One of Boracay’s greats, Tirta Spa (pronounced as “tertah”) has been running for 16 years and counting, with a recent win from the World Luxury Spa Awards 2022. For a business to last this long on the island is a sure feat. Situated at Tambisaan away from the touristy crowds, it’s so surprising to see a luxury spa with sprawling land and beautifully designed suites and villas. Their popular Couple’s Retreat package is one of their best-sellers, as honeymooners from all over the world have flown to Boracay to indulge and relax with their unique offerings and service.

Among the options, I tried the Secret Potion package (ideal for couples) with a 3.5-hour duration.

Inclusions:

• Tibetan sound healing therapy
• Private Royal Suite
• Foot scrub ritual with herbal tea drink
• Rose Geranium body scrub
• Tropical rain shower rinse
• Flower hot bath with hand-poured milk and coconut water with calamansi juice and turon
• Full body massage with massage oil of choice

I went to the Bali-inspired spa in awe of its grandiose interiors and well-trained, hospitable staff. The ambiance was serene and the vibe was curated to a relaxing and calming perfection, to say the least.

Their receptionist gave me cold water as I selected a massage oil.

• Sampaguita oil - good for skin nourishment and detoxification
• Calachuchi or Frangipani oil - good for stress and anxiety
• Ylang-ylang oil - has a sedative effect on the nervous system and is good for emotional balance while reducing high blood pressure

Their massage oil blends come from Australia and they only use high quality essential oils. I gravitated towards Ylang-ylang and then off I went for my sound bath session.

Healing room with Ms. En Calvert, owner of Tirta Spa

I was transported inside their Healing Room that’s full of wondrous trinkets and mystical things. Several bowls were lit up on the floor, and the cool breeze from the adjacent garden filled the space. It was all so new to me as I’ve never tried a Tibetan sound healing therapy session before, but I kept an open mind for the experience and trusted the process.

I was asked to step inside a large sound bowl with my hand over my chest, and then they struck it like a gong, thrice. I felt the sound vibrate through my body as I swayed along with the pulsating sensations. After, Ms. En Calvert, Founding Director & Sound Healing Master of the spa, sat me down for a crash course on Tibetan Sound Healing Therapy.

According to Tirta Spa:

Sound energy healing is an ancient traditional healing practice that relieves ailments related to mental health, associated with all kinds of traumatic events in the past, old wounds, chronic stress, anxiety disorder, depression, exhaustion, or a heavily laden/burdened mind

The session begins by laying on the floor, while Ms. En and her sister handled the singing bowls as they did some chants. It definitely put me in a deeply relaxed state, as my body felt the vibrational waves of the bowls they struck. The healing modality utilizes the deep vibrations and soothing sounds of Tibetan Singing Bowls to bring relief from many different ailments and stress-related conditions. It makes sense to me as I’m a very aural person (ASMR videos relax me and lull me to sleep), and sound has always been so powerful to me (affects my mood, helps me learn better). Just like how some musical frequencies tap into the brain for a more relaxed and happy state (the magic number is 432 Hz), I believe sound has profound effects physiologically.

Foot soak area at the royal suite

The sound bath lasted for about 45 minutes, and then I was led to the private Royal Suite for my spa treatments. The stay at the villa started with a warm foot soak where I was served with some comforting herbal tea. It was a nice way to prepare my body for the rest of the services.

The therapist asked me to take my clothes off for the Rose Geranium body scrub. It felt so good and hydrating all over. To rinse off, she assisted me to lay down on a flat surface in the tropical rain water shower area. It felt so different to be rinsed laying down, but it increased my relaxation level, too. I felt my skin highly rejuvenated post-scrub. It felt so supple and intensively moisturized.

Massage beds inside the royal suite

Snacks served during the rose water bath

After that, I soaked inside the jacuzzi with rose water, and was offered refreshing calamansi juice and delicious turon. I dried myself in preparation for the massage, and I was totally knocked out because of my therapist’s calming technique (they ask for your pressure preference pre-massage) and the soothing background music. It relieved a lot of aches, tension, and pains and I felt so renewed after. It was absolutely unforgettable.

Personal rating: 4.9/5

Duration: 3 hours and 30 minutes

Pro tip: Wear mosquito repellent before your visit. Make sure to clear your schedule because this whole session lasted around 3.5 hours. Best time to go is 4 pm so you experience the spa in the daytime (it’s Instragrammable at every corner), and then you can see its beauty transform at nighttime as you leave. They can get an e-trike for you as you go back to your accommodations, and the location is quite popular so e-trike drivers already know where it’s at when you head there.

Tirta Spa also offers solo treatments and packages for individuals looking for a rejuvenating and luxurious me-time spa experience.

Follow Tirta Spa on Facebook and chat with them for more inquiries on Messenger.

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