We kicked off our last day in Vietnam with some relaxation. It was much overdue after all of our walking around Saigon.

The Miu Miu spa has a location right by the “festival street” as we’ve dubbed it.

It’s a wide street with a pedestrian walkway in the middle. It’s lined with lights and performers. There’s a garden at one end and a fountain in the middle. It runs beneath the Bitexco tower, next to the designer shops and the Rex hotel. At night it looks like an outdoor festival.

We had reservations in the evening but decided to drop in for express massages in the morning after talking over text with a friend back in Texas. They’d had what they called the best massage austin tx the day before, and when we mentioned seeing the place they insisted we go. So, go we did. We each selected the 35 minute head, neck and shoulder massage. It begins with a complimentary star fruit juice.

Then the staff take you to place your belongings in lockers, and change into robes if necessary. We didn’t need to change since we were only doing express massages.

The beds are lined up in a long dark room with curtains pulled shut to separate them. We divided up and settled in for 35 minutes of relaxation.

I was worried to do any real massage (I’ve never had one before) because I have health problems and sometimes faint, but I put that down on my form and requested a light massage. My masseuse was perfect and asked me a few times to make sure she was doing all right.

I also get sinus headaches frequently, and this massage turned out to be perfect for relieving that pressure.

Later that evening I returned and got a full body scrub while everyone else got various massage treatments. I emerged after an hour with the softest skin I’ve ever had.

Afterwards, they treated us with sorbet, jasmine tea, candied lotus seeds and candied ginger.

Everyone looked blissfully pleased with the experience.

Miu Miu was one of the pricier options in Saigon, but a steal compared to the spas in the big name hotels and the spas at home. The express massage cost 180,000 VND (about $8) and the body scrub cost 400,000 VND (about $17). We got both services at a discount since we visited their brand new location.

Massage prices range based on the spa and its services. We tried cheap foot massages at another place and discovered that just like budget accommodation, you get what you pay for. The services were pretty basic and a child ran through the spa screaming while the masseuses sat around eating ice cream. They were nice enough to buy us one when we asked what they were eating though – it was like flan on top of ice cream with espresso poured over it. So good!

I learned from Silvia, who gets massages whenever she travels to Asia, that her rule of thumb is to use the bathroom before committing to a spa. If they keep the bathroom clean (the last thing on most people’s minds) they are probably attentive with the rest of their business and provide quality services.

Spas are a new thing for me but I think I’m a convert. They’re so perfect for relaxing in the midst of a busy trip.

Have you visited spa abroad? Have any rules or tips for finding the best places or services?

How do you relax when you travel?