Thai Touch owner Orasa. Photo/George Novak.
The hottest new beauty, health and wellbeing trend in the Bay is in fact not new at all - it's more than 2000 years old.
On Princes Ave off the main drag of Maunganui Rd, there's an open door and stairwell with statues of two spirit guardians looking down on those who pass by who "help good things happen", and walk up the stairs and you will find two "sawas dee ka" - traditional Thai statues to welcome and farewell people.
This is Thai Touch, recently opened in the Mount and causing a flurry of interest for those wanting to experience a different type of massage.
Its owner Orasa - who has been offering Thai massage in Tauranga since 2014 in an Avenues house, surrounded by a subtropical garden - has opened her second venue due to sheer demand. Both studios are open seven days a week until 10pm and have a constant stream of clients.
"People often realise they need a massage now. We are open seven days a week and we have therapists in the studio ready to take walk-in customers.
"We also provide a number of products that are helpful for health. Our hot herbal balls help free tight muscles, especially for people coming in from cold homes and offices through the months of winter."
Orasa, a former Kiwi fruit packer in Tauranga who came to Tauranga from Thailand 10 years ago, said she noticed a gap in the Bay for the type of spas in Bangkok. She trained at Wat Pho Medical School in Bangkok, learning about the anatomy and traditional Thai massages.
"This school has been the centre of Thai massage and medicine for hundreds of years. I made several visits to Thailand, eventually completing every Thai massage course available at the medical school."
Orasa brings massage therapists from Thailand too, all of whom have learned Thai massage at the focused Thai massage schools in Thailand.
"Two of them were actually teachers at one of the schools in Chiang Mai before they joined Thai Touch."
Orasa said she selects her therapists as much for their personality as their massage skills.
Recent scientific studies have confirmed that Thai massage can reduce chronic pain including headaches by up to 80 per cent and for nearly four months.
"We select our therapists for empathy, so important for you as an individual client.
They can be gentle enough for the frailest of our older clients. And they are all strong enough to deal with most demanding of athletes. All of them have experienced many years with traditional Thai massage techniques in top quality spas."
So what exactly is Thai massage?
Thai massage is a healing practice more than 2000 years old with influences from India, China and other parts of southeast Asia.
Therapists stretch and apply pressure to your body to manipulate "sen" - the "air" or "wind" that moves through your body.
A Thai massage therapist uses fingers, hands, elbows, arms, legs and feet to position the body and to apply stretches or pressure. A full Traditional Thai massage can last up to two hours, following a standard pattern of attention to different parts of the body.
e and oil massage. The Traditional Thai massage uses no oil - it is dry. Clients describe it as being a bit like doing yoga lying down in which the therapist stretches your body and does all of the work for you.
This frees locked joints and muscles in spasm. Our oil massage has a more flowing style and works on trigger points that release muscle spasm. Clients who have been to Thailand often ask if we will walk or use feet on their backs - it can be very helpful for tight backs.
We can certainly do this but only after taking into account what is best for the client."
Thai massage has particular benefits for women, says Orasa.
"It enhances relaxation, mood, circulation and flexibility. It can reduce stress and this can be particularly helpful for women in menopause. We help pregnant mothers-to-be to relax, prepare their bodies for birthing and recover after their baby arrives."
However, its growing appeal also lies in the fact that it appeals to couples and families.
Both studios have couples' rooms.
People are also turning to Thai massage as alternate medicine.
"Thai massage can resolve acute problems with muscle spasm such as back or neck pain and frozen shoulder. Recent scientific studies have confirmed that Thai massage can reduce chronic pain including headaches by up to 80 per cent and for nearly four months.
It reduces muscle tension, makes clients less anxious and reduces indicators of stress.
Since opening our Mount studio, we've had a steady stream of walkers, runners and cyclists and other athletes visiting our team."
Orasa said increasingly she is working with people challenged by occupational over-use.
And, of course, a key benefit is relaxation, not just from the massage itself but the whole experience when you step into the studio, you take off your shoes and get a foot bath.
Afterwards, tea is served in the tea room. Another trend is people coming in groups - such as a girls' get together. The large rooms and spacious tea room mean it can be an alternative to a girls' night out, women instead treating themselves to massage and catch up with girlfriends afterwards in the tea room.
Orasa says once someone experiences Thai massage, it becomes intuitive to incorporate it into your regular maintenance.
"Thai massage tunes up both mind and body. We have clients who value coming weekly, fortnightly and monthly. In the short term, many clients come a couple of times a week as they start to work on a health challenge."
The site houses Noel Leeming, Animates, Elite Fitness, and Chemist Warehouse.