Feel the sand between your toes … and all over your body at Hong Kong’s newest day spa, The Retreat (852/2803-1860; the-retreat.com.hk). Inspired by its seaside setting in Repulse Bay, the wellness center’s menu reads like a naturalist’s field guide. Body scrubs and massages utilize sand and stones (pictured below) collected from local beaches, while seaweed, organic clay, and mud are applied in body wraps and masks; even the ingredients used in salads and smoothies at the airy café are plucked from nearby fields. Endorsing the notion that beauty is more than skin-deep, the spa also encourages introspection through a range of classes and consultations everything from stress management and weight loss to feng shui and astrology. –PETRINA PRICE

Originally appeared in the October/November 2009 print issue of DestinAsian magazine (“Spa Beachside Bliss”)