Spas. Every hotel/resort worth its salt has got to have one. To be or not to be (pampered) would be a somewhat pointless question. Everyone, it would seem, likes to get a treatment whilst on their jollies. What do you go for? A one-hour full body massage, a terracotta basting or perhaps a volcanic mud wrap?! Sounds too good to be true, well in St. Lucia it is now a reality. At Ladera Eco Resort, set high in the St. Lucian rain forest, you can now pay for a mud body wrap in the belly of a nearby volcano!Being up to your neck in mud has never sounded so appealing. One of the treatments offered by the resort’s new Ti Kai Pose Spa is a mud body wrap. Ladera is the only resort on St Lucia to have private access to the natural Sulphur springs in the world’s only drive in the volcano, just a 10 minute taxi drive away from Ladera.

Inside the extinct volcano guests are invited to dive into natural pools and let their bodies soak up the natural minerals and salts. After the swim a therapist exfoliates the entire body with volcanic sand.

The next stage is the messy part as therapists apply volcanic mud all over the body including the face (optional but worth it!). The jet black volcanic mud contains nutrients designed to hydrate, revitalise and nourish skin.

The mud has also said to have excellent therapeutic benefits, and is recommended for conditions such as arthritis, swollen joints, fatigue and stress to name just a few. Guests are asked to sit and sip a hot cup of herbal tea as nature goes to work on the entire body. Afterwards a feeling of total relaxation is guaranteed. Prices for the treatment start from $80 (£44) per person and $150 (£83) for a couple.
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