Everyone loves a good massage. The ultimate for me is a Thai Yoga massage, where limbs are bent,…read moreall corners of the body are stretched, and the relief from the intensity is second to none. I have to admit I wasn't expecting much from Thai Zone; a newish massage spot on the second floor in the Rose Mansion amid the chaos of TST, but it was what I was hoping for: clean, affordable, authentically Thai, and above all, very satisfying.
This area of Kowloon is fairly dodgy, but surprisingly Thai Zone's facilities are anything but. The floors were redone and super shiny, the odor in the room had this tart incense like aroma, and the massage chairs were comfy. The owner, Murphy was quick to greet with a cup of Thai tea, which was lukewarm fruity blend of something wonderful. By the end of my session, I had no less than 10 mini cups of it. I think I could drink it all day.
We started off with a change into flexible pajamas and then a 45 minute foot massage, which was done by one of the Thai masseuses. While grinding the gears of my feet, she was able to converse in a variety of languages, which was mighty impressive. I won't lie, the foot and subsequent leg massage was incredibly intense to where I had to bite a towel for a minute or two, but I was assured this was normal and supposedly better for loosening up the muscles. The rule of thumb is to bear the pain and embrace the comfort after the fact.
Then it was off to the races with the back/body massage. I was always used to Thai massages being conducted on a floor mat than a massage bed, but it didn't matter: She got me in poses that would make any yoga warrior proud. The one that provided the most relief was one where her feet were on my back, her arms were pulling my arms and soon my back responded with a series of clicks that were chiropractor worthy. There were moments where I nearly fell asleep.
It's only a matter of time before I visit this gem again, especially when the joints are feeling stiff and the knots are invading again. Lastly, call ahead of time for 10pm or later visits and be sure to bring cash as they don't accept credit card yet. A little gratuity never hurts for the masseuses and drink all the tea that you can!