Sumilon Island Getaway

In a tropical country like the Philippines, Summer starts sometime in March and promptly ends at the tail end of May. As an archipelago, we boast of beaches and islands that can accommodate any whims and desire. Naturally, everyone goes on a summer holiday between March and May... including us.

Unfortunately, this year we apparently missed the memo. Ha ha. We made our reservations -- air tickets and hotel sometime in March but set the date towards the end of June. Everyone is aghast. You don't go to the beach in June. Because it's already the start of the rainy season. Awesome!

Yet, we braved the odds. Work schedules did not permit us to frolic in the sun during summer. So, we're bringing the sun in June. We discovered this little piece of paradise named Sumilon Island, in the southernmost tip of the province of Cebu. 

Last Thursday, amidst a weather forecast of a typhoon, we boarded Cebu Pacific's flight to Dumaguete City, our jump-off point to the island. One hour later, we were fetched by the ground staff of the Bluewater Sumilon Resort. We took a 10 minute trip to the Sibulan Pier. There we rode a small passenger ferry to take us to Liloan, Santander. The boat cruised for 30 minutes. 

On board the ferry, our excitement is really building seeing the sun rising hot and the water crystal clear. We can feel it in our bones. The next three days would be amazing. 

From the pier, we were again fetched by the staff of Bluewater Sumilon Resort. We drove for about 10 minutes. We arrived at its inland reception office for briefing and for the final boat ride to the island. 

The private pier of Sumilon.

We learned that the island is a marine sanctuary. There are some guidelines to follow so as not to disturb the habitat of sea-dwelling creatures. 

The destination: Bluewater Sumilon Resort

This greets you upon arrival.

Excited to get settled, we head off to the resort's pavillon for check-in and lunch. 

We learned that the island has 14 villas only. Secluded and not crowded.

For those who wants to curl up with a book while listening to the waves.

The infinity pool has a tree in the middle and the sides. It's unique in a way that it provides shade when the sun is at its hottest and I think the trees were already there when the pool was built. So, 10 points for ecosystem sensibility.

Our unanimous activity of choice was to take a dip at the waters surrounding the sand bar. 

The sand is far from the fine grains of Boracay but boy, this here is exclusive!

The water is breathtakingly clear. On our first day, we had the whole beach by ourselves. 

The obligatory shot! hahaha

We took the second day nice and slow. Woke up to the sound of surf lapping up the low cliff across our villa. 

We have some 'template' shots like floating as a group, jump shots, and other fun moves we try to capture. This year, I cannot swim. I had an ear infection which the EENT told me to be careful with in submerging into the sea. So, all I did in this holiday was wade into the water. Ha ha ha.

We said no to the island trekking but we did try kayaking at the lagoon. Scary and fun. 

We planned to feed the fish but maneuvering the kayak was harder than I thought it would be. We drifted!

They snorkeled. I watched. We saw some flying fish. And school of fish pass by like they have no care in the world. And this is in the part of the sea that is just waist deep. I can't imagine how wonderful it would be if we were more than 10-ft deep. 

You can also watch or swim with the whale shark in Oslob. The resort can arrange it for you. Just a few minutes off the island. We didn't have the time to do this activity. Perhaps next time.

It must be a good diving site as diving boats had been dropping off divers a few meters off the sandbar. 

Of course, we ate. The food though needs to be revisited. Am not sure if they have an in-house chef but the food served was just so-so. Except for the pizza which was really good, everything else was blah. And considering that it's an island, I would have expected succulent seafood fare. 

The idyllic island makes you want to forget the world you left behind and just be totally in the moment. Not a care in the world. I'd say we had a totally awesome vacation. The ten thousand we spent (per person; including air fare) was totally worth the view and the experience and the chance to have peace and quiet away from the hustle and bustle of the metro.

Until the next sand, sea and sun!

BLUEWATER SUMILON
BEACH RESORT
Sumilon Island, Bancogon, Oslob,
Cebu, Philippines 6025
Phone: (63 32) 318 3129 / 318 9098
Mobile: 0917 631 7512 / 0999 885 8337
sumilon@bluewater.com.ph
www.bluewater.com.ph

XX

Sheng

A Day in Zamboanga

Now, I know how it feels when people become apprehensive at the mention of Mindanao. You see, am from Davao. I feel most secure in this city than anywhere else. Yet, a lot of people squirm when faced with an option to go to Mindanao or somewhere else. 

I had a brush with this uneasy question. It shook me when I was asked if I've cleared with our security head, if we are given the green to travel there. Awkwardly, I was told that for locals, yes. For expats, no. Okaaay...

Mindanao, the second largest island in the Philippines. Home to a diverse culture of Muslims and Christians. And indigenous tribes. It is an island with centuries of strife woven into the fibre of its history. 

Colorful both in ethnicity and socio-economic struggle. Rich with natural resources: timber, wild animals and precious gems and minerals. And peopled with a unified struggle for sovereignty. Hence, the arm movement.  

And thus, the fear it instill to the rest of our countrymen and foreign guests. But there's more to this beautiful island than violence.

To begin with, the places are beautiful and worth exploring. Fortunately, my work took me there for the first time. Imagine my excitement. I was bursting in nervous anticipation. 

Ha, the islands surrounding the peninsula from an aerial perspective were already amazing. Small stretches of white beaches; cove like. At the airport, I got transported to a Latin-speaking country. Chavacano (the dialect) is awesome to hear. And the mestizos look like they were plucked out straight from Mexican/Portuguese telenovelas. Absolute eye candy. I know it's just icing on the cake. 

But what can I do? I only have one day to get a glimpse of the city's character. Eagerly, I took what I could. Tasted the scrumptious seafood that's aplenty here. 

Curacha (P600 only). Cholesterol alert!

And the PX Market is divine. Zamboanga is the back door of the Philippines. The whole of Mindanao, the gateway to the ASEAN countries. The Barter Market (used to trade in barter system; now, cash is the accepted norm) is teeming with imported stuff from neighboring countries, Malaysia/Sabah.

I left the city with my curiosity still unfulfilled. Yes, I have created and enjoyed an experience. But I still want to explore it some more. Dakak Beach Resort, Dapitan and the rest of Zamboanga's charm are worth coming back for. So, yes, Zamboanga is only half-crossed in my bucket list. 

Stranded

The barrio girl just had her taste of urban tragedy. And was ill-prepared for it. 

It has been raining incessantly the last ten days. Monday, August 6, was no different. I braved the rain going to Greenbelt to meet up with my friends for dinner. We couldn't postpone it, Joyce is already based in Jakarta and would be going back there soon. 

We finished dinner early. I waited for Tyrone in his car. I passed the time reading while thinking how nice it felt to hear the pitter-patter of the rain. 

Boy, I thought it was just a simple rain.

An hour later, my easy-breezy night turned into a nightmare. All roads going to my place are no longer passable. Our last hope was the SLEx but sedans can't pass anymore due to the high level of flood in the are. Only big trucks the likes of 10-wheelers can afford to traverse. With a heavy heart, we all turn around. The counter-flow was madness by itself. Thank goodness for good Samaritans. Someone, who was drenched and in his shorts and shirt, decided to direct traffic. Thank you, Sir. We didn't get to thank you. 

Running out of options, we parked across our office thinking that a few hour to pass would be enough for the water to subside. The authorities would already announce that roads are cleared for light vehicles. The clock ticked; hours went by. I slept intermittently. 

Six hours and a painful stiff neck later, water levels have instead gone up. After a heated deliberation, I decided to ditch a mandatory FCPA Training. We left the car at the office parking lot and to fate, the way home.  

We took a cab. The cabbie was all nice. And brave. He said, we could get through the flood. Ten minutes later, we were in the deepest part of the flood when he judged that his cab won't make it. 

Turn-around, we did. Being almost half-way through, we got off at McDonald's. We ate for sustenance, not really out of hunger. In my mind, we might be out of shelter, indefinitely. 

Our options were few. Either we take a tricycle or hitch a ride on a truck. Definitely, the truck is the most viable. But they're not many. The entire time we stood at the steps of Kingswood condominium, there was only one that passed by. I didn't have a chance coz I only saw the back it. Zip. 

Then, one tryke driver who wasn't sure if he can do it but had the stomach for it, offered to take us home. Ah, the hope it spring forth. We trudged on. I braced myself. I leveled my feet to the platform-like part of the vehicle. It was a nice and easy ride. Suddenly, we were dipping low. Water started to fill the tricycle. I feared for the worst. 

Then, I had an idea! Why don't I step on the seat? I can't be wet. It's the time of the month...the red flag is on. So, I tapped the driver and shouted my request amidst the humdrum of the rain and wind and the flapping of the tryke curtain. He misheard me. He thought I said,  go easy, am pregnant. Whoa. Manong! 

Never mind. The waist deep water was only about a ten meter stretch of the road. Afterwards, the water level was already safe for passage. But it was one ride, I shall never forget. I know it pale in comparison to the rest of the ones who were affected in a major way. Nevertheless, coming from the point of view of one who has never experienced anything remotely of the same intensity in my whole life, I think I am entitled to be scared. Nothing like it in my province. Life, especially water irrigation in the banana plantation, is very controlled. It's the lifeblood of the community.

My neighborhood became a water world. Water everywhere. The water was already at the front steps leading to the reception of my building. Never happened before. 

My street as viewed from my 7th Floor unit. I've seen how the water crept in on the houses to the right.

When I reached my unit, I felt that all of my energy were drained off me. The adrenaline going home just took all of what I have. I fell asleep after promptly taking a shower. 

Woke up, several hours later to a wet pillow and still raging weather. The rain was just relentless. 

Dateline: Manila. This, at 3 o'clock in the afternoon.

Ayala Museum led a digital art campaign about Filipinos being water proof. I think it went a bit viral. I agree that the Filipino Spirit is Water Proof. But we need to be more responsible in our action towards the environment so that we don't have to test the indomitable spirit of each and every Filipino when faced with calamities or tragedies. 

I think we can channel our energy to more positive things like sustainable development. 

XX

A quick peek of Legazpi, Philippines

The city of Legazpi sits in the peninsula of the Bicol Region. It's small compared to other provinces in the Philippines. In fact, one can tour around the city in just five hours! Local tourist guides can take anyone to a 360 degree tour of the whole city within the day. Population-wise, it's also small; approximately 179,000.

What it lacks for size, it sure make up for the sheer magnificence of its natural wonders.
Hello, Mayon Volcano!

Quite shy on this photo. Taken at the airport, around nine in the morning.

Ah, the serenity of the view. Taken from another perspective. This time at one of the points in Embarcadero, a new waterfront development that hopes to attract local as well as international tourists. This project looks really promising. The marina could rival that of the Clark Quay in Singapore.

Legazpi is one of the earliest sites of the Spanish colonization. It boasts of stone churches dating back to the 15th century. Look at the texture of the church. It's so beautiful. The camera did not do justice.

And of course, who wouldn't recognize this -- The Cagsawa Ruins.

It is situated a few kilometers away from the foot of Mayon Volcano. When the volcano's first recorded eruption in 1841 happened, the church that stood here submerged leaving only the bell tower, as seen today.

What makes Bicol a hot destination? It's food, literally. Spicy hot food that tingles your senses and imagination. Two spicy dishes come to mind, the pinangat and the bicol express. Upon arrival, these were what we filled our empty stomachs with.

And more.
Pinangat Pizza -- tastes really good!

                                                   
       

                 

 Chicken Adobo with gata (cocunot milk), so-so.

This is probably the softest version of crispy pata but boy, the skin is just as crunchy.

Complete your meal with any of the yummy desserts.

 

 sili ice cream, anyone? harmless at first glance but be careful, it bites.

I was billeted for over a week at The Hotel Venezia . It's a cozy place situated inside a mid-size village. A bed and breakfast that offers the view of Mount Mayon as backdrop. And it's a mere 5 minute drive from the airport. Rates are reasonable, too. 

Take a bite of the Bicolano experience and get a kick out of it. To know more about this scenic city, check on the Legazpi Tourism site.