ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author focuses on the most eye-catching manifestation of this New Asian lifestyle: the tropical spa. Early 2005 saw the publication of Erlinda Enriquez Panlilio and Felice Prudente Sta. Maria’s book Slow Food: Philippine Culinary Traditions, which not coincidentally is dedicated to the founder of the Manila chapter of the International Wine and Food Society. Although the idea of the spa is a modern import from the West, Asian societies have long been familiar with the healing qualities of water, especially springs. The tropical spa is the place where ideas of a cosmopolitan lifestyle, eco-chic, and Asianism merge. Tropical spas include Bali’s pioneering Nusa Dua Spa, founded in 1994, where twenty-six therapists perform approximately eighty therapies a day. An important aspect of spa culture is the way the spa is turned into a part of a wider natural setting. Resorts are often located at scenic spots and are carefully designed in accordance with the natural surroundings.
