"Outstanding Places to Receive a Topnotch Massage"  

   Here are some really cool spas to visit, according to me. Keep in mind, though, that they're not all exactly "spas" in the strictest sense of the word. If you do visit some of them, you might end up in a huge hot pool in the forest surrounded by wild deer and naked hippies. But hey, it could be worse... 
 

 
 

Harbin Hot Springs -- Middletown, California  Well, OK, this spot is not for everyone. There are, after all, dozens of naked hippies walking around, seemingly oblivious to the fact that there are lots of other people in close proximity who are not naked hippies. Harbin can indeed feel like a throwback to the sixties or seventies, but the sublime waters gushing from the underground spring are more than enough to make up for the funky surroundings. Take turns dipping your body (naked or not, no one will judge you) into the hot spring and then the cold stream for some intense stimulation before heading into the massage center for your hour and a half appointment with bliss.  PO Box 782, Middletown, California 95461, (707) 987-2477, www.harbin.org

Esalen Institute -- Big Sur, California  This is the only spot to make it onto both the top-ten schools list and the top-ten massage spots lists. This place deserves it. Some people say that the consciousness of the entire planet has been shifted in a positive direction by people who receive massages on Esalen's deck overlooking the Pacific. Here, a bunch of talented, sensitive people practice a form of massage that is meant to fine tune your body and your awareness to entirely new level. And you experience the whole thing while listening to the majestic fury of the Pacific Ocean pounding the rocks hundreds of feet below. I think you should go there and check it out.  Highway 1, Big Sur, California (408) 667-3000, www.esalen.org

Little Palm Island -- Little Torch Key, Florida  If you're in the Florida Keys and you're searching for a secluded resort on its own private island where you can receive a massage in a mangrove tree house, then Little Palm Island is probably the place for you. This is Gilligan's Island gone upscale, with about two dozen thatched-roof bungalows, a pool, a bar, water sports, and an incredible gourmet restaurant. What else do you need?  28500 Overseas Highway, Little Torch Key, FL 33042, (800) 343-8567, www.littlepalmisland.com

Spa of the Rockies -- Manitou Springs, Colorado  This is a little-bitty place, but it has a big heart, and it's really cool. You can find it up a side street in the old mining town of Manitou Springs, near Colorado Springs and spectacular Garden of the Gods Park. Try to visit in the winter so you can soak outside beneath the chilly night sky in a big hot tub then come inside to the sauna where your therapist joins you, beats you with wet oak branches, and covers you with organic honey before leading you to the massage room. Now I call that service!  1 Crystal Park Road, Manitou Springs, Colorado 80809, (719) 685-1198

Kohala Spa -- Kona, Hawaii  Ever wanted to receive a therapeutic massage from a native Hawaiian healer in preparation for a swim with the dolphins in a natural lagoon pool immediately outside the massage room door? Me too. Well, the Koala spa is where you can do just that, and you can also enjoy the amenities at one of the Earth's finer resorts. This could be one of the greatest things you may ever experience, in the realm of massage or any other realm.  425 Waikoloa Beach Drive, Kona, Hawaii 96738, (808) 886-1234, www.kohalaspa.com

The Peaks -- Telluride, Colorado  Swoosh down the slopes in this incredible alpine valley, straight into the embrace of a topnotch luxury spa where a squadron of massage pros wait to take care of you. Telluride's a lovely place in the summer too. The only downside to receiving a massage here is that you may be lying down for an hour with your eyes closed instead of out exploring the spectacular countryside.  PO Box 2702, Telluride, Colorado 81435, (800) 789-2220, www.thepeaksresort.com

Green Valley Spa --  St. George, Utah  Just a two-hour drive from gaudy Vegas, Green Valley is a true oasis in the Utah desert -- a magical place. To receive your massage, you enter a womb-like inner chamber where it's hard to tell if you're inside or outside. All the ingredients used on your skin are plucked by hand from the surrounding hills, and every detail of the environment is chosen to create a special experience, down to the color of the fruit in the water you drink. I personally cannot say enough good things about this place.  1871 West Canyon View Drive, St. George, Utah 84770, (800) 237-1068, www.ishopper.com/greenvalley

Enchantment -- Sedona, Arizona  This is one place I'm almost reluctant to name because it's such a special secret hideaway, but since you were kind enough and smart enough to buy this book I suppose you deserve to find out about it. First, go to Sedona, a small town two hours north of Phoenix, Arizona. Then follow Boynton Canyon Road a few miles out of town where you enter a spectacular valley sacred to the Native Americans who once lived in cliff dwellings there. The massage you receive in the spa is more than a massage. Be prepared for an exchange of energy between you, the therapist, and the powerful vibrations of the canyon itself. It's filled with something mystical.  525 Boynton Canyon Road, Sedona, Arizona 86336, 800-826-4180, www.arizonaguide.com/enchantment

Ten Thousand Waves -- Santa Fe, New Mexico  Besides offering a long list of very talented massage therapists on staff, Ten Thousand Waves gives you that all-too-rare opportunity, a chance to wear a kimono in public! Yes, they hand you a kimono when you check in at the desk. Next, you're off to the lockers, then out to a clothing-optional hot tub environment which is surrounded by breathtaking mountain scenery. After saunas and soaking, your therapist takes you to a light-filled chamber for some high-quality bodywork. As an added bonus, you can head into Santa Fe afterwards for some of the best green chili on the planet.  3451 Hyde Park Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501, (505) 992-5000, www.primenet.com/spareporter/waves.htm

Nemacolin Woodlands Resort & Spa -- Farmington, Pennsylvania  Tucked away between silos and cow pastures in the Laurel Highlands out near West Virginia, you will find a surprisingly beautiful place called Nemacolin Woodlands Spa that would be considered a jewel in even the most exclusive areas. The newly renovated spa was designed by the well known artist Clodagh, who has created more of a spiritual experience than a building. Within its walls you'll discover an opportunity to commune with the harmonious elements that have been brought together -- water and wood, stone and light, sophistication and earthiness. Once you're thoroughly relaxed in these surroundings, request to receive your massage from a therapist who's been on staff for a few years, long enough to have been trained by one of the country's premier massage instructors, Bob King. Nemacolin flew Mr. King in for a special private training, which is indicative of the way they do just about everything -- first class.  1001 LaFayette Drive, Farmington, Pennsylvania 15437, (800) 422-2736, www.nemacolin.com

 
 
 

   Spas outside the U.S. are perhaps even more fun to go to than those in the U.S., because they're so much more exotic, at least if you live in the suburbs of Cleveland... 
 

Wat Po Temple -- Bangkok, Thailand  If you're in Bangkok, just ask anybody where Wat Po is, and they may be able to tell you. It's kind of hard to miss sprawling temples with massive golden Buddhas, right? The massage you receive there has a reputation of being "intense," but in a good way, of course. And it won't be in a darkened private room with flute music playing, like you may expect, but in an open public pavilion with several beds all together, and you wear loose-fitting clothing. And be warned, the massage is so wonderful, and the price so affordable, you may end up here for hours!

Camp Eden -- Currumbin Valley, Queensland, Australia  If you don't mind getting a leech stuck on your big toe, as I did when running the fitness course through the rain forests of lush Camp Eden, then you may surely enjoy a visit to this remote-yet-close health retreat. Camp Eden is near Surfer's Paradise along the East coast of Australia, where the weather is lovely, the people magnificent, and the massage therapists' fingers as strong as those of a man wrapping his hand around a can of Foster's lager after a long day herding sheep in the outback.  Currumbin Creek Road, Currumbin Valley, Queensland, Australia, 4223, Tel. 61 (7) 5533 0333 or (800) 074 157, www.campeden.com.au

Casa del Sol -- Cuernavaca, Mexico  Ethereal beings clad in white escort you through a complex of buildings constructed of the most natural materials available: clay, wood and stone. You are ushered into inner chambers for your massage, which is more than a massage, because at the same time you are surrounded by the philosophy of Mision del Sol, which attempts to bring your internal environment into total harmony with an ecologically balanced external environment. The end result, hope the resort's owners, is to increase human consciousness to a universal level. At the very least, you get a killer massage.  Av. Gral. Diego Diaz Gonzalez #31, Col. Parres, 62550 Cuernavaca, Mexico, tel. 52 (73) 21-0999, toll free 01-800-999-9100, www.misiondelsol.com.mx

Spiritual Massage -- Angela Moraes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil If you happen to be in Rio de Janeiro and you want a spiritual experience, call Angela Moraes, who offers something called Massagem Espiritual, which is Portuguese for spiritual massage. You may not know this, but Brazilians are famous for their spiritual inclinations, as well as their more, um, worldly inclinations. Just being in Rio is a kind of spiritual experience in itself. Call Angela to make it extra special. She has a healing center in a gorgeous area near mountains, beaches, and forests, but still right in the city. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, tel. 5521 274-5195, email: solgavea@mandic.com.br

Charlie's Spa at San Souci -- Ocho Rios, Jamaica This is the place to go if you're the type who would like to receive a massage in a picturesque little gazebo out at the end of a walkway surrounded on all sides by the aquamarine waters of the Caribbean. All the while you hear faint strains of reggae music wash up from the distant beach bar and a giant sea turtle named Charlie floats effortlessly by in a nearby fresh water grotto. If you're not the type who would like this experience, definitely don't call this spa. Box 103, Ocho Rios, Jamaica, (800) 203-7456

Amandari -- Bali, Indonesia So, say you're bored. And you have an extra $25,000 or so burning a hole in your pocket. Why not come to Bali and live for several weeks at the incredible Amandari Resort? Locals believe the area to be a spiritual place, with nearby paths meandering through the jungle valley down to a sacred pool. While you're there, you can partake in the spiritual atmosphere yourself during a one-hour Amandari massage. During this sublime procedure, you will recline beneath a thatched-hut structure out by the tranquil lotus pool while being anointed with indigenous Indonesian oils by a highly skilled native practitioner. It doesn't get much better than this anywhere on Earth. Kedewatan, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, tel. 011 62 361 975333, www.amanresorts.com/dari_m.html

Les Thermes Marins -- Monte Carlo, France If you're feeling kind of Ritzy, put your Ray Bans on, hop in your yacht, and head to Monte Carlo for Les Thermes Marins, a spa with a sea view. And it's not only a view you get, but sea therapy as well. After a soak in a natural seawater bath, request an hour-long massage before heading out to the casinos for the evening. This retreat has been called "the most luxurious thalassotherapy center, or seawater spa, in the world," but the price for a full day including four treatments won't drain your bank account. 2 Ave de Monte Carlo, BP 215, Monte Carlo, France, 98004, tel. 377-92-16-40-40

Spa Deus --  Chianciano, Italy If you come under the spell of the Tuscan sun and can't wait to start your Italian getaway but don't know where to begin and would like to get a massage while you're thinking about it anyway, definitely book an appointment at Spa Deus. They offer a good blend of European and American philosophies, and if you ever tire of the fine massages and healthy lifestyle choices there you can head out in your rented Fiat for a little tour of the magnificent countryside. Via Le Piane 35 - 53042, Chianciano (SI) Italy, 39-(0) 578-63232, www.spadeus.it

Javana Spa -- Jakarta, Indonesia Up in the cool hills outside of hectic Jakarta, you find a tranquil, spectacular place -- Javana Spa. The altitude (1,200 meters) makes for fresh air and a feeling of escape from the humid tropical world of mere mortals below. Hike through forests to hidden waterfalls, then head back to the spa for your massage that includes natural oils and ingredients found right on this Pacific island. If you're feeling brave, ask for their traditional Indonesian massage, an intense experience that is "not for the faint of heart" as one resort official put it. Also, make sure to book your appointment in one of the rooms facing out toward the rainforest. The lush sights and sounds of tropical wildlife provide an exotic backdrop for your experience. Plaza Bisnis Kemang, Building 2, Kemang, Jakarta, 121730, Indonesia, tel. 011 62 21 719-8327, www.javanaspa.com

La Mamounia -- Marrakech, Morocco This resort, often described as the best hotel in Northern Africa, was the haunt of Winston Churchill, and it was one of the few places where he felt serene and removed enough from world affairs to practice his favorite pastime, watercolor painting. To receive your massage, you enter the hamam, or Turkish bath. There an entire ceremony takes place in a beautiful white marbled, Moorish tiled steam room which is perfumed with natural, delicately boiled, herbs. You're scrubbed with a natural paste, then bathed and toweled before the massage, which is also done in the steam room. The whole process takes about 2 hours, and afterwards you may feel like a character out of a romantic international novel. Avenue Bab Jdid, Marrakech, Morocco, (212-4) 44-89-81, fax (212-4) 44-46-60, www.mamounia.com