The Chiva-Som Health Resort in Hua Hin, Thailand, offers a combination of workout sessions, massages and treatments by therapists to de-stress and detoxify your body. Courtesy Chiva-Som Resorts.
The Chiva-Som Health Resort in Hua Hin, Thailand, offers a combination of workout sessions, massages and treatments by therapists to de-stress and detoxify your body. Courtesy Chiva-Som Resorts.

Stretching yourself at Chiva Som



It's a Friday afternoon when I arrive at Chiva-Som in Hua Hin after a three-hour transfer from Bangkok airport. Its lush, low-rise grounds are lovely, but immediately it looks more hospital than holiday: lone guests meander around in white dressing gowns and staff, also in white, march more purposefully from building to building. I'm only here for three nights and there is a lot to do, so after leaving my bags in my "pavilion" (one can choose a detached, Thai-style room or a room in the main building) and eating a light lunch in the restaurant, I'm straight into a "health and wellness consultation" with Orranat Thanamteun ("Ohn"), a kindly woman in her mid-30s.

Chiva-Som means "haven of life", and ever since its launch in 1995 it has been a favourite retreat for celebrities and well-heeled clients, maintaining its reputation and draw while thousands of other "lifestyle" spas have opened up all over the world. So even though I know I might be pushing it, under "reasons for your visit" I've listed "de-stress, relaxation, weight loss, fitness, to look and feel better". After reading my answers to the exhaustive questionnaire, Ohn takes my blood pressure, weight and heart rate, before recommending a programme for the next three days: a mixture, basically, of massage and exercise classes, coupled with all meals at Chiva-Som's two restaurants, which serve only "spa cuisine", a detoxifying menu of raw fruit and vegetables and a virtually fat-free method of cooking which poaches and braises food in vegetable stock rather than frying it. I'm given a 117-page "health and wellness guide" and sent downstairs for my first massage.

Immediately, I can see the appeal. Although one is encouraged to look within, through complimentary meditation classes, copies of Buddhist teachings and daily bookmarks which say things like: "If your thoughts are always positive, you will be at peace with yourself, and all around you the world will smile", most things here are done for you. Once your programme is prescribed, you are on a cosseted (or bathrobed and slippered) journey from steam room to sauna, indoor pool to signature massage, t'ai chi to facial to colonic hydrotherapy or "heavenly head massage and hypnotic rocking therapy". You can add on optional extras as you like, which may mean the constant re-jigging of your itinerary, but there is an endless supply of clean towels and fresh vegetable juices and fruit smoothies to help you on your way.

At 7am the following morning I do the "beach boot camp", which is less strenuous than I would have liked but still makes you feel awake and that you have achieved something before breakfast. I order a cappuccino, which draws a sharp intake of breath followed by a grin from my waiter which says "aren't you being naughty", but I had already been told that three days wasn't long enough for a complete detox anyway. Some of the other guests, who were here for two weeks or longer, look as if they are detoxing from something stronger than caffeine, and have that pale, slightly dazed and aristocratic look one expects from rich people in "recovery" after giving up smoking and other poisons. "Did you see Natalie Imbruglia?" one of my fellow diners remarks. I confess I haven't - and it may not have been her at all. A tall American model from Ralph Lauren was here for the weekend, too, but no one (perhaps because they are so wrapped up in their own detox) seems to care about who she is or who she's with. One of the benefits of Chiva-Som is privacy - there aren't too many guests, treatment programmes are tailor-made and private rooms are always available.

I probably should have done the 9am stretch class, but made it instead to the 10am "metabolic breathing exercise" with Namthip. It's a little more than just breathing - it's breathing combined with stretching, to get more oxygen into the muscles and ultimately become more flexible, toned and controlled. After a delicious lunch of tom som - poached grouper fillet in ginger broth - I have a fitness consultation with Preeda Ardmad, who says I don't need to go to the gym any more than I already do but should supplement it by more cycling and walking. However, she suggests I switch my workouts from evening to morning; this will involve getting up earlier, but she thinks my routine could be the cause of my sleeping problems. "You should eat dinner by six and be in bed by 10pm," she says, because our bodies can't metabolise food as well late at night and stores it, instead, as fat. "Your weight is fine," she says, "and it's normal for women to gain or lose one to two kilos per month." She recommends Pilates to tone the stomach, and controlling my diet. "No input, no output," she says, and it makes sense.

That afternoon I head up to the specialist skin clinic run by Dr Krit Sirimharaj, for a "skin facial analysis" session. I'm not exactly sure what I'm in for but the results are worrying: digital photographs taken of my face reveal more than twice the normal number of sun-damage spots for someone of my age (most sun damage is not visible to the naked eye, making it easy to ignore). When I tell him I live in the UAE, Dr Krit says I should never go out without sunblock on my face. Interestingly, the tests also reveal that I have "no wrinkles", which is some comfort.For people who do have wrinkles or sagging, the clinic offers a wide range of (expensive) non-surgical facelifts.

After a blissful Thai massage in one of the outdoor cubicles, I head back down to the spa for Chi Nei Tsang, or stomach massage, which is initially slightly unsettling but after a few minutes quite pleasant. "If this area is congested, the whole energy of the body is blocked, slowly weakening the internal organs," the health and wellness guide states. "Chi Nei Tsang quickly releases negative emotions, tensions and illness." I'm not sure to what extent this is true, but it was certainly very calming. "You have gas and stress; we store it in the stomach area," says the therapist.

That night I don't sleep well, thanks to some noisy renovations of the spa shop and the too-soft mattress topper on my bed which also makes it too hot, so my first activity of the last day is "aqua aerobics with noodles" in the indoor swimming pool at 11am. Nittaya, an athletic young Thai woman, demonstrates some dance moves to pumping music and around 20 of us follow suit in the water. "What about the noodles?" shouts Nabil, an older man in the front row, whereupon Nittaya hands out bendy pieces of rubber which we use to flex and jump through under the water.

It's a surprisingly good workout, but by the end of the last day I still feel tension in my shoulders, so I go for a "body balancing" session with Namthip. It's a form of physiotherapy which involves pressure on my "energy channels" to "relax the muscles, fascia, joints and ligaments"; it involves only very light pressure with the fingertips, but I can feel the various muscle groups being gently pulled away from the spine and an alignment of sorts takes place.

Afterwards I feel more relaxed and clear-headed: just in time for an "abs, butts and thighs" session with a strapping 1.9-metre-tall Thai called Decha, whose figure alone could motivate anyone to do their sit-ups. I push myself to the max and suddenly notice that the person I'm looking at in the mirror, with porcelain-clear skin, is me. In just two days, it's quite a result. In my departure consultation the next morning, I find that I've also lost two kilograms. If these are the results after a long weekend, I'd like to come back for a week.

The flight Return flights from Dubai to Bangkok cost from Dh2,335 including taxes with Thai Airways (www.thaiair.com).

The stay A three-night 'Taste of Chiva-Som' package costs from 52,435 Thai baht (Dh6,380) per person based on two sharing. The price includes accommodation, a 45-minute consultation, three-meals per day, a daily massage, a physical analysis session, up to eight classes daily and the use of the steam sauna, Jacuzzi and swimming pools (www.chivasom.com; 00 66 3253 6536).

Hotel Silence
Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir
Pushkin Press

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Director: Laxman Utekar

Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna

Rating: 1/5

RACE CARD

6.30pm: Baniyas Group 2 (PA) Dh 97,500 (Dirt) 1,400m.

7.05pm Maiden (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 1,200m

7.40pm Maiden (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 1,400m

8.15pm Handicap (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 1,400m

8.50pm Rated Conditions (TB) Dh 120,000 (D) 1,600m

9.25pm Handicap (TB) Dh 95,000 (D) 1,200m

10pm Handicap (TB) Dh 85,000 (D) 2,000m

The five pillars of Islam

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

Specs%3A%202024%20McLaren%20Artura%20Spider
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203.0-litre%20twin-turbo%20V6%20and%20electric%20motor%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EMax%20power%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20700hp%20at%207%2C500rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EMax%20torque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20720Nm%20at%202%2C250rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Eight-speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E0-100km%2Fh%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203.0sec%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETop%20speed%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E330kph%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh1.14%20million%20(%24311%2C000)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
  • Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
  • Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
  • Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.
 
 
Emergency

Director: Kangana Ranaut

Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry 

Rating: 2/5

THE SPECS

Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine 

Power: 420kW

Torque: 780Nm

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

Price: From Dh1,350,000

On sale: Available for preorder now

The specs

Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors

Power: 480kW

Torque: 850Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)

On sale: Now

The specs

Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now

SHAITTAN
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EVikas%20Bahl%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAjay%20Devgn%2C%20R.%20Madhavan%2C%20Jyothika%2C%20Janaki%20Bodiwala%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Other workplace saving schemes
  • The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
  • Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
  • National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
  • In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
  • Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
RESULT

Huddersfield Town 1 Manchester City 2
Huddersfield: Otamendi (45' 1 og), van La Parra (red card 90' 6)
Man City: Agüero (47' pen), Sterling (84')

Man of the match: Christopher Schindler (Huddersfield Town)

Game Changer

Director: Shankar 

Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram

Rating: 2/5

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Revibe%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hamza%20Iraqui%20and%20Abdessamad%20Ben%20Zakour%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Refurbished%20electronics%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%20so%20far%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410m%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFlat6Labs%2C%20Resonance%20and%20various%20others%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: BorrowMe (BorrowMe.com)

Date started: August 2021

Founder: Nour Sabri

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: E-commerce / Marketplace

Size: Two employees

Funding stage: Seed investment

Initial investment: $200,000

Investors: Amr Manaa (director, PwC Middle East) 

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

Paatal Lok season two

Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy 

Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong

Rating: 4.5/5

The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer

Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000

Engine 3.6L V6

Transmission: Six-speed automatic

Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm

Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm

Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km

Qosty Byogaani

Starring: Hani Razmzi, Maya Nasir and Hassan Hosny

Four stars

David Haye record

Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4

The%20specs
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Switch%20Foods%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Edward%20Hamod%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Plant-based%20meat%20production%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2034%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%246.5%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%20round%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Seed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Based%20in%20US%20and%20across%20Middle%20East%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs

AT4 Ultimate, as tested

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Power: 420hp

Torque: 623Nm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)

On sale: Now

Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi

Director: Kangana Ranaut, Krish Jagarlamudi

Producer: Zee Studios, Kamal Jain

Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Ankita Lokhande, Danny Denzongpa, Atul Kulkarni

Rating: 2.5/5

ORDER OF PLAY ON SHOW COURTS

Centre Court - 4pm (UAE)
Gael Monfils (15) v Kyle Edmund
Karolina Pliskova (3) v Magdalena Rybarikova
Dusan Lajovic v Roger Federer (3)

Court 1 - 4pm
Adam Pavlasek v Novak Djokovic (2)
Dominic Thiem (8) v Gilles Simon
Angelique Kerber (1) v Kirsten Flipkens

Court 2 - 2.30pm
Grigor Dimitrov (13) v Marcos Baghdatis
Agnieszka Radwanska (9) v Christina McHale
Milos Raonic (6) v Mikhail Youzhny
Tsvetana Pironkova v Caroline Wozniacki (5)

The biog

Favourite colour: Brown

Favourite Movie: Resident Evil

Hobbies: Painting, Cooking, Imitating Voices

Favourite food: Pizza

Trivia: Was the voice of three characters in the Emirati animation, Shaabiyat Al Cartoon

All Black 39-12 British & Irish Lions

Lions tour fixtures

3 JuneProvincial BarbariansWon 13-7

7 JuneBluesLost 22-16

10 JuneCrusadersWon 12-3

13 JuneHighlandersLost 23-22

17 JuneMaori All BlacksWon 32-10

20 JuneChiefsWon 34-6

24 JuneNew ZealandLost 30-15

27 JuneHurricanes

1 JulyNew Zealand

8 JulyNew Zealand

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203S%20Money%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202018%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20London%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ivan%20Zhiznevsky%2C%20Eugene%20Dugaev%20and%20Andrei%20Dikouchine%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%245.6%20million%20raised%20in%20total%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Women's Prize for Fiction shortlist

The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker

My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

Milkman by Anna Burns

Ordinary People by Diana Evans

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

Circe by Madeline Miller

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Sector: Sustainability
Total funding: Self funded
Number of employees: 4
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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THE%20SPECS
%3Cp%3EBattery%3A%2060kW%20lithium-ion%20phosphate%3Cbr%3EPower%3A%20Up%20to%20201bhp%3Cbr%3E0%20to%20100kph%3A%207.3%20seconds%3Cbr%3ERange%3A%20418km%3Cbr%3EPrice%3A%20From%20Dh149%2C900%3Cbr%3EAvailable%3A%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A