Girls, do you want a body massage in Bangkok???

Massage massage.....The most common question that I get is:

''That place got hanky-panky?"

My reply:

"So you want a place with or without???" :D

My most important advice:
Never ever ask for a BODY massage!

I was asking the cab drive to recommend a place with good BODY massage (trying to distinguish from the FOOT massage), and wondered why he gave was quite shocked and turned around to take a good look at us at the next red light.

Then he started; about recommending an Italian couple and they thoroughly enjoyed. He asked us about our budget. Well , we were ok about anything not too outrageous, as I was aching everywhere and dying for a massage.

Apparently some popular places cost a few thousand dollars an hour. At that time, I was really curious and asked what is so special, and how come the locals will go for something so expensive. My Thai colleague told me that she goes for those 180B (2 hours) massage! Only then the driver realised we had a communication problem.

In Thailand , body massage means using someones's body to give you a massage.
How is it done?? Imagine that! Since we were stuck in a jam, he went on and on to give quite a lot of details to 'enlighten' us.

According to our driver, these are very popular among men: tourists and locals who are rich enough. The men get pampered like 'kings' there. They can pick and choose which girl they like, and the lastest craze were young teenage girls from Chin* with 'fair soft skin' and 'very sexy body'. They 'really know how to make you happy'. After taking their pick, the men will be given a bath by the girls. 'They bath with you, everything wash, clean, then can start'.

''They use their body to give you massage, not hands! Then after the massage you can do anything you like. What you want, just tell her. No problem. Clean. Very high class. Everybody must wear condom. When you go in , they will give you one condom''.

He went on and on to 'tempt' my husband and I to give it a try. Ha.. ha.. no thanks!
If you want to get a full body massage, either ask for Thai massage or traditional for the traditional Thai massage. These are done with your clothes on (fully clothed). If you like the swedish/balinese style or just something that is more gentle, ask for ''oil massage'' (clothes off, panties on).

''Foot massage'' is extremely popular (and no, they do not use their feet to massage you, they massage your feet). However, take note that ''foot massage'' includes your calves and up to the area around your knees. So if you are wearing as skirt, you might not be confortable getting a guy to do it for you.

My travel suggestion: Make sure you try the Thai masage at least once, and pick a 2 hour session if you can. The best place to try? Wat Pho. Although slightly more expensive that the typical massage set up, it is worth it! I sometimes go to Thailand just to get a dose of the real thing at Wat Pho.

Wat Pho opening hours and fees
Open daily from 8:00am until 5:00pm.

Fees
Thai massage
Half-hour massage 150 B
one-hour body massage-250
one-hour massage with herbs 350- make sure you wear pants and clothes that do not stain easily
600 baht per hour for outside services

Foot massage 45 minutes- 250 baht

Tips: Wear something lose and comfortable, and do not stain easily if you want to try the herb massage. However, they will provide you a change of clothes at no extra cost. Mornings on weekdays are usually less busy, but be aware that you might feel more sleepy after the massage, esp if you have not been getting enough sleep (too relaxed?). If that happens, rest a while before heading to your next stop!

You can read more about my Thai massage experience.

How to get there? I always go by cab! This is where I head to after my Grand Palace visit, and before I head for my late lunch in Chinatown.

But if you decide to try other ways, here are the info you need:
1. Bus Nos. 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 25, 32, 43, 44, 47, 48, 51, 53, 82, 103.
2. Air-conditioned bus Nos. 1, 6, 7, 8, 12, 44
3. Chao phraya Express boat. Get off at Tha Chang pier, Tha Tien Pier or Pak Klong Talad Pier, then walk through Thai Wang Road entrance.

(Beware, the cab drivers like to take you for a 'ride' if you flag a cab around the Grand Palace area.)

Hint: always suft the net for the lastest promotions. Even established places sometimes offer a 10-15% discounts if you bring a printout of their "cuopon". I will write more about spas and massages next time!