Driving south from Queenstown, or settling into a new town in the Wairarapa, you may go looking for a Thai massage and find the results thin. Thai massage in New Zealand is easy to find in Auckland and patchy elsewhere. So here are three studios in three regions, none of them in Auckland: Rata Thai Massage in Queenstown, Thai Smile Thai Massage in Christchurch and Sense For Rest Thai Massage in Masterton.
One honest note first. We run Siri Thai Spa in Auckland and we have not visited any of these studios. Everything below is what each one publishes about itself on its own listing or booking page, so there are no ratings and no verdicts here. Confirm the address, hours and booking terms before you travel, and check the booking page for current prices, because they change.
Thai massage in New Zealand: what to expect from three regions
These three sit a long way from each other and from us. Siri is in Auckland, at the Viaduct and in St Heliers, with a Mt Wellington branch opening soon, so none of these studios is a competitor of ours. They are simply places a traveller or a newcomer might look up. Each section below sticks to what the studio says, and we flag where a listing is thin.
- Queenstown: Rata Thai Massage, 105 Beach Street. One-hour Thai therapy massage listed, free on-site parking mentioned.
- Christchurch: Thai Smile Thai Massage, 48B Bryndwr Road, Fendalton. A 60-minute Thai massage with oil.
- Masterton: Sense For Rest Thai Massage, 3 Jackson Street. Open Tuesday to Sunday, closed Monday, as listed.
Rata Thai Massage in Queenstown
Rata Thai Massage in Queenstown is listed at 105 Beach Street, Queenstown 9300, in a central part of town. The listing mentions free on-site car parking, which is worth knowing in a resort town where parking can be a chore, though you should confirm it when you book.
The service on the listing is a one-hour Thai therapy massage. It is described as acupressure, rhythmic compression and stretching along the body's energy lines, known as sen, using the therapist's hands, feet, elbows and knees. The listing says it may include passive and active stretching and some deep tissue work, and that aromatherapy or herbal remedies may also be used.
That description is close to the traditional style, with one thing to check: whether oil is part of your session. The mention of aromatherapy suggests it might be, so ask when you book if you want the clothed, oil-free version.
Thai Smile Thai Massage in Fendalton, Christchurch
Thai Smile Thai Massage in Christchurch is listed at 48B Bryndwr Road, Fendalton, Christchurch 8052, on a quiet street, with a private room. The booking listing is for a 60-minute Thai massage with oil. Directory listings for the studio also mention Thai, therapeutic, deep tissue and foot massage, but we have only seen the oil massage described in detail.
The point to take from this one is the word oil. A traditional Thai massage is done in loose clothing with no oil, and the therapist stretches and presses through the fabric. An oil Thai massage borrows Thai-style technique but is done under towels, as most Western massage is. Neither is wrong. They feel different, so book the one you actually want.
None of this needs to be awkward. Studios are used to questions, and a clear, friendly answer is itself a useful sign. If a place cannot tell you whether the massage is clothed or oiled, or who is giving it, keep looking.
"Ask what style it is before you book. Clothed and no oil, or oil under a towel? Both are good, but they are not the same session, and it is easier to choose beforehand than halfway through."
Siri therapist team
Sense For Rest Thai Massage in Masterton, Wairarapa
Sense For Rest Thai Massage in Masterton is listed at 3 Jackson Street, Masterton 5810. Its profile shows opening hours of 9:00am to 7:00pm, Tuesday to Sunday, and closed on Mondays. If you are driving over from Wellington for a day, that Monday closure is the detail most likely to catch you out.
The studio says it offers treatments for individuals and couples, and that it uses natural products, including aromatic massage oils and herbal compress balls handcrafted in Thailand. The listed treatments are a Back, Neck and Shoulders massage and a Thai Foot Massage, from 30 minutes. It is a shorter, targeted menu rather than a long list, which suits a stop on a road trip.
The herbal compress is a steamed bundle of herbs pressed along the body. If it is part of your session, tell the therapist about any skin sensitivities or allergies when you book.
How to judge a Thai massage studio when you are travelling
You cannot read a hundred reviews in a car park. A few quick questions do most of the work, and they apply to any studio, including these three.
- Know the style. Traditional Thai is clothed and uses no oil. Oil styles are done under towels. Ask which one is on offer. Our guide on what to wear to a massage covers the clothing side.
- Ask who trained the therapist. A good studio will answer easily, whether the training was in Thailand or in New Zealand.
- Check any licensing or certification the place claims, and ask if you cannot see it. Not every studio has one, so treat it as a question, not a test.
- Say your pressure early. Within the first five minutes, tell the therapist if it is too light or too much. There is more on this in how to relax during a massage.
- Arrive early. Ten minutes lets you fill in a form, use the bathroom and settle, so your hour is spent on the table.
- Read the cancellation terms. On a road trip your plans move. Find out how much notice the studio needs before you pay.
If you have an injury, are pregnant, or have a heart condition, high blood pressure or a skin condition, check with your GP or midwife first and tell the therapist when you book. That is true at every studio in the country.
Why Thai massage is worth looking for
Thai massage has a long history, and in 2019 UNESCO added Nuad Thai, traditional Thai massage, to its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. If you are curious about where the stretching and pressing came from, our piece on the history of Thai massage goes further.
Many guests find the combination of pressure and stretching eases stiffness from long drives, flights and carrying bags. It is not a medical treatment, and it will not replace physiotherapy if you have a genuine injury.
If you are home in Auckland
When the trip ends and you are back in Auckland, our traditional Thai massage is done clothed, with no oil, and you choose the pressure. It is available at our Viaduct spa in the CBD and at our St Heliers spa on Tamaki Drive. Both are open seven days, 10am to 8pm, and prices are on each branch's pricing page.
Our guide to whether Thai massage is painful is a good read before a first session anywhere, whether that is in Queenstown, Fendalton, Masterton or Auckland.
In practice that means asking, before you book, what a session will actually involve. Intense is not a fault in Thai massage; firm work and deep stretching are part of the style. But it suits some bodies and some days better than others, and a traveller after a long flight may want something gentler.
Before you travel: Studio details here come from their own listings and may have changed. Check the address, opening days, booking method and current prices on the booking page, and phone if anything looks unclear.
Common questions
It is easiest in Auckland and the larger cities. Smaller towns have fewer studios, so check a booking page or listing before you drive, and confirm the address and hours first.
No. Traditional Thai massage is done in loose clothing with no oil, using pressure and stretches. An oil Thai massage is done under towels with oil, so ask which one a studio is offering before you book.
Ask whether it is clothed or oil, who trained the therapist, whether the studio holds any licence or certification, and what the cancellation terms are. Then tell your therapist your preferred pressure early in the session.
Siri Thai Spa offers traditional Thai massage, clothed and without oil, at the Viaduct in the CBD and at St Heliers on Tamaki Drive. Both are open seven days, 10am to 8pm.
