| Thailand has a history of herbal saunas, steam rooms | | | | where humidity is usually around 30 - 40%. |
| and hot springs. It even has thermal mud. For a spa | | | | This allows the pores of the skin to open and |
| destination it has it all, and anyone who likes to indulge | | | | sweating to occur. Usually infused with several Thai |
| in a soaking hot tub or water, steam or mud there are | | | | aromatic herbs such as lemon grass, this also has the |
| many possibilities. | | | | effect of opening up the sinuses, and clearing the head. |
| Herbal steam rooms, traditionally made of wood and | | | | Steam rooms may or may not have a tap or bucket |
| built on a stilted house, are not as common as they | | | | of cold water used for dousing off the sweat. |
| once were, and the traditional form of steaming is hard | | | | Saunas on the other hand tend to use dry heat. The |
| to find. Once, nestled in among a natural place, perhaps | | | | heat can be intensified by splashing the heating |
| on the grounds of a monastery, monks would tend to | | | | element or rocks with water, allowing the steam vapor |
| the steam room, hand picking local aromatic herbs that | | | | to be released. Because saunas are an essential |
| grew locally. Up to 30 of these herbs would be put into | | | | element of the detox process many spas in Thailand |
| the hot water, to boil away and infuse the steam with | | | | now have saunas instead of steam rooms, as they |
| a pleasant smell. | | | | are easier to maintain. More recently the infrared |
| Generally made of concrete or stone these days, | | | | sauna has become popular. |
| herbal steam rooms are more modern and sterile. | | | | Thailand's hot springs are a real treat, and occur |
| Easier to clean and maintain, they have become | | | | naturally throughout the country. Some of the best |
| somewhat more functional than their wooden | | | | ones are in the northern region of Chaing Mai. And it is |
| counterparts. Though some can be found nestled in | | | | possible here to soak away the aches and pains of |
| caves or rocks, adding in a bit of the old, traditional | | | | the body in naturally occurring, sulfur smelling hot water. |
| culture. | | | | But For a real treat why not try a mud bath? Be |
| Heated with hot steam, the steam room the concrete | | | | prepared to get messy as you slather on the gloriously |
| steam room works in the same way as the old | | | | warm mud, and relax for a while as it works it magic |
| wooden ones. Generally not as hot as a sauna, steam | | | | on your skin, allowing it to detoxify and you to |
| rooms tend to a lot more humid, with a vapor count of | | | | rejuvenate. For some naturally occurring, glorious mud |
| 100%. This is opposed to the drier heat of the sauna, | | | | head north of Chiang Mai, to a town called Pai. |