Make sure you enjoy this enriching Korean cultural experience while you are here in South Korea
Be brave. Try New Things
Tip: If you sleep over. Pack ear plugs and an eye mask.
At first it is weird.
I’ve never walked around naked in front of so many strangers before.
I payed 17 000 won/15 USD to sleep overnight at the Jjimjilbang. It is a spa where people can go and shower and sleep the night, just add that with amazing hot baths, hot/cold rooms, hairdresser, massage services and a cafe.
Firstly, the receptionist hands you your pyjamas(t-shirt and shorts) and your shoe locker key. Nothing fancy. In fact it looks like prisoner clothes.
Remember to take off your shoes before stepping onto the wooden floors. Choose a locker and store your shoes. Take your shoe keys to the next receptionist and they will store your shoe keys and give you a towel and another locker key for a bigger locker.
The locker room is large with many naked people milling around. No one bats an eyelid and merrily goes about their business. Once I had stripped, I headed to the bathing rooms. It’s really hard to hide your naked bits with such a small towel so you pretty much forced to accept the fact that you nakedness is obvious.
The bathing room consists of showers, sauna, message room and hot pools. I showered first and headed to the hot pool and soaked my stress away for a good 10 minutes. It’s not a good idea to soak too long as the heat can make you feel dizzy. Ladies don’t forget to tie your long hair up. I also don’t like it when my skin goes too pruney. You pay extra to go get a good message. The ajumma’s (older women) in their undies do a great job exfoliating your entire body with scrubs and for about 20 minutes. Your skin feels soft and smooth like a baby’s bum. If you have tight muscles, don’t worry the ajumma is more than happy to massage the tense muscle out.
After getting my stressed physical and emotional life resolved. I head to the common area. Both genders meet here.
You can watch tv, eat at the restaurant, sleep or go into other hot/cold rooms. I don’t enjoy the rooms that are extreme temperatures.
One does tend to get thirsty a lot but there is lots of water stations to help yourself.
When you are ready to sleep. Find a funny brick shaped pillow and huge sleeping towel from the stocking room. Settle on a mat, treat yourself for 20 minutes with a face mask and definitely put in some ear plugs. There is always someone moving at all hours and also the infamous snorers.
When you wake up you can either get changed and leave straight away or quickly soak one more time before heading out onto your new day’s big adventure.
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