Healing in the Heart of the Philippines
When it comes to wellness resorts and retreats, one destination still has so many healing treasures yet to be discovered and explored, with a history steeped in traditional healing practices.
It’s also a country with over 7000 islands, an abundance of refreshing green landscapes, hidden, idyllic slices of paradise, calming turquoise waters, environments perfect to retreat to, and for the power and wisdom of nature to rejuvenate, heal and restore.
The pace has been picking up for the Philippines’ position in the wellness industry. Recent Global Wellness Institute (GWI) data shows that the country’s wellness market expanded from $35.8 billion in 2019 to $43.3 billion by 2023 (or 21% growth). The country ranks eighth of 45 countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
I have just finished a morning therapeutic Mandala Flower Meditation session, which has helped ground me for the day. I mindfully picked each petal and leaf to create this mood-brightening flower arrangement in a bowl of water, now sitting on one of the stone pillars at the entrance of the Healing Sanctuary Spa. This meditation is one of the activities on offer at The Farm at San Benito, an eco-luxury healing sanctuary in the peaceful, jungle surrounds of Lipa City, Batangas, Philippines.
Spa Director Lem Senillo speaks about the likely reasons the Philippines has been a lesser-known destination than others for wellness and relaxation.
“The diminished visibility of Filipino wellness rituals in mainstream spa and wellness offerings can be traced in history. Over time, with Spanish colonisation, then American colonisation, indigenous healing practices were often tolerated but gradually marginalised in favour of Western medicine and scientific approaches. These historical forces contributed to a disconnect from our ancestral healing heritage.
“Today, despite global wellness trends, these rich traditions remain underrepresented, partly due to a lack of awareness and commercial barriers. Recognising this gap presents an opportunity to revive and honour our cultural identity through integrative wellness practices that resonate with our heritage.
The Farm offers medically supervised retreats and treatments with a team of internationally trained integrative medical doctors and other licensed health experts such as nutritionists, myotherapists and nurses. However, these are also complemented with a range of immersive Filipino indigenous therapies like Hilot, herbal steaming and baths and farm-to-skin treatments using local medicinal herbs.
Healing art of Hilot
Central to the Philippines’ wellness traditions is Hilot, the indigenous Filipino healing art. Hilot sees illness not merely as a physical imbalance but as a disruption in the flow of dalam (life force) and hilot vital energy. Senillo explains Hilot is rooted in the concept of ‘Malasakit’—genuine care and compassion for others. It involves holistic massage, herbal remedies, and energy healing aimed at restoring balance within the body. “Hilot embodies our identity and way of life, emphasising ‘Ginhawa’—a sense of deep refreshment and renewal. It is gaining recognition as a cultural treasure that reflects our innate kindness and divine connection.”
Senillo’s grandmother was a seasoned Hilot practitioner, and he tells me how, as a young boy in the village, he would see many people lining up to see her for various ailments.
“Our ancestors believed only nature can provide the purest method of healing, and today, many herbs and remedies used traditionally are supported by scientific research confirming their medicinal properties. This integration emphasises that nature remains our primary healer.
Nature’s healing wisdom
“Our Babaylan healers teach that all elements—air, water, earth, fire, and ethereal energies—are interconnected within our bodies, Senillo says. “These elements guide us toward holistic healing and restoration, fostering a profound respect for nature’s wisdom.”
Herbal steaming and bathing
Herbal steaming and bathing features prominently in Filipino spa treatments. For example, one of The Farm’s Traditional Filipino Treatments is the two-hour Tres Banyos Lunas. It starts with a 20-minute soak in a private open-air garden, in a cauldron full of indigenous herbs, such as Sambong, Alagaw, Lagundi, Damong Maria, Malungay, Balbas Puso, Tanglad and Oregano. The therapist claims these have benefits for the respiratory system.
Following this is a Suob Traditional Steaming bath, which the therapist explains her mother used to give her as a remedy when she had a cold. I’m sitting on a chair, a clay pot of indigenous herbs such as oregano and lemongrass underneath. A cloth is placed over my head as the steam from the claypot below me rises, and I inhale the invigorating aromas. The steam induces deep breathing, enhancing relaxation. The treatment is sealed with the 90-minute Hilot Tapal and warm bamboo massage, a mixture of targeted pressure point release and gentle stretching, one of the most energy restoring treatments I have had, with the effects of revitalised energy felt at least a week after.
A tarragon herbal tea is served after any treatment at the Healing Sanctuary Spa, in the lounge area, where you can settle your senses while you admire the forest infinity pool.
Banana leaves
In Borocay island, Discovery Borocay Resort’s Terra Wellness Spa, their Tuub and Hingut-an (full-body treatment) includes Hilot Haplos as the highlighted massage treatment. Heated banana leaves are paired with nourishing coconut oil to gently warm the muscles and promote the release of toxins through perspiration.
Rooted in Filipino healing traditions, banana leaves are believed to draw out excess heat and impurities from the body while leaving the skin soothed and refreshed. The Hilot Haplos massage also includes the “Hihilaan” or pulling technique with banana leaves. If the leaves stick, wrinkle, or crackle, it is read as a sign of “lamig” (cold energy) or “pilay” (strain) in the area. Hence, the therapist will pay attention to the area to relieve the pain or discomfort.
Forest bathing
In addition, modern practices like forest bathing—walking barefoot or hugging trees—are now recognised for their psychological and physiological benefits, reinforcing that the essence of Filipino wellness is timeless but adaptable to today’s scientific insights.
Indeed, at the San Benito Farm, you are enveloped within a lush forest, feeling the healing powers of nature with each step and breath.
Animals like resident peacocks roam freely, coconuts are picked from the hundreds of coconut trees, and plenty more medicinal plants grow everywhere you walk. The Farm team picks plants such as moringa, lemongrass and tarragon to use in their treatments and embodies what the resort calls their “farm to skin” approach.
Bamboo
Bamboo is another healing tool that can be found on the Farm’s grounds and was used in the Hilot Tapal massage I experienced. The therapist placed a warm bamboo stick in each hand as she continued the massage. Something I’d never experienced before, I found the warmth very comforting and healing.
It turns out bamboo is a cultural artifact, a link to pre-colonial Filipino identity, used as a return to the voice of the ancestors. The use of warm buho or bagakay bamboo in Hilot is a mythic symbol of resilience and a conduit for malasakit (compassionate energy) from the healer to the recipient. It’s warmed by soaking in heated water infused with medicinal herbs or by placing it near an oil lamp or hearth. This warming ritual imbues the tool with init ng puso (the warmth of care), transforming it into a vessel of soothing energy, which I definitely felt.
The other ancient therapy that uses bamboo is the dagdagay reflexology treatment, with Amanpulo Spa on Pamalican Island one that offers this. Interestingly, this traditional Cordilleran method originated in the mountain provinces, symbolising the honour of hard work. After a hard day of farming, children would wash their fathers’ feet as a sign of respect. This pain and stress treatment involves the use of bamboo sticks to massage pressure points of the soles of the feet to rebalance energy before applying deep strokes or hagod.
Holistic, spiritual, emotional
Senillo says Filipino healing philosophy is profoundly holistic. “We believe well-being isn’t merely the absence of illness but a balanced state of mind, body, and spirit. Illness often manifests as an imbalance among these facets, and healing involves restoring that harmony through rituals, community support, and spiritual connection. Western medicine, in contrast, tends to focus predominantly on the physical body and scientific evidence.”
These approaches could also explain some of the research results in the new “Global Flourishing Study,” with the Philippines ranked third out of 22 countries. The study looked at what makes people flourish—in addition to happiness, physical and mental health, it evaluated spirituality, meaning and purpose, character and virtue, and close social relationships.
Blending nature with modern, scientific approaches
Many spas in the Philippines offer these traditional therapies together with Western, modern spa and wellness therapies.
The Farm at San Benito offers a range of medical treatments, such as colema, hydrotherapy,and IV therapy, but each is thoughtfully paired with Filipino healing practices, such as herbal therapies, energy work, and ritual-based healing, creating a holistic ecosystem. Nutritional plans are infused with native superfoods, and movement therapies incorporate traditional Filipino exercises. For example, the Hydro Hilot massage involves 30 minutes in the Hydro Pressure pool followed by a 90-minute Hilot Massage.
Lessons from Filipino lifestyle and healing philosophies
Senillo says, “Guests can learn the profound importance of Bayanihan (the spirit of communal support) and ‘Pagtulong sa Kapwa,’ which emphasises genuine interconnectedness, says Senillo. Despite challenges, Filipinos sustain a joyful spirit grounded in gratitude, resilience, and humour. We believe that only by opening our hands can we receive a bountiful harvest. Reward yourself with kindness, for kindness is a powerful healing force that strengthens community and nurtures a loving, compassionate environment. Embracing these philosophies fosters inner peace, strengthens holistic health, and reminds us that wellness is accessible and rooted in everyday acts of kindness and balance.”
Where to experience traditional Filipino spa treatments
The Farm San Benito
With a farm-to-skin philosophy whereby ingredients for treatments are sourced from The Farm’s gardens, the Healing Spa Sanctuary’s comprehensive suite of Filipino treatments, includes five different types of traditional massages, and ancient herbal bath healing treatments for hormonal balance. Hydrotherapy treatments blend with traditional Filipino treatments. Spa Director Lem Senillo recommended the highly restoring two hour Tres Banyos Lunas herbal bath, steam and massage treatment.
Amanpulo, Pamalican Island
Perched atop the summit of Pamalican Island, an experience at Amanpulo Spa starts with breathtaking views of the ocean, and Aman Spa’s Healing Garden offers space to enjoy peaceful moments after your treatment, which could include the ancient Dagdagay reflexology massage with bamboo sticks, or the Four Hands Remedy, with two therapists combining Hilot techniques, followed by a calming warm coconut milk bath.
Discovery, Borocay
When you’re needing a break from the powdery white sands of Borocay Beach, The Signature Hilot Haplos massage is 90 minutes or go for the fuller experience of the 2 hour Tuub and Hingut-an, which starts with a linen body warp for 15-20 minutes to release tension through perspiration, followed by the Hilot Haplos massage.
Sofitel Philippines
Escape after exploring the hustle and bustle of Manila, with their Filipino Pride Hilot Secrets massage treatment which uses warm strips of aromatic banana leaves laced with virgin coconut oil for removing impurities and relieving aches.
Chi Spa at Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts
Get lost mentally and physically in the two hour Traditional Philippine Hilot that starts with a Foot Bath “Suob”, followed by Head and Shoulder Massage “Hingut-an”, the Hilot massage and finishing with a soothing ginger tea
Nurture Wellness Village
The dagdagay foot treatment here is performed in calming nature surrounds of the mountainous highland Tagaytay region, home to the smallest active volcano in the world, Taal volcano.
The hotel also offers kamagong touch therapy, a strong treatment ideal for athletes, which uses heated wooden balls and oils to soothe sore and strained muscles. The beads are made from very hard and dense wood from the Kamagong “Mabolo” fruit tree found only in the Philippines.
Getting to the Philippines
I flew Cebu Pacific, the largest airline in the Philippines.
Other airlines that will get you there include Philippines Airlines, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Malaysia Airlines, Air Asia also fly there.
Words By Traceu Cheung
The post Healing in the Heart of the Philippines appeared first on Spa & Wellness.
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