From street massage to luxury retreats - which Thai spa experience is for you

With fingertips as soft as chamois, yet probably strong enough to loosen wheel-nuts, the masseuse sets to work on my back. An hour drifts towards infinity as my shoulder knots turn to noodles.

Thai massage continues to evolve, with its options now ranging from the basics to body wraps, hot stones, herbal infusions and much more. Let's investigate a few.

A destination spa is a live-in wellness retreat that specialises in focused therapies. I start at the top, at Chiva Som ("Haven of Life") Hua Hin on the Gulf of Thailand. The minimum stay at this upmarket, 54-suite beachfront retreat is three nights, starting at $2740 including treatments.

A consultant proposes a program for me from among 200 non-invasive treatments. Mine includes a Chi Nei Tsang gut massage, balneo (bathing) therapy, super stretch and several massages. Along with these, I can choose activities like neurobic (brain training) exercise, pilates, yoga and more.

Chiva Som, Thailand's first destination spa is currently celebrating its 30th year in wellness. "Where healing begins" is the motto but equally importantly, naff marketing terms like "indulgence" and "decadence" are not heard here. Recently-added programs include epigenetics, hyperbaric oxygen and sleep health therapies. Its 2.7-hectare beachside location is more than a bonus. Water cures, including sea immersion, were the origins of the word SPA - sanus per aquam, meaning health through water. I make a point of hitting the ocean between my structured treatments.

House rule: "No phones or devices in public areas." The policy helps guests to digitally detox, regrettably too briefly. The seafront restaurant takes up the task of dining detox. Its organic Thai and international meals, calibrated for minimal fat content are aroi - delicious - and never mung bean boring. At times I crave a bit more. Seconds are served. Your time at Chiva-Som is underpinned by healthy eating and sleeping - natural "cures" in themselves. This is an investment of time, money and character, with the dividend being a mind and body re-set, if (as I remind myself) one follows through. A spa manager once told me, "The test of a great treatment is how good you feel hours later." Days later I still feel great. chivasom.com

Thailand has scores of day spas, often located at tourist destinations and in resorts. In general, the therapists are highly trained and facilities are often state-of-the-art. The most effective treatments will last several hours. Avani Spa, an oasis beside Bangkok's Chao Phraya River is part of the Anantara Riverside resort. I'm here for a 2.5-hour, combo of Thai massage and Cannabis Stress Release Journey ($204 plus taxes). For the massage pressure, I request "strong" and the masseuse maintains it throughout with consistent pressure from her elbows and thumbs.

Next comes a 90-minute rub-down with warm, cannabis-infused compresses. This is low-strength, 0.2 per cent CBD cannabis - so no "tangerine trees and marmalade skies" trip-outs. The masseuse alternates applying the compresses with repeated massage cycles, from head to toe. As with any decent massage, I drift sleepwards, but on this occasion I melt like a Salvador Dali watch on a Phuket beach. Something in those compresses? And then I hear a gentle, "Wake up, sir. Massage finished."

Day spas offer options including couples sessions, four-hands massage, detox, essential oils and hot stones. Some sound so esoteric, featuring coffee scrubs, Himalayan salt, cloves and honey that you think you're reading a breakfast menu. When in doubt, skip the daffy stuff and go for the house "signature" treatment, based on Thai massage. Deep tissue and pressure points are the focus. Surrender. Let time evaporate, along with your tensions. Step up: when asked what pressure you want, say, "Strong". anantara.com

There are thousands of licensed, street-front massage shops across the country. Popular with tourists but also Thais, their treatments range from manicures, facials and foot massage to, of course, Thai and oil techniques. I've had excellent shop massages from well-trained therapists, costing a fraction of the day spa or resort price.

To choose your shop, firstly check the treatment and price menu. Avoid the cheap dives. They're neither skilled nor thorough. Standards will vary in terms of expertise and facilities but don't be swayed by all the aroma oils and floral tributes. I once heard a veteran operator growl, "A good spa is never about how many orchids you can arrange on a towel."

Chances are that your therapist studied at Bangkok's Wat Pho temple, home to not only the famous Reclining Buddha but the 70-year-old Thai Traditional Massage School. Massage, as taught here, is included in UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list. The school clinic offers massages from $20 a session. watpomassage.com

Footnote: My best, quick-fix Thai treatment is still the great free sea spa: wave massage, saltwater scrub and infinite think tank, all in one.

The writer travelled at his own expense with support from Chiva Som Hua Hin and Anantara Riverside Bangkok resorts.