12 January, 2023
the farm at san benito manila philippines review travel health retreat
the farm at san benito manila philippines review travel health retreat
Health & Wellness, Travel

The Farm at San Benito: Sassy Tried & Tested!

12 January, 2023
the farm at san benito manila philippines review travel health retreat

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.

Read More: 6 Health & Wellness Retreats To Reset In 2023


the farm at san benito review philippines

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. 

Read More: Public Holidays 2023 — How To Maximise Your Annual Leave


the farm at san benito holistic wellness sanctuary philippines

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.

Read More: Alternative Therapy In Hong Kong — Reiki Energy Healing, Acupuncture, Hypnotherapy And More


the farm at san benito philippines medical travel philippines

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

Read More: 8 Habits To Improve Your Mental Health


spa aqua sanctuary the farm at san benito health retreat philippines travel

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.

Read More: The Best Spas In Hong Kong 


yoga the farm at san benito health retreat philippines

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.

Read More: The Best Yoga Studios And Classes In Hong Kong


vegan food the farm at san benito food philippines

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


banaba delux the farm san benito philippines

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. 

Read More: City Breaks In Asia — 5 Direct Flight Destinations From Hong Kong


the farm at san benito pool the philippines

Final Thoughts On The Farm at San Benito

Would I go back? Absolutely!

The Farm at San Benito, www.thefarmatsanbenito.com

Read More: 12 Luxury Resorts To Put On Your 2023 Bucket List

Team Sassy was invited to stay as a guest of The Farm at San Benito but all opinions are genuine. Images courtesy of Jess Mizzi and The Farm at San Benito.

Back to top
#SoSassy

#SoSassy

@SASSYHONGKONG