The Amalaki Spa

Come here for the treatment, not the theater. This is a small Khlong Toei spa built around traditional Thai bodywork rather than the scented-candle, robe-and-slippers routine you get at hotel wellness centers. If your lower back has been complaining after a week of budget flights and long-tail boats, that's the kind of thing this place is set up for.

Don't arrive expecting a complex of pools and relaxation lounges. It's an intimate, focused operation, and that's the appeal. Wear or bring loose clothing you don't mind being stretched in, and give yourself a bit of time either side so you're not rushing out onto the road with your shoulders halfway back up around your ears. Late morning tends to be quieter than the after-work slot, which fills up fast in this part of the city.