Salvation for the soul and body

When the long and dull Moscow autumn slowly turned into a cold and dark winter, I felt that I wake up more and more often I wake up, it would be more difficult for me to focus on current affairs and, most terrible, my skin became pale and sluggish. Regular trips to the beautician and sleep did not save from disturbing thoughts and did not make a sullen face in the mirror more attractive. And the soul, and the body demanded a change. The choice fell on the Philippines, the stories about which I heard from childhood. The imagination drew transparent waters with multi-colored fish and branched corals, smoking volcanoes, unprecedented birds and fresh fruits for breakfast, lunch and dinner … And of course, a visit to the famous Filipino Spa was scheduled.

And the Philippines did not deceive my expectations. First of all, the nature of the country was struck: the types of underwater world with hundreds of varieties of corals are combined with stunning beauty with blooming orchids and completely unfamiliar plants growing right on the beach. Along with the nature of the country and the cloin of its inhabitants struck me the Philippine Spa.

I visited several spa resorts and spa farms in the Philippines to remove stress and restore spiritual and physical strength and is ready to share with you your observations. Almost all of them have their own concept and philosophy. Are often located on a large, well-groomed territory aside from "civilization", which allows you to create a special atmosphere.

Here come for a whole day or a few days to pass the procedure. SPA farms and spa resorts have their own restaurant and offer accommodation in secluded bungalows. The emphasis here is put on cleansing the soul and body. To achieve the first you offer individual exercises yoga, respiratory gymnastics, meditation, and sometimes communication with a psychotherapist. Body cleansing is achieved by traditional methods – massages, saunas and other pleasant procedures.

One of the main features of the Philippine Spa is a unique atmosphere, which is created due to the care of all five feelings. It is possible without exaggeration to say that everything that will fall into your spa, will please the eye. The Philippines use traditional decor items, flowers and petals, which are decorated with couches, gender and even water in the bath. Under the ban here bright light and annoying "Screaming" colors.

Light, subtle aromas to help you tune in the desired fashion. The most popular in Asia are oils with a smell of lemon grass, sandalwood, rosemary, ylang-yulang, although often spa centers create unique compositions of essential oils, for example, soothing, relaxing, restoring. As a rule, you are offered to choose the aromatic oil for its procedures, but sometimes can first use the relaxing composition in the same procedure, then an invigorating, for example, with a hint of citrus and cardamom.

All you touch and all that touches you during a visit to a spa, pleasant to the touch. And that is not all. Before starting the procedure, you may ask what massage you prefer, light, standard or strong.

During the procedure, you can hear music, but it is not stronger than the gust of the wind, so it does not distract, but configures on the necessary wave. Most often use New Age or Nature Sounds. In expensive urban spa salons, each cabinet is isolated, which allows you to create your special sound atmosphere, be it light music or ringing silence. In the spa resorts where there are no accounts, and there are separate pavilions or villas, sound design, as a rule, are given to nature. In my opinion, the noise of waves, the rustle of the leaves and the singing of birds – the best music for spa procedures.

Filipinos believe that to achieve harmony between body and soul need healthy meals (do not accidentally vegetarianism is part of the culture in many Asian countries). Many Filipino Spa features a restaurant or cafe, offering unique dishes and drinks from organic products. Approach to spa cuisine is also in charge of the concept of the five senses: food should be not only fragrant and delicious, but also pleasing to the eye.

Spa restaurants offer tend to be vegetarian, low-calorie dishes. The most original restaurant "85/15" located in The Farm at San Benito. Its founders advocate a raw food diet, so the restaurant’s menu is 85% composed of raw foods. I should add that all that is served at the table in The Farm, is grown on their own organic farm. Surprise and drink: in the spa menu of the restaurant or bar you can find the most exotic combinations, for example, the juice of celery and grapes or citrus juice with mint. Even if the spa does not have its own kitchen, you should definitely be offered green or ginger tea helps to cleanse the body and restore.

It’s time to tell you about my favorite procedure Shodhana Karma, carried out in Mandala Spa (Philippines) and get Crystal Spa Award (Oscar Asian spa industry) as the best anti-aging treatment. The procedure lasts for 2.5 hours and consists of several parts. Like most of the procedures in the Asian spa, Shodhana Karma begins with a foot bath, which helps to relax and tune in to the upcoming procedure.

Next – a firm massage with cold-pressed sesame oil and sweet flag root powder. It is believed that sesame oil, penetrating deep into the skin pores, the ability to join the fat-soluble toxins and remove them from the body.

Despite the fact that massage seemed strong enough, thanks to the master sensitivity and simply magical setting, I was able to "disconnect" already in 10 minutes after the start of the procedure. After a watch massage, I was given to ginger tea and took to the sauna (heat and ginger stimulate excretory systems). Ends the procedure of light pulling, the basis of which is the Ayurvedic ingredients and aromatic oils (as it was possible to find out, a mixture of sandalwood, geranium, cardamom and lemon grass).

After two and a half hours, I returned to real life in a great mood and feeling that rested in paradise at least a week. My skin kept a pleasant citrus smell for a long time and remained incredibly smooth and tightened.

This is only one of those procedures that I was lucky to try in the Philippines. There was still an unforgettable massage in four hands, pilling with fresh papaya, massage hot and cold stones and DR. About each procedure I can tell for hours. All of them in combination with a unique atmosphere and unsurpassed skill of the Philippine massagers returned to my body ease and harmony, made me forget about the workers and everyday problems, filled me with cheerfulness and energy.

You have already presented yourself in one of the spacious Spa Pavilions Mandala Spa or Badian Natural Spa, where the delicate unobtrusive fragrance is worthwhile, where the wind pegs light curtains, replacing the walls and where, taking a bath, you can enjoy the view of the sea or tropical vegetation? So, it’s time to turn dreams in reality. Journey to the Philippines now offer many travel companies, and in some of them you can immediately book rest and treatment on a spa resort. And although the Philippines are far enough, snow-white sand beaches, the purest waters of the seas, washing the Philippines, and, most importantly, the best spa salons in Asia are a long journey to these paradise islands.

This is my personal list of the best Philippine Spa:

Mandala Spa
Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan
www.Mandalaspa.Com
This Spa Farm on Boracay – My Unconditional Favorite. If you are going to relax on Boraca, I recommend to visit Mandala Spa. And procedures and their execution on this farm are simply flawless.
If you want to completely renounce the fuss for a while, we recommend a package designed for 3-14 days. Package includes accommodation, breakfasts and dinners, yoga and spa treatments.
Stoundarya (120 minutes) – 75 dollars
Water Massage Vattsu (30 minutes) – 35 dollars

Badian Natural Spa
Badian Island Resort & SPA
Badian Island, Cebu
www.Badianhotel.Com
One of the best spa centers in the Philippines. There are all that many are associated with the word Spa: an excellent choice of procedures, great service, a unique interior, cosmetics and aromomasla, made exclusively for Badian Natural Spa.
Badian Natural SPA – the most romantic spa on the Philippines. All procedures here can be done in a secluded pavilion along with your half. Bath with flowers, herbs, fruits or milk (30 minutes) – $ 20 per person or 35 per pair.
Four hand massage (60 minutes) – $ 75 per person or 143 per pair.
Scrub, body mask and bath (my favorite – coffee scrub + carrot-algae mask + bath with Guawa) lasts 90 minutes – $ 80 per person or 145 per pair.

Mogambo Springs
THE SPA AT Plantation Bay
Marigondon
Mactan Island 6015
www.PlantationBay.Com
Cozy spa on the territory of Plantation Bay gently "inscribed" In a small canyon and even has its own waterfall. Great place to relax and restore forces.
Corporate Massage (60 minutes) – 1800 Peso
Massage Shiatsu (60 minutes) – 1600 peso

El Nido Resort Spa
Lagen island
El Nido, Palawan
www.ElnidoreSorts.Com
Small Spa, Located on site Lagen. Here you will be offered several types of massages and, especially relevant for the tropical resort, special procedures, for the skin victims, which remove pain and discomfort, soften and cooled the skin after sunburn (tested for yourself).
Aromascape (60 minutes) – 1600 peso

Learn more about the Philippines you can from the first and only guidebook "Philippines" Series "Eyes eyewitnery".