Bath time!

Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes

Kaş, Southwestern Türkiye – July 21st, 2025

We chose the hottest day this summer to have a Turkish Bath.  As we began our treatment with 20 minutes in a sauna, we questioned whether it was sensible to sit in the heated room when we’d already subjected our bodies to a constant 40°c / 104°f over the last few days, and were very likely already dehydrated. 

Still, sauna over, it was time for the Turkish Bath Experience.

We were each given a pair of very questionable disposable pants to put on for modesty.  There was no obvious front and back and either way we put them on didn’t seem very modest and certainly wouldn’t have won us any fashion awards.  After recovering from a fit of the giggles and Mike threatening divorce if I took a photo, we were taken to the treatment room.

The treatment room was wall to wall marble tiles with a huge marble slab in the center and marble basins along the walls.  

The basins are designed to constantly fill and drain, allowing for a continuous flow of water which is part of the washing and cleansing ritual.  The sound of the water was amplified by the marble.  It was noisy, but not in a bad way.

Our therapists pointed to the large marble slab in the middle of the room and gestured for us to lie down on our fronts.  I only had a very vague idea of what to expect from what I’d seen on their website.  I knew there would be a full body scrub, something with coffee followed by a massage and something with bubbles but beyond that I didn’t know what to expect.  I put my faith in the five star Google ratings and hoped all the reviewers who’d raved about their experience were genuine.

Face down on the marble slab I couldn’t see what was happening but I thought I heard Mike’s therapist (she was an older lady so let’s call her grandma) smack him and then laugh maniacally.  Afterwards, Mike confirmed that after giving him a wedgie, she had indeed slapped his butt and laughed. This wasn’t the only time she did this during the one hour treatment. It seems that grandma was having as much, if not more fun than Mike.  I just hope she didn’t want to be paid extra!

Pain or Pleasure?

Feeling soothed after having warm water poured all over me, the vigorous scrubbing with an exfoliation mitt began.   I’m not sure how many layers of skin were left on my body by the end but I can guarantee I was sloughed within an inch of my life.  A couple of times I wanted to call out “stop, please stop!” but I managed to breathe through the discomfort and kept telling myself that my body would thank me later. Meanwhile grandma was singing and laughing and having a rollicking time!

Ice with your coffee?

Following the scrubbing and another sluice of warm water, it was time for coffee.   Not a cup offered as a refreshment but coffee grounds sprinkled all over and rubbed in as if I was a piece of meat being marinated.  When asked to turn over I tried to make eye contact with Mike to see if he had the look of fear in his eyes but instead I got a bit of coffee in my eye and had to blink rapidly for a few minutes to get rid of the burning sensation on my eyeball. 

I’m not sure of the benefits of the coffee rub other than to make a hell of a mess, but it did smell nice.  

By now I was looking forward to the anticipated warm sluicing followed by the massage, but apparently coffee is best served iced in Turkey because before I knew what was happening, there was a maniacal laugh again as I was covered in a shockingly cold ice bath.

Mike and I both laughed with shock and surprise.  Grandma laughed louder and harder than both of us!

Foam Party!

And now for the relaxing bit.  Once the coffee and ice had been washed away and the room looked less like a crime scene, the relaxing bubble massage began. 

To create the foam a light muslin cloth is soaked in warm, soapy water and then waved to create a cloud of bubbles.  I watched the delicate bubbles appear as my therapist waved the cloth in the air above me. It looked like magic!

Last of the Mohicans

After the massage came a hair wash and a final sluice.  Grandma called for my attention to show me how she’d fashioned Mike’s hair into a foamy Mohican which she thought was hilarious.  I wonder if she has this much fun with all of her clients?

What’s the verdict?

After reading this account of our Turkish Bath experience, you may think that we didn’t enjoy it but that is not the case. 

While the coffee was a novelty which I prefer served in a cup, the scrubbing was thorough as opposed to aggressive, the ice bath was shocking but invigorating and the bubble massage was relaxing and dreamy.

As we walked back to the boat in a relaxed zombie state with skin as soft as the day we were born, we agreed that we would do it again if we had the opportunity. Although maybe not with grandma next time!