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Thai massage is genuinely unlike most other massage experiences — and if you've never had one, it's worth knowing what you're walking into. There's no oil, no table, and no lying still while someone works on your back. It's more active than that.
At Leelawadee, we've been practising traditional Thai massage since 2005, trained at Wat Pho Thai Traditional Medical School in Bangkok. Most of the questions we get from first-timers are the same: what do I wear? Will it hurt? How will I feel after? This guide answers all of them.
What to wear
Traditional Thai massage is performed fully clothed — no oil, no draping, no undressing. You'll stay in your own clothes for the entire session.
The most important thing is that your clothing allows for movement. Yoga pants and a t-shirt are ideal. Loose trousers and a soft top work well. Jeans, structured trousers, or anything restrictive around the hips or shoulders will limit what's possible in the session.
We provide a set of clean, loose-fitting Thai massage clothes at our studios if you'd prefer to change when you arrive — just let us know at the front desk.
When you arrive
You'll be greeted and asked to remove your shoes at the entrance — traditional practice in Thai massage studios. Before the session begins, your therapist will take a few minutes to find out what you'd like to focus on and whether you have any areas you'd like to avoid.
This is also the moment to mention your pressure preference. First-timers often ask for medium pressure to start, then adjust from there once they know how Thai massage feels. Your therapist will check in throughout.
Arriving 5–10 minutes early is ideal. It lets you settle in, change if needed, and start the session relaxed rather than rushed.
What actually happens during the session
You'll lie on a padded floor mat — not a table. The room is calm and quiet, and the session begins with your therapist applying gentle pressure to establish contact and allow your body to settle.
From there, the session moves through the body systematically, working along the sen lines — the energy pathways in Thai traditional medicine. The therapist uses their hands, thumbs, elbows, forearms, and sometimes their knees and feet to apply acupressure and guide the body through assisted stretches.
Some stretches are gentle — a slow hip rotation, a guided knee-to-chest. Others are more substantial — a full spinal twist, a shoulder opening, a quad stretch with the therapist using their body weight to support and deepen the position. All of it is guided, rhythmic, and completely passive on your part. You don't need to do anything except relax and breathe.
Sessions typically follow the body from feet to head, though therapists may focus more time on specific areas based on what you've asked for.
"You don't need to do anything except relax and breathe. The session does the work for you."
Leelawadee Thai Spa — established Vancouver, 2005
Will it hurt?
Thai massage should feel like a good stretch — there's intensity, particularly in areas of tightness, but it shouldn't feel sharp or uncomfortable. The sensation most people describe is the right kind of pressure — firm enough to feel like something real is happening, but never beyond what the body is ready for.
The most important thing to know as a first-timer: communicate. Your therapist is calibrating the pressure and depth of stretches based on your body's response, and a simple "a bit lighter on that side" or "that feels tight — can you stay there a moment?" makes a meaningful difference to the session.
If you have any areas of genuine discomfort or sensitivity — a stiff knee, a shoulder that doesn't rotate well — mention it before you start. Therapists will work around these areas or adjust the approach entirely.
How you'll feel after
One of the distinctive things about Thai massage is that the after-feeling is different from other types of massage. You're unlikely to feel sleepy or heavy. Most people feel lighter — looser joints, a sense of space in the shoulders and hips, a clearer head.
Some people feel a deep calm; others feel alert and clear-eyed. Both are normal responses to the combination of acupressure and assisted movement. The body has been through something active — it responds with energy rather than fatigue.
If it's your first session and your body isn't used to assisted stretching, you might feel mild muscle soreness the next day — similar to the way yoga can leave you slightly stiff after a first class. This fades quickly and is less common with subsequent sessions.
First-timer tips
Book 90 minutes for your first session
A 60-minute session is possible, but your first Thai massage benefits from the extra time. It gives the therapist room to work through the full body properly and allows you to settle into the experience.
Drink water before and after
Thai massage moves things through the body. Drinking water before your session and in the hours after helps your body process the effects of the work.
Don't eat heavily beforehand
A full stomach and vigorous stretching don't pair well. Eat lightly in the two hours before your session, or arrive on an empty stomach if the timing works.
Arrive 5–10 minutes early
Arriving rushed and then immediately starting a session shortchanges both you and the therapist. A few minutes to settle in makes a real difference to how the session feels.