specialises in wellness holidays, detox
cleanses and healing retreats, where
families and children are welcome
and thoughtfully catered for. Our
recent visit was an experience filled
with serenity and fun, thanks to the
gentle hand of the resort’s mindful
management.
In fact, general manager
Michael Di Lonardo and his team
are attempting to create a new kind
of family holiday: child-friendly with
health benefits for adults. This sunny
pocket of the world, a couple of hours
south of Manila, is governed by the
idea, Michael says, that it is a special
place where “you learn, you see new
ideas, you try things you wouldn’t
usually, and you learn to relax. It’s life-
changing.” It’s a place, he says, “where
you find wellness again.”
Guests at The Farm have plenty
of opportunities for trying new
things, all supported by a focus on
the latest in wellness and detox. On
any morning, adults can establish
a new exercise programme, while
youngsters can learn to climb coconut
trees, take nature walks, learn yoga,
or participate in cooking lessons with
a private chef. “We will cater to what
the family want out of the holiday,”
Michael explains. “If the kids want to
learn to box, we will get a teacher in
for them. If they want to learn how to
cook raw vegan food like we do at the
restaurant, we will teach them.”
From coconut soap-making classes
for children, through to energising
sunset yoga and meditation for
adults, what unites these activities is
a sense of purpose, playfulness and
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