Enjoy New Zealand Spas and Natural Remedies
New Zealand spas and their all-natural treatments offer an authentic way to relax after a day of hiking, kayaking, skiing, cycling, or boating in the beautiful outdoors.
New Zealand spas offer a hands-on way to experience New Zealand’s natural wonders. Several spas throughout this clean green country use products made from local plants, honey, and – even – clay in wonderful massage therapies, body treatments, facials, and treats for hands and feet.
I made this discovery after a long hike in the Bay of Islands region north of Auckland. My sore muscles sought serious pampering and found it in an unlikely location on State Highway 10 in Kerikeri, a town of less than 10,000 people.
Here, more than 25 years ago, Suzanne Hall started making skincare products based on New Zealand’s naturally beneficial ingredients. Now, Living Nature has grown from a kitchen-table business to a successful company with customers worldwide.
In this all natural country, it’s not surprising that New Zealand spas use all natural ingredients.
My facial included a warm manuka honey exfoliating mask. While it worked its magic, my therapist explained that honey has been used for centuries for skin health and beauty. “It’s a hero ingredient that moisturizes and promotes healing,” she said, “because it’s anti-bacterial and contains vitamins, amino acids, and minerals.”
More local ingredients were included in the luxurious pedicure. I’ve often seen orange and yellow calendula blooming in San Diego, my hometown, but never realized that these daisylike flowers contain vitamins A and C, plus flavanoids – all good for soothing pain and promoting healing. My tootsie treat also included locally-harvested kelp and sea salt. In addition, Living Nature uses Halloysite clay to absorb skin pollutants and to exfoliate, flax extract for firming, and macadamia oil for moisturizing.
More New Zealand spas – North Island
The hot water in the pools at the Waiwera Thermal Resort north of Auckland comes out of an underground aquifer at about 130° and has to be cooled before it goes into the pools. The Waiwera Infinity Spa tucked away in a quiet corner of the property offers eight private natural mineral spa pools and a range of hands-on treatments.
New Zealanders also use mud in therapeutic treatments. The Polynesian Spa in Rotorua is an historic healing center with 27 hot mineral pools. Specialties here include Rotorua Thermal Mud treatments and a deliciously gooey detoxifying mud wrap. The mineral-rich mud helps to cleanse and rejuvenate the skin, as well as relax muscles made sore by New Zealand’s plethora of adventure activities.
New Zealand spas – like this one in Rotorua – are a great way for authentic travelers to connect with the natural environment.
The Polynesian Spa uses New Zealand-made, all natural skincare products. Some of these are from Skin Deep, which shares Living Nature’s passion for manuka honey and essential oil and also incorporates kanuka oil. Plantogen products include manuka honey, Rotorua geothermal clay, botanical extracts, and green tea. Evolu Botanical Skincare is another all-natural line. Here the key ingredient, pure NZ spring water, is blended with vitamin-rich substances such as kiwifruit extract and sweet almond oil for hydrating.
New Zealand spas – South Island
I also enjoyed a great Vichy Aqua treatment, a natural sea salt exfoliation, and a seaweed mask at Wisteria Day Spa in Hanmer Springs, 90 minutes north of Christchurch.
Hamner Springs is one of the more popular New Zealand spas in the South Island.
Hanmer Springs is best known for its beautiful Thermal Reserve, where visitors congregate to soak in a dozen pools of geothermal water. While all are relaxing, the pools of untreated sulfur-rich water are especially beneficial for folks with achy joints and arthritis. The indigenous Maori people have used therapeutic warm mineral water to heal themselves for centuries.
New Zealand spas make it easy to stay healthy and relaxed in New Zealand In fact, it’s the natural thing to do.
Enjoy!
Category: Mind and Spirit, New Zealand
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>I read this article and saw the photo at the beginning of your article and I thought "I need this!!" Lovely thanks!
>Nice info you have here. The header of this post caught my attention. Everyone should consider "health" when traveling.
You can't really enjoy your travel if you're not feeling well.
For New Zealand travelers, you should take time to relax and rejuvinate at one of Rotorua's mud pools. Getting there is easy in your own rental car.
>Been there sightseeing only–now I must go back and indulge!
>It helps to relax various parts of your body. This is to rejuvenate the health.
>This sounds amazing. It will be worth the experience indeed to go to these places in New Zealand for some natural healing therapy.
>I was so happy coming here, i love to keep healthy using natural things, this was very interesting and am sure i will hit New Zealand soon! thanks once agin! Lisa