Massage, anyone?
A new acquaintance gave me an idea to blog about: massage places in Davao. While we were engaged in conversation, Austin asked me about the best place in Davao to get a massage. I realized just then that there are actually quite a few now here. A colleague in the IT industry even opened a shop at the Matina Town Square.
You can differentiate massage services in Davao into roughly 3 categories: spas, or full-fledged services that offer more than just massages; massage clinics, where people go for no-fuss, no-frills body kneading; and home service. (Never mind the extra-service type — I have a GP rating here… well, sometimes R18, but not today 
)
I’m going to have to do a serious survey of Davao’s massage offerings (yes! this is what I love about writing!). But for now, here’s a quickie of some of those that I’ve already tried.
Spas
Holiday Spa (www.holidayspa.net). They offer Swedish massages, in separate common areas for men & women. There are saunas and baths, the works. Holiday also has a gym, boxing ring, wide range of aerobics training programs, a swimming pool, and an indoor jogging track. Also a salon and a coffee shop (free wifi!).
I’ve tried Holiday Spa twice only. It’s P450 for the massage and you get to use the facilities like the sauna for free. At both times, there was nothing to complain about, really. Austin, however, probably had an unlucky time when he tried the place. He also didn’t like the fact that everybody’s in one huge common room. So for those of you who’re queasy about getting down to your birthday suits in front of other people, this place might not be for you.
Bahía Spa. Even pricier than Holiday, and with just a few added perks too. The service isn’t bad, though, and the place is comfortable enough. The one time that I was there, it was P500+ for a massage (Swedish) and use of the sauna and shower. They have both wet and dry saunas, but the showers were reminiscent of my college varsity days. Bahía is inside the Metro Lifestyle gym building on F. Torres St.
While in Holiday Spa they only have masseuses, at Bahía they have both masseuses and masseurs. The massage rooms are also common, divided by decorative hangings. There are private rooms for the more expensive kinds of massage — something to do with hydro-therapy.
Philosophy Spa. Even more expensive than the preceding two, but I hear the service is good. I haven’t tried this place yet, but I do have a mind to. Philosophy Spa, it would seem, is trying to maintain an ultra-exclusive ambience, hence the price tag probably (P700+ if I’m not mistaken). According to a friend, the place is small — or rather, cozy. Or intimate, as the case may be.
Philosophy is in the Florentine building, on Bonifacio St., behind the Apo View Hotel.
Massage Clinics
Firm Massage. The name’s rather unimaginative, I know, but this is actually my favorite. From the outside it looks like a hole-in-the-wall joint, but the interiors are clean and presentable. Simple but functional. It’s just an old apartment building whose couple of units the proprietor transformed into a clinic for those aching bodies. They specialize in combo methods: Swedish mixed in with Thai. They also do shiatsu, but mostly for foot rubs. Masseurs and masseuses. The place is on Veloso Road, behind Victoria Plaza; mobile # (910)441-2527.
Tan-Ton. Thai-style massage with all that stretching, pulling, bending and cracking. Personally I don’t like it, but apparently lots of other people do. They have branches all over now (3, I think), the main being at that arcade across the street from The Venue. Another one is at the Centerpoint Mall in Matina.
For the life of me, I can’t recall the name of the shop that my colleague put up. Anyway it’s in Matina Town Square, right in front of the convenience store. It’s a different kind of Thai massage, specializing in foot-&-leg combinations, and you get them while you’re enthroned in a lazyboy. It’s just a petite affair, but very comfy. They also serve Thai teas and other ready-to-prepare refreshments.
Home Service
Everywhere in Davao you see small signs posted on telephone poles, advertising for massages. On newspapers as well. Price range is from P150 to P300 per hour. Some of them are OK, probably a third of them are shady, but most of them are more or less genuine masseurs/masseuses trying to make a decent living. But I’m not vouching for their skills, legit or otherwise.
There are plenty more out there. It just takes a bit of looking around or asking a friend for recommendations.
March 2nd, 2007 at 9:06 am
i’m addicted to massages,Tanton’s my fave.i used to visit it weekly but now i limited it to every other week.
I also like Chic and Dandy Spa located at Jose Abad St. coz Sauna comes for free w/ the massages(you can pay as low as P150,an hour massage,shower,oil & sauna).
Also K1 spa coz you can have videoke afterwards but of course it’s not included in the massage fee hehehe
March 2nd, 2007 at 9:13 am
oh now i remember the name of that cute little thai massage shop at MTS — Sabai Sabai Arom. the owner told me the meaning before, but i’ve forgotten already.
March 2nd, 2007 at 10:40 pm
Other massage parlors in Davao.
1. Massage parlor of 51 cafe in Victoria Plaza Compound. P200 only. Nice place
2. Massage by Blind %$@$^@#$(what do you call people who do massage) inside Victoria Plaza and NCCC Mall.
3. Massage parlor infront of Queens cinema. I forgot the name. It has branches on Quirino and Humberto Hotel.
4. Masaje in Juan Luna just below our office
5. Shiatsu Shop near Sta Ana Church
6. A barbershops in Anda that has both a female (erotic) or a barber (hard - real hard) massage who does the massage.
March 3rd, 2007 at 5:47 pm
Shoot! How could I have missed mentioning 51?? Buti na lang di marunong mag-English ang may-ari, kaibigan ko pa naman hehehe…
March 12th, 2007 at 4:53 pm
I’ve tried most of the spa’s / massage places mentioned here but my best pick is definitely Philosophy Spa. Hands down, the steep 700+ is really worth it. Look for Elisa. She does wonders for the angst-ridden, tight-muscled workaholics like you and me Blogs
April 10th, 2007 at 2:19 pm
any review about spa 101 and asian massage?
April 10th, 2007 at 3:03 pm
hello jay. i haven’t tried spa 101 yet. that’s in bajada or lanang, isn’t it?
asian massage, well, not bad i guess. but i’ve only tried it once, and it was only because there were no other shops open at 2am.
April 12th, 2007 at 10:09 am
yeah spa101 is in bajada i dont know about lanang, but i think they have branch also along ponciano area…
well as for asian, youre right not bad. but not good either… haha.. there is a miracle that happened there too… hmmm…
theres a shop open along bajada not far from spa 101 its called, along the road spa…heheh…
April 19th, 2007 at 4:04 pm
Hi, I was wondering how you’d rate the Ylang Ylang Spa of Pearl Farm? Am going to be in Davao with a friend and we’re thinking of going to Pearl Farm for a day - they have a day tour promo with 1hr massage included. Would that be worth it? I mean, if its not all that good, then maybe better for us to try the other spas within the city? Any ideas?
Thanks in advance for your help!
April 19th, 2007 at 5:49 pm
hello trina!
hey if your aim is to relax and unwind, i think pearl farm will be great for you. thing is, i haven’t tried their spa services yet… but if what you want is to get a good massage with all the attendant services, yeah go ahead and use one of the spas within the city — but you won’t get the infinity pool or the sea breeze or the island ambience.
April 20th, 2007 at 4:12 pm
Thanks much for your reply! Yes, relax and unwind it will be… If we do end up trying the Pearl Farm’s spa services, maybe I can share some here, for your readers…
Thanks again!
April 20th, 2007 at 7:45 pm
you’re welcome, trina!
yes, pls, i’d appreciate it if you could share your pearl farm spa experience with us, should you decide to go.
April 21st, 2007 at 1:20 am
What about bodyscrubs? When I was in QC there is a lot of shops where men can go to spa and not feel uncomfortable. Dito sa Davao, I think Philosophy Spa lang ang nag-ooffer ng ganoong services..sauna, scrub, massage, etc. Mahal and di masyado OK yung bodyscrubs. Nagtyatyaga lang ako dun kasi wala pa ako nakikita na spa where I’m comfortable.
I’ve tried Bahia, pero walang privacy. Ano yun? Yung mga naggygym, kasabay mong maligo. Andami pa nila at syempre ma-OOP ka kasi magkakakilala sila. Walang privacy. I’ve tried Asian Massage for body massage only. When I asked about the sauna, di daw operational. Eh di ako nagpapascrub kung di muna sauna.
May scrub din daw sa Oroderm, pero anliit ng place at saan ka kaya maliligo dun? I’ve read about BaLi Hai Spa (@2nD LeveL, SuiTe 14 CarLson’s PLazA cor. N.Torres & Lapu-Lapu St.Agdao, DC. (Beside CentraL WarehOusE) Tel # 2286677). May naka-try na ba nito?
Sana may mag-open ng Japanese style spa na 24 hrs like Wensha (QC) or yung Jipang (Roxas Blvd, Mla). Yung may wet and dry sauna tsaka may hot & cold pools.
May 11th, 2007 at 11:28 pm
I tried Asian massage pro wala naman miracle dun, hmmmmm meron nga ba? not so nice and not so bad nga yung massage dun. di ko gusto yung place na yun. mas ok pa rin yung holiday.
May 13th, 2007 at 12:06 am
hi ric. i’ve recently blogged about another massage place that i’ve discovered. it’s hairzone salon & spa. check it out!
May 24th, 2007 at 1:04 pm
The Ylang-Ylang Spa at the Pearl Farm Resort was awesome! We had just the one-hour massage, which was included in the day tour package, but it was truly refreshing and much appreciated.
It’s a small place, the one that we went to, conveniently tucked behind the infinity pool area. (I think the other - bigger - one was in another area?) Anyway, there was a small house-like gate and a small wooden signage that says “Ylang Ylang Spa”, so we knew we weren’t lost… Hehehehe…. The “pathway” was made of wooden planks, sorta like a brige-effect. Below it, was like a small pond, then you’ll also actually hear running water and some birds chirping! Lots of plants, flowers to decorate the area. There were 2 beds only, a shower/dressing area and a couch for hanging-out. The massage was good, ideal for ending the day-tour
Plus we had free mango shake after!
Definitely a must-try if you’re already at the resort!
(* Yes, a very delayed post… Sorry! But sure hope this still helps your other readers ;))
May 24th, 2007 at 2:00 pm
Wow, Trina, this is great! Thanks very much for letting us know of your experience at Pearl Farm. I’m sure my blog’s readers appreciate it very much, as I do.
June 1st, 2007 at 10:25 am
Blogs, let me bring you to Bioessence. The body scrub is just one of their services but it’s pretty impressive. I’ve been a Bioessence endorser since it started not only because the owner is my friend, but because I created its logo in the 90s, hehe. But their service is impressive. and more importantly, it is run by a Dabawenya who brought it to national status with so many branches in Luzon, and has represented the Philippines in Paris as one of the leading spa and skin care establishments in the country.
I have my regular body scrub monthly there. They will soon open their Thai massage facilities on the 2nd level. Their endorsers in Manila are Paolo Ravales, Piolo, Jean Garcia, Dina Bonnevie, etc. The particular favorites are CM (Cellulite Massage), diamond peel and miracle lift for the face using Japanese technology and products.
The body scrub is very good, because the room is spacious and private. I used to fall asleep agad. My therapist would wake me up and I would just reach for the hand shower and rinse and shampoo right there on the bed!
will probably post nalang the pics sa blog ko. oh, dear, no not my shower, i meant the interiors of the place! (grin)
June 1st, 2007 at 1:58 pm
Joj, you haven’t seen my post about BioEssence? I was there recently and I loved it so much I just had to blog about it! But hey, if you’re gonna bring me back there, sure!!!
Pero ayoko ng body scrub… facial lang or diamond peel. Baka kasi pati ako kunan mo ng photo… :mrgeen:
June 1st, 2007 at 3:16 pm
hey that’s good! okay, maglo-launching ng kanilang thai massage in june and dr. tapti (the owner) will be coming over. i’ll introduce you both. then let’s go get some facial chuva. ayaw mo ng body scrub kasi kiliti noh??
June 1st, 2007 at 9:46 pm
@Joj — yah am ticklish eh…
June 19th, 2007 at 10:08 pm
I love going to skin clinics. I am always looking forward to my monthly visits to ORODERM but I would like to inform everybody that ORODERM Clinic of Victoria Plaza is the worst clinic of Oroderm in the Philippines. My visit there was horrible. One of the staff have a very bad breath and they did not inform me of the procedure but asked me a payment of P4,000.00. Imagine that!!!!
August 31st, 2007 at 11:16 am
Tried By the Road Spa along Bajada infront of Davao Light Plant last nite. Nice place,the owner very friendly and shes offerng 20-50% discount of all their services. Tea and coffee will be offered free while you are waiting. Footspa services are OK. Please check By the Road Spa next time…
August 31st, 2007 at 11:20 am
recently ive tried BODY BLISS… its very relaxing ambiance doze me off to sleep during the 1 hour and 45 minutes whole body massage… a must try
August 31st, 2007 at 5:44 pm
@alex d. — thanks for the tip! i’ll make sure to try that one out.
@jay — i’ve tried bodybliss already. in fact, i’ve already posted my review of the place here.
November 28th, 2007 at 12:15 am
Anyone knows of a spa here in davao which uses decleor products? Help..
December 22nd, 2007 at 7:26 pm
My friend took me to try Thai massage at Bioessence.i like the place and its service,i like the room with just a scented candle and soothing music.and of course the steam bath before the massage.i really enjoyed so much and i would go back again in my next visit to davao.
Mercedes Barner
Melbourne,Australia
January 31st, 2008 at 4:19 pm
i guess there is no other place to go for best massage in town but body bliss! the price is right and the services are great. A must try talaga! Go now.
March 8th, 2008 at 9:15 am
How does one get a list of the R18 listing? Thx!
March 14th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
[...] an update to a previous post on massage places. I was looking for another place to get a massage, but couldn’t bring myself to try [...]
April 28th, 2008 at 8:14 am
owteyt of # 22 is ryt, ORODERM is the worst clinic tlga. I suffered severe rashes all over my face ryt now, severe redness tlga. huhuhuh.. i cant even dare to look my face sa mirror sa sobrang depress, i am not used kasi to look my face ganito. huhuhuh. i had my facial last april 20, bagong open kasi 1 branch nla of a certain place in davao. Ang katangahan ko nman, i tried sa clinic nla (which pinagsisihan ko tlga huhuhu). huhuhuhu ang attendant nla which also acts as the cashier, hay nku, wla pang gloves. Imagine, hahawak sya nang pera then hawak sa face mo. huhuhuh. ayoko na tlga. Hope this will help na wag na wag na tlga kau sa ORODERM.