We have tried over 40 establishments over the last 3 years and more than 30 different masseuses. Don’t be disillusioned by massages in Jakarta. Firstly, if you are a novice to this and have no specific preferences, then you will do fine. For me and the people that I know, we look for good massages that are clean, therapeutic and not damaging to our health.

Some of my experiences with massages include vomiting after the treatment and also taking muscle relaxants to bring down the swelling in the veins. Yes, that is what happens when placed in the hands of some of the worst therapists in Indonesia. They do more harm than good to your body and soul. You leave feeling more stressed and frustrated.

Unfortunately in most cases, it is not the establishments that are fully at fault. While I may have one of the lousiest experience, my partner may on the contrary, have one of his best experience in the same establishment and with the same treatment. The biggest problem with therapists in Jakarta is the level of consistency, skillset and attitude. Most therapists perform their treatment by memorizing the steps. For the first 5 minutes, they will treat the legs. This will be repeated for 10 times and then they will move on to the next step. It is so mechanical that you can even predict what is their next move. Many are also lowly paid and do not have the drive to improve themselves. They adopt a very casual and laid-back attitude.

Fortunately my love and passion for finding good therapist brings me here. I have found some of the best therapists in Jakarta but over the years, many have left the industry. Some have married, while others have shifted to other towns or simply, disappeared without a trace.

So learn from us and here are some tips on how to find the right therapist for you.

1. Before you start your treatment, check the therapist’s working experience. How long have they been working? A year or more will be a good gauge of competency.
   
   
2. When you get the therapist, ask her again. Find out how long she has been working as a therapist. Don’t trust the front-line staff.
   
   
3. Don’t bother going for a newbie, they do more harm to you. But if you don’t have a choice and if you need a massage badly, make sure you guide your new therapist and avoid asking her to massage sensitive areas like the spine. If a therapist massages your spine and if they press on your spine, ask them to stop immediately. Never let anyone press directly on your spine.
   
   
4. One way of differentiating between a good therapist from a lousy one is that when you are lying face down, they will put your hands beside you and not in front of you.
   
   
5. The moment you are not comfortable with the therapist (especially within the first 15 minutes), quickly and politely ask for a change. Don’t suffer in silence.
   
   
6. Take note of the time you start. Many therapists tend to short-change customers by reducing the time spent on massages. The best place where every single therapist will consistently give you extra 10 minutes of massage is Kenko. Kenko seems to be the place with the most consistent therapists. I once had a therapist who kept disappearing every 10 minutes for a 2 minute interval. Annoyed by her constant disappearance, I pretended to sleep. When she left thinking that I was asleep, I quietly sneaked out to see what she was doing. To my surprise, she was her eating a full meal. That happened in a 5 star hotel in Jakarta.
   
   
7. If you like the therapist, make sure you get their mobile number. Keep in touch with them and constantly ask for their number. In Jakarta, the therapist has a tendency to change numbers like changing their clothes. I have lost contact with my past therapists because I have failed to keep up with their new phone numbers (which seems to change every other month).
   
   
8. Tip generously once you have found a good therapist. The average tip is about 10,000 rupiah. 50,000 rupiah will get you a better massage for future sessions.
   
   
9. Go for massages in well known places. I have tried many 5 star hotels only to be told that they have “extra” services. So far the best places with no “hanky panky” business are Gaya Spa and Kemang Day Spa.
   

The best therapist that I have met to date is this girl call Sari Ika. She is the only therapist that is able to massage me in a way that is both therapeutic and healing. Unfortunately she disappeared one day and the number she gave me was no longer in use. So if any of your therapist is named Sari Ika, ask her if she used to work in Kemang Day Spa and if the answer is yes, please inform me.