The St. Benedict Monastery in Carmen is a center for meditation, prayer, and healing located in Corte, Carmen. This mountain retreat offers a panoramic view of the landscape surrounding the place. It is a few kilometers away from the main road. The monastery is home to the Oratory of St. Pedro Calungsod, Our Lady of Manaoag Rosary Center, and the Divine Mercy Center. Each year hundreds of pilgrims visit the place to pray, go to confession, and seek counseling.
The first two monks arrived in Cebu in 1999. They were received by the mayor of Carmen at that time, Mayor Virginio Villamor. Since the family of the mayor had vast tracts of land in the town, he offered land for the monks to build their monastery. Since the land offered was not suitable for a monastery, the monks had to purchase around four hectares of land in 1999. The monastery started off as a small structure before the main structure was built. After St. Benedict Monastery was completed, it was blessed on December 8, 2005.
Since the St. Benedict Monastery is situated six kilometers from the main road. Due to its isolation, it is perfect for retreats and reflections. One of the facilities ideal for these activities is the Divine Mercy Center. The center can be used for religious seminars, recollections, and retreats. It can also be used for prayer reunions and family gatherings supervised by a priest. The center is big enough to accommodate 50 people. Closed retreats can also be conducted at the Divine Mercy Center together with the Monastic guesthouse. The guesthouse is big enough for 24 persons.
Carmen also has a number of other places tourists can visit. These places include the Mangitngit Falls, St. Agustin Parish Church, the Japanese grave marker, Durano Eo Farm and Carmen Bay. Another upcoming attraction in the town of Carmen is the Cebu Safari and Adventure Park, which is set to officially open within the year.