Doi Saket

Tao Garden Health Spa and Resort, a healing center in the foothills of the Himalayas, is a forty-five-minute drive northeast of Chiang Mai, but it seems worlds away. When you arrive, the first thing you’ll notice is the utter quiet, thanks in part to the fact that there are no televisions or electronics here. Then you’ll see green—fifty acres of lush gardens and bonsai trees interwoven with impeccably manicured walking paths and huge brick guesthouses. The rooms are austere—a simple queen-size bed, desk, bath—but you don’t come here for luxury. Tao’s draw is its clinic’s massive list of ancient integrative treatments. And they are not for the wary. There’s a live blood analysis where a doctor screens your blood for plaque buildup and other ailments. We followed this with the Chi Nei Tsang abdominal detox massage. Heads up: This is not a relaxing treatment. It’s actually quite uncomfortable. The technician rolls and rubs your belly to break up blockages. But it’s worth it for how you feel afterward: lighter than air.