The Island Explorer

Everybody loves White Beach, so most prefer to stay on this side of Boracay. However, just as I learned recently, there is more to White Beach in Boracay. It started actually when I fell in love with Shangri-La, that piece of heaven that made me forget all together that I was in Boracay. And that's a big feat. Then, I got to savor sleeping in Bulabog which was a treat as well. Now, I got to stay in one of the biggest resort developments in the island, and also one of the first massive developments as well. This is Fairways and Bluewater.

Let's take a step back for a while and fly back to one of the best beaches in the world that is found here in our country. I've spent a reasonable amount of time in Boracay this year, and what follows are the accommodations that I've stayed in for almost a period of a month. Let's start off with the lesser known side of Boracay, Bulabog beach.

As I've said, I never left my villa till the next day for breakfast. Good things must come to an end, and as soon as I was ready, I told the reception that I will be moving to my more affordable deluxe bungalow.

I booked a water villa for one night, since this will truly cap my Maldivian luxury experience. I mean, you go to the Maldives for these types of accommodations, which is what made the country land in every travel bucket list. So it's easy to imagine when I was upgraded to water pool villa.

Our stay in The Three was again short lived, but the weekend was already over and we had to go back to Colombo. But before heading back, we made our last stop to our speedy adventure - the historical fort of Galle - a UNESCO World Heritage site.

After that mind blowing experience in Sigiriya, only one thing was on our mind: FOOD. We managed to pass by a resort that looked posh and interesting. So, we inquired at their gates and were allowed entry. The resort was called Vil Uyana.

I was already on my way back to Tuguegarao from Cagayan Holiday, but it seemed that Sta. Ana wasn't ready to leave me. Around 10 minutes from Cagayan Holiday, we passed a resort that looked very promising from the outside. I told the driver to stop so we can take a look. The sign read: Avalon Beach Club.

Now, prepare to drop your jaw. The Cagayan Holiday and Leisure Resort is located in a special economic zone in the northernmost tip of Luzon island. It is also known for its casino, the main attraction for the Chinese who came in droves in the past years. 

If you enter the Cagayan Holiday Resort, you will notice a wall that makes vehicles turn towards the reception area. I was a bit curious what was beyond the wall. When I was walking back our room, I noticed a small gate that opened to a verdant garden. I inconspicuously entered the gate and discovered a different resort. 

When I explored Sta. Ana in Cagayan two years ago, I knew the place was destined to delight its visitors. With unknown isolated beaches and stunning uninhabited landscapes, this Northern Luzon escape has always been on my mind since I left. 

There are some places in the Philippines that I consider special. It's rare to find these places, especially in a country where culture doesn't seem to be preserved as much as it deserves. But somewhere in the coastal town of historical Bagac in Bataan, just less than 3 hours away from Manila, a resort is trying to change the way we look at our heritage. This is what makes Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar special.

We left Sugar Beach and headed further south to another beach destination in Sipalay: Punta Ballo. I couldn't believe me eyes when I saw islands like these pictured below. I was pointing again to the islands to our boatman, but he said that most are privately owned, and that we couldn't dock just anywhere. Another frustration.

Among all the islands of the Visayas, my most least explored is the island of Negros. Usually, when I'm in Negros, I just devour in Bacolod or passby in Dumaguete. I have been to most cities and towns, but mostly for work, so I haven't gotten enough time to really discover new places. So, after another business trip to Bacolod, I took three days to explore, and my choice was the town of Sipalay and its surroundings.

General Santos has grown over the past years. When I first visited the city 7 years ago, Manny Pacquiao was not the attraction here. I passed by the city again two years ago, and was amazed at how much the city has transformed, and how the Pacquiao name is synonymous already with the city. This year, I made it to the southernmost city in the Philippines, the tuna capital and discovered a new resort that got me really excited.  Situated on top of a hill, providing commanding views of the Saranggani Bay, the Sarangani Highlands resort is one of the more popular destinations in the General Santos. Although it is located 30 minutes away from the city center, you will see a lot of balikbayans visiting the place for a day, or just simply to have lunch or dinner in.  I was pleasantly surprised when I entered the resort. After ascending in a dirt path, I was expecting to be in the middle of nowhere. I couldn't figure out what the resort will look like given the surroundi

The Kahuna Beach Resort and Spa is one of the most desirable resorts in La Union. I mean, it is the choice resort of celebrity surfers and the jet set crowd in popular San Juan beach. Hence, when I was on a roll in La Union, I just needed to find out for myself if the saying is true - that Kahuna is the best accommodation in La Union (even better than Thunderbird according to some colleagues).

San Fernando La Union is not known for its beaches. So it was surprising that there was one beach resort tucked away beside its airport that was as popular probably as Thunderbird. Welcome to Sunset Bay Beach Resort.

A visit up north to La Union usually comes with a stopover in the province's most prestigious resort complex - Thunderbird Resorts Poro Point. With an impressive view of the South China Sea, its notably Greek architecture and design stands out among the rest of resorts in the region. 

Finally, my daughter arrived at Johannesburg two days later than expected. It was a good thing that our plane tickets were easily rebooked for free (South African Airways). Our first adventure was down south of the capital, Port Elizabeth. We rented a car and drove off 2 hours to the town of Addo, where our first real South African hotel, the Hitgeheim Country Lodge is located. Apparently the number 1 accommodation of choice in Addo , Hitgeheim is owned by a very friendly Dutch couple.   Hitgeheim Country Lodge is situated on an eco-reserve in the heart of the malaria-free Sundays River Valley, only minutes from the Addo Elephant National Park . We decided on staying in this region for our safari, since it was more child friendly and as I've said, malaria free.  The lodge has a small pool and lounge chairs that overlooked the Sundays River . The view was really fantastic from all angles. Our host, Archie welcomed us with open arms literally. He explaine

After several failed attempts, I finally found a slot to stay in one of the last of Metro Cebu's resorts. And what a fitting finale it is indeed. One of the Philippines' pioneer boutique properties, Abaca Resort and Spa is also one the country's best luxury escapes. Abaca is known for its famed restaurant of the same name. It actually started out with the restaurant owned by Jason Hyatt. The restaurant has been named one of the country's best, so having meal here is an experience all together. In fact, I have eaten several times here already, but I have never gotten the chance to stay in their resort.  The Abaca Resort and Spa is already more than 5 years old, and has gotten a lot of good reviews from its visitors. The property is located between Movenpick and Be Resorts in Punta Engano in Mactan. I was always wondering how the experience would be different from Shangri-La or the Imperial Park, two of my favorite resorts in Mactan as well. To