A Healing Oasis in Puerto Rico Takes Its Cues from Nature

The author practicing yoga in Dorado Beach. (Photos: Lindsey Calla)

The definition of a sanctuary is a place of refuge or safety; a nature reserve. Which makes sense because it’s in nature that true peace exists, and I’ll follow the trade winds as far as necessary to find it. Recently, that pursuit took me to Dorado Beach, a gorgeous little enclave only 45 minutes outside of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

It feels like a storied place and it is. In the 1920s, a woman named Clara ran a citrus farm here. She was pals with aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart, and the adventuress stayed at Clara’s only a few days before her fateful last flight.

Earhart disappeared, literally. But most people who come here fall off the grid in a positive way, escaping to awaken spiritually and realign energetically. My stay at the resort, a Ritz Carlton Reserve property, came at just the right time. I had been working on an intense project, and spending a lot of time on planes. I needed a break, and so did my body.

Lucky for me, the tradition of healing, mainly with botanicals and essential oils, runs deep in Puerto Rico. The resort even offers a treatment with an in-house healer called a Mano Santas — traditionally, every community had a healer who would provide local herbs, healing oils, and positive affirmations and energy.

The entrance to the spa houses is surrounded by eucalyptus, lavender, calendula, and lemongrass and the aroma overtakes your senses immediately. They cascade over the side of hanging buckets and terracotta pots. I made a mental vow to cultivate a future apothecary in my home at some point (#lifegoals). I had strained a hamstring muscle while walking in the sand, so during my massage, the therapist recommended that I ice my leg by jumping in the 50-degree plunge pool in the aptly named purification garden. Miniature pink pineapples grow within the spa — it’s like I had stumbled on a zen oasis brimming with fruit, healing waters, and botanicals.

I fully embraced the resort’s use of water therapy, spending 80 percent of my time in either the ocean, the spa plunges, the pool, or one of the outdoor showers that dot the property. The general idea is that the cold pool reduces inflammation and swelling in the joints and muscles, and the warm pool helps you sweat out anything that’s bringing you down. I could have used an ice pack, but a giant pool of cold water reaches more muscles simultaneously. And it worked — after one day, I woke up with zero pain in my leg.

In fact, I felt so healed that I jumped on a bike and sped off an 11-mile nature trail that took me on the most beautiful route along the coast.

No mater what my days held, every night I retired back to my ocean-view room (every room has one here) to find a little gift from the staff —a botanical candle, a cookbook by chef Jose Andres, and a silver Coqui to forever remind me of the harmonic croaking sounds the frogs on the property make.

I was in awe of the apothecary in the spa. It’s a cavernous, barn-like space that has thousands of drying herbs and plants hanging from the ceiling and lining the sides of the room.

To me, traveling is an opportunity to absorb everything around me that’s different — to learn something new and bring it back home. I particularly loved learning about the healing powers of botanicals. Here are a few of those takeaways:

Lavender: Dried lavender not only looks beautiful but also helps create a sense of calm and relaxation. If you can’t find fresh or dried lavender, you can keep essence oil on-hand to get the same effect—rub a drop between your palms and gently inhale. I bring a tiny bottle with me on long flights to help me sleep.

Calendula: Calendula oil is becoming popular in face treatments because of its anti-inflammatory properties and how gentle it is on sensitive skin. Look for it as an ingredient in natural skin-care brands.

Eucalyptus: Eucalyptus has such an energizing, penetrating, and clarifying scent. It awakens the senses, so it’s a beautiful scent to keep around to lift the spirits and get that spa-like vibe in the home. Hang a branch in your shower to turn your bathroom into a sinus-clearing steam room.

Lindsey Calla is the founder of www.callainmotion.com, a wellness destination dedicated to active style, travel, fitness, and beauty. Follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

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