Rejuvenate your mind and restore your body at this
multi-award winning luxe retreat.
After the excesses of year-end parties,
stepping into this peaceful and scenic getaway
was exactly what my beaten body was crying
out for. Just two hours away from bustling
Manila, The Farm at San Benito is 119 acres of
lush greenery built within an organic coconut
and coffee plantation that is also home to goats, peacocks, families of ducks and a dog
or two. Housing only 24 rooms and suites, you
can also be assured that privacy is ensured
at all times. No wonder it has played host
to Hollywood celebrities who have stayed
in their grand Master Villa which is the only
accommodation with TV, its own pool, kitchen and open-air bathroom.
Upon checking in, I was ushered
to see the resident doctor who gave
me a health consultation and a live
blood analysis. As expected, my results
showed that I needed to boost up my
immune system and reduce my toxic
levels – all thanks to a fast-paced city
lifestyle. I was also given a printout
of an extensive detox programme
consisting of a juice fast and lots of
healing and pampering treatments. I
was looking forward to the treatments
but not so much the fasting. According
to the doctor, our bodies use up to 70
percent of energy just to digest the food
that we eat. This fast was necessary to
give my overworked colon a rest and
allow my body to rejuvenate.
To supplement the fasting, I was
also prescribed three sessions of colon
hydrotherapy to remove toxic waste
that have accumulated and hardened
in the colon. Beginners like me start
with a colema which is essentially a
coffee enema, and this loosens the
waste and gas and prepares the colon
for the deeper cleansing of the colonics.
Colonics is performed mechanically
with a machine that pushes purified
water into your colon to aid in the
irrigation. I was very impressed at how
sanitary and spa-like the treatments
were. Aided by very nice and motherly
nurses, each treatment left me lighter
and surprisingly, more energised.
If pampering treatments are what
you’re after, look no further than their signature Hilot Haplos. Using a yummy
coconut and cocoa scrub, my therapist
gently massaged my body to remove
dead skin cells. This was followed by a
coconut milk bath then a stimulating
Filipino-style Hilot massage. I’ll also
never forget the decadent Four
Hands Yin Yang where two therapists
simultaneously dry-brushed and
scrubbed me using a coconut milk with
sea salt scrub, followed by a wrap to
soak in all the goodness. Heavenly and
definitely a good distraction to take my
mind off ravenous thoughts of food!
In place of food, I was given several
beverages daily, namely a green juice,
beetroot with green juice, cleansing
drink and lemonade. The healthful
concoctions made from vegetables
and fruits such as romaine lettuce,
cucumber, parsley, lemon juice, green
apple, celery, apple cider, grapefruit,
carrot and pineapple, not only tasted
good but also contained high levels of
chlorophyll which is a powerful antioxidant
to clean the lymphatic system,
alkanise the body, remove toxins and
nourish the liver and kidneys. Talk about
performance in a cup! I have to say that
they are actually more nourishing than
all the food I consume normally. What’s
also amazing is how the staff manages
to locate me all over the resort to deliver
my juices on the dot every hour.
Guests here are pampered with
unlimited amounts of fresh coconut
water, free afternoon tea with cakes
and cookies made from their own
organic garden as well as wonderful
toiletries made from lemongrass and
coconut. I was particularly intrigued by
their Oil Of Life, their signature Virgin
Coconut Oil harvested daily from
the coconut plantation. To be used on
the body and hair as a moisturiser,
you are also encouraged to consume
10ml a day to increase metabolism and
boost energy.
I was glad that I got to try their
award-winning raw, organic cuisine
at their restaurant, Alive!, on my last
day after my fasting programme.
From their heartwarming shitake
mushroom broth with julienned
coconut slivers to their Mexican
style enchiladas and warm chocolate
and chilli cake served with creamy
coconut ice-cream, each bite was
a taste of heaven. It is no wonder
that they have won the AsiaSpa
Awards Spa Cuisine of the Year four
years running.
Together with their complimentary daily activities
like yoga, gym sessions, power walks, even spiritual
counseling with their in-house psychics, it is easy to
see why guests, like myself, are so reluctant to leave
this paradise. But when I did leave, four days later,
I was two kilogrammes lighter, rosy cheeked and
weaned off my coffee habit. I was also more informed
about healthy food choices and determined to go
meat-free.
This resort provides everything your mind, body
and soul needs, and as acclaimed motivational
speaker, Jim Rohn says, “Take care of your body. It’s the
only place you have to live.”
