The right massage on vacation depends on how you arrived and what you did that day. After a long flight, a personalized therapeutic massage works best. After hiking cenotes or walking all day in a park, go for a relaxing massage or focused work on your feet and legs. With a sunburn, skip massage on the burned skin. And after scuba diving, wait 24 hours.
I’m Andreina, founder of Spa at Home Playa del Carmen. In 17 years as a massage therapist, I’ve learned that the goal is not more pressure, it’s the right technique. Here is how I’d choose for you.
| Your situation | What I recommend | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Long flight or jet lag | Personalized therapeutic massage | Combines work on back, legs and head |
| Sunburn | No massage on the burned skin | Pure aloe vera instead |
| Scuba diving | Wait 24 hours after your last dive | Our precaution, especially after deep dives |
| Cenotes, Xcaret, Xel-Há, long walks | Relaxing massage, or feet and calves | Leg recovery work helps a lot |
| The morning after a party | Relaxing massage with head massage | Soft movements, no deep pressure |
| Chronic tension or knots | Deep tissue | Always adjusted to your tolerance |
Relaxing vs deep tissue vs therapeutic: the real difference
Relaxing massage. [A confirmar con Andreina] Long, slow, flowing movements with light to medium pressure. The goal is to calm the nervous system and help you rest, not to work on knots. It’s the right choice when you’re stressed, tired or simply want to disconnect.
Deep tissue massage. A firm massage with medium to deep pressure, always adapted to your tolerance. It focuses on muscle tension, knots and trigger points, especially in the upper back, lower back, glutes and, when needed, thighs and calves. You may feel some discomfort while we work on a tight muscle, but our therapists always respect your pain threshold. Book a deep tissue massage.
Therapeutic massage. A personalized combination of techniques, adapting pressure and movements to each part of your body. It can combine the muscle work of deep tissue with the relaxation of a traditional massage, and can include hot stones, reflexology, aromatherapy or head massage. It pampers you and relaxes you while still working on the areas that hurt. Book a therapeutic massage.
If you’re not sure, ask us before booking. We’ll help you choose based on how you feel and what you expect.
After a long flight or jet lag
After a 9, 11 or even 15-hour flight, most guests arrive tired, with tight muscles, heavy legs and a hard time adjusting to the new time zone. For this, I recommend a personalized therapeutic massage, because it lets us adapt techniques and pressure to exactly what your body needs.
Instead of one technique for the whole body, we can combine several in the same session:
- Deep tissue on the back for the areas with the most tension, especially the neck, upper back and lower back, always adjusted to your tolerance.
- Lymphatic drainage on feet and calves to ease the heavy-leg feeling after so many hours sitting.
- Head massage to release tension and help you rest.
- Relaxing work on the legs after hours of sitting and carrying luggage.
- Aromatherapy to help you disconnect.
- Warm compresses when they suit you.
That’s the advantage of a therapeutic massage: we spend more time where you need it and use gentler movements where your body needs rest.
Sunburn
If you have an intense sunburn, massage on the burned skin is not recommended. Friction, pressure and oils can increase the pain and irritate the skin even more, so the priority is to let it heal.
As an alternative, you can apply pure aloe vera, without fragrance or alcohol, as long as the skin is intact and it doesn’t irritate you. If you still want a wellness session, a Reiki session or sound healing involves no pressure on the skin.
After scuba diving
After a dive, we recommend waiting at least 24 hours before your massage, especially after deep dives. During a dive, your body absorbs nitrogen that it releases little by little through breathing, and massage increases circulation in the tissues.
To be clear about the evidence: the Divers Alert Network (DAN) says there are no documented cases of massage causing decompression sickness, and no study has tested it. But massage soreness can be confused with early symptoms of decompression sickness, so waiting a full day is a simple precaution (Divernet). If you have any symptom after diving, contact a dive doctor, not a massage therapist.
After cenotes, Xcaret or Xel-Há
A day of swimming in cenotes or walking from one end of a park to the other leaves your feet, calves and legs tired. Here I recommend a relaxing massage, a massage focused on feet and calves, or a leg recovery massage. On vacation, those areas carry most of the fatigue, and a good foot massage can make a real difference. You can also book reflexology.
The morning after a party
After a night out, our guests usually prefer a relaxing massage with soft movements and a head massage focused on releasing the tension that comes with a headache. It helps relax the muscles and gives you a feeling of rest. Save deep tissue for another day.
What guests ask for vs what we recommend
Sometimes guests ask for a relaxing massage because they’re afraid of too much pressure, usually because a deep tissue massage hurt them somewhere else.
When we see they really need focused muscle work, we explain the difference and recommend what fits them best. A deep tissue massage done properly, always within your tolerance, can be far more satisfying than you expect. Our goal is not to press harder. It’s to use the right technique so you get the most out of your massage.
When not to get a massage
Some situations call for adapting the session or waiting:
- During a migraine attack: strong heat can make it worse, so we adapt the session and skip hot stones.
- Recent falls or injuries: if there’s swelling, intense pain or a possible fracture, we don’t massage that area. See a doctor first.
- Fever or an acute infection: postpone the massage until you recover.
- Wounds, burns or significant skin irritation: we don’t work directly on those areas until they heal.
- Pregnancy: we recommend massage from the fourth month, after the first trimester.
When in doubt, tell us when you book and follow your doctor’s advice.
What your therapist will ask before starting
Before we begin, your therapist confirms the time and technique you booked and talks with you for a moment. She’ll ask:
- Whether you want her to focus on a specific area.
- Whether you have any relevant health condition.
- Whether you’re allergic or sensitive to any oils or aromatherapy scents.
- Whether you’re comfortable with hot stones or warm compresses, if your treatment includes them.
If she thinks another technique would work better for you, she’ll explain why. The final decision is always yours.
FAQ
A personalized therapeutic massage, combining deep tissue on the back, lymphatic drainage on the feet and calves, and head massage.
We recommend at least 24 hours after your last dive, especially after deep dives.
Not on the burned skin. Use pure aloe vera and wait until the skin heals, or choose a session without pressure on the skin, like Reiki.
You may feel some discomfort on a tight muscle, but it shouldn’t be painful. Tell your therapist at any moment and she’ll adjust the pressure.
We recommend it from the fourth month of pregnancy. Tell us when you book.
