Spa craze sweeps Asia

Spa craze sweeps Asia

Mynardo Macaraig, Agence France-Presse/Lipa, Philippines

Coffee-water enemas and meals of raw vegetables may not sound
very relaxing but for a revolutionary spa outside the Philippine
capital, these are part of a wider healing experience.

"The Farm at San Benito", located in Lipa town, 70 kilometers
south of Manila, tries to combine exotic massages, skin scrubs
and a quiet atmosphere with new-age, "alternative" treatments
intended to heal body and spirit.

This is just one of scores of health resorts that have
mushroomed all over Asia in recent years, from basic yoga
retreats to luxury spas in resorts from Bali to the Maldives.

High-end spas attract the wealthy and health-conscious from
around Asia and the West, with resorts such as Chiva Som in Hua
Hin, Thailand, proving popular with celebrities such as England
footballer David Beckham, actress and model Elizabeth Hurley and
tennis star Serena Williams.

The Philippine Department of Tourism says such spas are the
fastest growing tourism sector in Asia with as much as 20-25
percent growth annually and an estimated total value of 27
billion dollars.

A survey by the department in 2001 found that the majority of
spas required investments of 30 million pesos (US$550,000) Net
income varied widely but 85 percent of respondents said they were
profitable.

The Philippines is now moving in on this lucrative market, but
"The Farm" hopes to stand out by offering a "wellness lifestyle",
aimed at both stressed executives and the genuinely-ill.

Visitors can enjoy a day of special"pampering" packages
including lounging by a pool, Swedish, Thai, Philippine, Balinese
or stone massages or gentle body scrubs using salt, honey,
coffee, papaya or a cocoa-coconut mixture that invigorates the
skin and loosens tense muscles.

But The Farm also offers medical vacation packages focusing on
"detoxification." In such programs, lasting a minimum of five
days, patrons largely consume nothing but juices, undergo "colon
hydrotherapy sessions" and psycho-therapy using "neuro-linguistic
programming".

Even casual vacationers who drop by The Farm's restaurant will
taste the difference: all of the food is strictly vegetarian --
not even fish, dairy products or eggs are allowed.

The Farm's chef, Felix Daniel Schoerner strives to show that
delicious meals can be made entirely out of vegetables --
preferably raw ones which he says are healthier.

His restaurant serves rice and pasta meals in a concession to
those still unaccustomed to this radical cuisine but he insists
he can turn out gourmet dishes that are just as good under the
"live food" system.

"Live food," refers to dishes of organic vegetables, herbs,
seeds, spices and nuts that are not cooked -- just marinated or
slightly heated which supposedly preserves their health-giving
properties.

"The philosophy of the place is to support life. You put life
in your body," said the German-born Schoerner, a veteran of
European gourmet restaurants.

"I get a lot of positive feedback from people who can't
believe you can have delicious vegetarian food," said Schoerner
as he whips up meat-like eggplant croquettes in pesto sauce and a
no-bake tiramisu using coconut milk and nuts instead of dairy
products.

Frances Joy Espino, manager of the massage and scrub area,
said they can have as many as 80 people a day during the peak
season. At least half of the patrons are foreigners with
Europeans and Japanese making up the bulk. But South Koreans and
Hong Kong residents are slowly catching up as well, Espino said.

The Farm has also bowed to popular demand and is now offering
cosmetic surgery on its premises -- with massages and other
alternative treatments to speed the healing process.

"We have a package called de-tox and botox," said sales
manager Jennifer Sanvictores, referring to a combination of
detoxification and botulism toxin (botox) injections that
eliminate facial wrinkles.

The Farm's resident physician Jeanette Belen-Rosales said
their focus is on prevention of illness, but their treatments can
complement conventional medical care.

"We know our limitations. If it's really necessary for surgery
we tell them, but if we can help them by telling them the proper
lifestyle, we tell them that," Belen-Rosales said.

Some guests come to The Farm because they are tired of taking
medication and want to try something else, but some of the
patrons have said it has helped them in dealing with illnesses as
diverse as hypertension, diabetes and even one case of possible
cancer, she added.

To protect the privacy of patrons, journalists are not allowed
to speak to guests.