If you've read our guide to hilot, you already know it's the most commonly offered traditional treatment on El Nido spa menus. But hilot is really more of an umbrella term for a wider Filipino folk-healing tradition, and a few of its other elements are worth knowing about even if you won't find all of them on a typical tourist spa menu.
Ventosa (cupping)
A heated cup or small glass gets applied to the skin, creating suction as it cools. There are parallels here with Chinese and Middle Eastern medicine traditions too, adapted into Filipino folk healing over time. It's traditionally used for muscle tension and to "draw out" perceived bad energy or toxins, and it typically leaves temporary circular marks that fade over several days. Some El Nido spas offer it as an add-on to a standard massage.
Banana leaf and herbal compresses
Warmed banana leaves, sometimes combined with crushed local herbs, get pressed against the body. Part of it is the therapeutic heat, part of it is the traditional belief in the herbs' properties for easing inflammation and muscle tension. This is the element most commonly folded directly into modern hilot sessions rather than offered separately.
Dagdagay
A foot and lower-leg treatment using short wooden sticks, rolled and pressed along pressure points. It's less commonly offered outside the Cordillera region it comes from, but you'll occasionally find it as a specialty offering at spas that lean further into traditional Filipino treatments.
Tawas and energy-based diagnosis
Some traditional manghihilot (folk healers) use tawas, melted alum poured into water, as a diagnostic ritual believed to reveal the source of an ailment. This is more spiritual and folk-diagnostic than a medical spa service, and you're unlikely to run into it at a standard tourist-facing spa. Still, it's part of the same broader tradition hilot descends from, and worth knowing about if you're curious where hilot itself comes from.
FAQ
Will I find all of these at a typical El Nido spa?
Not usually. Hilot and banana leaf compresses are the most common. Cupping shows up occasionally as an add-on. Dagdagay and tawas are much rarer here since they're tied to specific regional traditions.
Does cupping hurt?
It's more of a strong pulling sensation than pain, though the marks it leaves can look more dramatic than the treatment actually feels.
Are these treatments backed by medical evidence?
Some elements, like massage and heat therapy, have reasonable evidence behind them. Others, like tawas diagnosis, are more cultural and spiritual practices than medical ones. Worth appreciating for what they are rather than expecting clinical proof.
Should I try one of these instead of a standard massage?
If you're curious about Filipino culture specifically, absolutely worth trying alongside a regular massage. They're not really a "better" substitute, just a different, more traditional experience.
Before you go
Some of these practices, cupping especially, leave temporary marks and involve firmer stimulation than a standard relaxation massage. Mention any skin conditions, blood-thinning medication, or pregnancy before booking anything beyond a standard massage, so a therapist can advise on what's appropriate.
