Ravenous Garra rufa fish consume the dead skin on the feet of a traveller at a Dr Fish Massage stall in Siem Reap, Cambodia. (Pic: Cherry Thein)By Cherry Thein in Siem Reap, Cambodia
The Myanmar Times
(Volume 26, No. 510)
CURIOSITY stirred, I decided to take the plunge and test the popular Dr Fish Massage. The signboard advertised 20 minutes in the pool with hordes of Garra rufa fish for just US$3 and promised that the fish would remove the dead skin from my hands and feet. This would leave them smooth, while at the same time acting as a form of stress relief.
As soon as I dipped my toes into the water they were attacked by scores of fish, tickling my feet and forcing involuntary “oohs” and “ahs” of appreciation.
Dr Fish Massage has become one of the hottest small businesses in Siem Reap, and stall owners say they make as much as $100 a day. In recent years the number of Dr Fish Massage stalls in the city has mushroomed, and they can mostly be found in touristy areas like the Old Market and Night Market, close to lively Pub Street.
While some offer free Ankor Beer or Coca-Cola to entice travellers, the fish generally sell themselves.
Ms Heng Mali, the owner of a Dr Fish Massage in the Old Market, said the business was a sure-fire winner in busy Siem Reap, the gateway to the Angkor Wat temples.
“It is very easy to make money with the fish, we can easily get about 30 customers a day but this is not regular because there are now many similar fish massage stalls in the market,” said Ms Heng Mali, 22.
She started the business venture with her brother, 28-year-old Mr Linn Vuthy, about two months ago. They now have three pools in the vicinity of the Old Market and Night Market.
“We want to expand our fish massage business in the future, maybe into full body massages,” she said, adding that the most important factor in the success of a Dr Fish Massage pool is having a central location with a steady stream of visitors.
“We are very lucky that we could get a good location in both markets. The police charged us for this, of course, but it’s no problem – our business is going fine.”
Mr Toek Utdon, 22, started a Dr Fish Massage business with some friends in Siem Reap’s Night Market about five months ago. He had to beg his parents to lend him the start-up capital of $4500 but said he has already managed to pay it back.
“I want to open another pool near the Old Market and enlarge it to offer full body fish massages but it is hard to get a good location, and I need to save up more money,” he said.
Mr Utdon said his fish are chin chin, imported from Singapore at a cost of 50 cents for one small fish and $1 for a large one.
The boom in fish massage stalls since 2009 has led to speculation that not all operators are using genuine Garra rufa or chin chin fish and may even be taking fish directly from the nearby Tonle Sap Lake. Not surprisingly, all the pool owners told The Myanmar Times their feasting fish were the real deal.
For foreign tourists, the pedigree of the specimens nibbling on their toes seems to matter little.
“It feels like thousands of pin and needles are being stuck into my feet – but I like it. It makes my feet clean and smooth and reduces our tiredness after walking around all day,” said Simon, from New Zealand.
Fellow Kiwi Elizabeth agreed the fish feeding frenzy had some healing properties.
“I have never seen this before in my country. It is something different from other kinds of massages – it feels great and makes your feet clean and smooth. I’ll definitely try it again,” she said as she dipped her feet in the fish-filled pool for a second time.
As soon as I dipped my toes into the water they were attacked by scores of fish, tickling my feet and forcing involuntary “oohs” and “ahs” of appreciation.
Dr Fish Massage has become one of the hottest small businesses in Siem Reap, and stall owners say they make as much as $100 a day. In recent years the number of Dr Fish Massage stalls in the city has mushroomed, and they can mostly be found in touristy areas like the Old Market and Night Market, close to lively Pub Street.
While some offer free Ankor Beer or Coca-Cola to entice travellers, the fish generally sell themselves.
Ms Heng Mali, the owner of a Dr Fish Massage in the Old Market, said the business was a sure-fire winner in busy Siem Reap, the gateway to the Angkor Wat temples.
“It is very easy to make money with the fish, we can easily get about 30 customers a day but this is not regular because there are now many similar fish massage stalls in the market,” said Ms Heng Mali, 22.
She started the business venture with her brother, 28-year-old Mr Linn Vuthy, about two months ago. They now have three pools in the vicinity of the Old Market and Night Market.
“We want to expand our fish massage business in the future, maybe into full body massages,” she said, adding that the most important factor in the success of a Dr Fish Massage pool is having a central location with a steady stream of visitors.
“We are very lucky that we could get a good location in both markets. The police charged us for this, of course, but it’s no problem – our business is going fine.”
Mr Toek Utdon, 22, started a Dr Fish Massage business with some friends in Siem Reap’s Night Market about five months ago. He had to beg his parents to lend him the start-up capital of $4500 but said he has already managed to pay it back.
“I want to open another pool near the Old Market and enlarge it to offer full body fish massages but it is hard to get a good location, and I need to save up more money,” he said.
Mr Utdon said his fish are chin chin, imported from Singapore at a cost of 50 cents for one small fish and $1 for a large one.
The boom in fish massage stalls since 2009 has led to speculation that not all operators are using genuine Garra rufa or chin chin fish and may even be taking fish directly from the nearby Tonle Sap Lake. Not surprisingly, all the pool owners told The Myanmar Times their feasting fish were the real deal.
For foreign tourists, the pedigree of the specimens nibbling on their toes seems to matter little.
“It feels like thousands of pin and needles are being stuck into my feet – but I like it. It makes my feet clean and smooth and reduces our tiredness after walking around all day,” said Simon, from New Zealand.
Fellow Kiwi Elizabeth agreed the fish feeding frenzy had some healing properties.
“I have never seen this before in my country. It is something different from other kinds of massages – it feels great and makes your feet clean and smooth. I’ll definitely try it again,” she said as she dipped her feet in the fish-filled pool for a second time.
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