Suppose you want to book a wellness retreat to lose festive weight or need a place to enjoy a digital detox and reconnect with nature. In that case, I recommend checking into The Farm at San Benito, which was voted the “Best Medical Wellness Resort in the World” by Senses Germany.
Located in Lipa City, Batangas — just a 90-minute drive from Manila — this place is not your typical wellness retreat. It combines rustic farm life, top-notch medi-spa services and fantastic accommodations. Here, you can escape city pollution, noise and stress and immerse yourself in a sanctuary made for overall rejuvenation.
Spread across 52 hectares, the multi-award-winning property boasts breathtaking views of the majestic Malarayat mountains and nothing but life-giving energy from the density of flora that envelops the entire property.
Most of the estate is devoted to agriculture, making the resort a small part. It is easy to feel stylishly stranded in the heart of a jungle. Even at full capacity, I enjoyed nothing but privacy, with farm animals, mostly geese, ducks and peacocks, as my holiday companions.
The Farm was founded in 2002 by German expat Eckard Rempe and his wife Perla, who co-owned the property with Kathmandu-based CG Hospitality, a CG Corp Global conglomerate subsidiary. The couple have since retired and sold their shares to their Nepalese partners, who officially took over in 2018.
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The property has grown from a 20-villa sanctuary to a 60-villa holistic resort supported by world-class medi-spa facilities and a fully sustainable farm supporting organic farm-to-table dining concepts. A significant part of the plantation tends to 3,000 coconut trees. These trees supply the resort’s in-house soaps, oils and skincare products, all available for purchase on-site.
Evolution and expansion are the only constants here. Latest additions include Berde, a restaurant serving pasture-raised organic meats and Banaba, a standalone banquet hall — ideal for weddings and corporate events — with purposefully built rooms atop it.
More recently, The Farm has expanded its property portfolio to include Acacia Wellness Residences (for local and foreign property investors), made up of gorgeous two- to four-bedroom pool villas that look out to the expansive mountainous terrain. In addition, there are also plans for a retirement community home in the future and new properties to open in other parts of Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
Holistic healing
Guests from near and far and their children flock to The Farm for many reasons — from seeking general well-being and rejuvenation to dealing with more serious health issues.
Here, the health programmes are medically supervised to tackle prevalent lifestyle illnesses such as diabetes, obesity, hypertension, chronic pain, hormonal imbalance, infertility, menopause, as well as anxiety, stress and depression.
Led by resident medical chief Dr Marian Alonzo, internationally-trained integrative medicine doctors administer carefully crafted programmes supported by a team of licensed health professionals, including nurses, spa therapists, healers, nutritionists, living food chefs, fitness coaches and yoga teachers.
In the medi-spa building called the Holistic Medical Sanctuary, there is a diagnostics wing for X-rays, ultrasound and stress tests managed by third-party vendor Hope Wellness, while vendors from Living Life Well offer alternative remedies like acupuncture, myotherapy, chiropractic care and physiotherapy claimable under Cigna health insurance. There are also rooms for general medical consultations, health screenings, colonic hydrotherapy, vitamin C infusions and much more.
A typical wellness journey at The Farm revolves around five pillars: Diagnose, Cleanse, Nourish, Repair and Sustain. The goal is to guide guests’ bodies back to their ideal balanced state, fostering optimum wellness through these key components: Holistic integrative medical services, rejuvenating spa and hydrotherapy water wellness, plant-based wholefood wellness cuisine, mindful movement and functional fitness and a healing environment complemented by genial Filipino hospitality.
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Executives seeking a break from work stress can also find customised programmes at The Farm, which help professionals transform and provide them with tools to care for their physical and mental well-being.
Central to this Workplace Wellness retreat are talks and workshops designed to empower executives with the knowledge and skills to prepare nourishing juices and wholesome meals. These sessions impart practical culinary expertise and instil a deeper understanding of nutrition, fostering a sustainable approach to fueling the body and mind.
Recognising the importance of preserving agility in body and mind, The Farm introduces executives to practical yet impactful exercises, such as chair yoga. Specifically crafted to align with the demands of a corporate lifestyle, these routines offer a comprehensive strategy for staying nimble, boosting flexibility and alleviating the physical strains stemming from extended periods of desk work.
Incorporating mindfulness ensures participants leave physically refreshed and with tools to maintain a balanced and resilient mindset in their professional lives.
My wellness journey
During my stay, I was booked in the Palmera Glass Villa Suite with floor-to-ceiling windows, offering serene views of a zen bamboo garden and a spacious outdoor bathtub. A brief stroll leads to a peaceful yoga pavilion overlooking a calm lagoon. Adjacent is a sacred 300-year-old mango tree, the resort’s spiritual centrepiece, inviting guests to set intentions for their holistic journey. It’s also the nightly roost for the peacocks.
A five-minute walk on the cobbled path leads you to the beauty spa, hydro spa, gym and charming extras like a man-made waterfall and zen garden. If you head uphill, the villas get bigger, hinting that you might encounter larger groups or extended families.
I would begin each morning with a short walk or a Mandala Flower Arrangement. I found placing flower petals over water to form a mandala a meditative and calming way to start the day.
Then, it is a short walk to the yoga pavilion for an hour-long workout to loosen tight muscles, followed by various medical appointments and pampering treatments.
I enjoyed trying state-of-the-art treatments, such as the Advanced Brain Biofeedback, a technology commonly used on astronauts to monitor their vitals, organ performance and gut health. A painless laser is pointed at my head like a sniper, which sends frequency exchanges through the body and slowly maps my insides, which are viewed on a monitor.
Through another blood analysis called a Cellular Health Screening, a doctor looks through a microscope to ascertain any underlying health concerns by assessing red and white blood cells. This gives a glimpse of what is happening inside the body and information on possible nutritional deficiencies, toxicities, oxidative stress or internal organ imbalance. I have digestion issues, which call for more probiotics and easy-to-digest foods.
During another consultation, a physiotherapist introduced me to myotherapy. This technique involves manipulating the fascia by pressing or pulling tight muscle bands to provide instant pain relief. I also had a session with a healer who used her touch to rid my body of negative energy. Her tears and headaches (which were frequent) hinted at my repressed sadness and anger. I felt noticeably calmer after just one session and my skin had an unusually soft and luminous glow.
I also connected with several healthcare practitioners on a personal level that extended beyond medical discussions. In our casual conversations, they opened up about their life journeys, detailing how they transitioned from traditional hospital and clinic settings to pursue a more meaningful path in holistic medicine. This shift allowed them to recognise the advantages of alternative medicine but also provided tangible evidence through improved health and weight loss.
For those new to wellness, consider enrolling in the Holistic Detox Cleanse — a five-day programme designed to boost energy, strengthen the immune system and kickstart cellular healing. The plan includes nutritional enrichment, colon cleansing, kidney cleansing with a liquid diet of cold-pressed juices and soups, psycho-emotional clearing and daily mindful movement. Choose from complimentary yoga classes, personal training or HIIT (high intensity interval training) sessions and invigorating nature walks to tailor the experience to your preferences.
“We’re all so busy with our daily routines that we forget to care for ourselves. The result is burnout, stress, low energy, poor health, weight problems and difficulty concentrating. With toxicity, this is a common condition that can’t be cured with medication alone. So the key is to eliminate those accumulated toxins in your body by embracing a nutrient-rich vegan diet, undergoing detoxification, and trying psycho-emotional interventions, thermal and therapeutic experiences and getting active with plenty of calorie-burning movements,” says Dr Alonzo.
To enhance the effectiveness of my detox programme, I indulged in signature spa therapies at the Healing Sanctuary Spa. These included the Purification Treatment with a salt scrub and wrap, a Kidney Cleanse involving body brushing, a charcoal mask and a mineral bath. Additionally, I enjoyed the traditional Hilot Massage — a blend of tui na (a type of alternative medicine similar to the Japanese therapy shiatsu) and Swedish techniques using homemade coconut oil — and The Founders Facial to enhance luminosity.
Farm-to-table delights
Although my diet was predominantly liquid (I had a juice every two hours for three days straight), I did get to sample some tasty vegan delights on my first and last day at Alive!, which serves organic, plant-based cuisine designed to support detoxification, nourishment and vitality. The ingredients come directly from the property’s fruit and vegetable gardens or local farmers.
One of my favourite dishes is lasagne, which tastes close to the real thing. It is mostly eggplant-based and uses cheese made from cashew nuts and mushrooms to mimic beef. I heard that the kids’ vegan menu at Alive! is so colourfully diverse and delicious that parents have turned their green-hating children into vegetable lovers by the end of their stay.
Prana, located next door, offers tasty vegetarian meals inspired by Ayurveda. On the other hand, Pesce follows the Mediterranean Blue Zone diet, incorporating organic living foods such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables and fish for protein.
If you have not been yet, The Farm at San Benito is worth the splurge, as it is one of the very few multidisciplinary wellness resorts in Asia to offer a medically-backed holistic experience. Overall, my stay at this little Eden has been transcendental. The personalised treatments, amazing halal-certified food and warm staff service, created an unforgettable experience that beckons another visit.
After my five-day self-care journey, I radiated with positive vibes and heightened mental clarity and left the place 3kg lighter — thanks mostly to the juicing and colonic treatments.
