The Farm at San Benito: Sassy Tried & Tested!

After the rollercoaster ride that was 2022, who would say no to a stay at The Farm at San Benito?

Imagining a weekend of relaxing by the pool, maybe a yoga class and massage in a lovely resort in the Philippines, I was quick to say yes to a quick trip to The Farm at San Benito. A bit of time out to set the tone for the new year ahead. Without wanting to sound too dramatic about it, The Farm at San Benito was so much more…

I love a spot of yoga and will never say no to a good spa treatment. However, when it comes to crystals and chakras, juice detoxes and vegan living, I’m a bit more sceptical. But I’ll try anything once! The beauty of a stay at The Farm at San Benito is there is something for everyone’s interpretation of wellness. There are options for those seeking a complete lifestyle overhaul and those who want a simple holiday retreat with healthy food, relaxation and mindfulness and fitness.

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What is The Farm at San Benito?

More than just a lovely tropical resort (although it is definitely that too!), The Farm is a complete holistic lifestyle destination. There are onsite yoga, fitness and wellness classes and a luxurious spa, as well as a holistic medical centre all just a 90-minute drive from Manila International Airport. Easy reach for a quick getaway from Hong Kong. 

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Wellness At The Holistic Sanctuary

What sets this destination apart is the Holistic Sanctuary, a medical centre that offers everything from general consultations, nutritional advice and digestive cleanses supervised by a team of onsite doctors to physiotherapy, chiropractic, acupuncture and reiki, psychology and psychoemotional healing. There are programmes and packages covering all sorts of health issues including long Covid recovery, sleep induction, stress reduction and hormonal balance.

The options can seem quite overwhelming, but at the heart of each package is a personalised, medically supervised treatment plan. The helpful team will guide you through the options and help build your perfect retreat.

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Tested Treatments At The Holistic Sanctuary

My treatments started with the Live Blood Analysis which involved a finger prick blood droplet being examined under a microscope. While not diagnostic, it was interesting to see the blood cells interact giving insight and direction to other health conversations. 

This was followed by a Voice Analysis where I spoke into a microphone for around a minute, followed by the doctor’s interpretation of my personality, mental and physical health. I still have no idea how it works, but the results were scarily accurate and some of the personality traits (both positive and negative) definitely struck close to home. Like the Blood Analysis, the results help form a broader picture of your health and areas for improvement. 

Finally, I spent some time in the Vital Dome infra-red sauna. A strange experience as you lie down, in a dimly lit room with peaceful music playing, covered by the dome with just your head out. On the “detox” setting, the heat went up to 65º C, sending my heart racing and letting my body sweat out the toxins. I’m still trying to decide whether it felt like a relaxing meditation or an intense workout. Yes, very conflicting concepts, but I would absolutely do it again. 

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Healing Sanctuary Spa And Aqua Sanctuary

No retreat would be complete without a visit (or two or three!) to the spa and the Healing Sanctuary and Aqua Sanctuary did not disappoint. I tried the signature Purification Treatment which was a simply divine combination body scrub and massage. 

Next up was Aqua Therapy, a two-hour onsen-like experience. The time was spent being guided from the saunas and steam rooms through different water jets and onsen pools, before finishing up with an infrared foot sauna and shoulder massage. It was relaxing and meditative and something I’d highly recommend.

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Included Activities At The Farm at San Benito

Given The Farm at San Benito is a holistic resort, there is also a focus on the body and mind. A yoga session overlooking the lake was the perfect start to the day and there were also guided nature walks, fitness classes and meditation sessions at various times each day.

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Restaurants At The Farm at San Benito

Everyone knows that a key to good health is eating well. ALIVE! serves up delicious vegan meals (and if you are doing a cleanse this is where all your meals will likely be). I also really enjoyed the meals at PRANA, the Indian-inspired vegetarian restaurant and also PESCE which, as the name suggests, serves up seafood by the pool.

Read More: Your Guide To Vegan And Vegetarian Restaurants In Hong Kong

Accommodation At The Farm at San Benito

There is a range of rooms, suites and villas to suit your style. My room was a Banaba Deluxe in the newest section of the resort. It was lovely and comfortable and I really enjoyed waking up to the sounds and views of the forest. It is near a new section of the resort that is being constructed (with exciting things to come!) and a bit of a walk to the main areas so if I were to stay again I’d look into the villas which enjoy a private garden and some with their own pools. 

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Final Thoughts On The Farm at San Benito

Would I go back? Absolutely!

The Farm at San Benito, www.thefarmatsanbenito.com

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