A sanctuary for burnt-out souls

Perched on a small hilltop overlooking Boracay’s famous white beach, Mandala Spa and Villas is the perfect honeymoon destination as well as a sanctuary for burnt-out souls who need to recharge body, mind, and spirit.

A walking distance from the warm, turquoise waters and soft sands, it stands secluded enough for those who wish to have privacy and get away from it all. For honeymooners, the spacious, 96-square-meter villa (which includes an outdoor shower, romantic tub strewn with hibiscus, and an all-purpose terrace) provides the perfect ambience for romance. But one has the option to go where the action is as Mandala Spa and Villas is just a seven-minute tricycle ride away from the mall, the rows of restaurants, and the unique, powder-white sand beach that Boracay is famous for.

 The resort sits on a 2.5-hectare estate that has been in family possession since 1984, its natural beauty preserved meticulously by longtime friends Dieter Schrottmann and Karen Neff. As co-founders of the Mandala Spa and Villas, Schrottmann and Neff share the same passion and vision for their “endeavor.” This is the term they use for their resort, stressing that it is not a business because Mandala is not all about profit. It is about giving back to the people of Boracay by committing to the preservation of its environment.

“We fulfill this mission through five guiding principles: Recognize that everyone’s participation is essential to our environmental future; understand environmental issues and share the information with others; buy, sell and use environmentally friendly products as much as possible; develop innovative green solutions for Mandala Spa to bring about day-to-day change; and provide a great work environment and treat each other with respect and dignity,” said Schrottmann during my one-hour talk with him.

 One will notice that only natural products are used in the villas and in the Mandala Spa. It took a while before I got used to the peppermint liquid soap in the shower. It was a sensation of contrasts — feeling the cool mint soap coating the skin with hot water washing it off.

 Mandala Spa is famous for their varied, award-winning treatments. Among the many awards given to spa operators, they also won Best Holistic Spa Treatment by Asia Spa-Baccarat Award, and Best Rejuvenation Treatment Spa Asia-Crystal Award.

 When spa manager Dang Romero showed me the spa menu, I chose the Filipino Heritage package, which took all of two hours and 45 minutes. It was so therapeutic and relaxing that when it ended, I thought it was too short! This treatment starts with a floral footbath and suob, a ritualistic smudging to clear the surrounding energy. Then a scrub of fresh coconut extracts, organic rice, and precious oils to purify and re-energize your skin before you step into a coconut milk bath, a tropical fantasy full of amino acids, skin-rejuvenating enzymes, natural oils, and hibiscus flower extract. The highlight of the massage is the Hilot Trilogy, which is a fusion of traditional Filipino healing modalities: hihilaan and bentosa, where imbalances are identified and rebalanced with the help of heated vacuum and cupping; the long, deep strokes typical of the traditional hilot massage release muscle tension and emotional stress; dagdagay, a foot massage using bamboo sticks, stimulates the immune system.

Their spa menu is extensive and applicable to both men and women. There are holistic massages, facials, wraps, scrubs and water treatments. For honeymooners, they have the couple’s room. They also have beginner and advanced yoga classes and medically supervised detox programs.

Cyndy Tan Harabata, president of Tajara Leisure and Hospitality Group (which operates the resort), highly recommended Mandala Spa and Villas when she found out that I was looking for a health spa to bring a stressed-out friend from Shanghai to.

“Mandala Resort is a place to relax, to get away from it all, to meditate, to honeymoon, and to pamper yourself,” said Tan-Jarabata. And she was so right!

 Resort manager Bong Evangelista, the staff, and the masseuses are so courteous and committed to give Mandala’s guests excellent service. One can’t ask for more!

 Since its inauguration in 200l, Mandala Spa has touched the lives of many people and grown from a two-villa day spa to a full-fledged wellness resort and destination spa with additional spa branches in Discovery Shores Boracay and Bohol.

 “In our hearts was always the relationship with the individual, the lives we touched with our way of living wellness, whether friends, spa or resort guests, employees or critics. Our message is the same today as it was in 2001: Be kind to each other, be kind to the environment, and honor yourself. We hope that this message will resonate, adding a little light to everyone’s world,” Schrottmann said as he bid my friends and I adieu, with Karen Neff nodding in agreement. 

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For inquiries, go to www.mandalaspa.com, call 6336-288-5858, or fax 6336-288-3531.