Jennifer Chee

Jun 4, 2023

The Farm at San Benito's Sustainable Approach to Health and Wellness

Images Courtesy of The Farm at San Benito

Situated a 90-minute drive south of Manila in The Philippines is The Farm at San Benito, a luxury health and wellness retreat in the heart of Batangas. Constellated over 52-hectares of luscious green land, an array luxury residencies and villas are available for guests to choose from. The Farm at San Benito is the perfect coupling of lifestyle and luxury, as guests enjoy the beautiful facilities on offer.

However, The Farm at San Benito, is more than a simple relaxing wellness retreat, as personalised programmes are curated for each and every guest to fulfil their health goals. CSP Times spoke with The Farm at San Benito regarding their alternative approach to health and wellness, and ho they implement their ethos of sustainability on a day-to-day basis.

I noticed that you have achieved several awards, including ‘Best Eco-Luxury Holistic Medical Wellness Resort’ in 2022 and ‘Haute Grandeur Winner Spa’ in 2001. What separates The Farm at San Benito to other eco-luxury wellness retreats?

At The Farm, we go beyond to curate and deliver a quintessential experiential holiday that speak of conscious lifestyles and transformative personal journeys. Aligned with the values of the new-age travelers, The Farm at San Benito brings forth the industry’s best practices to its own trendsetting vision and strong history of results driven approach to holistic health. Whether it is wellness immersion or medically-supervised lifestyle program, The Farm ensures an environmentally and culturally conscious experiences with an authentic service delivery, with each moment guest spend with us transforms and revitalizes inside and out.

The Farm is an eco-socially responsible business and a true green destination that minimizes its carbon footprint by serving farm-to-table, plant-based, whole food vegan cuisine; which, apart from being beneficial to people’s health, has also been proven to be good for the environment. The Farm has developed a 15,000-square-meter organic farm where everything grown on the land has been designed to fit The Farm’s culinary needs, designed to have a seasonal rotation of crops for a true farm-to-table experience. The Farm at San Benito not only believes in the healing power of nature but in healing nature as well. A vegan diet is said to be the single biggest way to reduce environmental impact on the earth and The Farm at San Benito puts this at the forefront of its values. The Farm has been growing and using medicinal herbs that have been present in the Philippines and are used by Filipinos in the ancient times for their curative power.

A pioneer when it comes to delicious, organic, plant-based cuisine, The Farm is home to award-winning ALIVE! Vegan Restaurant – one of Asia’s first and finest restaurants offering fresh organic vegan cuisine, eco-friendly food that is home grown, freshly picked from The Farm’s organic vegetable and herb garden. ALIVE! restaurant practices innovative food preparations, offering plant-based raw and cooked culinary creations that are high in enzymes, essential nutrients, rich in fiber, antioxidants, phytonutrients, and probiotics. It serves world-class, international vegan cuisine masterpieces that aid in improving digestion, purging toxins, boosting immune system, and optimizing nutrition. Each dish is packed with holistic goodness that nourishes the body. It also prepares special transition diets and cleansing & nourishing juices for guests that seek to enhance their healing experience.

Food waste from the kitchen is transported up to the farm daily and is either given to farm animals or used for compost. The compost area is where both the agricultural and biodegradable waste of The Farm are treated to craft natural fertilizers by allowing the waste to ferment aerobically with microorganisms. Vermiculture is also used to help break down the waste, and vermicast is used as additional topsoil. By growing majority of produce on-site, The Farm not only increases food security, but also reduces its carbon footprint by limiting the transport of food.

In addition to serving healing foods, The Farm uses their 3,000 coconut trees to produce sustainable virgin coconut oil. This is used as the base for all biodegradable products; such as bathroom amenities, for various spa and medical treatments, in food preparation, and even as non-toxic cleaning materials.

The Farm at San Benito employs a team of highly-skilled health and hospitality professionals, many of whom are from the local community. The resort's commitment to environmental sustainability also supports the local ecosystem and promotes eco-tourism in the region.

Above all, The Farm at San Benito is committed to supporting, educating, and uplifting the lives of the nearby communities by providing livelihood and securing a clean and green environment.

What was the influence behind The Farm at San Benito?

The Farm at San Benito is a wellness brand driven by its mission and purpose for over 20 years’

Being a pioneer health retreat and detox destination in the Philippine resort industry, The Farm at San Benito has been among the top destinations for travelers looking for a holiday destination that combines medically-supervised holistic healing and transformative lifestyle retreats in a resort setting. Since its establishment in 2002, The Farm pioneered plant-based Living Foods, Raw Vegan Cuisine in the Philippines and comprehensive Detoxification Programs:

ALIVE! - Vegan Restaurant – PIONEER IN THE COUNTRY

The Farm’s vegan cuisine is an essential components of the healing food concept which advocates plant-based, locally sourced, organically-grown, and farm-to-table philosophy. The dishes are rich in phytonutrients, probiotic, packed with fibre, key enzymes, and antioxidants that nourish the body while boosting the immune system.

Alive! Restaurant is one of Asia’s first vegan restaurants offering whole food plant-based cuisine. The Farm has already received multiple international awards recognizing its unique and exemplary culinary creations. Alive! Restaurant serves living foods organic cuisine rich in phytonutrients, probiotic, packed with fibre, key enzymes, and antioxidants that nourish the body while boosting the immune system. Following meticulous, mindful food preparation in the kitchens, every dish is presented as a vegan feast—planted by farmer’s hands, rooted in our rich soil, nourished by earth’s rain and sun. And finally, lovingly prepared as a celebration of The Farm’s healing positive energy.

Healing Hands in ALIVE! Kitchen

More than a gustatory experience, wellness cuisine at the Alive! Is made to heal. Some of the key benefits that the menu offers include: improved digestion, detoxification, and optimized nutrition. Specific food preparation and cooking methods are employed to help retain the optimum amount of enzymes and nutrients from food. This means that when you eat at ALIVE! food that goes into the body actually nourishes and heals.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are served raw or blanched to preserve its nutritional integrity.
Dehydration helps preserve the plant’s life force. It supports longer shelf life for the vegetable without having to use toxic chemicals and preservatives.
Fermentation lends itself as a good source of beneficial bacteria which supports gut health. It also provides essential enzymes that help with absorption of nutrients (which are later converted to Vitamin complexes).

Medically-Supervised Detox Program – PIONEER IN THE COUNTRY

At The Farm, we believe that true healing comes from addressing the root causes of illness, rather than simply treating symptoms. The Farm offers a natural respite from the daily damage dealt to the human body by the modern lifestyle; its world-renowned medically-guided minimum 5 Days Holistic Detoxification Program aims clear the body of life-draining energies, through cleansing juices, guided fasts, nutritional enrichment to eliminate toxins from within and purge negative elements while restoring the body's optimum ability to absorb nutrients and to rejuvenate at cellular level, mindful movement & fitness activities coupled with psycho-emotional healingsessions to address the non-physical psychosomatic issues, educational & knowledge immersions to empower our guests with ways to develop and sustain the healthy lifestyle habits. The Farm maintains a formidable roster of internationally-trained integrative medical doctors, health professionals, spa therapists, medical acupuncturists, physiotherapists, nutritionists, living food experts, fitness coaches, sound healers, and yoga teachers year-round; all of whom play key roles in The Farm’s science-based, evidence-guided medical wellness programs.

How has The Farm at San Benito made a name for itself in the world of wellness retreats?

Guests visit for a large number of reasons—from well-being and rejuvenation to deeper health issues. Whether you are visiting for the day, a weekend family getaway, or a solo travel escape, The Farm’s focus on healing and wellness is evident in every aspect of the guest experience, from the lush green healing environment to the nourishing wellness cuisine, mindful movement & functional fitness activities, holistic healing modalities, and genuine heartfelt service provided by the Filipinos. These various healing components work hand in hand, to help guests achieve physical, emotional, and spiritual balance.

The Philippines is known for its warm hospitality, nurturing nature, compassion, and cheerfulness, which fosters faster healing and jumpstarts the journey to optimum well-being. The Farm highlights these unique qualities, showcasing the exceptional service and care provided by Filipinos.

The Farm at San Benito—a proud member of CG Hospitality, is an eco-luxury, holistic, medical wellness resort located in Lipa City, Batangas, which is a 90-minute drive south of Manila. It rests on 52 hectares of lush green environment with a stunning view of the majestic Malarayat mountains, pure fresh air and refreshing life-giving energy radiating around the property.

The Farm has been honored with over 90 prestigious international awards including “Best Medical Wellness Resort in the World” from SENSES Germany which made its mark as one of the leading medical wellness destinations in the world.

Celebrating 20 years of holistic health, The Farm offers science-based, evidence-guided and results driven approach to optimal well-being. Programs are designed to address and treat chronic illnesses and lifestyle diseases, naturally and holistically, carefully planned and conducted by internationally-trained integrative medical doctors and licensed health professionals.

The Farm’s healing journey is focused around five pillars: Diagnose, Cleanse, Nourish, Heal/ Repair, and Sustain. The aim is to help the guests’ bodies return to their ideal balanced state and achieve optimum wellness using five key healing components: holistic integrative medical services; nurturing spa and hydrotherapy water wellness; consciously-produced plant-based, wholefood, wellness cuisine; mindful movement and functional fitness; and healing environment and exceptional heartfelt service and genuine care provided by Filipinos.

The Farm is also a pioneer in the “Filipino Brand of Wellness” incorporating traditional Philippine Healing Art that are carefully designed by medical doctors combined with the nurturing touch and healing hands of Filipino therapists using farm-to-skin concept. The Farm uses Virgin Coconut Oil and locally sourced medicinal herbs for its spa treatments. Our luxury villas are accented and detailed with local handicrafts that showcases the Filipino arts and culture. We also offer a Filipino menu incorporating our wellness cuisine concept using locally sourced organic and seasonal produce. On our suites & villas we use Filipino aesthetic and themes, featuring local artisan handicrafts showcasing Filipino creativity and culture.

With 60 exclusive suites and villas in a healing environment, world-class service, and the Filipinos' genuine care and nurturing touch, The Farm offers guests an unparalleled life-transformative healing holiday experience.

THE FARM AT SAN BENITO’S MEDICALLY-SUPERVISED PROGRAMS

3 DAYS – 30 DAYS RETREAT

Holistic Detox Cleanse • Immune Support • Post Viral Syndrome Recovery • Frequent Flyer Wellbeing • Weight Management, Diabetes Prevention, & Heart Health • Holistic Cancer Care • Sleep Recovery • Post-Natal Wellness • Fertility Program • Smoking Cessation • Yoga & Raw Food Retreat • Menopause Retreat • Pain Management • Mental Health • Athlete & Pro-Fitness • Integrative Addiction Recovery • Beauty & Longevity

What are the various ecological endeavours that The Farm at San Benito make day to day?

The Farm's commitment to environmental sustainability is a key aspect to the overall experience. The resort operates on a farm-to-table and farm-to-skin philosophy, sourcing fresh, organic produce from its own gardens and using eco-friendly practices to reduce its carbon footprint. The resort's beautiful natural surroundings are also protected and preserved, that helps to restore the local ecosystem.

The Farm also produces and brews its own coffee with the famous “Barako” coffee beans of Batangas province. The Farm likewise grows and uses medicinal herbs that have been present in the Philippines and are used by Filipinos in ancient times for their curative power.

The Farm also patronizes local and organic produce as part of its sustainable practice. It has allotted plots for the spa to grow local medicinal herbs to be used for its treatments. The Farm practices a strict farm-to-skin concept where the spa uses all-natural ingredients freshly picked from its own garden. It also uses Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) known for its anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties. This oil is pressed from organic coconuts that can be found all around the property; VCO is 100% natural and contains no chemicals or preservatives.

What are the next future endeavours for The Farm at San Benito?

A pioneer and leading medical wellness resort in the Philippines, The Farm has contributed to the country’s tourism industry in terms of medical travel and wellness tourism – bringing in a new stream of travelers such as wellness enthusiasts, health seekers and conscious consumers. Aside from being an eco-sustainable business and green destination, The Farm also offers medically-supervised health promotions, disease prevention, immune support programs, and CIGNA Global Healthcare Insurance accredited medical services.

Over the years, we have helped thousands of people from around the world succeed in their quest to live a healthier lifestyle and achieve optimal well-being through integrative medical services, preventative health strategies, and nourishing foods in its purest form. The Farm has become more inclusive, catering to a wider segment of the society and attracting new guests from the upper and working class. The Farm has also incorporated kids, teens, and even senior wellness program addressing the multi-generation travelers post pandemic. The Farm will soon introduce a pet wellness program, which is envisioned to be the first of its kind in Asia.

After spending almost 2 years on pandemic lockdown many travelers wish to take their holidays as a family including bringing their pets along. With this, The Farm will be the first to introduce the Wellness Lifestyle Real Estate concept in the country to offer a true immersive family wellness experience. As defined by the Global Wellness Institute- “Wellness lifestyle real estate is defined as homes that are proactively designed and built to support the holistic health of their residents.”

We realized is that The Farm is a product where people would like to stay longer more than the typical stay at a hotel. There are guests who have stayed with us for many months, even over a year. People are slowly shifting to buying holiday homes away from the city and we see this as a great opportunity to offer wellness-focused residential communities and holistic health services to the residents The Farm.

Now embarking on an international rollout, The Farm is coming to Nepal with Miraaya Wellness & Golf Retreat, a boutique property 'inspired by The Farm' currently in a soft opening phase in Nepal, while a second fully-branded site in Jordan is due to debut in 2025

Why would you recommend wellness retreats for travellers over other vacations?

Traveling with a purpose that is focused on health and wellness attests to the phenomenal growth of conscious travelers. The Farm at San Benito is a world-class wellness resort located in Batangas, just a few hours' drive from Manila, capital of the Philippines. The Farm's focus on healing and wellness has empowered guests from all around the world with life-transformative healing holidays, and the resort has given rise to the mindful travelers who are looking for an authentic, life-changing experience.

We are in the business of CARING and HEALING. It is mission-driven, purpose-inspired and heart centric. The Farm at San Benito became one of the global leaders as a medical wellness resort through the generous support and labor of love from our healing experts and hospitality professionals. The Farm’s guests can rest and focus on their health goals knowing that the team will take care of them like family.

Whether guests are visiting for the day, a weekend family getaway, or a solo travel escape, The Farm’s signature wellness treatments and holistic health programs are highly recommended and carefully designed by licensed and internationally-trained integrative medicine doctors, knowledgeable healing experts, and highly experienced hospitality professionals. Guests will receive dedicated attention to ensure the effectiveness of their wellness holiday or healing retreat, coupled with signature Filipino heartfelt service.

The resort's focus on healing and wellness is evident in every aspect of the guest experience, from the lush tropical gardens and luxurious accommodations to the nourishing cuisine and holistic treatments. The Farm's signature program, combines various healing modalities, to help guests achieve physical, emotional, and spiritual balance. Every guest is also encouraged to participate in daily Mindful Movement and Functional Fitness activities. Personalized regimens are created depending on a guest’s wellness status and fitness goals. They may be recommended to spend time at the gym, join coached training sessions, participate in mindful movements from different streams of natural healing, have aquatic exercises, take walks across the gardens or have dedicated time for meditation, join the living foods preparation class and interactive wellness workshop conducted by our medical doctors and health experts maximizing every opportunity to develop a sustainable healthy lifestyle. The Farm experience is made whole with a guest’s choice of accommodation. Their desired villa will serve as their personal sanctum where they can relax in privacy or spend quality time with loved ones. Guests have a wide array of choices from the rustic suites and premium pool villas that represent the height of luxury. Every villa has a unique interpretation of modern tropical design, with each unit reflecting the beauty of nature’s wonders and Filipino artistry.

How do you curate a wholly personal experience for each guest?

The Farm’s healing journey is focused around five pillars: Diagnose, Cleanse, Nourish, Repair, and Sustain. The aim is to help the guests’ bodies return to their ideal balanced state and achieve holistic optimum wellness using five key healing components: holistic integrative medical services; nurturing spa and hydrotherapy water wellness; plant-based, wholefood, wellness cuisine; mindful movement and functional fitness; and healing environment and exceptional heartfelt service and genuine care provided by Filipinos.

When guests arrive for a holistic program, they go through some highly advanced diagnostic machines, which will completely scan body—from head to toe. Technology is used to find out the basic functions of your organs, your blood chemistry, your sleep pattern, everything a guest can imagine. And these are all completely non-invasive. Based on that, all of these technologies are used by our integrative doctors and licensed health professionals to determine the guest’s personalized program, what deficiencies they have, and what needs to be done in order to achieve optimum well-being.

Those who visit come for various reasons such as overall wellbeing, prevention of diseases that run in the family and deeper health issues. The Farm offers medically-supervised programs that address and treat some of the most alarming and prevalent lifestyle illnesses today–diabetes, obesity, hypertension, chronic pain, hormonal imbalance, anxiety, stress, and depression, naturally and holistically. Programs are carefully-planned and conducted by internationally trained integrative medicine doctors specializing in Preventive, Lifestyle, Functional, Naturopathic, and Holistic Medicine supported by a team of licensed health professionals from nurses, physiotherapist, medical acupuncturists, spa therapists, nutritionists, living food chefs, fitness coaches, yoga teachers, sound healers and more. Over the past two decades, we have helped countless people from around the world succeed in their quest to live a healthier lifestyle and achieve optimal well-being.

Book your stay at The Farm at San Benito HERE.