Ultimate Thai Massage Budapest Guide (2023)
Ready to relax after a day of exploring with a Thai massage? Budapest got you covered!
Budapest is such an amazing city with its stunning architecture and beautiful parks. No matter if you’re looking for free things to do or unusual things to do, Budapest has everything. And what better way to relax after a long day exploring the city than with a massage? In Budapest, you can find a Thai massage parlour around almost every corner. Okay that might be an overstatement but there are a LOT of Thai massage places in Budapest.
What is a Thai massage?
Every place for Thai massage in Budapest offers a variety of massages, the most common are traditional Thai massage and oil massage. Even though there are some similarities between those two massage types, they are very different massage techniques. So, you should decide beforehand what kind of massage you want and communicate with the masseuse to make the massage the best experience it can be.
Whether you get a traditional or an oil massage prepare for your body to crack. Thai masseuse therapists love to crack your bones, in your fingers, toes, back and some even in your neck.
Traditional Thai massage
The traditional Thai massage is not just a massage but an ancient healing practice in Thai culture. It’s also quite different to other massage practices. The client usually wears a loose, comfortable outfit for this dry massage and the practitioner applies deep pressure with their whole body. And by whole body, I really mean whole body. The masseuse might kneel or stand on you during the Thai massage.
A typical Thai massage is performed on the floor on a thin mat. And with the deep tissue massage, you’ll also get a good stretch in.
Some benefits of a traditional Thai massage are improved blood circulation, mobility and immune system. However, you should only get a Thai massage if you’re healthy.
The first time I had a traditional Thai massage was actually in Thailand and there I noticed that a traditional Thai massage is too strong for me. So, since then I always opt for relaxing oil massages whenever I go for a Thai massage Budapest was no different. Good thing, that every massage parlour offers different kinds of massages.
Oil massage
The difference between a traditional massage to an oil massage is obviously that the oil massage uses essential oils, so you need to undress for the oil massage. And even though the oil massage is a more gentle style of massage, it’s still quite strong sometimes. So, the masseuse still might kneel on top of you even when you have an oil massage.
For me personally, even a Thai oil massage is sometimes too strong but that depends very much on what you prefer in a massage. Just make sure to communicate if you want the massage less or more strong.
Why are there so many Thai massage places in Budapest?
There’s an extraordinary amount of Thai massage places in Budapest. Even though I couldn’t find out for certain why that is, I found the most likely reason. The reason why there are so many Thai massage places in Budapest is that it’s rather easy to open a massage studio in Budapest. And for many Thai women, working in a massage studio is an easy way to come to Europe.
Thai massage parlours in Budapest I tried
In May 2023 I spent two weeks in Hungary’s capital and I grabbed the chance to get a few Thai massages in Budapest. It was very difficult to decide on where to get a Thai massage Budapest just has so many massage places. So, I chose the massage studios for their online reviews but mainly also for a convenient location.
Khanitta Thai Massage
Khanitta Thai Massage was the first Thai massage place we visited in Budapest, actually, we went there on the first day after our very long journey from Belgrade to Budapest. It’s best to arrive with clean feet since this massage studio was actually the only one I visited where they didn’t at least wipe down my feet with a wet cloth.
I had my full body massage very traditionally on a mat on the floor. It was a very good massage, especially because I spent so much time on a bus the day before.
After the massage treatment, we got a glass of tap water. Apparently, they would have had tea as well. My boyfriend got offered tea by his professional therapist, I only got offered water by mine.
All in all, I would say Khanitta Thai Massage is a great place for a cheap Thai Massage in Budapest if you live close by. It’s probably not worth going out of your way to get there.
Website: Khanitta Thai Massage
Price: 1h Aroma oil massage 13,600 Forint (~ €37)
1h Traditional Thai massage 12,500 Forint (~ €34)
Review: 4.7 on Google Reviews
Location: Podmaniczky u. 15
Erawan Thai Massage
Erawan Thai Massage was by far the most expensive massage I got in Budapest, but I wanted to check if a higher price means a better massage experience.
Before my hot oil massage started I got to choose my favourite scent amongst different kind of aromatic oils.
It was the first hot oil massage I ever had and the oil was just lukewarm at the beginning. As the massage continued the oil kept getting warmer.
One thing I really liked at Erawan Thai Massage was the massage table with the hole for the face. I know that’s not very traditional for Thai massages but I really like them. It feels like I can relax even more during the massage if my head is straight on a massage table.
After the massage finished I got some butterfly pea tea and a small bowl of fruits. This was a really nice touch and made it feel like a luxurious massage experience. Although I don’t know if it’s worth the way higher price compared to other massage parlours.
Website: Erawan Thai Massage
Price: 1h Aroma oil massage 22,000 Forint (~ €60)
1h Traditional Thai massage 21,000 Forint (~ €57)
Review: 4.9 on Google Reviews
Location: Kaldy Gyula Street 6
Avalon Thai Massage Budapest
The massage room I went to at Avalon Thai Massage Budapest was upstairs. I had my oily massage on a massage table, unfortunately, without the face hole though. My boyfriend had his massage on a mat on the floor. So, it might depend on availability where you have your massage.
At Avalon Thai Massage I noticed how important it is to speak up during a massage if something doesn’t feel comfortable. The masseuse put so much special attention on my shoulder blades that it already felt uncomfortable during the massage. However, I didn’t say anything. The next day my shoulders hurt and I had a stiff neck.
Website: Avalon Thai Massage Budapest
Price: 1h Thai oil massage 14,000 Forint (~ €38)
1h Traditional Thai massage 12,000 Forint (~ €32)
Review: 4.7 on Google Reviews
Location: Akácfa u. 10
Chada Emerald Thai Massage
There are 4 different Chada Thai Massage salons, I went to Chada Emerald. It’s a little bit hidden in a passageway.
The massage room had a table and they made a provisional face hole out of towels. This was already very relaxing for my neck to be able to keep my head straight. The massage was really good and the massage therapist was very friendly.
For the whole body they used a mild massage oil, I think it might have been coconut oil. And for the neck, they used oil which smelled like Vicks VapoRub. This left a very nice, chilled feeling on my neck even after I had left the massage studio.
After the aromatherapy massage, I got a nice butterfly pea tea.
Website: Chada Thai Massage Budapest
Price: 1h Aromatic Thai oil massage 13,000 Forint (~ €35)
1h Traditional Thai massage 12,000 Forint (~ €32)
Review: 4.8 on Google Reviews
Location: There are 4 different Chada Thai Massage Budapest studios
Best Thai massage Budapest has to offer
It’s very difficult to say which is the best massage salon because it always depends on the massage therapist you have and what kind of massage you like. That being said my favourite Thai massage I had in Budapest was at Chada Emerald Thai Massage. They had a very friendly staff, the massage was the best I had and I got some tea afterwards. And all that for a very reasonable price.
Thai massage Budapest price range
The price of your Thai massage in Budapest depends on the type of massage you get. For example, a traditional Thai massage, which is a very strong massage, is usually a bit cheaper than an aromatherapy massage. A foot massage is usually cheaper than a full-body massage. And of course, it depends on the duration of your massage.
All those things aside, the price range for a 1-hour Thai massage is between €30 and €60.
Other things to know about Thai massages in Budapest
In most Thai massage places in Budapest, the person at the front desk is the person who speaks English the best. Many massage therapists don’t speak English very well. So, I recommend asking any questions you may have at the front desk.
It is not mandatory but highly appreciated to tip the massage therapist. Even with a tip, it’s probably still cheaper than in your home country and it will improve the wage of the therapist. The normal tipping amount is about €2.
