Spa in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah – South Sea Sanctuary

David Hogan Jr 19/03/2012

Spa in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah – South Sea Sanctuary

Located along the famous Kampung Air (Water Village) in Kota Kinabalu city, you can find the award winning boutique day spa called South Sea Sanctuary.

This proper spa offers holistic relaxation therapies, beauty treatments and wellness programs for the tired traveler or just about anyone who needs some pampering and relaxation with prices from as low as RM39.90 (US$14)!

South Sea Sanctuary Spa in Kota Kinabalu

The day spa has also been in operating since 2009 and is also highly rated on TripAdvisor as one of the premier spas to experience while in KK, Sabah.

The spa also focuses on the traditional word Nanyang, which means “South Seas” in Mandarin was a general term used in
the olden days by mainland China to refer to South East Asia and now is part of the theme for this boutique day spa here.

With an ambiance that captures the zeitgeist of post-colonial Peranakan culture, South Sea Sanctuary Day Spa presents a relaxation experience that is rooted mainly in the ancient Chinese wellness philosophy; with tinges of influence from Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

sabah-spa-south-sea Spa in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah - South Sea Sanctuary

sabah-spa-room Spa in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah - South Sea Sanctuary

Spa decorations at South Sea Sanctuary Day Spa in Sabah

As I walked into the outlet, I was welcomed by the warm Malaysian hospitality where the main reception staff spoke good English.

As we had discussed the treatment which I wanted, she politely asked me to wait while arrangements were made.

Looking around I found the decoration quite unusual for a spa as relics from the past was seen scattered throughout the area.

An old typewriter was obvious as when you walked in, while abstract paintings of Buddha lined a cabinet wall and overall colors were mixed cleverly with the design.

south-sea-sanctuary-spa-hall Spa in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah - South Sea Sanctuary

The spa waiting area

After a nice hot towel and putting away my shoes, I was led by one of the therapists through the main back foyer of the spa. It was here where I noticed the full zen like atmosphere on my way upstairs to the treatment rooms.

On arriving at my treatment bed, I was then asked to change for my traditional Borneo massage. The therapist then left the room for me to get ready and in a couple of minutes, she was back asking if I was ready. My session started and before I know it, I was sleeping due to the gentle oil relaxing massage.

spa-decoration-sabah Spa in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah - South Sea Sanctuary

Zen decorations at South Sea Sanctuary Spa in KK

sabah-spa-treatment-room Spa in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah - South Sea Sanctuary

Spa treatment room at South Sea Sanctuary Spa in KK

After my traditional massage treatment finished, I was woken up by the therapist and was asked to change. I was then led back downstairs where a nice hot cup of ginger tea awaited me.

Speaking to the manager of the spa, she asked me how was it and my answer was ‘amazing!’. My body felt so relieved from the travel stress that has been building over the many months of travel.

My next destination was actually the airport as I was headed back to Kuala Lumpur so you can imagine how relaxing my flight was going to be.

I told the air hostess not to disturb me as I had a wonderful three-hour sleep on the flight back to KL.

foot-massage-sabah Spa in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah - South Sea Sanctuary

Inside the spa

spa-treatment-rooms Spa in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah - South Sea Sanctuary

Inside South Sea Sanctuary Day Spa

South Sea Sanctuary Spa in KK, Sabah has a simple aim with a vision to
become an environmentally sustainable and premier lifestyle, spa and wellness center that is known for effective holistic healing to the mind, body, and soul,
while delivering six-star customer service experience with a value for money
proposition.

Their main mission is;

To create a strong brand name that synonymous with effective
health and lifestyle enhancement
To provide a six-star unforgettable experience for every
customers
To provide healthy and sustainable job opportunities to
local operating markets
To promote environmentally friendly, sustainable and safe
products
To create a highly profitable franchise with a global reach
To provide sustainable income and to create sustainably
shareholder value.
To promote Eco-friendly property development designs and to
increase value for property owners

Spa treatments at South Sea Sanctuary include;

Foot Treatments

Foot Massage (30mins) RM 39.90
Coffee Foot Scrub & Foot Massage (60mins) RM 69.90
Foot Scrub & Foot Massage with Head & Shoulder Massage (75mins) RM 79.90

Body Treatments

60mins RM 149.90
90mins RM 199.90
120mins RM 239.90

Aromatherapy Massage (Choice of Pre-blended oil – Relaxing, Muscle Relief, Balance, Concentrate)

Borneo Traditional Massage
Back Deep Tissue Massage
Shiatsu Massage

Facial Treatments
Revitalize Facial Treatment (60mins) RM 159.90

The spa also caters to many other signature treatments and packages which have a price range from RM189 to RM659 while when you visit the outlet, you can discuss what kind of package you would require.

*Prices may have changed since the time of this posting, and you should contact the spa to get the latest prices.

chinese-tea-pot Spa in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah - South Sea Sanctuary

Chinese tea set as part of the decoration here

Just to add on that the South Sea Sanctuary was also awarded the “Winner of the Best Spa, Stand Alone Category” at the Sabah Tourism Awards in 2011.

South Sea Sanctuary Spa and Wellness
Lot 9, Jalan Tugu, Kampung Air,
88000 Kota Kinabalu,
Sabah, Malaysia.
Telephone: + 6088 248 221
Fax: + 6088 248 220
E-mail: info@southseassanctuary.com
Opening Hours are daily from 11am to 11pm.

Conclusion

If you are visiting Kota Kinabalu or KK in the future and looking for a good spa, there is no doubt that this is one of the finest selections to offer here.

They provide some of the best treatments while the price is very affordable for both locals and also tourists.

Among the many different kinds of Spas in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah – South Sea Sanctuary is definitely one of the recommended ones which are prim and proper and catering to all tourists.

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