After work on Merdeka Eve, I joined Airin and her friends down in KL for some jalan jalan (Airin came back from Singapore to visit during the weekends) - and to experience the new Fish Spa craze these days.
We decided to do it over at Kenko Reflexology and Fish Spa located at Pavilion Level 5. It costs RM38 per pax to allow their little doctor fishes to nibble at you for 30 mins..
First you have to wash your feet clean.. so that you don’t accidentally kill the poor fishes with smelly feet..
Then the dipping starts! Trust me - if you’ve not done this before, it’s one helluva ticklish and hilarious experience. I wasn’t the only one giggling uncontrollably as the little fishes peck away at my feet. Money well spent for all the laughter that I got out of this.. 
Me and Airin giggling away..
After about a few minutes, your brain learns to shut off the tickling sensation somewhat, and it becomes more bearable. Then the whole thing becomes somewhat relaxing.. (akin to electroshock therapy) and then you don’t ever want to leave.. really!
L-R: Airin, Lai Kuan & Emily
Okay, seriously now…
There are actually separate pools used at Kenko. The first one that we dipped out feet in, was a small enclosure with little fishes. Although my knowledge of marine life is minimal at best, I think these COULD be real Garra Rufas originally from Kangal, Turkey. At least they look like them. Their mouths are located at the base of their head like sucker fishes and they attach themselves to your feet like minuscule vacuum cleaners.
The real Garra Rufas? maybe..
The export of original Garra Rufas from Turkey is severely controlled due to declining population, and a single Garra Rufa can cost up to USD9 per fish! It doesn’t make sense how SOO many Malaysian companies can source for Garra Rufas and afford to startup Fish Spas everywhere - the initial investment must be crazy! Makes more sense that they are using some cheaper alternative no?
Hence it’s probably why the bigger pool sections at Kenko were filled with a larger completely different looking fish altogether. These are obviously NOT the original Garra Rufas - they don’t even look remotely alike! In fact, these ones attack your skin head on, and some of the larger ones have a bit of nibbly sharp bite to them.
Imitation! Chin Chin fish (Oreochromis Niloticus)
Research online has revealed this particular fish to be the cheap as hell baby carp being sold by suppliers in Chengdu and Hainan China as imitation Dr. Fishes.
After a lot of reading, I’m not sure if I’d go a second time (and here I was initially contemplating bringing my mum there). A lot of hygiene concerns here - especially whether the spas are equipped with expensive UV sterilizers and ozone generators to kill off bacteria, and whether the imitation fishes could spread diseases…
Do check out the following links if you want to read up more:
Okay, seriousness aside..
I couldn’t tell the difference at the time, so I just enjoyed it anyway. YOU however, might want to think twice before going..
IF you do go, please don’t repeat the same mistake I did. I folded my jeans up to above my knees so that I can dip my feet in. Amidst all the crazy laughter, itching, tickles, and camwhoring, I didn’t realize that a part of my jeans started soaking up water…
Tada! soaked jeans! You’ve been warned! 
Our Thai Express dinner with Airin’s ex-YTL colleagues..
And the next afternoon, minutes before Airin boarded her bus back to Singapore, we went for some durians..
Mmm.. this photo is giving me cravings again.. I LOVE durians.
