Done well and done right, massages are one of the best experiences on earth.
There’s something relaxing and detoxing about having one’s head, limbs, shoulders, and back (oh, the back!) kneaded like putty.
I’m grateful to live in a place where good massages are relatively easy to find. Just in our neighborhood, we’ve got three–Garden Spa, Nuat Thai, and Mont Albo (the latter being our go-to place for traditional hilot and ventosa)–all within walking distance. For a wonderful mix of foot reflexology (described as ‘exquisite torture’) and back massage, there’s Foot for the Gods and Beijing Foot Spa.
I used to think that Manila had the best massage therapists. Well, trips to Baguio, Dumaguete, and, most recently, Cagayan de Oro changed that impression.
Too bad I don’t have photos from Baguio and Dumaguete related to the massages I got. Baguio’s lucky to have Manang Linda (from what someone told me, she’s an Ibaloi healer); she was able to get the stress out and my circulation going in spots I didn’t even know existed. It’s been some years since our last session with her, but we always remember it as one of the better ones we’ve ever had.
In Dumaguete, there’s Vero Massage. We just happened upon its pop-up stall in the middle of Robinsons Place late last year. Since we purchased some items (i.e. massage oil and hair growth oil) from them, we were entitled to a free 15- to 20-minute head and back massage.The young lady that did it was so deft that we were utterly relieved of our little aches and pains. Well, that marketing ploy certainly worked. Not only did we schedule a full-fledged massage at their clinic for that evening, some of the mallgoers who saw us thoroughly enjoying our chair massage ended up buying stuff just so they could get a head and back rub too. Our experience at the actual Vero Massage Clinic and Spa did not disappoint. My husband and I were on cloud nine after it.
Fast forward to this April in Cagayan de Oro. My cousin who lives there insisted we get a massage at the Holistic Massage Clinic. According to her, it was only there that she struck massage gold, so to speak, in the hands of the very skilled Ate Gemma. True enough, Ate Gemma has now become my new favorite masahista (or massage therapist). My hour-long massage with her was indeed a very thorough one. It felt like Hawaiian Lomi Lomi Massage combined with hilot as she used her fingers, arms, and elbows for stroking in long and short motions and focusing on pressure points. Partly painful (because my shoulder and leg muscles have gotten as hard as rock due to stress over the years), mostly relieving (after my ultra-tense muscles decided to finally relax), and fully worth it (less than P500!). To make the most of your session with her, it’s best to let her know your problem areas, so she can provide enough time and attention to each one. You’ll have to call in advance to know which branch she’s assigned to for a certain day. If she’s not available, you can always go with the other massage therapists, who are as capable and talented. It’s just that Ate Gemma seems to have an innate sense of figuring out the best massage techniques suited to your body’s needs. It’s something that she’s developed after having been in the industry for around 20 years. Amazing, isn’t it?
Now, if only I can find excellent counterparts of Manang Linda, Vero Massage, and especially Ate Gemma here in Manila…
Any leads would be most welcome!