3 minute read
Sunlight Air CEO Ryna Brito Garcia's travel tips
For two days, we did not have any mobile signal, so for the entire time we just went diving, spotted a pod of dolphins, read a book in between diving, took a nap under the sun, and ate island food.
What is your most memorable recent trip in the Philippines? Our three-day liveaboard trip to Apo Reef last year onboard Sunlight Hotel’s Sea Dragon. Apo Reef is the largest coral reef in the Philippines. For two days, we did not have any mobile signal, so for the entire time we just went diving, explored the marine life, spotted a pod of dolphins, saw so many shades of blue, read a book in between diving, took a nap under the sun, and ate island food. That will always be one of my favourite trips ever, and will always make me smile when remembering it.
To book your liveaboard holiday, Sunlight Ecotourism Island Resort (www.sunlighthotelsandresorts.com).
Top 3 favorite destinations in the Philippines and why. Coron is one of the most beautiful islands in the Philippines, with crystal clear, blue waters and magical limestone formations. I also enjoy diving in Coron because of the numerous shipwrecks in the ocean. Another favourite is Siargao for the relaxed lifestyle and the restaurant scene. Of course it’s also known for world-class surfing and beautiful beaches. For really good food, check out Roots, CEV, and L’Osteria Ristorante (All on Facebook). Apo Reef in Occidental Mindoro is another favourite. It is the largest reef in the country and houses an abundance of marine species and corals. On our trip, we spotted a one-meter fat tuna and reef sharks at Shark Airport . You have to time your dive at 6am to see the sharks. Another dive spot to check out is Manta Point Going for a dive there even just once is a magical and memorable experience.
A place in the Philippines you think more people should see. Coron. Beautiful island, really.
What is your vision for Sunlight Air? Your plans for the next 5–10 years? In the next 5–10 years, Sunlight Air aims to expand its network to include more destinations across the Philippines, particularly underserved areas. Since April 1 this year, we moved most of our flights from Manila to Clark, mainly because of the congestion at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport, flight delays and cancellations due to shortage of runway slots. Moving our base to Clark will not only avoid all these problems, but also allow us to tap the North Luzon and Central Luzon market.
We’ve now been operating daily flights from Clark to Siargao in Surigao del Norte, twice weekly flights from Clark to Boracay, and seasonal flights from Clark to San Vicente in Palawan. On April 3, we launched daily flights from Cebu to Siargao and Coron in Palawan. In May, we’ll start flights from Cebu to Caticlan in Aklan and in June, flights from Cebu to destinations in Iloilo and Cagayan de Oro.
Visit Sunlight Air (www.sunlightair.ph)
