Cocoa Island in the Maldives launches New Holistic Health Packages for 2008

Cocoa Island is COMO Hotels and Resorts' private island property in the Maldives. With everything designed to maximise a guest's sense of escape - empty horizon views, a still lagoon and powder-white beach - it's a perfect place to address issues of well-being, supported by spacious, meditative accommodation in calming whites, healthful cuisine and quietly efficient service. The resort has a foot-in-the-sand Retreat offering a carefully edited selection of meaningful treatments, for mind and body.

Taking this health-giving purpose further for 2008, the resort has introduced four 'paths' comprising a day's suggested treatments to purify, rejuvenate, relax and restore.

The Purification Path (US$600 per couple; 150 minutes) focuses on Ayurvedic healthcare - a 5,000 year-old holistic system that hails from India - and is made up of Abhyanga, Shirodhara and an Ayurvedic Facial. All three elements work together to purify and detoxify by releasing stress while bringing stability to your particular constitution (or Dosha). The Purification Path starts with a 45-minute rhythmic Abhyanga massage using warm herbal oils.

This is followed by a 15-minute application of exfoliating herbal powder. Guests sink into a deeper state of relaxation with Shirodhara whereby a steady stream of warm herbal oil is gently poured over the forehead, feeding the scalp and turning thoughts inward to induce clarity of mind. The session concludes with an Ayurvedic facial - a herbal-infused beautifying treatment involving a nourishing facial  massage.

The Relaxation Path (US$900 per couple; four hours) is ideal for honeymooners who want to zone out completely. The four-hour session begins with a Javanese Royal Lulur Bath involving an Indonesian Massage, a body scrub with aromatic mixed spices, the application of cooling yoghurt, a relaxing flower-filled bath and a soothing application of body lotion. What follows is an Aromatic Facial utilising aromatherapy preparations and botanicals from Guinot. The path concludes with a 60-minute reflexology treatment to stimulate your body's own healing processes.

The Rejuvenation Path (US$960 per couple; 5 hrs and 15 minutes, including lunch) incorporates Yoga into the day's programme - 60 minutes at the start of the day with Pramod Kumar, our resident Yoga teacher. This takes place in Cocoa's open-air pavilion overlooking the mirror-flat sea. Pramod teaches a gentle yet dynamic private session based on Hatha Yoga working on Asanas (postures) that are suited to a guest's ability (those new to Yoga can learn basic elements). Following this, enjoy a Cocoa Island Bath - a cleansing treatment that exfoliates and softens the skin with dry brushing, a COMO Shambhala salt scrub, an Invigorating soak and relaxing hour-long COMO Shambhala Massage. Let the body rest over lunch, which comprises a healthy main course and energizing juice. To loosen the muscles more completely, The Rejuvenation Path concludes with a Deep Tissue full body massage that releases deeply held patterns of tension.

The fourth, most pampering option is called the Restoration Path - a six-hour, head-to-toe pampering extravaganza costing US$1,250 per couple (5 hours 45 minutes), incorporating an Indian head massage, COMO Shambhala massage, reflexology, an aromatic facial using Guinot botanicals, manicure and luxury pedicure.

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