From A Distance: Disconnect from the World at The Farm

This is what peaceful looks like

I am guilty of being one of those people who is glued to her phone 24/7. My friends always joke that I can't go longer than 30 minutes without checking my phone or else I'll go through withdrawals. I've had ex boyfriends and guys that I've dated point out to me that I pay more attention to my phone than them. My family seems to be the only ones that don't complain since they know it's a lost cause already. It was only during my trip to The Farm at San Benito last month that I put down my phone. I didn't feel the need to document everything. All I wanted to do was simply disconnect from the outside world and focus on what was happening around me.

The Farm at San Benito is less than two hours away from Manila but as soon as you get out of the car, you will feel like you travelled a thousand miles away to reach your destination. It's everything you hoped it would be and so much more. Yes, it is quite expensive if you're just looking for a place to go on a vacation but what The Farm offers is a luxurious wellness retreat where they take care of your body, mind, and spirit.

The Body

Luxury Accommodations
Each villa is furnished with upscale amenities giving it a seamless balance of comfort and class. We stayed at the Narra Pool Villa. There are 33 elegant villas all-in-all.

We had our own pool inside our villa

My favorite part about our room was the bathtub

Organic Vegan Cuisine
True to the Farm's farm-to-table philosophy, Alive! adjusts the menu to what is bountiful and in-season during each harvest. All their dishes are vegan. (Nothing made from animal products!) You can really feel the difference in your body when you eat clean. It's not true that you will feel weak or starve. In fact, we were so full from our dishes and it was half the calories of what we normally eat on a daily basis.

Pomelo Salad

Zuccini Lasgna

Fresh Spring Rolls

Breakfast

Skewers (Tomato, Garlic, Tofu & Eggplant)

Wellness Retreats
Each retreat is tailored to help guests achieve their desired fitness and wellness goals, offering holistic wellness experience, stress management, anti-acing, weight management, detox, and fitness.

Everyday there are a list of activities that you can join. You'll never run out of things to do. You might just wish for more time instead.

At the Healing Sanctuary, you can avail of their massage services

I prefer dry massages. I picked a Thai Massage outdoors. It was so relaxing that I fell asleep.

Pure Energy is their gym complete with all the equipment you need. Denise and I tried their plyometrics session and we were both exhausted because it was so intense but as the saying goes, no pain, no gain!

Hydro Sanctuary

The Farm's newest facility and the first of its kinda in Asia, the Hydro Sanctuary, offers a one-of-a-kind experience of water therapy.

It was the first time in my life that I've seen this kind technology. I have no idea what you call them!

Mind

At the Holistic Sanctuary, you get the chance to consult with any of their in-house doctors. Some people come from around the world just to see their these doctors at The Farm because they are amazing at what they do. At first I didn't feel the need to go in for a session because I know I am perfectly healthy but after talking to Dra. Marian, she explained that some mental issues aren't obvious or necessarily. Most of the time this is because it happens in our subconscious part of our brain. We can't reach that area by ourselves but trained specialists can.

Spirit

The overall experience of the Farm lifts your spirit to make you feel like you're at your best self. It is amazing how a three day wellness experience instantly showed changes. My body felt lighter, my mind felt clearer, and my aura gave off a positive energy. I can't wait to go back and this time, I am definitely staying longer.