Saturday, July 7, 2012

Hamei Gaash - Hot Springs and Spa


Health, health, health - that's what you get at Hamei Ga'ash . Here, in the water coming from the dephts of the earth, everyone is a gymnast. The body does whatever you wish it to do and it feels good.
In addition, the overall atmosphere of recreation, fun, even...romanticism highly contributes to one's well being.

romantic couple in  hot pool (mist is from the vapors)

The place is located in a  charming,  pastoral setting, between two major central israeli cities :Herzelya and Netanya,  and is operated by the nearby kibbutz Ga'ash. The hot springs were discovered by accident when excavating for gas deposits.

 Hamei Ga'ash offers the visitor three hot thermal mineral pools (of different temperatures 37-40 degrees ) - one of them with lots of jacuzzi jets (which I'm sure is of great help to people with low back pain), dry and wet sauna, sulfur pools, showers, lockers, water coolers ,an outdoor swimming pool, a toddlers'  pool, professional massages, a cafe, a restaurant, a tiny shop , a  lecture hall, and many green spots , chairs and tables, for resting between the treatments.

pools'  hall

women taking a shower(before and after dipping in the pools)


pool with  jets

shaded cafe garden

On the day of my visit, there was a group of arab men at the Spa,  who were engaged in dancing and producing music on  a  percussion instrument. One of the men, a young arab dressed in a red shirt, bald and chubby, exhibited an impressive dancing ability.

drum beat and  dancing men

the 'red shirt' man in action

The elegant Spa with its thirteen (13) treatment rooms and  a trained staff ,offers a great variety of massages, among them; reflexology, massage with hot stones, swedish massage , thai massage etc..


 Spa reception room

In case one doesn't have  the time to take a professional massage, it's possible to get a- six minute automatic one, for less than a dollar coin, while sitting  on one of the two special, comfortable  armchairs , in the main area , close to entrance, exit and pools. The more coins you insert the more minutes of massage you get. I tried it;  not bad at all. Of course it cannot be compared with a massage done by human touch.

armchairs for automatic body massage

I think it's  important for us people to go  now and then to places such as Hamei Ga'ash which offer a good opportunity to recharge our energies, to relax our body and soul.

28 comments:

  1. Sounds so interesting ! Nice way to relax recreate and have fun and entertainment !

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  2. What a wonderful place to visit. I'm not one to like massages, but those pools are definitely calling my name. I can just imagine how wonderful that would feel, Duta! I hope you enjoyed the relaxing water.

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  3. The pools look inviting but the atmosphere sounds so relaxing. I go monthly to get a massage as it helps with my back and keeps circulation working correctly. Some months I go more often and I cannot wait until my next visit due to this post. LOL Peace

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  4. hi DUTA, water calls to me. I wish I lived on a lake, had a pool in my yard, resided at the ocean. This is so inviting. I'm back from vacation. Please stop by my blog.

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  5. Lovely. I enjoyed going to the spa, especially mineral pools. Although, it's been years since I last had an opportunity to go. I bought some mineral bath salts from Israel which turned my skin so silky and soft.

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  6. R Ramakrishnan,

    Yes, it's a great place , and it offers a sort of refuge from the bustle and husle of everyday life.

    Bica,

    It's the mineral water that I've enjoyed most. I'm not a fan of massages myself (except reflexology, if it's done according to the book).

    Ola,

    Me, too. I'm sure Poland has plenty of similar places for recreation and relaxation.

    Lady Di Tn,

    Good for you! You should persevere in whatever you feel is beneficial to your health. Massages are said to be real helpful and of course indulgent.

    Linda O'Connell,

    I'm a water lover too. However I wouldn't like to reside near a body of water. I'm afraid of flooding.

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  7. Hi Duta,
    This looks like a nice place. I love a good massage, although I haven't had one in a very long time. Maybe I should change that...

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  8. Looks like a great place. There are many hot springs in the Rocky Mountains as well.

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  9. Beautiful looking spot! I could enjoy myself there!
    Greetings from Cottage Country!

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  10. Hmm... *sighs* This does look like a special place to relax!
    I would try one massage type after the other. ;)

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  11. Sounds like a wonderful place for people with lower back pain. I could really use a visit to one of those spas. We have those spa chairs here too and they are so relaxing. When you get up you almost can't stand or walk because your muscles are so relaxed. What a great place! I hope you relaxed!

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  12. OH! I wish I could book a spot.
    I could really use it after the Hip operation. Thanks for the comment. I get frustrated
    grocery shoping. This looks sooo nice. yvonne

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  13. Angelina,

    You've probably got those bath salts cheaper than their price here in Israel. Im curious about that as I've heard some complaints here on local items that are sold cheaper on the american market.

    Dimple,

    Yes, it does; the massages are good, though rather pricey. However, once in a while we all deserve a bit of pampering.

    One Fly,

    I wish I could visit the hot springs in your Rocky Mountains as well. I'm sure they're great.

    Jenn Jilks,

    You sure could. It's the kind of Nature setting you would greatly enjoy.

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  14. This is a neat place...warm water from the earth. Glad you got recharged

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  15. PinkPanthress,

    Relaxation is the key word about this place. I'm afraid you would be highly exhausted, not relaxed, having one massage after another.

    Alicia,

    I overheard many people talking on how much the jets of hot water (jacuzzi) alleviate their lumbar pain.

    La Petite Gallery,

    I thought about your hip surgery ; this place would have helped your recovery.

    Kim&Stuff,

    The hot water coming from the depth of the water is something to feel and remember.

    Ye, I did get 'recharged'.

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  16. That looks like a popular place, as lots of people are taking advantage of the pools, cafe, and massages. I don't care for massages or hot water, but the jacuzzi looks interesting.

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  17. What a lovely place to pamper one's self in. Could do with spending a day or two there myself!

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  18. Wow! This place sounds like a wonderful place to visit indeed. So many options to chose from, I would imagine everyone comes away satisfied and happy! I have a massage every few weeks and cannot begin to describe how wonderful I feel afterwards. My massage therapist calls it "self-care" and we all need to take care of ourselves!

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  19. We went to a last year for our holidays and it was soooo wonderful. This one looks a lot like it and it's nice to see so many enjoying it.

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  20. Janie B.

    Popular indeed. The jacuzzi is the best treat; it's doing wonders to the body.

    Vera,

    It has a nice guest house for people who wish to spend more than one day there,and enjoy all the facilities and treatments of the place.

    Cheryl,

    Good for you to have a massage every few weeks. We should indeed take care of our body.

    Tanya Reimer,

    I believe you it was wonderful. A place like this one, is a great treat.

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  21. Ola Duta,adorei tua visitinha e saber que gostastes da minha musica.Considero muito teu blog,acho bom demais.Um bom fim de semana e um grande abraço.

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  22. looks like an amazing place. We might be heading to Israel this Dec. Very excited. Wishing you a beautiful weekend.

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  23. Looks delightful!

    http://joycelansky.blogspot.com

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  24. Suzanne Weck,

    I love to Google-translate your portuguese. Thank you for your kind words.

    Sarah (Nikki),

    December is fine for a trip to this part of the world as its weather is more moderate than that in the States.

    Joyce Lansky,

    Thanks. It is indeed a charming place.

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  25. I definitely agree. We all need to learn to relax a little more. Life can get so hectic. Beautiful place.
    http://lisapetrarca.blogspot.com/2012/07/we-picked-up-two-hitchhikers-last-night.html

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  26. Lisa Petrarca,

    I like your photo; you look beautiful and relaxed!
    The place Hamei Gaash is beautiful and relaxing -just what we need in this hectic life.

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  27. Duta,
    Gosh! I could really use a few days here. Lucky you.
    This COPD ,(because of smoking)
    Has me feeling like An Elephant is sitting on me. The Humid Summer this year is hard on me and Gardening.
    Stay cool. yvonne

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