kenko fish spa therapy, my new favourite place in the whole hyoooniverse. here you sit in relaxed, simple splendour--all sunny and calm in the day, all moody and calm at night--with your legs immersed in warm waters up to your knees, like summertime on a dock of a country pond.
only you are in the middle of a kicka** shopping mall, in the heart of the golden triangle tourist and entertainment center of kuala lumpur.
and there are hundreds of tiny fish eating off the worst of your dead skin and callouses. wha-!!!
yeeeheeee! once you realize they are not there to eat you alive (although, seriously, at first you have to wonder, as they can be quite voracious), it is a very pleasant (dare i say mirthful?) experience. ticklish, tickly, nibbly, fish-lippy kisses. there are two sides to choose from--one has smaller fish, the other has much larger ones. however, the little fish can be more aggressive than the big ones, but um, you might just want to start with the smaller mouths just the same.
the fish--garra ruffa, more commonly known as doctor fish, more comically known as reddish log suckers--are native to the central and middle eastern parts of europe and western asia, and have long been bred and used in turkish spas as therapy for psoriasis sufferers as the fish eat the affected or dead skin, leaving new, healthier skin to grow. it isn't considered treatment, but i have to say as someone with mild psoriasis, my feet and skin have never felt better. true, a really good scrubdown is all that is really necessary, but a half hour as feeding fodder for the fishies is a far more entertaining option.
the fish--garra ruffa, more commonly known as doctor fish, more comically known as reddish log suckers--are native to the central and middle eastern parts of europe and western asia, and have long been bred and used in turkish spas as therapy for psoriasis sufferers as the fish eat the affected or dead skin, leaving new, healthier skin to grow. it isn't considered treatment, but i have to say as someone with mild psoriasis, my feet and skin have never felt better. true, a really good scrubdown is all that is really necessary, but a half hour as feeding fodder for the fishies is a far more entertaining option.
i recommend going in the morning, as there can be quite a crowd in the afternoon and nighttime. the water is changed out and ionized at night, so i figure the pools must be cleaner at in the a.m. (although you are required to clean and scrub your feet before entering the spa area--still), and the fish are definitely hungrier. you have been advised.
kenko reflexology and fish spa
pavilion,
168 jalan bukit bintang, lot 5.01.09 (5th floor, near gsc cinemas)
kl(039802) malaysia
tel: 603.2141.6651.
open 10am to 10pm, daily
5 comments:
6/18/2008 04:44:00 AM
Ahhh..!! you tried that too.. Santos.. :) awesome..!
6/18/2008 06:06:00 AM
What a fun experience for you!! I did this in Japan and you are right, it really does tickle! It is amazing how soft your skin feels after, isn't it?
6/18/2008 10:24:00 AM
That must be the strangest feeling! I think I'd be squealing... I have trouble just letting my cat lick my feet when I get out of the shower!
Hope all is well - I haven't talked with you in ages. I'm headed to New York first thing tomorrow, but will be back Thursday night. I'll try to get an email off to you soon and catch up - I haven't seen your little green light lately :)
6/19/2008 10:01:00 AM
There's a new aquarium in Manila that offers something similar, I didn't get a chance to try it out though, so now I think I should go back and get my feet fished.
6/20/2008 05:32:00 PM
mamabok, you have to try this, you'll love it.
ablykins, this was better than any pedicure i've ever had :)
cathy, ew, kitty, what's up with that? :) have a great time in nyc, i'll look for you online later.
mila, i am definitely going to try the one there. i hope they have the big fish.
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