Page 156 - EBOOK_Jamu: The Ancient Indonesian Art of Herbal Healing

In Indonesia, particularly over the past 10 years or so, the spa boom has

been phenomenal. With a focus on spiritual harmony and natural (not
pharmaceutical or clinical) treatments, Indonesian spas offer varieties of
‘mindful’ nourishment—inner and outer beauty and health ritual. It is only
natural, therefore, that jamu is also offered. Some spas are run by major jamu
producers; others by specialist agencies that have agreed to use specific
products; yet others are smaller outfits with just one or two masseurs.

Bali, Indonesia’s major tourist destination, offers the visitor a multitude of
spa options. Many small hotels, and almost all the larger five-star resorts, have
their own spas. Worthy of mention is the spa at Hotel Tugu, a 26-suite type of
‘museum boutique hotel’ that is overflowing with the owner’s collection of
antiques. The owner’s wife, Dr Wedya Julianti, runs the spa and was responsible
for devising the treatment menu of bespoke herbal potions and old-style beauty
routines. Specialities include honey face lifting, burnt rice stalks or merang to

treat grey hair, yoghurt for washing and raw eggs and candlenuts for other
therapies. Two other jamu spa companies operating in Bali are Jamu Traditional
Spa, KulKulBali, and Jamu-Jamu Traditional Health and Beauty Spas. Both use
recipes handed down from generations of Indonesian women, and offer one-off