I got naked in Spa Land in Centum City Busan a South Korean spa experience
Call me crazy, but I generally try to avoid getting naked in large crowds. Obviously, it's generally frowned upon in the eyes of the law, but there's also a level of… let's call it 'quiet discomfort' that comes with getting down to skins in front of hundreds.
Unless, of course, I'm in South Korea and I'm headed to a bathhouse, then all rules go out the window and I can't strip down fast enough.
True, being of Turkish ancestry, I'm no stranger to a group bathing experience, but unlike hamams which are positively lawless compared to its Asian counterparts, a Korean bathhouse experience (known locally as Jjimjilbang. or quite literally, 'heated rooms') involves a specific set of rules to abide by.
The best place to immerse yourself in the local spa culture? The port city of Busan which has been an international bathhouse destination since the Joseon Dynasty.
If you like bath houses, Busan should be on your bucket list.
Now, it's easy to become overwhelmed by the choice of spa complexes dotted around Busan. Some may prefer the dazzle of the all-new (and positively gargantuan) ClubD Oasis, a spa and waterpark which can accommodate up to 3,500 people, while others might prefer a 2am bathing option with the 24-hour Hill Spa.
I'm a sucker for a multitude of glowing reviews, so I opt for a day at Spa Land, located in Centum City, one of the world's largest department stores. Here, those willing to part with 25,000 Won (around $28) for a four-hour bathhouse adventure can make the most of 18 hot spring baths and 13 themed steam baths drawn from natural hot spring water some 1,000 metres underground.
Guests are given these cute head towels. Picture: Dilvin Yasa
Spa Land, like most Jjimjilbang, has two distinct areas: the baths, which are same-sex only, and the saunas, which are for everyone to share. First, you have to put your shoes in an assigned locker before collecting your fetching spa uniform of chequered shorts and oversized grey marle t-shirt at the linen counter and then heading back to a locker to decide if you want to put on your uniform to enjoy the sauna facilities (yep, no towel wearing in the saunas here), or if you want to disrobe completely and head to the baths.
Towels are forbidden in saunas here.
Of course, you also have the option of heading upstairs to the 2nd floor to make the most of the entertainment quarter, which includes a restaurant, a casual noodle bar, a relaxation zone and many massage chairs.
I dump my clothes, gather my courage and strut my naked self through the change rooms out to the hot springs (they give you a hand towel, but it is nowhere near enough to protect your modesty). Everyone has to scrub down at a washing station before entering the bath and I do, but the minute I enter a body of 40-degree water some five minutes later, a spa mistress becomes incensed that I haven't washed my hair (which is up in a bun) and starts shouting at me to get back out and try again.
The floral decor is a nice touch too.
Instead, I run away, taking my time to try all the baths, which range in size and temperature, from cold plunge (15 degrees) to 45 degrees (more my speed). There is, I should note, an option to book in for a scrub or a massage in a room nearby, but I'm so relaxed I can barely move (also, the spa mistress terrifies me). After yet another shower, it's time to put on my spa uniform and head up to the saunas.
See also: Why you can't trust reviews in South Korea
Will it be a Finnish sauna, a Roman sauna, a salt room, clay room or a hamam? Whatever your preference, you can be sure to open a door to a roomful of locals staring at their phones under a thick cloak of steam. I involuntarily listen to endless TikTok videos in all of the rooms (with the exception of the ice room) and before I know it, I have just enough time for my complimentary ice-cream and yet another shower before my locker key is handed back and I'm back out in the department store.
Is a Jjimjilbang experience for you? Only if you're completely comfortable with public nudity. Me? I plan to go back, but next time, I'll be sure to bring ear plugs.
Originally published as I got naked in a sauna in South Korea, I didn't expect this
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Matt Preston finds the best tortellini in Italy's Emilia Romagna region
Don't miss out on the headlines from Lifestyle. Followed categories will be added to My News. The countryside between Parma and Bologna is the culinary heart of Italy. Sure, Naples, Rome, Milan and Florence all have claims but with world-famous produce like Parmesan Reggiano, Balsamic vinegar, Mortadella and Prosciutto di Parma, and world-famous dishes like lasagne – and the best chocolate ice cream in the world – the region of Emilia Romagna punches well above its weight. A certain world-famous spaghetti dish also bears the capital's name. Embark on an Italian odyssey: Discover the 10 most thrilling destinations to explore Video Player is loading. Play Video This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. X Learn More Loaded : 0.00% 0:00 Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. 00:26 SUBSCRIBER ONLY Embark on an Italian odyssey: Discover the 10 most thrilling destinations to explore more more odyssey as we unveil the top 10 destinations that promise an exhilarating journey through this enchanting country. Prepare to embark on a thrilling Italian...... ... more It is also home to globally recognised chefs Massimo Bottura – the man behind former world No.1 restaurant Osteria Francescana – and locavore champion Massimo Spigaroli from the Michelin-starred Antica Corte Pallavicina. This all makes the medieval cities of Parma, Modena and Bologna a brilliant destination for anyone who likes food and wine, loves history and wants to embrace the area's vibrant way of life. I've been coming here since the 1980s and it still never fails to impress and charm. The landscapes of the Emilia Romagno region are as delightful as its cuisine. One locally revered dish is seldom on visitors' bucket lists. It's a dish of impeccable delicacy and depth that gets lost overseas under the ruckus created by noisier pastas like carbonara and 'matriciana, bolognese and lasagne. 'In Modena if you don't believe in God, you can always believe in tortellini,' Massimo Bottura tells me with a laugh down the line from Italy. When I speak to Massimo Spigaroli, he says: 'The supreme quality of the (local) products used, such as the parmesan cheese, and the ancient knowledge of our land is what makes for the perfect tortellini al brodo.' Tortellini al brodo is a traditional dish claimed by both Bologna and Modena. Tortellini al brodo is claimed as 'theirs' by both Modena and Bologna and sits proudly on most menus of the area. Eating the pasta in no more than the broth is apparently the best way to see the skill of the cook and the required fine-finger technique of the pasta maker's skill. 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Luck has a hand in me finding a fine tortellini al brodo in Modena. We're dragging our cases from the train station to our accommodation when a yellow sign in a nondescript suburban street hoves into view. Trattoria Ermes opened in 1963, and the late chef and owner Ermes Rinaldi became a giant of Modenese cuisine. The restaurant he left still is. Amazingly they have one table left for lunch. The dining room is tiny; communal tables with red-checked tablecloths are packed and the vibe is boisterous. The set menu changes each lunch but thankfully today is a tortellini al brodo day and there's a €12 bottle of local lambrusco on the table – it's the most expensive on the list – suggested by winemakers having a long, fraternal and raucous lunch at a nearby table. The €10 bowl of pasta has a broth that is clean but rich, and the tortellini are suitably half and half meat and pasta. 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Courier-Mail
a day ago
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Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. X Learn More Loaded : 54.38% 0:00 00:00 / 00:00 Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. 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Originally published as I cruised Scandinavia with Viking, here's all your questions answered
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