Spa

Spa

Our spa facility offers local traditional Lombok – Sasak – massages

SASAK MASSAGES

1-hour IDR300,000

We have two specialists – one male and one female – who specialise in Sasak Massages, but they differ in significant ways and between the two you have a great choice depending on your preference

Our technicians both come from Gili Gede and have had the Sasak technique passed down from generation to generation, as is the custom for the art of Sasak Massage:

Amat is a masseur who is also the island healer. A fisherman by trade, Amat, whose family have had an historic reputation as healers, is also the go-to man for all the locals when they are sick, hurt, fatigued or troubled. He feels ‘hot spots’ and identifies your problem areas without even being told where you have pain, illness, or muscle strain. Keeping his hands on your body almost the entire massage he combines skin rolling and pinching, acupressure, smooth firm stroking, connective tissue massaging, and lymphatic drainage. His pressure is firm, and on the feet quite hard, but he will apply the pressure he feels you need, whilst saying the few words he knows in English ‘hot’, ‘sorry’, ‘sick,’ to describe why he is massaging the way he is. For the most part Amat needs 1 1/2 hours to work on your body – however if you really only want one hour you need to make this clear on reservation.

Annie is a rarity, as Sasak Massage is normally passed from men to men, however she has had it passed down to her through her grandfathers and father. Her technique is more soothing and calming, with rhythmic skin rolling, kneading and pinching; gentle acupressure, connective tissue work and lymphatic drainage and you walk away with a wonderful feeling of relaxation.

Given that these two locals have such an inherent ability, we do not want to ruin this by trying to train them in any way to conform to Western standards. So at times you may need to readjust the sarong around yourself on your own and replace the mattress-hole for the face with the cushion provided; at other times they may do it for you. But we prefer to leave them to do what they do best – provide a true, traditional, Sasak experience.

The Sasak people live mainly on the island of Lombok and its surrounding small islands, and number around 3.6 million (85% of Lombok’s population). They are related to the Balinese in language and race, although the Sasak are predominantly Muslim while the Balinese are Hindu