1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #254 - Bhutanese Hot Stone Bath, Paro

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #254

- Bhutanese Hot Stone Bath, Paro

 

(Isn't this a must-have treat when in Bhutan - an original hot stone bath called dotsho? We never had a hot stone bath anywhere else before so when we were asked by our guide, we promptly said yes. We didn't know what to expect but when we walked into the room, we were pleasantly surprised by the wooden bath tubs - so original. But when we dipped our toes into the spring water with the local herbal plant "Artemisia" leaves spread all over, we knew our body needed adjusting - the water was burning hot! It was only after 5-minutes of adding cold water from a tap that we were able to slide our bodies down and had the most relaxing bath, ever. The stones, direct from the many river streams here and which can be used only once, are heated over a wood fire for many hours before they are dropped into a separate water compartment. The chemicals released from the stones interacting with the spring water are the real health ingredients in this bath, fighting fatigue and yes, insomnia. We slept like a log that night! And all for less than U$18)