Tropical haven
August 13, 2004 | 12:00am
It was an intimate exercise that started with me and my therapist in a small heated pool. Floating devices were wrapped around my joints to help me drift in the water. Afterwards, I was asked to let go of everything– emotional stress, anger, disturbing thoughts, et al. I then surrendered to my therapist’s arms as she cradled me for about an hour in the water making stretching movements, using the water as a life force to heal and relax me. During my experience, I felt emotions that I have not had since I was a child. I felt completely protected and at peace with myself. In the end, I felt refreshed and renewed – well, at least until I destroy myself all over again on another night of wild partying.
This water treatment called Watsu is one of the many experiences that truly amazed me at Mandala. The spa was established by Karen Reina and Dieter Shrottmann four years ago and, since then, it has elicited countless ooohs and aaahs from guests, not to mention the ohmmms drawn out from the yoga classes they also offer. Karen and Dieter have been Boracay residents since the ‘80s and were also the team behind the famed Kon-Tiki Floating Bar – old-time Bora-frequenters will remember this as the place to down countless strawberry or mango daiquiris during sunset.
Mandala is a tropical haven that rests on a beautiful 2.5-hectare hilltop property that is quickly accessed by a short tricycle ride or a reasonable walk from the main beach. I liken it to a small tropical village surrounded by natural lush greenery, with all the trappings of modern day luxuries and conveniences that would certainly get a nod of approval from those spoiled brats. The oasis is divided into two main areas: the spa and the resort villas.
The Signature Massage was probably the most relaxing massage I’ve ever had. It was designed to put the most anxious person at ease. Mo-Ching Yip, the in-house American-licensed massage teacher and spa consultant trained each masseuse through an intensive three-month course before they were exposed to spa guests. It started with my feet being washed with warm water in a wooden basin filled with flowers. Then I chose which massage oil to use – my personal favorite was the healing oil. Next was an hour and a half of pure massage bliss that I wished would never end. I concluded the experience with a serving of hot ginger tea at the Watsu pavilion – divine!
Aside from the Signature Massage, they also had a deep tissue massage that used cross fiber strokes and intense pressure, ideal for those who indulge in sports, aquatic or otherwise. It was very effective in removing all those stubborn back knots.
The Shodhana Karma, an Ayurvedic tradition that combined a massage using the cleansing properties of sesame oil, brief trips to the sauna, an exfoliating Ubvartan scrub and finally a cool bath while lying down under a three-head shower. This two and half hour process made me feel like a million dollars.
Mandala’s spa menu also featured exotic scrubs such as the Mandi Lulur and The Balinese Salt Glow. There were three wraps designed to cleanse, moisturize and deeply nourish the skin: the Cool Cucumber-Aloe Wrap, Papaya-Pineapple Body Polish and Seaweed Wrap. Each one incorporated the use of banana leaves to wrap the body and enhance the penetrating properties of the natural ingredients used. The Radiance facial is a salon service of the spa that would put a vibrant glow on anyone’s face.
What sets Mandala apart from other spas was their Soul Connection experiences. The Watsu, as explained earlier, was the most popular. The Water Dance – an invigorating therapy that started out like the Watsu included submerging the client in water (think modified water ballet). Reiki, a form of hands-on therapy conducted by a Reiki master used universal life force energy. Exhale, a session I personally experienced with Mo-Ching Yip, was a truly special experience. Based on the reading that she did on my body, Mo-Ching worked on releasing tension in the neuromuscular junctions and re-balancing the energies. Being quite ignorant in the field of yoga energies, I was a bit hesitant as she asked me to do some ohm chanting but I really felt a lot of negative energy inside me being released as I enunciated each ohmmm. Very exhilarating!
The chic treatment villas blended naturally with the green environment and were freshly ventilated to give each massage and treatment experience that extra oomph. Non-intrusive ambient music piped into each villa added to the whole hushed serenity of the place.
Opened earlier this year, the Villas were beautiful and luxurious. Bacchus Zulueta, the resort’s contractor and also good friend of Karen and Dieter, mentioned that constructing the villas was an extremely meticulous task since the owners were very discriminating and set extremely high standards. Such efforts were certainly worth it. At a very spacious 100 square meters, each villa had imported teak flooring and vaulted wooden ceilings. Exteriors were clad with bamboo, stone riprap and cogon roofing to blend with the tropical surroundings. The interiors consisted of walled-in glass, which allowed a seamless flow between the lush tropical outdoors and the warm wooden finish of the interiors. Particularly interesting were the headboards that Karen had especially modeled after an antique piece she owned in her house. Standard were the usual modern conveniences of an ITT/NDD telephone, CD player, remote control air conditioning and if you must, a TV could be made available upon special request. But then, who would need one with all that beauty to watch around you?
I’ve always preferred accommodations that paid very careful attention to their bathroom space and Mandala certainly paid enormous amounts to it. The bathroom was very luxurious and modern, furnished with Italian fixtures by Antonio Citterio, designer of B&B Italia. There were glass walls, shelves and counters that created a feeling of space. One could enjoy that lazy soak in the custom-made bathtub or have a nice cool and sexy shower under a large showerhead in a walled-in pocket garden. The all-natural soap and hair products that were generously provided were especially refreshing.
Prana means "life force" in sanskrit. Vegetarian food, when cooked right, maintains prana in vegetables, thus delivering vitality. In other words, to eat right is to celebrate life according to this philosophy. Karen says, "I like to eat light. I put a lot of fruits, salads, fresh herbs and nuts in my diet and can’t resist the espresso companion." Such simplicity and refinement was what I experienced while dining at Prana.
The versatile and flavorsome menu was developed exclusively for Mandala Spa by kitchen consultant Julia Lervik, the woman behind Boracay’s Baling Hai bar and restaurant. A must were any of the salads, the vegetarian Pad Thai and the pastry of the day.
Special low season rates at the Villas are $140 a night and include free yoga classes and complimentary breakfast. For inquiries call Mandala Spa & Resort Villas, Boracay Island, Aklan, Philippines at (63-36) 288-5858, www.mandalaspa.com, email info@mandalaspa.com.
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