, a partner for anything from two and a half to five hours. On its own, each massage is a minimum of one hour long. There is no rushing here, and customers need to set aside some time to absorb the maximum benefit of the In Style experience.

The way a customer feels when they leave is the benchmark that Endang and her staff measure their success by. Total relaxation takes time to invoke. The oil massage Maysom is performing is a wonderful general pick-me-up. The essential oil massage becomes more specific. Here customers can choose from a range of ten mostly Italian imported oils. These are specially selected to be anything from refreshing to stress relieving, to smooth away cellulite or to calm, to induce a restful sleep to put you in the mood for romance, to relieve pain or, alternatively, fatigue, to a scent that gives an extra boost to an already luxurious therapeutic foot massage. Pregnant women can enjoy a special massage that target the muscles straining most under the unique stress of carrying an unborn child-aching backs and tired leg muscles will find relief through the sympathetic touch of a masseuse trained for just such needs-and the In Style back and shoulder or foot massages are popular specific target therapies for people on the go or tense and weary from spending weeks behind an office desk.

A double massage, where two masseuses work simultaneously, doubles to pleasure but halves the time needed to enjoy the full benefits of massage. A restaurant selling healthy snacks and drinks has just opened up in the downstairs garden, and Endang, who is also a landscape architect, has transformed the rooftop area of the building into a tropical oasis for small groups to gather for anything from a morning or evening in the Jacuzzi with friends to social functions. Although not designed for large groups, the intimate space has already become a favorite with people wanting to feel like they have left the heat and dust of the city behind for a few hours and entered a world without worry, especially for couples eager for a romantic escape. "We want people to feel relaxed.

When you finish a treatment, you don't want to have to run off. You want to sit and enjoy the feeling, so people can now order a refreshing smoothie or a healthy snack and unwind for a little longer before they head back out into the hustle and bustle again," Endang says. In the northern tourist town of Siem Reap, gateway to the temples of Angkor, the new Victoria Hotel Angkor provides one of the most spectacular settings for therapeutic massage in South East Asia. Stroll through the hotel's imposing doors and through the polished timber lobby to be confronted by a landscape of the deep blue of the spectacular rockery-style swimming pool, complete with a subdued cascade of cool water from the upper level, which is in turn surrounded by the lush green of the open garden area that forms the heart of this superbly designed and appointed 5-star resort.

Dotted around this magical space are three salas, draped with white netting like the beds of a Bedouin princess. "We have tried very hard to create a unique atmosphere within this hotel, and the garden area is an integral part of that," Director of Sales for Victoria Angkor, Takemi Matsui, explains. "I believe we are the only hotel offering massage in this type of outdoor setting. Open from 9am to 9pm, the nets are lowered during the evening, protecting customers from flying insects, but also offering a softer, more muted view of the garden area as one of three trained masseuses begins her work. Traditional silk triangular pillows provide backrests, and clients can totally relax on the futon-style mattress under the soft light of lamps.

"Massage tries to enhance the mind-body awareness," Takemi explains. Fountains fill the sala with their sound, and the feeling of serenity and luxury is palpable. "Massage is more than just a physical touch, and this is what we have provided with our setting and the ambiance of the area. The sound of running water here, for instance, is very important.

It isgently relaxing and soothing. We believe that massage is part of a total relaxation and rejuvenation experience, where mind and body find each other as stresses and tensions flow away." Massage here is tailored for both people after a quick rejuvenator after a day touring the temples under the tropical sun and those with time to fully relax. The neck and shoulders massage, which can be soft or firm, depending on client preference, takes just 20 minutes and is perfect for winding down after a day of new experiences in preparation for drinks or dinner with friends.

An hour of foot reflexology will bring aching feet back to life, however fatigued they may feel after a day of treading in the footsteps of the ancient Cambodian kings of Angkor, and a traditional massage, Victoria promises, will allow you to "feel your body lightening under the science of our therapist's hands". An Indian head massage is 30 minutes of bliss, as traditional Ayurevedic methods sooth the head, neck and shoulders. Far from being prohibitively expensive, these complete relaxation experiences cost from just $10. But the ultimate massage experience here must be the signature Victoria Massage.

At 90 minutes long, it allows your masseuse to give you a taste of all of the massage types available individually. Combining traditional massage, foot and head massage, energy channels are stimulated throughout the body, giving a feeling of vitality and wellbeing. In recent years, therapeutic massage has become an important aspect of the leisure industry, and most large hotels offer their own trained masseuses offering their own styles of relaxation and de-stress massage. For instance, the two magnificent colonial era Raffles Group hotels-Le Royal in Phnom Penh and the Grand Hotel d'Angkor in Siem Reap-are both equipped with the famous Amrita spas that have become a Raffles institution. Rich oils, scented candles and soft music accentuate the range of massage styles offered at both these places, and although not inexpensive, they continually garner rave reviews from expatriates and holidaymakers alike.

Amrita, after all, is the mythical element of Hindu legend that the deities sought to bring them eternal youth and beauty, and the hotel has designed its spas and the treatments they offer as an exclusive sanctuary offering guests physical and mental renewal through both exercise and relaxation techniques like massage. Some celebrities and many locals prefer the intimacy of smaller operations such as Sapors, a Phnom Penh institution as famous for its skills training as it is becoming for its therapeutic massage. The experienced masseuses at Sapors are expert in a range of recognized massage techniques. They recently earned high praise from British actress Minnie Driver, who visited Cambodia on a working tour and chose Sapors as the place she would enjoy a well earned rest and traditional massage.