I never had a full body massage before. I was already happy with the tender massage on my head and back, lovingly given by my husband and children. But I am glad that my first body massage was done at the Nurture Tropical Spa. Complementing the rejuvenating experience was the relaxing and soothing ambiance of the place that enables guests to be one with nature.

My husband and I, with our three children, left our home in Parañaque City at 9:00 am, were past the busy intersection at the Tagaytay City Rotonda an hour later, and were finally traversing a “less traveled” but concrete road leading to the Nurture Tropical Spa and Café several minutes after. It was a welcome sight among parcels of land planted with coffee, pineapple, and other fruit trees, and some houses. The almost half-a-hectare spa property of rolling terrain used to be a coffee farm itself until the owner and his close friends – spa-goers themselves – developed it into a commercial place.

My husband and I were scheduled for the 10:30 am aromatherapy body massage. We would have preferred a later schedule but those who beat us to the reservations had their choice of schedule that runs from 10:30 am to 8:00 pm. Certified physical therapists conduct the massage and during peak periods, each therapist would do five sessions a day – the maximum allowed – given the physical drain from performing very thorough sessions.

Before starting our one-and-a-half-hour therapy, I arranged with the Nurture staff a nature trek for the children around the coffee orchards and the cliff surrounding Taal Volcano. Other visitors who were not having any of the therapy, spa, or other sessions can simply laze around a small man-made pond in the central area of the garden or several strategically placed nooks and hammocks amidst a verdant garden setting. All throughout the day – and night – light background soothing sounds of water, chimes, and the chirping of birds fill the air.

Ellen, the physical therapist assigned to me, handed me a small native “bayong” that contained a bath towel and malong. Ellen and this bag would be with me from the first step of my aromatherapy body massage that started off with a 15-minute Turkish Bath (a steam bath), to the shower, to the four-bed massage room (one for females and another for males). Ellen skillfully employed various tech-niques such as Swedish, Accupressure, Reflexology, and Sports massage on me. I complimented her on the very caring and profes-sional work she did on me. I am sure the other clients who were just having a 30-minute neck and back rub felt the same. The satis-fying experience is con-tinuously being enjoyed by those undergoing derm stress facial, aromatherapy foot spa, body scrub, exfoliating scrub massage, and floral body soak. These sessions could run from 30 minutes to one-and-a-half hours.

Ellen made me choose from five especially-formulated aromatherapy oils which Nurture uses for body treatments. Aromatherapy is an ancient form of essential oils from plants that have specialized effects on the body and mind through skin absorption and inhalation. I chose the pink-colored Love which Ellen describes as an arousing fragrance of tangerine and peaches which inspires passion, warmth, and sensuality. Other choices are Wisdom, a blend of beach and sea breeze scent; Tranquility, a crisp and fresh blend of apple and citrus that bring therapeutic cure for stress, tension, and anxiety; Harmony, a light, relaxing mixture of lavander and eucalyptus which generates a calming and emotionally uplifting effect; and Joy, a comforting blend of vanilla and cinnamon scents which evoke homey and cozy warmth.

Rejuvenated from our massage, we proceeded to a full five-course meal at Nurture’s restaurant that now has its own faithful customers. City dwellers do not mind traveling the distance if only to enjoy the Asian-Continental cuisine that a German-trained Filipino chef prepares. I fell in love with the special home-concocted vinegar that went perfect with their tropical appetizer while my daughter raved about their pasta noodles with pizzaoila sauce.

After the heartening lunch that made us sleepy, we hied off to an afternoon nap in authentic Ifugao huts. There are a number of differing sizes of huts, the biggest of which would fit as many as eight people. Each hut is enclosed by bamboo walls for that added privacy. Lying on a hammock under the hut with the continuous breeze of cool fresh air on my face, I easily dozed off. My husband and children settled themselves in the comfortable mattresses inside the hut.

More than the body treatments, Nurture also offers mindful meditation, angel awareness, and yoga lessons, which they do in partnership with the Center for Health and Creative Arts. Very much satisfied by my first body massage experience here, I made myself a promise that I will go back soon to try one of these.