Good Spa By Name, Good Spa By Nature

Good Spa is the most advanced facility offering therapeutic treatments on the South Coast of Sri Lanka.  Operating from the picturesque and serene banks of the Polwatta River, they provide an astute professional service offered by members of the local community.  Having just celebrated one year since opening, the blissful backdrop, beautiful decor and fantastic hospitality sounds idyllic but the reality of running such a business in Sri Lanka comes with its own unique set of challenges.

What you’ll find at Good Spa

Local staff have been trained by osteopathic doctors in order to deliver massage therapy of the highest quality.  The atmosphere has been carefully engineered to produce an aura of calm and relaxation. It’s not a place where one will ever feel rushed or unwelcome.  Many guests will come for a massage and stay for many hours after to soak up the natural beauty of the place and enjoy a spot designed for maximum chilling.  The cafe also serves a range of wholesome and healthy treats to reinvigorate the mind, body and soul. A trip to Good Spa is not an appointment, it’s an experience.

Breaking the Taboo

In 2017, the Economist published an article estimating the potential for Sri Lanka’s wellness industry to be worth $1 billion dollars.  Converting that potential, however, requires confronting the unsavoury image of a ‘traditional Sri Lankan massage parlour’.

Without knowing the dark truth, a tourist might innocently ask a tuk-tuk driver to take them to the nearest massage parlour and be mortified when they find themselves at a brothel.

In Colombo, the problem is starting to be tackled head-on.  Over 25 brothels masquerading as ‘massage parlours’ have been closed down in the last year but changing people’s perspective is the greater challenge.  Local female staff learning to become professional massage therapists will often have to hide the truth of their occupation from family members for fear of misrepresented reprisals.  The stigma attached to offering massages is deep-rooted and extremely damaging to the ambitions of young ladies trying to develop a professional acumen for a brighter future.

Most large businesses offering spa treatments have opted for the easy way out by hiring foreigners as therapists. Good Spa trains local women so that they can gain internationally recognised professional qualifications and the opportunity to work abroad; something that many tourists in Sri Lanka can easily take for granted.

Good Spa by Nature

The location of the spa is simply stunning.  Set on the banks of the Polwatta Ganga, at the point where it reaches its estuary and streams out into the expanse of the Indian Ocean, the image is as idyllic and serene as a tropical paradise should be.  Again, this presents it’s own challenges. By nestling Good Spa in a quiet area, it’s accessibility has been somewhat compromised. Like an oasis of calm, the determined traveller will find his peace. Getting more tourists to make the journey is a different issue entirely.