The Island Explorer

Club Serena is probably the most upscale resort in Moalboal. It is located in Bas Daku, just 100 meters from Ravenala Resort (where I usually stay). The place looks cozy, with the nice day beds scattered all across the resort. There are limited rooms, like 10 only, making it a quiet getaway. Club Serena has a swimming pool, which accounts for the higher price. The pool looks so inviting in a hot day, or after swimming in the salty beach waters of Moalboal. We happened to get into Club Serena because Ravenala had no more stocks for breakfast. So we had our morning brunch in Club Serena. The service took so long though, since there was only one wait staff to tend to all the guests. And the resort was full. Club Serena has a clean beach front. We even spotted a boat named Karylle docking (hey, K, you have a boat here!) Club Serena is a colorful resort, I guess with better room accommodations. We weren't able to check out the rooms, since they were all occupied. I heard that President

When a friend told me if I wanted to visit the Kenneth Cobonpue showroom, I became speechless for a moment. Afterwards, I burst out a grateful OF COURSE. Being an avid admirer of good furniture design, I always wanted to have a Cobonpue piece. The showroom is located near SM City, on the road to Mango Avenue and near the burned down White Gold. It doesn't have a glaring sign, since the showroom is not open to the public. It is strictly by appointment only and they also pick who to get to go inside. Talk about being selective with clients. But it works for the Cobonpue brand, which has become world renowned already. The showroom was a huge warehouse, and beside it, was where the magic happens - their production area. I wasn't allowed to take pictures, so I just hurried inside the showroom. I was like a little boy going in a huge toy store. Kenneth Cobonpue has been featured in a lot of local and international magazines, and his works are published in design journals. Hi

CnT Lechon needs no introduction. It is perhaps the most popular lechon pasalubong from Cebu. Their stall in SM City Cebu (below) is always packed. CnT used to have a restaurant in front of SM that looked like a huge nipa hut. Now, they have transferred in a building just off the corner of their original location (still in front of SM Cebu, or back of Northwing side). Their lechon goes out of stock in the late afternoon, so it's best to come early if you want to order. I have been eating here the past weeks at 5PM, and we always get the last pieces (which is not as tasty anymore). The new CnT looks like a canteen and though is way bigger than its previous location, I like the original better. CnT Lechon is one of the more popular lechon de cebu outlets. I have yet to taste more lechon here in Cebu.

We were supposed to have a light dinner and some drinks in Olio, which is one of my favorite restaurants in Cebu. But as we got down our van, a new imposing restaurant caught my sight. The sign said, Maya. Maya is a Mexican fine dining restaurant in Crossroads in Banilad. The place doesn't look like your typical bright Mexican restaurant. it was modern and ancient at the same time, owing its design to the great Mayan civilization of Mexico. You would be surprised that Maya is actually not that expensive, for a place looking so upscale. It is owned by the same people who put up Abaca in Mactan (soon in another post). The prices range from P120 to P400 only. If it were in Manila, the prices would definitely be higher. We weren't there to eat dinner, since we just had lechon from CNT. So we ordered appetizers and some drinks. The one below is called Volcanes (grilled tortillas with cheese and salsa roja, P125). It was a volcanic dish indeed, as it was hot and spicy. We also ordere

After spending the night in Moalboal, we drove off to nearby Badian to see what it offers. We headed straight to Badian Island Resort but got turned down by the guard who told us we needed a prior reservation. A day trip will cost P1,000 already, and we just wanted to see the place, and have a snack there. But we weren't allowed. So we drove away, passing by some wonderful scenery, like the one in the picture above. It was a secluded cove, with a tiny island. The view was pretty inspiring, and I thought it would be a great location for a resort. Badian Island could be seen from here. We drove back to the highway in search of Badian's top tourist's draw - the Kawasan Falls. Badian's coast looked magnificent as I sped along the cliffs. We arrived in the entrance of the Kawasan Park, where you can park your car. A guide was offering his services to us, but we politely declined, knowing it would be an easy task to find the falls. And it was easy. There's actually a clea

We didn't intend to stay in Panagsama Beach, which really doesn't have a beach. Again, think of Anilao. I was intent in staying in Bas Daku, a nearby beach, that was just like Panagsama before a typhoon changed its landscape. Bas Daku is around 6 km away via a narrow access road into the plain fields of Moalboal. Essentially, Panagsama and Bas Daku share one coastline. Coves and rocks separate them. But the difference between the two beaches are stark. Bas Daku has a lot of beach front resorts, having a white sandy coastline that extends for about a kilometer. It has a shifting sandbar near the resort that I consider the most well-designed in the area. Though not the most popular and high-end (that goes to Serena Beach Resort, which I will talk about in my next posts), Ravenala Beach Resort is welcoming and charming. I am a fan of resorts that blend well with nature. Beautifully landscaped and well-kept as well, Ravenala offers accommodation in comfortable nipa hut like cottage