Oohs and aahs in Amuma
February 2, 2007 | 12:00am
Iwasn’t prepared to discover the "Tree of Life." Made of brass, it is hoisted up by two intermingling bodies, male and female, along its trunk. The figure crafted by sculptor Michael Cacnio – gaze up to the heavens as their arms support the tree’s branches. I thought I heard them utter "Amuma..."
In Visayan dialect, amuma simply means to pamper, a word that’s not alien to spa-loving young people. Situated in the serene lushness of Mactan, Cebu, the Amuma Spa is the newest (and calmest) wing of the famed Maribago Bluewater Beach Resort.
Spread over 6,000 square meters of land with 50 guest suites, there are more than eight pampering treatments to choose from, and 14 therapists whose soothing skills put the oohs and aahs in spa.
"My dream really was to have a spa," noted Julie Alegrado-Vergara, owner of Maribago Bluewater Beach Resort. She recalls the resort began as a humble beach house that happily drew family and friends together. The property was developed into a 32-room beach resort in 1989.
In time the resort expanded to 250 rooms, scattered throughout its three resort wings. There is the Beach Wing, which leads to a 110-meter stretch of beach and fine sand; the Garden Wing, which is tucked away amid tropical trees; and the most recent Spa Wing.
Opening last January 20, the Amuma Spa Wing evokes the warmth of a traditional Filipino home, with extensive use of wood and stones. Another homey feature is the thatched roofing in all its guest suites, designed by Benji Reyes. Sliding wooden doors front all of the suites. Inside, warm ruby tones complement the deep brown wood of the furniture. The bathroom boasts a stone-laden pathway leading to a tile-embellished bathtub, where warm flower bath awaits guests upon check-in.
Available to guests 18 and above, the Amuma Spa provides a secluded space to experience beauty and calm. The spa even offers yoga and arnis lessons.
The Amuma Spa wing is also a celebration of Filipino culture in its most healing state. Aside from offering the usual Swedish and Shiatsu massages, you can discover hilot, a local treatment with a long tradition. Spa specialist Kathleen Moynihan-Rodrigo of Massage for Life decided to combine certain aspects of various forms of hilot. The result is a 90-minute full-body massage made up of seven maneuvers that relax and heal. It starts off with a pausok, a "space cleansing" ritual done with an incense smoke of medicinal herbs and minerals. During treatment, one also experiences a dasal (prayer) and an orasyon, consisting of blessings, chants and spiritual invocations.
If you want an even more mystical treatment, there is also the 30- to 40-minute traditional hilot, administered by the highly revered manghihilot, a therapist and healer rolled into one. Often addressed as Manang, she will not give you a full body massage but instead focuses on specific parts of the body that may be in great pain. For my traditional hilot, I went to Manang Juvy, who has been a manghihilot for five years. She told me that hilot has the power to cure a lot of aches and ailments, including coughs, colds, headaches and body sprains.
Other treatments worth trying are the 90-minute hot stone massage, 30-minute Travel Revive back massage, 30-minute Travel Revive foot massage, 60-minute Thai foot massage, and the 75-minute spa manicure. You can also opt to have your treatments in the outdoor Hilot Pavilion, located right beside the swimming pool.
More treatments will be added for everyone’s pleasure, including the Pikpik Kawayan, a foot massage using bamboo.
Julie also plans to open an Essential Oil Bar, where guests can choose their treatment oil of choice. As for newlyweds and couples, Amuma’s honeymoon packages will be offered by February.
Resorts are about refreshment, after all, so enjoy fresh fruits and juices at the Amuma Café and the spa’s waiting room. The café also features some hearty fare by chef Ariel Manuel of Lolo Dad’s Café in Manila.
A short walk brings you to Maribago Bluewater Resort’s restaurants. A favorite hangout here is the Allegro Restaurant, which offers buffet and à la carte options. For a light meal, try the Grilled Crustacean Salad – a medley of succulent grilled prawns, lobsters and crabmeat tossed with some greens and finished off with some anchovy vinaigrette. Food and drinks are also served at the Poolside Bar, Gameroom Bar, and Pier 7 Beach Bar.
Also near the Pier 7 Beach Bar is the Sunset Cove where one can enjoy freshly caught seafood. It sits by the resort’s beach area where you can rent jet skiing, kayaking, wind surfing, parasailing, island-hopping, snorkeling or diving equipment. Other diversions include a life-size chessboard, beach volleyball, tennis, billiards and table tennis.
Meanwhile, in the spa wing, you can also work up a good sweat at the spa’s gym or simply get your hair styled up in the salon. You can choose to hang out by the Watsu pool, outdoor sauna or outdoor Jacuzzi. They even offer in-suite massage treatment.
Hard work deserves relaxation time. So go ahead: just say "Amuma..."
E-mail the author at ice_wave_42@yahoo.com.
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