Massage Shops and Spas in Hat Yai - Page 1
Introduction
Singapore prices for Thai massage
I took this photo while visiting Singapore in 2008. I suspect that the prices now are a lot higher.
Malaysians and Singaporeans make frequent visits to Hat Yai for a variety of reasons. One reason that almost all of them have in common is the opportunity to enjoy very cheap massages.
Cheap massage is a big tourist draw all over Thailand, not just in Hat Yai. It encourages tourists to spend their money in Thailand and it also provides employment for many poor girls from other regions of Thailand, as well as from neighbouring countries.
I arrived in Hat Yai as a single man and for many years took the opportunity to enjoy massages at ridiculously cheap prices. On average, I probably went for massages three times a week and sampled almost every massage shop in Hat Yai.
Some places charge just Bt200 for a two hour massage. In Singapore where there are Thai girls doing exactly the same thing in little massage shops, the price is well over Bt1,000 an hour. In central London a two hour Thai massage might cost you anything up to Bt5,000.
Places like London and Singapore have lots to offer but everything is expensive. Rural Thailand can't offer the same things as big cities in developed countries, but there are certain advantages ... such as cheap massage.
One possible problem in Hat Yai is that it can be difficult to choose where to go because there are so many massage shops. In my single days in Hat Yai (2003-2010) I went for hundreds of massages, and even now I go once a week or once a fortnight.
I have used many massage shops in Hat Yai and have chosen ten places (cheap and expensive) that you may enjoy.
Ten Good Massage Shops In Hat Yai
Safety
It amused me to see this sign in Singapore at the entrance to the Hat Yai Thai Massage shop.
Enter at own risk
When you go into a massage shop in Hat Yai you aren't going to get beaten up, mugged or robbed. Obviously, after you disrobe and put on the loose fitting clothes that the shop provide you with make sure that your valuables are in a safe place or stored where you can keep an eye on them. Some of the better places provide lockers for this purpose.
Thai massage isn't recommended if you suffer from certain ailments or diseases, such as respiratory or heart problems. Some, but not all, massage shops display lists of medical conditions. If any apply to you, you should avoid massage. Thai massage can be very physical, therefore, it wouldn't be a good idea to go if you have replacement joints or spinal implants, etc.
Most of the girls doing massage have only very basic training and they go through exactly the same set of procedures with every customer. They won't ask you if you have any medical conditions and they won't sense that you have a problem and adjust their technique. Remember too, that with most foreign customers there is going to be a big language barrier.
As is always the case in Thailand, you have to be responsible for your own safety because Thais have almost no sense of responsibility regarding other people's safety.
Provided that you have no chronic or serious medical conditions, just enjoy your massage. There shouldn't be any need to enter at your own risk.
Where Is The Best Body Massage In Hat Yai?
This is a question that is asked frequently, so I added it to the FAQ section.
There is no black or white answer because a satisfactory massage depends on who performs the massage, not where it is performed.
The spas and more upmarket massage shops tend to be a lot more consistent with their service and quality of massage. You pay more, but the chances of getting a good massage are a lot higher.
There are lots of cheap massage shops in Hat Yai, but the quality is highly variable. Before I was married I went for massages in Hat Yai three or four times a week, and I have been to most massage shops in town.
On occasion I had some excellent massages at the cheap shops. The girls were thoughtful and attentive during the massage and did a great job. On the other hand, I had a lot of bad massages.
As soon as the girl entered the room she would turn on the TV and put the air-conditioning on maximum. While I lay there shivering because it was so cold, she just watched TV while performing a perfunctory kneading action on my limbs and didn't pay any attention to me at all. The only time she stopped watching TV was when she had to attend to her mobile phone, which was quite frequently.
If you go to a spa or somewhere like Thai Odyssey you won't find any TVs in the rooms, your masseuese will give you her complete attention, and she won't be interrupted constantly by her mobile phone.
The other thing I need to know when answering this question is what kind of massage you want. If you want to relieve stress and feel completely relaxed go to a spa or a better massage shop.
On the other hand, Thai massage is one branch of traditional Thai medicine and the techniques used are designed to balance the body, stretch the muscles, and unblock energy lines within the body.
If you want a more therapeutic type of massage, rather than a relaxing one, you will be better off going to somewhere like Only One, Somboon Wate Charatagarn or one of the blind massage shops - Blind Massage Shop, Nuttidaa.
The Hat Yai massage shop trade is aimed very much at Malaysian tourists. Local Thais know lots of small places that perform therapeutic massage or they know people who make house calls to do massage. If you want to know something, ask a local.
Thirdly, if it is just sexual gratification you require there are a few massage shops that offer happy endings for an extra Bt500 and there are the bath and massage places that I have listed in the nightlife section.
Visitor Feedback
If you have visited a Hat Yai massage shop and would like to provide some feedback for this site I would really appreciate your input. The same applies for hotels, restaurants, and anything else in Hat Yai that you would care to comment on.
There is nothing I regard as being more important than real feedback and it really helps other people who visit this site.
Defining Massage in Thailand
Massage is a very broad and euphemistic term in Thailand. At the 'hot bath and massage' places (aap op nuat) there is no massage at all because these places sell a very different thing.
There are genuine traditional Thai massage shops where trained practitioners offer massage for medical purposes. There aren't actually too many of these places.
In tourist areas there are LOTS of 'massage for pleasure' shops where poor girls from the north and northeast regions of Thailand, and also from neighbouring countries, have found work. Generally, they don't provide sex (although some do) and neither are they alternative medicine practitioners, but the service they provide can be quite enjoyable.
The girls doing the massage for pleasure don't have much training but some have been doing the job for a long time and although they might not be able to treat a specific medical condition they can provide a good experience.
On the other hand, some of the girls aren't very good at all. The ones who have only just started don't know what they're doing and others simply have a bad attitude. I've been for quite a few massages where the girl turns the A/C on full and then watches TV while performing a perfunctory kneading action on various parts of my body.
Depending on the kind of massage you want, you can find it somewhere in Thailand, and if you visit enough massage shops you can find which places are best. This guide, hopefully, along with any visitor feedback I receive will help to identify the best places to go in Hat Yai.
Types of Massage
The massage on offer falls into three types: traditional Thai massage, oil massage (the Thai pronunciation is 'oy'), and foot massage.
Traditional Thai massage is designed to work on the musculo-skeletal system and with some masseuses it can be quite painful. If carried out gently it can be quite relaxing, but there is a kind of 'no pain - no gain' mentality in Thailand. Many masseuses seem to want customers to experience some pain, and some customers feel cheated if they walk out without feeling any pain.
Getting my feet massaged after doing lots of walking in Sukothai
Considering that Thai massage is performed in many places by girls who have had only a few days informal training and no proper training at all, there are a few things that concern me.
Some girls will walk on your back. I don't mind if they are small but the larger ones feel quite heavy. When they do this I can't relax and tense my body to try to prevent them snapping anything.
The girls also like to crack joints. I have never cracked my own knuckles and don't particularly enjoy other people doing it to me. I normally let them crack my finger and toe joints, but never let them crack my neck.
I wasn't sure if cracking joints caused any problems later in life with arthritis, etc. According to a report by the BBC, it doesn't. In most cases it has no effect, and it can actually help.
Does cracking your knuckles cause arthritis?
If you don't feel comfortable with anything, simply tell the girl and she will stop. The girls are normally quite obliging and will do what you ask ... within limits.
Foot massage sign
Oil massage can vary enormously. At some places - normally spas - you will listen to relaxing music while an elegant Thai girl soothes your body slowly and gently with essential oils. At other places the girls act as if they are desperately trying to rescucitate a corpse. There is nothing slow or gentle at all regarding their massage technique and the oil might resemble something found in a chip shop.
Whereas the better places use good quality aromatherapy oils, a few cheaper shops use the cheapest oil they can get hold of. At one place where I went for a few oil massages I subsequently broke out in ugly spots and ended up visiting a dermatologist.
Foot massage also varies. All foot massage shops display fancy reflex charts on the wall but not many masseuses know where the reflex points actually are or what bodily organs they relate to.
A properly trained reflexologist will watch the customer's face to detect when there is pain and will associate this reaction to a problem in a particular part of the body.
In most Thai foot massage shops this doesn't happen. It's really a foot rub instead of being true reflexology. However, if you've been walking all day and have aching feet then a good foot rub can be very enjoyable.
Customer Differences
Hat Yai massage girls have lots more Thai and ethnic-Chinese customers than farangs. Most farangs enjoy a gentle, soothing massage but most Asian customers like a really hard massage.
For this reason farangs may need to tell their Hat Yai massage girl to be more gentle ("bao bao"). If, on the other hand, you want a harder massage, tell her, "nuk nuk."
Spas
A number of places have opened up that refer to themselves as spas, rather than simply massage shops. They are more expensive but offer a very different experience.
The service is less hurried and the massage girls more attentive. They offer beauty treatments as well as massage and have facilities such as saunas and steam rooms.
A few are quite upmarket and expensive but some places, such as Preuksa Spa, offer a much better experience than a normal massage shop without being that much more expensive.
Massage for Women
Most massage experiences in Hat Yai involve male customers and female masseuses. I have never seen a male masseuse in any of the body massage shops I have visited in Thailand. Female customers are welcome everywhere, of course, but the masseuse will also be female.
An exception is the foot massage shops, which often employ male masseuses. Ethnic Chinese customers prefer a hard massage and like the extra strength of men.
There are some male masseuses in small body massage shops around the Thaiarkarn Road area (Map 4), but these cater to gay men rather than women. Nonetheless, if you are a paying female customer you may still be able to get a massage.
Some Malaysian and Singaporean women have arrived at this site after searching for information about male masseuses for women.
Unfortunately, I can't give a quick answer. All I can say is that money comes at the top of the Thai value system and if you have a little money you can get anything in Thailand.
Probably the best thing to do is to go to one of the foot massage places in town that employ male foot masseuses. Speak to the owner and state your requirements. They should then be able to arrange for a male masseuse to massage you in one of their rooms or at your hotel.
If you simply walk into one of the big body massage shops in Hat Yai expecting to find some male masseuses, you won't find any.
Location and discounts
Most of the larger hotels have their own in-house massage shops. Anyone can use them and you don't need to be staying at the hotel.
There are also a number of independent massage shops that are located in the central tourist district around Lee Gardens Plaza. Once you get into residential areas away from the tourist areas, the number of massage shops decreases dramatically.
Massage on offer inside Dusit zoo in Bangkok
Price fixing cartels are very common in Thailand. Taxi drivers get together and set artificially high prices for certain routes, such as from the middle of town to the airport. It's an unfair way of keeping prices artificially high but if no one breaks the cartel it's a system that works for the business owners.
Massage shops in central Hat Yai do the same thing. If you go to a shop at a busy time they will tell you the standard price and not offer any discount.
There are various ways you can pay less. You can sometimes get a discount during quiet times when business is slack. The ability to speak some Thai also comes in very useful when trying to negotiate discounts.
Finding places not located in the central tourist area will save you money. For example, places in town will ask Bt250 for a foot massage but I've found places away from the tourist areas where the price is Bt100.
Some travel agents sell discount coupons. For example, just around the corner to the Sakura hotel is a small travel agent that sells massage coupons for the Sakura massage shop for Bt260. The normal price is Bt300 so you make a small saving.
Tipping
If the total price of your massage is Bt240 (or maybe Bt200), the girl will only earn about Bt80 for two hours work.
The girls work from early in the morning until late at night and they only get three days off each month. They need to pay for somewhere to live and they need to buy food and other things.
Any money left over is normally sent back to their families. In short, their lives aren't much fun at all.
I have never not given a tip - even if the girl was completely uninterested in giving me a decent massage and just sat there watching TV.
Don't be mean. Even if you give a Bt100 tip, the total cost is still a lot less than you would pay at home.
One massage girl I was talking to went to a hotel room with a friend to give two Chinese Malaysians a massage. The girls were given a Bt10 tip between them. Even in Thailand where the cost of living is cheaper than the West, a Bt5 tip doesn't go very far.
Extra Services for Gentlemen
Everyone knows the reputation that Thailand has (and it is well deserved). Thai girls from poor backgrounds doing massage only do it for the money and nothing else. They might only earn Bt80 for a two hour massage and the rest will go to the shop. Some girls get tips but many customers are quite stingy.
Extra services are not on offer everywhere in Thailand
If the girl can perform an extra little service which puts Bt500 into her pocket she might be tempted because it is a lot of money to her. Some girls may provide extra services in a hotel room but not in the shop where they work. However, many massage girls won't provide extra services under any circumstances, so respect their decision and don't push it. Don't assume anything or take anything for granted simply because you are in Thailand. The country is a lot more conservative than you may think and some of the girls are really shy.
Another Thai massage shop that doesn't offer sexual services
I remember reading about a Russian tourist in Pattaya who insisted on groping a massage girl who wasn't interested and he ended up getting arrested.
Happy endings are only available at certain massage shops in Hat Yai
If the girl agrees to provide an extra service don't expect any more than some basic hand relief. If this is what interests you, there are a few places where this kind of service is easier to find than others. The big massage shops in big hotels don't encourage this type of thing, whereas it is more common in the smaller independent shops.
If you want any more than this, then there are lots of other options in Hat Yai where the girls will offer more than a massage. If you're not sure where to go, the magic words are aap op nuat (bath/massage). See Prostitution In Hat Yai.
At some massage places you may be asked if you require a 'ping-pong' massage; 'ping-pong balls' being an idiom for testicles because of their size and shape. If you say yes, thinking you're going to get a happy ending to your massage, the girl will go off to get another (normally older) woman trained in the art of testicle massage. Some men like this kind of massage, while others don't. Expect to pay extra for this service if it interests you. The going rate seems to be about Bt200 in addition to the cost of the massage.
Rambutan fruit in Thailand
For some reason, this type of testicle massage is quite often referred to as prostrate massage. I didn't pay much attention to the term at first until someone wrote asking me for more details. He correctly pointed out that in order to massage the prostrate it would be necessary for the masseuse to insert her fingers up your back passage. This could actually be quite dangerous and it doesn't happen (as far as I am aware).
The term 'prostrate massage' is therefore misleading and the Thai term 'ping pong' is far more accurate for what they actually do. The purpose of this kind of massage, I am told, is to heighten the man's libido. I'm not a fan. I've experienced it a few times, but I don't find it pleasant, comfortable or relaxing. Horses for courses.
Masseuses
I once had a massage at Glenwood Springs in Colorado and was slightly shocked to find out that my masseuse was the same sex as me. It shouldn't matter, of course, but I feel more comfortable with female masseuses and the massage industry in Thailand is dominated by females. The exception is at the foot massage places where there are often males working as well.
Some ethnic-Chinese visitors prefer a male masseuse because they are stronger and can give a harder massage. Some women visitors prefer a male masseuse for the same reason that many men prefer a female masseuse.
The girls inside never look anything like the photos outside
Finding male masseuses for foot massage isn't a problem, but it could be a problem finding a male masseuse for Thai or oil massage. I believe there are a few places, but these places are intended for gay men rather than for women. I don't know anything about the gay scene in Hat Yai.
Regarding the girls working as masseuses, there is so much variation with every facet of life in Thailand that whenever you make a generalisation it isn't long before you are proven wrong.
In the more upmarket spas and massage shops you will find some very conservative local girls. The cheaper places tend to employ girls from poor parts of Thailand. They also employ girls from Burma, and maybe even China.
The Burmese girls work even cheaper than Isaan girls. The shops give them Thai nicknames and unless you can speak Thai you may never know where they actually come from.
If you can speak Thai and talk with the girls you will hear a recurring story. Many of the girls had a child in their teens and as soon as they got pregnant the teenage father disappeared. Their children are being taken care of by their parents back in their villages, while they work at the other end of the country sending money back each month. I must have heard this story a hundred times.
The majority of tourists in Hat Yai are ethnic-Chinese from Malaysia and Singapore who have a preference for girls with light skin. Many of the girls are fair-skinned and many speak Chinese, whereas not many have very good English skills.
Choosing Girls
The woman in charge of the shop (the captain) who asks you what you want will happily make a selection for you. This being the case, she will no doubt select the toothless old hag in the corner who never gets chosen by any customers.
The same applies if you call a massage shop and ask them to send a girl to your room. On my wedding day we had a couple of spare hours in the afternoon between the morning ceremony and evening reception. I called a massage shop to get two girls sent over for me and my new wife.
The two women they sent had foul mouths, terrible massage techniques, and referred to me repeatedly as farang. It was an awful experience and I would always recommend choosing the girl yourself.
It used to be the case that the girls sat on display in an open area or 'goldfish bowl' waiting to be selected. Some years ago, a law was passed and they are now all hidden behind partition walls. However, you can still view the girls in order to make your selection.
One massage shop in Hat Yai had a policy at one time whereby customers couldn't choose. They said that the girl's look weren't important. I don't think this policy was very popular and they dropped it.
Some of the spas work on a rotation basis, therefore, you can't choose. If you can choose, it isn't always necessarily best to choose the best looking or youngest girl. The young girls new to the job can be painfully shy and spoil the experience. The girls with a few year's experience behind them normally give you a better experience.
Not all girls can perform every type of massage. They can all do the traditional Thai massage, but not necessarily oil or foot massage. The captain will tell you which girls can do what.
Normally the girls wear badges with a number on. The badges are sometimes colour-coded to indicate what type of massage the girl can do.
Outcalls
Some people prefer to have a massage in the comfort of their hotel room, rather than go outside to a shop. Some men may have additional things in mind and choose to have the girl go to their hotel room, rather than go to a massage shop.
Regarding outcalls, the policy of individual shops varies enormously. Many of the smaller shops promote outcalls and are very happy to offer the service because it is good for business. At other places, if you enquire about outcalls they give a disgusted look as if you are a pervert.
When I first arrived in Hat Yai a girl working at Lee Gardens Plaza massage shop used to come to my room, however, it is quite unusual for the massage shops in big hotels to allow the girls to do outcalls. Some in-house massage shops only allow outcalls in the hotel where the shop is located.
If you call your hotel reception they can arrange for a masseuse to visit your room. If the hotel has an in-house massage shop and if the shop allows outcalls, this is where the girl will come from.
If not, they will call somewhere that does provide such a service. Be aware that if you don't choose the girl yourself, the masseuse that eventually turns up may not be the epitome of Thai refinement and beauty. If you order a girl by phone the shop will probably send the girls that customers visiting the shop never choose.
On my wedding day we had a few spare hours midday between the Thai ceremonial stuff and the evening reception and I thought a good way to relax would be for my new wife and I to have a massage in the hotel room. I asked the hotel to order two girls.
The two foul-mouthed, toothless old hags that arrived gossiped constantly and never stopped referring to me as farang. Instead of being massaged gently to sleep by a couple of graceful Thai beauties, it was actually a very unpleasant experience.
Unless you know the name of a girl in a shop and can order a girl that you know and like, I wouldn't recommend ordering a massage girl by phone. Always go to the shop and choose for yourself.
Regarding hanky panky, never simply assume that every Thai massage girl will provide additional services because many won't, especially the young, inexperienced ones. If this is what you have in mind when you order a massage in your room, it is best to check first to avoid any sexual frustration later.
Also, if the girl does offer additional services it probably won't be a lot more than some hand relief, although there are exceptions. If you want full sex with a Thai girl just go straight to one of the many aap op nuat places that exist in Hat Yai and don't bother trying to coerce a massage girl into doing something that she isn't happy with.
The Thai Ear Tickle
On one trip to Singapore I passed a small massage shop and saw a sign in the window offering the Thai ear tickle. I knew what it meant as I had been for many massages in Hat Yai and some girls had performed the ear tickle on me. You certainly won't get your ears tickled at one of Hat Yai's spas, and this isn't anything that will be taught at a kosher Thai massage school.
Some girls at some places do it, and apparently some customers like it. I'm not a big fan. I find it quite irritating and as soon as they have finished I can't wait to give my ears a good scratch to relieve the irritation.
Towards the end of the massage, after lying on your front and back, the girl will sit up and rest your head in her lap while she massages your head. After the head massage she may or may not administer the ear tickle. Remember, only some girls do it.
If she does, she will pull a hair out of her own head and tie a small knot in it. Alternatively, some girls keep ready-knotted hairs in a drawer for this purpose if there is a convenient drawer in the room.
She then inserts the hair into your ear until it is quite a way into the ear canal and twiddles it between her thumb and fingers. It sounds quite loud, because it is so close to your eardrum, and it does indeed tickle. You will either enjoy this treatment or you won't.
If you wish to receive the Thai ear tickle and it isn't offered by the girl, you can ask if she can do it: "bpun hoo dai mai?"
Ear Cleaning
I received an e-mail about ear cleaning. This is a service that many barber shops and salon/foot massage shops offer.
To see inside your ears they normally use a lamp on a stand or even the kind of head lamp worn by rubber tappers. They use metal instruments to remove debris from inside your ear and at the end hold a tuning fork to your ear so that you can observe the improvement in hearing.
I don't believe this service does improve your hearing (unless your ears are exceptionally dirty), but it can be a pleasant experience. It costs around Bt100.
In Thai it is known as:
แคะหู
This translates to 'pick ear' and sounds something like 'ka hoo'. The first word sounds like 'cat' or 'cap' if you don't pronounce the final consonant.
Although I said it can be a pleasant experience, I once heard from an ear doctor that the smallest thing you should put in your ear is your elbow, that is, don't poke anything in your ear because it can be dangerous. I've experienced this service quite a few times, but it always worries me that they might perforate my eardrum.
Thai Massage Shop Listings
Page 1 of 5. For more listings see Page 2, Page 3, Page 4 and Page 5.
Address: Basement of Kosit Hotel, Niphat Uthit 2 Road
Telephone: +66 (0)74 354071, 234366
E-mail: kosithotel@hotmail.com
Web page: Kosit Hotel
Map: Map 3
Latitude: N 07° 00' 02.3" (N 07° 00.038')
Longitude: E 100° 28' 15.2" (E 100° 28.253')
Google Maps: Street Map or Satellite View
Comments: Aladdin is located in the basement of the Kosit hotel. Basements aren't very good places to be when there is a flood and the 2010 flood completely destroyed this particular massage shop.
For a while after the flood the massage shop was relocated inside the hotel but then it moved back to the basement again after rebuilding. Before the flood the rooms were quite grotty, but now they are a lot better.
This is one of the cheapest massage shops in town. Traditional Thai massage costs just Bt200 and oil massage Bt500. It used to be that other shops charged Bt240 and Aladdin charged Bt200. These days the other shops are charging Bt300, but the Aladdin price is still Bt200.
They tell you the massage is for two hours but the time is shorter. When you first go into the room the girl disappears for quite a long time while you are getting ready. During the massage she normally disappears again. I guess that you probably get between 70 and 90 minutes of actual massage.
The girls working here are mostly Burmese. They speak Burmese, obviously, and most speak Chinese. This makes them popular with ethnic Chinese tourists from Malaysia and Singapore (along with fair skin, cheap prices and extra services).
Most speak a little Thai, but not that well. If your only languages are English and Thai they can be quite difficult to communicate with.
You can have girls from Aladdin sent to your hotel room if required. The shop is open from 10:00 until 23:00 every day. This shop has something of a reputation among Malaysian and Singaporean male visitors, if you know what I mean.
Customer Comments:
- For your info,Alladin are charging 200baht for 1 hr 40mins. For 2 hrs cost 300baht. They have put up notice at their cashier counter. (September 2014)
- If the purpose of my using Alladin was to get a good massage I would have been greatly disappointed. Rather disinterested and lackluster service. The girl was from China, and everything was on offer, and that part of the service was good. (October 2012)
- Alladin girls quite naughty and will name price for a night (ignore them). The ones that don't offer are okay. (2012)
- aladdin ladies can offer you more than a massage. it is also full service for 1000 baht although i have not been there yet i saw a few were brought to golden crown hotel then sent to the occupants from malaysia.
- Alladin massage, one of the worst i have been too. The massuer don't even know where is the pressure point and your tired muscle, they just press and press just to get the job done, at the same time watching TV while giving you a screwed up massage. Those girls are from Burma/China Border, they can speak Chinese, fair and young. The massage turn out to be more of a torture. They have a cheek to ask 100bt for tip!
Good for those men who wants young girls to touch them and do the same. Also, according to my friend some offer special services. The place is at a basement of a building, cannot remember the building name, it is located a road just behind Sakura Grand. Rooms not so clean soso only. Not my cup of tea. Cheap, cost only 200bt for 2 hours, actual massage time is 1hr 40mins.
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Address: 21 Kimpradit Road, Hat Yai, Songkhla, 90110
Telephone: +66 (0)74 354344
Mobile: +66 (0)81 677 7574, +66 (0)83 194 1104
Map: Map 3
Latitude: N 07° 00' 11.3" (N 07° 00.188')
Longitude: E 100° 28' 20.8" (E 100° 28.347')
Google Maps: Street Map or Satellite View
Comments: Originally, Areewan was located at 14/1 Chaiyakul Uthit Road near the Daiichi Hotel. When a second shop opened it appeared to be a second branch and the first branch remained open. However, I found out later that the first branch had closed.
Areewan's new location is quite close to the BP Grand Tower hotel.
I haven't used the services of this new shop personally, but I was quite familiar with the original shop in my single days.
The sign on the door says the shop opens at 10am, but I went along at 10:30am one day and there was no one there. I know that the girls at the old Areewan used to provide a lot of massage services at night and didn't start work until around noon the following day.
Thai massage (1.45 hours): Bt300
Oil massage (1 hour): Bt300
Foot massage (1 hour): Bt250
Without going into too many details, the girls at Areewan are a little more obliging than many other massage shops and various additional services are (or, at least, were) available.
Customer Comments:
- Worst massage experience i ever had in thailand...i do give tips every single time i finish my session but this Areewan girls were so rude... i was supposed to pay 600baht for it...i gave 1000baht...and normally what i did is after they give me the balance, i will pass them my tip....this time, they just gave me back 300baht and said another 100baht is their tip... i was so shocked that they said so. This is totally wrong... tips is something that the customer give as a bonus to them and not for them to instruct or command me to do!! Im so disappointed for my first visit to Hatyai! I was so regular to Bangkok and had no problem with all thir service... so i hope you guys dont ever go to this place or let your hotel reception to arrange Areewan to you. (November 2014)
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Address: 70 Chee Uthit Road, Hat Yai, Songkhla, 90110
Telephone: +66 (0)74 247737
Map: Map 4
Latitude: N 07° 00' 13.5" (N 07° 00.225')
Longitude: E 100° 28' 22.2" (E 100° 28.370')
Google Maps: Street Map or Satellite View
Comments: This massage shop is located close to the Only One massage shop and the Cholatarn hotel.
Thai massage (2 hours): Bt300
Herbal ball massage (2 hours): Bt400
Oil massage (2 hours): Bt600
Foot massage (1 hour): Bt250
This massage shop also offers beauty treatments and the owner is quite an astute businesswoman. She's from Isaan and quite a few of the massage girls are from the same region. The Isaan girls have a culture of looking after their menfolk and I have found the service to be very good.
During one stage when I experienced a lot of bad attitudes with massage girls at various places in Hat Yai, I could always rely on getting good service at Bangkok Massage. There is another branch of Bangkok Massage next to the Kosit Hotel - see below.
Customer Comments:
- This is more than a massage parlor. The owner is skilled, professional & licenced to do manicures, pedicures etc. Very friendly & professional staff and very good massages. (October 2015)
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Address: Next to Kosit Hotel, Hat Yai, Songkhla, 90110
Mobile: +66 (0)61 426 6942
Map: Map 3
Latitude: N 07° 00' 13.5" (N 07° 00.225')
Longitude: E 100° 28' 22.2" (E 100° 28.370')
Google Maps: Street Map or Satellite View
Comments: The owner of Bangkok Massage used to have a second branch near the Golden Crown Grand Hotel. However, the shop was rented and the owner decided to close it. She then opened another second branch next to the Kosit Hotel, which she owns.
I've always had good service at the first branch and the second branch is good too.
Thai massage (1 hours): Bt200
Foot massage (1 hour): Bt200
Oil massage (1 hour): Bt400
Body scrub (1 hour): Bt500
Customer Comments: No customer comments yet. Be the first to comment. If you've visited this massage shop and wish to provide some feedback, send an e-mail to phil@phil.uk.net, or use the following form. Comments will be added anonymously.
Address: 26 Pasawang Road, Hat Yai, Songkhla, 90110
Telephone: +66 (0)74 238607
Mobile: +66 (0)85 670 4609
Map: Map 2
Latitude: N 07° 01' 13.0" (N 07° 01.216')
Longitude: E 100° 29' 30.6" (E 100° 29.510')
Google Maps: Street Map or Satellite View
Comments: I have often been told that the best masseuses in Thailand are blind. They 'see' with their hands and can sometimes sense problems intuitively that sighted masseuses aren't aware of.
Close-Up: Thailand's school for blind masseurs
This small shop has blind and sighted masseuses. In December 2017 I received an e-mail from a visitor to this site saying it is no longer there, but when I checked myself in January 2018 I found his information to be wrong. It is still there.
As you go along Phetkasem Road on the way out of Hat Yai you will see Hat Yai Commercial School on the right hand side. Opposite, on the left hand side of the road, is a branch of 7-Eleven on the corner of Pasawang Road. The massage shop is about 50 meters down this road on the right hand side.
I've called it the 'Blind Massage Shop', but the actual name appears to be 'Sook Siri'. Body massage is Bt150 per hour, foot massage Bt170, and hand massage Bt130. Massage with a hot poultice costs Bt350.
The name of one of the masseuses is Khun Santi. His mobile number is 085 670 4609 and you can call ahead to make an appointment. The shop is open from 08:00 until 20:00.
Customer Comments:
- Yes, it is. (January 2018)
- No longer there. (December 2017)
- The price is B150 now and just this afternoon the 7/11 down the corner closed. (January 2014)
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Address: Basement of Robinson Department Store
Mobile: +66 (0)83 616 0736
Map: Map 3
Latitude: N 07° 00' 14.6" (N 07° 00.243')
Longitude: E 100° 28' 08.5" (E 100° 28.141')
Google Maps: Street Map or Satellite View
Comments: This small massage shop is located inside Robinson Department Store in the basement adjacent to TOPS supermarket.
There are small massage shops in most of the large department stores. They aren't as private as the massage shops outside but they are cheaper.
The shop mostly caters for foot massage (shoppers have tired feet), but they can also do Thai massage. Both types of massage cost just Bt200, which is cheaper than most other places.
Customer Comments: No customer comments yet. Be the first to comment. If you've visited this massage shop and wish to provide some feedback, send an e-mail to phil@phil.uk.net, or use the following form. Comments will be added anonymously.
Address: 12/8 Pracharak Road, Hat Yai, Songkhla, 90110
Telephone: +66 (0)74 246777, 247188
Map: Map 2
Latitude: N 07° 00' 27.9" (N 07° 00.466')
Longitude: E 100° 28' 21.8" (E 100° 28.363')
Google Maps: Street Map or Satellite View
Comments: Golden Crown is a fairly recent hotel and its massage shop rooms are decorated tastefully. I've only been once and it was fine. If you have been and can offer some more information, your comments will be very welcome.
Thai massage (1 hour 45 mins): Bt300
Foot massage (1 hour): Bt300
Foot massage (2 hours): Bt500
Oil massage (2 hours): Bt700
Carawa is open from 8am until 10pm.
Customer Comments:
- I used to stay at both Golden Crown Plaza and Golden Crown Hotel, both owned by the same company. In the lobby of Golden Crown Plaza, the ladies from Cerawa have set up a foot massage area but you can visit their main shop beside The Golden Crown Hotel or just use the hotel in-house telephone, request what you need and in a few minutes, a lady will come to your room. Be careful as complaints were stated in Trip Advisor about some of them demanding extras even if the customer is a lady i.e stomach massage and for a man, the ping pong massage without a release.
I had an excellent lady by the name of Ah Pim who studied massage and can pin point my state of health just by feeling my veins.Sadly, she has left so I have stopped using this place. Unlike Grand Plaza massage ladies who can travel all over central Hat Yai to visit a customer's room for massage, I am sure these ladies covers only the two affore-mentioned hotels. It would be better to check them out in person. (October 2010)
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Address: 3 Sanehanusorn Road, Hat Yai, Songkhla, 90110
Map: Map 3
Latitude: N 07° 00' 20.9" (N 07° 00.348')
Longitude: E 100° 28' 16.9" (E 100° 28.282')
Google Maps: Street Map or Satellite View
Comments: Cenvaree is the in-house spa at the Centara hotel. By Hat Yai standards, this hotel is expensive and so is the spa. However, costs are relative and many foreign tourists would consider the prices a bargain.
It is located on the 7th floor of the hotel where there is also a swimming pool and fitness centre. The swimming pool and fitness centre are free for guests of the hotel, but there is a charge of Bt250 if you aren't staying at the hotel.
Spa services are not free, of course, even to hotel guests. However, hotel guests are entitled to a 10% discount. There are many different packages offered, as well as a special promotion each month. The special promotion is different each month.
To give you an idea of prices, a basic one hour Thai massage costs Bt1,171 and an oil massage Bt1,642. The head-to-toe package that takes about four-and-a-half hours costs Bt3,800. There are many other options within this price range.
The staff are very polite and the rooms tastefully decorated, comfortable, quiet and relaxing.
Customer Comments:
- At the higher end, we tried the Centara spa at Novotel 7th floor, cost about 3000bt for about 3 hours, include, scrub, wraps, oil massage.etc. Everything is good. The service, the place, the ambience, the only complaint is 'peng peng' (very expensive). but compare to Singapore 'may peng' (not expensive).
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Address: 251/1 Saengchan Road, Hat Yai, Songkhla, 90110
Telephone: +66 (0)74 354092, 354580-6
Mobile: +66 (0)89 876 1916
Map: Map 3
Latitude: N 07° 00' 14.4" (N 07° 00.240')
Longitude: E 100° 28' 22.5" (E 100° 28.375')
Google Maps: Street Map or Satellite View
Comments: This was the in-house massage shop belonging to the Cholatarn Hotel, but the hotel has closed and of course so has the massage shop.
Thai massage (2 hours): Bt300
Oil massage (2 hours): Bt700
No foot massage
Customer Comments:
- There were not many ladies working here and rate for 1 hour of oil massage was 300 baht and the manager sent a young but rather hard faced lady who was very forward with the offer of a ball massage for 400 baht which I then laughed as being too expensive. She then commented in thai that i was stingy.. anyway, so-so massage, i saw more matured ladies here so maybe they are better in giving a proper massage. the rooom that i was in was very clean and a shower room is also available after an oil massage. (April 2011)
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Address: 80/1, 80/2 Prachathipat Road, Hat Yai, Songkhla, 90110
Mobile: +66 (0)83 659 0238
Map: Map 3
Latitude: N 07° 00' 22.3" (N 07° 00.372')
Longitude: E 100° 28' 19.6" (E 100° 28.326')
Google Maps: Street Map or Satellite View
Comments: There is a plethora of beauty salons (raan serm sawuy) in the central tourist area around Lee Gardens Plaza. They all provide the same services.
They will cut your hair, wash your hair, dry your hair, dye your hair, cut your nails, and provide various other beauty treatments.
Most have a foot massage service and some also offer Thai and oil massages. It must be a lucrative business because shops are very expensive to rent in this area. I was told years ago that the cost of renting shops in the central tourist of Hat Yai is second only to prime tourist areas in Bangkok.
The salons open around 9am and although they publish closing times they will stay open for as long as tourists keep coming for massages and beauty treatments.
Christina is one such place, just a few yards away from Lee Gardens Plaza. The masseuses normally sit outside the front of the shop trying to sell their services to passing tourists. Inside is a row of comfy foot massage chairs.
I've been to this place a few times and the service is fine. If you are wearing long trousers, you can either roll your trousers up for a foot massage or ask to borrow a pair of shorts from the shop. Personally, I prefer the latter option.
gaang geng kaa sun = 'shorts' in Thai
Customer Comments: No customer comments yet. Be the first to comment. If you've visited this massage shop and wish to provide some feedback, send an e-mail to phil@phil.uk.net, or use the following form. Comments will be added anonymously.
Address: 717/17 Phetkasem Road, Hat Yai, Songkhla, 90110
Telephone: +66 (0)74 345491-5
Fax: +66 (0)74 345496
Map: Map 2
Latitude: N 07° 01' 11.1" (N 07° 01.185')
Longitude: E 100° 29' 13.8" (E 100° 29.230')
Google Maps: Street Map or Satellite View
Comments: The City Park hotel is yet another Hat Yai hotel that has its own in-house massage shop. The hotel is located next to Big C Extra (formerly Carrefour).
There aren't many tourists in this area and the staff seem to be desperate for customers. I only called in to find about prices but the woman didn't want to let me leave without giving me a massage. She then followed me out of the shop and stared to see where I was going while talking to her friend about me. I found her behaviour rude and slightly annoying.
Thai massage is Bt200 for two hours and oil massage is Bt300 for one hour. They don't have any foot massage chairs.
Customer Comments: No customer comments yet. Be the first to comment. If you've visited this massage shop and wish to provide some feedback, send an e-mail to phil@phil.uk.net, or use the following form. Comments will be added anonymously.
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