Under stress? How about these tried and tested solutions? 1. Hug a tree. 2. Get out amongst nature. 3. Have a massage. Or, if you’re visiting Canberra, you could do all three in the same afternoon, via a visit to Jindii Eco Spa.
The spa’s location within the grounds of the Australian National Botanic Gardens means communing with nature is not just easy; it’s part of the package.
Most visitors come for a massage or a facial, although wraps, buffs and milk baths all appear on the extensive spa menu. Reminders of the bush location are dotted throughout, thanks to ingredients like lemon myrtle, wild hibiscus, mulga brushwood and Australian oils, which feature in many of the spa’s offerings.
It’s almost guaranteed a treatment will be relaxing when it’s your feet getting some TLC before the main show, so start with the Native Fusion massage ($135). After a gently exfoliating macadamia polish, your feet will pad (or even float) their way to the nearby massage table where you’ll lie, face down, to complete the 50-minute treatment.
Next up is a short cleansing ritual, where lemon and aniseed myrtle (both used traditionally for energy clearing) are wafted above your weary body. Finally, the main event: hot native herbal poultices pressed gently over the body between traditional massage strokes.
If for some reason, this heavenly concoction doesn’t sound like your bag, you may be in the market for something slightly more active. In that case, try the onsite yoga classes – some are even held outdoors in the gardens themselves, so you can feel the grass between your toes as you flow.
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