The notion of traditional healing may conjure up images of a rustic hut, perhaps a shaman, and possibly being caught in the rain in a muddy farmer’s yard. At the Pandan Wangi Spa at Komaneka Monkey Forest, you can experience all the natural goodness of traditional healing remedies in circumstances of quiet luxury.

Pandan Wangi Spa is named for the sweet-smelling pandan plant, an ingredient used in Balinese offerings. Wangi means ‘fragrant’, a reference to the heady scent of spices used in the spa treatments. The spa villa is a stand-alone two-story building of recycled timber shaded by the mature gardens of Komaneka at Monkey Forest.

Here you can find traditional treatments such as Balinese massage, a technique that combines acupressure and Shiatsu techniques, carried out by expert spa therapists using aromatherapeutic oils made especially for Komaneka.

Lulur is a body-scrub treatment originating in the royal courts of ancient Java. Raw rice is ground with aromatic spices and applied as a paste to leave the skin smooth, supple, and fragrant. The local Balinese variant is called boreh, a particularly warming and soothing treatment.

Not to be missed is the traditional Cream Bath, which is in fact a hair treatment. The 60-minute session comprises a long massage of the scalp with a herbal cream of avocado, aloe vera, and ginseng, followed by a steam treatment and finishing with a relaxing massage of the head, neck, and shoulders.

At each Komaneka Spa: Pandan Wangi Spa, Akar Wangi Spa, Tirta Wangi Spa, Wana Jiwa Spa you will be treated like a royal guest from start to finish, refreshed with herbal beverages, and lulled by the sound of fountains. Tradition was never so luxurious.