Inflight August-September 2009 by Dornier Media

south e ast asian airlines on - board maga zine

august - september 2009

Top 10 magical dives From Anilao to the Sulu Sea Room at the top A little hotel in Batanes has it all

www.seair-inflight.com â&#x20AC;˘ www.flyseair.com

Spooky nights Where to go for Halloween

Perfect Beach In search of the

Scouring Romblon, from Talipasak to Maracay-racay

SEAIR r e l a u n c h e s f l i g h t s TO C e b u

i n f l i g h t // au g u s t - s e p t e m b e r 2 0 0 9 IN PLACES 39 InsandOuts Off-peak Boracay

42 In search of the perfect beach Why stay with the madding beach crowds, when you can have a beach all to yourself? We send Cris Yabes to Romblon to find the one, while we list six more quiet alternatives

60 Top 10 magical dives Respected underwater photographer Gutsy Tuason reveals his favorite diving destinations and why

96 InFocus

Edwin Martinez’s Boracay

“We’ve found our paradise of a beach and our little private heaven in Romblon” Clothes by Salsatrends; accessories by Victoria Marin

august - september 2009 I SEAIR InFlight

i n f l i g h t // au g u s t - s e p t e m b e r 2 0 0 9 IN FRONT 09 Editor’s Note

10 InFormed

What not to miss in August and September

13 Inthenews

Fun ride zorb now in Boracay; Philippine Travel Mart opens with exciting travel offers;

First bed and breakfast opens in Pagsanjan; Crown Regency Prince Resort launches in Boracay

16 InTalk

Halloween hot spots: Party animals reveal the best places for a spooky, fun night out

25 InTune

Tubbataha reef park manager Angelique Songco on saving the seas

28 InPerson

Model Joey Mead’s talks about fun holidays and favorite hangouts

IN vogue 19 Intheshops

Wood necklaces, beads and colors are on-trend

22 Inmybag

Young designer Veejay Floresca on his favorite travel essentials

IN GOOD TIMES 31 InRoom

Fundacion Pacita in Batanes has spectacular views, glorious fresh air, and a private deck to enjoy it all Plus La Carmela de Boracay

36 InDulge

Top-tier steak at 145° Fahrenheit Prime Steaks

and Seafood

Joey Mead photo by Frank Hoefsmit for YStyle Summer

PLUS: seair News / People / Guide Concept by SEAIR InFlight; Photo by Erik Liongoren; Art direction by Jocas A. See; Fashion styling by Janet dela Fuente; Swimsuit by Salsatrends; Accessoriesby Victoria Marin; Hat and weave bag by Kultura at SM; Makeup by Rocky Orejola; Modeling by Cianne Xavier Simoes for IM Agency; Location: San Pedro Beach Resort, Talipasak Beach, Romblon Island

august - september 2009 I SEAIR InFlight

Publishing Director and Executive Editor

Nikos Gitsis Editor

Giselle Javison managing Editor

Monica G. De Leon EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

MARGARITA F. FRANCISCO art & design

Art Director

Jocas A. See Editorial Production Inquiries

editors@f lyseair.com • inf lightinbox@f lyseair.com Contributing photographers

Mike Alcid, Mario Babiera, Bien Bautista, Parc Cruz, Ferdz Decena, Roberto Francisco, Erik Liongoren, Wacky Gochoco, Carlos Legaspi, Oggie Ramos, Rachel Rillo, Philip Sison, Jeffrey Sonora, Daniel Soriano, Gutsy Tuason Contributing writers

Jose Marte Abueg, Vicki Aldaba, Yasmin D. Arquiza, Catherine A. Calderon, Lei Chavez Chip Childers, David Dalton, Jan Lao, Ces Rodriguez, Claude Tayag, Cris Yabes advertising Sales  marketing

Group Sales and Marketing Director

Delza Apostol Advertising Executive

Joy Gutierrez

administration and finance

ARTHUR VALENCIA Advertising Traffic

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inf lightads@f lyseair.com editorial board

Publisher

South East Asian Airlines Seair Chairman

Iren Dornier Seair Director

Nikos Gitsis InFlight Editor

Giselle Javison InFlight Group Sales and Marketing Director

Delza Apostol Seair Legal Counsel

South East Asian Airlines, Inc. SEAIR InFlight Magazine: Units 304 & 306, La’O Center, 1000 Arnaiz Avenue, Makati City 1227 Philippines Tel.: +632 840 2802 (Editorial) • +632 840 2803 (Advertising) Fax: +632 840 2805 URL: www.flyseair.com

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I june - july 2009

editor’s note

people. places. a dv entur es.

here’s a new ‘it’ word: staycation. It means, well, staying at home for a vacation or going on day trips near your home. It was coined last year, but seems to have expanded its scope these days to include holidaying in your own country. It’s ‘on-trend’ in these recession-ridden times.

InFlight model Ciané Simoes in a rocky portion of Talipasak Beach. Inset, an unspoilt beach on Cobrador Island

“So, are you going on staycation?” I ask myself. I tried saying it several times, but, no, it doesn’t excite. So off I go next week to Switzerland and France. I won’t break the bank and with a little luck won’t catch swine flu. We’ll be in the trusty car my daughter named Gordon, traveling through the Channel tunnel. Why name a car? Heaven knows why. Time to get her a dog before she names the kettle. So what are you doing towards the end of the year? August, September and October are good months to travel in the Philippines, with good rates available for those who look. Romblon, a grab-bag of islands known for its marble – the kind that adorns the floor and altars of most Philippine churches – and unspoiled sandy beaches, comes high on my holiday list. I travelled to Romblon some years back and have fond memories of Looc Bay marine sanctuary, the sparkling clear waters of the deserted beach at Cresta de Gallo, the non-stop feasts laid out for us by local folks, and the general warmth and generosity of the people. Traveling to Romblon is no longer as tedious as it was years back when I went, but there is still some trekking and roughing out to do – as our InFlight editorial team discovered. (See cover story on pages 42 to 55). From Cobrador, they trekked two kilometers in alternating sun and rain lugging cameras, laptops, and bags. All that effort was rewarded when they caught sight of a secluded sandy beach sparkling in the sun. And as luck would have it, there was a thatched cottage by the beach that opened its doors for them to stay the night and discover a freebie patch of paradise. It’s not a five-star bling resort; there was no electricity, no fancy food, no touristy crowd, just a lovely beach, warm, invigorating sea, and fresh air. If that’s not enough, we’ve gathered a list of some of Romblon’s most beautiful beaches – beaches that rival Boracay, but without the crowds (See sidebar on page 56). Give me staycation in the Philippines anytime.

giselle javison Editor editors@flyseair.com

august - september 2009 I SEAIR InFlight

What not to miss in

August & September by Margie Francisco

August

Nine Inch Nails Live in Manila

Lady Gaga Live in Manila

Catch 12-time Grammy nominated American industrial rock group Nine Inch Nails (NIN) at its “Wave Goodbye” concert at Araneta Coliseum. Hot local band Pupil, headed by Ely Buendia will be the opening act. For tickets, call TicketNet at +632/ 911 5555 or visit www.ticketnet.com.ph

Grammy nominated American pop star Lady Gaga, known for such songs as “Just Dance”, “Poker Face”, “Paparazzi”, “LoveGame”, “Eh Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)”, and “The Fame”, is performing live in a concert at Araneta Coliseum this month. For tickets, call TicketNet

September

5-26

Repertory Philippines’ Jack and the Beanstalk

August

All-American Rejects and Hoobastank Don’t miss rock bands All-American Rejects and Hoobastank in a concert at the World Trade Center in Pasay City. For more information, call MTV Philippines at +632/ 706 1580 or visit www.mtv-phil.com

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IronMan 70.3 Philippines triathlon kicks off The Cobra IronMan 70.3 Philippine, a triathlon covering a 70.3 mile course, kicks off on August 23 at the Camarines Sur Watersports Complex (CWC). The triathlon will see participants taking on a grueling 1.2 mile (1.9km) swim, 56 mile (90km) bike and 13.1 mile (21.1km) run around the CWC. Top male and female triathletes will get a prize money of P50,000 for first place, P30,000 for second, and P20,000 for third. For more details on IronMan 70.3 Philippines, visit www. ironman703phil.com

I august - september 2009

REP presents a new twist to the classic story. This time Jack climbs the beanstalk to find a good giant and a tap-dancing golden goose. Along the way, he encounters his long-lost father (a victim of amnesia) and a villainous baron. The show is on every Friday and Saturday of the month at OnStage, Greenbelt 1, Makati. Starring Red Concepcion and Nacho Tambunting as Jack, Juno Henares and Marisse Santos as the mother, Rem Zamora, Hans Eckstein and Raul Montesa as the baron and Oliver Usison, James Stacey and Raffy Topacio as the giant. Directed by Joy Virata and Baby Barredo. For tickets, call Ticketworld at +632/ 891 9999 or visit www. ticketworld.com.ph

September

Spring Awakening Inspired by one of literature’s most controversial masterpieces written by Frank Wedekind in 1891, Atlantis Productions presents Spring Awakening – a story of first love and lasting regrets in Germany in 1891. To be staged at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium in RCBC Building, Makati. Music by Grammy-nominated recording star Duncan Sheik, lyrics by Steven Sater. Directed by Chari Arespacochaga. For tickets, call Atlantis Productions at +632/ 840-1187 or 892-7078

Iwahig River. Opposite, spelunking at Ugong Rock

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I february - march 2009

t r av e l

HOTELS AN D RESORTS

a r t s AN D fa s h i o n

A nd mor e!

must Try

A ball of a ride

There’s a new way to let loose in Boracay. Try a ride in Zorb, a one-meter inflatable ball that sets you rolling down a 130-meter downhill terrain in no time at all. Mystery Spot Fun Park introduced Zorb in May this year and has since been entertaining the beach crowd. Sports Unlimited TV host Marc Nelson describes it as “a topsy turvey, laugh-a-minute adrenaline rush! Now I know what it feels like to be a bowling ball.” You can ride the Zorb, located in IligIligan in Yapak in two diferent ways: the Harness ride (priced at P350 per person), which straps you into the Zorb for that downhill trip, while the Hydro ride lets you slip and slide for a ride inside the water-padded Zorb.

Enveloped in a water padd ed ball while go downhill in Zo ing rb. Inset, a Zo rb harness rid e

The ride costs P300 per person for a group of 3, P380 for a pair, and P580 for a solo ride.

The Mystery Spot Fun Park is open from 9am until 6pm. For more information, call Mystery Spot Fun Park at +63927/ 908 5191. -- Margie F. Francisco

august - september 2009 I SEAIR InFlight

Philippine Travel Mart launches big sale The 20th Philippine Travel Mart (PTM) 2009 will be offering attractive travel discounts and promos to consumers when it opens its doors on September 4. Organized by the Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA), the three-day travel mart, which will be held at the Megatrade Halls, SM Megamall, in Mandaluyong City, will launch the “Grand Vacation Sale ng Bayan.” The sale will see some of the local travel trade exhibitors including hotels, resorts, airlines, tourism offices, and other travel trade suppliers giving special discounts and promos to the public. SEAIR will be selling seats starting for as low as P350 per way to Caticlan. Triple Star agency will likewise announce its lean season promos. PTM will also launch the Pasig River travel cruise, which starts in

eco News

A tree for a treat at Mandala Spa

MANDALA SPA AND VILLAS recently launched its “Treetment Project,” that will see Mandala planting a tree in Boracay and Aklan mainland for every treatment bought at the spa. Mandala guests and clients get to name the tree and receive updates on how their tree is doing. Mandala, through this green project, hopes “to inspire people to care for the planet as much as they care for themselves.”

For more info, visit www.mandalaspa.com. -- Monica De Leon

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I august - september 2009

Nagpayong, Pasig and ends in Escolta. Included as part of the cruise offer is a walking tour of Binondo, the Philippine’s China town, known for its good restaurants and street food, and bazaar shopping. The cruise is a result of the Kapit Bisig sa Ilog Pasig project of the ABSCBN Foundation which tied up with PTM for the cruise launch. “Beyond the Usual” is the overall theme of PTM this year, highlighting “beyond the usual” regional culinary fares, exciting destinations, travel and tour experiences, and events and festivities. Reservations for travel and tour, hotel, transport can be bought at lower rates on or before November 15, 2009.

For more information, call PTM Secretariat at +632/ 812 4513. -- Margie F. Francisco

Crown Regency opens second resort in Boracay The Crown Regency Hotels & Resorts has recently opened its third hotel, the Crown Regency Prince Resort at Station 1 along Bulabog Road in Barangay Balabag. The resort has 36 deluxe guestrooms, each with a 29-inch cable television, in-room safe, mini bar and tea and coffee maker. It has a lobby lounge bar and 24-Seven Quick Mart, a convenience store open all-hours. The Crown Regency group also operates the 5-star Crown Regency hotels in Cebu, Davao and Makati.

For bookings and reservations, call +6336/ 288 1088 or 288 1695 or e-mail reservations@crownregency. com. -- Margie F. Francisco

check it Out First B&B opens in Laguna

Tree Top Adventure at Subic

Newly-opened VILLA DOÑA LUISA, a century-old home turned bed and breakfast in Pagsanjan, is offering a 10 per cent discount on all rooms until August 31. The B&B, a three-storey house built in the 1900s, offers five guestrooms with toilet and bath. One of the five is an air-conditioned ensuite Master’s bedroom with a queen-size bed and television. Villa Dona Luisa also has a lounge cum entertainment center, laundry and pressing services, tour assistance service, a soon-to-open massage room, and Café Luisa, a 14-seater restaurant serving Filipino, Continental, American and Doña Luisa’s healthy breakfast.

For inquiries, reservations and bookings, call Ms. Aileen Llamas at +63910/ 739 6960 or email villa_donaluisa@yahoo.com. -- Margie F. Francisco

Canon introduces its first digital waterproof camera

The newly-opened Tree Top Adventure Park in Subic in the Upper Cubi area is now offering a challenging adventure trail 100 feet above the ground. The park, set in a lush, virgin forest, sets you on an adventure trail suspended among the rainforest’s highest branches by crossing four suspension bridges, and taking nine motorized cable rides of up to 220 meters long. The trail costs P350/person. Another must-try activity is the Tree Drop Adventure (priced at P100/person/rappel) where you can rappel down the side of a 60-foot tree.

Tree Top Adventure is located at the JEST Area (beside JEST camp), Upper Cubi Area, Subic Bay. You can avail of different combinations of adventure with their packages (P400-P600/person). For more details, call +6347/ 252 9425 or 252 9427 or visit www. treetopadventure.com.ph. -- Margie F. Francisco

Canon’s PowerShot D10 is their first waterproof camera up to a depth of 10 meters, and is shockproof up to four feet and freeze resistant to -10 to boot. The PowerShot features a 12.1-megapixel sensor, 3x optical zoom with image stabilization, and a 2.5-inch PureColor LCD II display. Available in orange, gray and camouflage. Retails at P26,950.

New book release: Heart of the Ocean Check out Photographer Michael Aw’s newly released coffee table book, “Philippines: Heart of the Ocean,” some 200 pages of underwater photos. Featured diving hotspots include Puerto Galera and the Celebes Sea.

For more information, visit the Canon website at www.canon.com.ph or call +632/ 884 9000.

Retails at Powerbooks at P4,800.

-- Margie F. Francisco

august - september 2009 I SEAIR InFlight

My best Halloween hot spots So where do the city’s party animals go for a spooky, fun night? Jan Lao interviews Illustration by randy r. rey

I can name some hotspots like the famous Cream Ball party (usually held at the World Trade Center) where everyone dresses up in their most outrageous costumes. Embassy Club (Tel: +632/ 816 4195) hosts a pretty awesome Halloween party too. But I miss the private house parties I used to go to like the one in Wack-Wack Greenhills where everyone are all out in their costumes, and the place is decorated to give that spooky ambiance. I’m actually planning on organizing one this year so look out for it!

- Samantha Carbonell

Party organizer and promoter, Red Carpet Promotions

Manor Superclub (Tel: +632/ 421 3180), Embassy’s northern twin, is planning something awesome for its part of town. You might want to check out SpeakerPimps at Tabu (Tel: +632/ 817 7523) on that date. It’s going to be a 90s Polygamusic. Everyone is encouraged to be in their crew’s representative tracksuit just for kicks.

- Mark Nicosia Dj and Lokallooper.com web administrator

I think the best Halloween party is getting your best friends together, thinking up a group costume, and starting the night by doing something completely normal like having dinner in a classy restaurant, or going to 7/11 in full costume. Then, head over to a huge event like Cream, or last year’s Dia de los Muertos in Alchemy (Tel: +632/ 706 1305). We did something like that last year, dressed as the rock band KISS.

- Mia Ayesa Model

I love going to Alabang for Halloween! There are Halloween parties everywhere, and everyone is really into it. Houses are decorated; people are dressed up and are having fun; and there is an abundance of candy.

- Enzo Marcos Severo vocalist

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I august - september 2009

Boracay, where the island comes alive like in a Mardi Gras. People dress up in costumes, and everyone is in high spirits. The most memorable one was two years ago when the dragon boat team came dressed up as “100”. I also throw an annual sem-break event called Sem Break Confidential where we invite students from all of the top universities to a wild `spring break-ish` weekend.

- Stephen Ku

The Tides Hotel Boracay partner/sales and marketing director

In the past years, me and the homies do the club party in Manila (Embassy, Fiamma or Bureau) with Halloween costumes and the whole bit. Then some of us go straight from the club to catch a flight to Bora to continue the party! Fiamma: +632/ 897 1253, Club Bureau: +632/ 384 5666 - Brent Javier

Actor

LEP Leisure Escape Packages

We make your vacation precious. So, we have it all wrapped up in the best packages.

For holidays made convenient, call:

+632 843 7308

E-mail: packages@flyseair.com URL: www.flyseair.com

in the shops

i n m y b ag

Maillot, stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own; cover-up from Bayo; animal print beaded necklace and bangle by Victoria Marin

Light & color Wood necklaces, beads, bangles and happy colors are on-trend for resort wear, says stylist Janet dela Fuente Photos by Parc Cruz and Ku Manahan Modeling by Maffy Soler for Reco Models

august - september 2009 I SEAIR InFlight

inTheShops

Light and color

Maillot from Salsatrends; knit skirt from L Manila; accessories from Victoria Marin; scarf from L Manila

20 SEAIR InFlight

I august - september 2009

PiĂąa long vest from L Manila; twopiece bikini from Robinsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Galleria; necklace from Religioso

Embellished swimsuit and cover up from Salsatrends; accessories from Victoria Marin

For store location and contact details, turn to

on page 80 august - september 2009 I SEAIR InFlight

inMyBag

SMART PICKS

Young designer Veejay Floresca on his favorite travel essentials

Interview by Margie F. Francisco Photo by Carlos Legazpi

07 06 08

10 09

1 Bag from Baggets by Yako Reyes (P1,500) 2 Orbit White SugarFree chewing gum (P79) 3 Notebook (P300) 4 Burberry Summer perfume (P3,400) 5 Apple iPod Classic 120GB (P14,990) 6 Nokia E61 (P11,500) 7 H&M wallet 8 Canon PowerShot G10 camera (P31,950) 9 HP iPAQ 211 Enterprise Handheld (P19,000) 10 Parker ballpen (P440) For store location and contact details, turn to

22 SEAIR InFlight

I august - september 2009

on page 80

A fiery sunset is an astonishing view you get from Popototan Island in Busuanga

L ov i ng t h e pl a n e t

Tubbatahaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s keeper Scuba diver Angelique Songco takes on her job as reef park manager with passion Interview by Margie F. Francisco

Tubbataha is endless sky and sea, interrupted by the pristine beauty of its islets

This photo by Gutsy Tuason

august - september 2009 I SEAIR InFlight

Scuba diver Angelique Songco landed the job of manager of the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park in 2001, a job she has attacked with such fervor that Tubbataha is now one of the country’s best managed national parks.

Her position as manager of the Tubbataha Management Office, in charge with the day to day park management, is no easy task. The Tubbataha Reef Marine Park, a world heritage site, covers 33,200 hectares, including the North and South Reefs, home to an abundance of marine life, about 573 species of fish, 23 species of sharks, dolphins and whales, and 379 species of corals. It is a unique example of an atoll reef with a very high density of marine species, the North Islet serving as a nesting site for birds and marine turtles. This vast expanse of sea and sky and the growing number of scuba divers, diving boats impacting on the reefs by dropping anchor and dumping wastes, as well as illegal fishermen using dynamites and cyanide for an easy catch and commercial vessels fishing in the area, have made conservation and patrol work extremely difficult. Vivien Facunla of Conservation International-Philippines says Songco has outdone herself doing what some considered as a tough man’s job. “I remember the controversial Chinese poachers Songco apprehended in 2006. It was Christmas time but Songco was in the office with the lawyers and paralegals drafting affidavits and pleadings for the case.”

26 SEAIR InFlight

Above photo by Anton Carag courtesy of WWF

Songco’s team apprehended 30 Chinese poachers caught red-handed with 800 live fishes, including 300 of the endangered mameng (Napoleon wrasse). Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park was established as a “no-take marine park” in 1988. Songco said there was initial resistance from the Municipality of Cagayancillo. “It essentially took away the right of the Cagayanons to fish in the area even as it was within their municipal waters.” Consultations with residents and a campaign to raise awareness of the site’s importance eventually won the residents over. “Angelique manages the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park with a lot of passion,” Alya Honasan of WWF Philippines says. In an article she wrote about the WWF Coral Triangle Photo Expedition, Honasan recalled how Songco led six of her marine park rangers in collecting coral-eating pests that have infested many parts of the Park for the last 15

I august - september 2009

months. Armed with her mask, snorkel and a long metal hook with a wooden handle, Songco and her team dumped over a thousand crown-of-thorns starfish in one and half hours into a ship that was to be ferried to a nearby sandbar and buried. The protection of the Tubbataha Reefs directly affects people from the nearby Cagayancillo municipality who depend on the reef for their livelihood. In 2006, the Tubbataha Management Board “agonized” about the increase of the conservation fees from P1,500 to P3,000. Songco explained, “since it was not possible to deliver the same level of protection without increasing the fees, the board opted to take the more difficult decision of increasing conservation fees.” Yasmin Arquiza who has worked with Songco for 20 years, said: “She has been very active in law enforcement. As far as I know, Tubbataha is one of the most well-managed national parks in the Philippines, all because of Angelique’s

Clockwise from left, this spread: Flocks of Chinese egrets and brown boobies off the Northern Islet of Tubbataha; a fish biomass in the renowned Tubbataha reefs; a breeding brown booby (foreground) off Tubbataha’s North Isle

inTune

Tubbataha underwater photo by Claus and Lene Topp

T u b b ata h a’ s k e e p e r

In 1996, she became a member of the Tubbataha Protected Area Management Board (TPAMB), an establishment initiated by the late governor Salvador Socrates, which acts as the policymaking body responsible for the general administration and management of Tubbataha. When the Board decided to hire a full time manager in June 2001 for the Tubbataha Management Office (TMO), Songco was a natural choice. Even after a really bad day at work, Songcos says all it takes is one dive to remind her why she’s doing what she’s doing. “One dive and you remember why everything is worth it,” she says.

This photo by Gregg Yan courtesy of WWF

hard work and dedication to the job. I think it also helps that she’s the right person for the job, as she knows marine environment issues very well.” Songco’s conservation activities go all the way back to 1980, when she and her diver husband Norman founded Island Divers, the first diving facility in Puerto Princesa and considered as the nerve center of marine conservation activities in Palawan. Whenever there was a whale or dugong stranded somewhere, people would call Songco first before calling the Department of Energy and Natural Resources. Songco, with the help of her friends, established Sagip Gubat at Dagat (SAGUDA) Palawan in the mid 1990s, a local group that that led conservation efforts and raised funds to set up a park mooring system for Tubbataha. Arquiza, SAGUDA’s co-founder, said, “When I first met her, she was working with Haribon-Palawan as one of its founding members. After that, she was deputy manager of St. Paul’s National Park.”

The Tubbataha Management Office welcomes volunteers to lay-out campaign materials, monitor voting stations, and assist in school campaigns. Visit www.tubbatahareef.org to fill out a volunteer application form and email it to glenda@tubbatahareef.org.

august - september 2009 I SEAIR InFlight

SEAIR image model and live show host Joey Mead is the first Filipina video jockey on cable TV. She has hosted local and international shows, including movie magazine AXNâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s E-Buzz, interviewing Keanu Reeves, Morgan Freeman, and Katie Holmes, among a number of Hollywood actors. Visit www. joeymead.com

profile

The joys of Joey Model Joey Mead talks about fun holidays and favorite hangouts Interview by Monica De Leon photo by Joanna Garel

Which was your best holiday in the Philippines? Last year I went to Bohol and Tuguegarao. I think there was great tranquility about the whole trip that I wasn’t expecting. We took a tour of the old monuments, of the old churches. We saw the tarsiers. I have a fondness for animals with big eyes – owls, bear cats, tarsiers, monkeys. We stayed at Panglao Island Resort and Spa (www.panglaoisland.com), a reserve, which was pretty much dedicated to the environment. It was like a family resort because it looked very child friendly. There’s a swimming pool and there’s a walking area to the main beach. We were on the edge of the property where we had a view of the ocean. It was very Filipiniana, very nature-inspired. Their spa was the best spa I’ve ever experienced. And the best hotel you’ve stayed in? In the country, my favorite was Shangri-La Mactan (www.shangri-la.com/en/property/ cebu/mactanresort) Cebu for years. It’s the first place I stayed at in Cebu when I took off on a holiday at 21. I thought it was pretty awesome. But now, I have to say Discovery Shores (www. discoveryshoresboracay.com) in Boracay. Shangri-La Boracay’s (www.shangrilaboracay. com) pretty amazing. It reminds me of the Sentosa in Singapore and Thailand. What’s your favorite party venue? I enjoy Cuisine at the Fort. The service I receive is always dependable and accommodating. Do you have a secret place you can share with us? In Boracay, Real Coffee is a must start

to a brilliant day on the island with its perfect native ambiance, family feel, and its location, tucked away from the hustle of Bora madness. I always come home with a month’s supply of their calamansi muffin.

Cagayan for years. It would be nice to see its waterfalls. I haven’t been to Palawan so it’s on my list this year.

Where do you shop and who are your favorite designers? I love wearing unique pieces by Philippine designers. My top three favorite designers are Rajo Laurel, Rhett Eala and Kate Toralba. And when I’m abroad I’ll always be in Urban Outfitters or finding unique pieces from Melrose or the Sunday markets at Venice. What do you have to have for a perfect holiday? A clear head. Whatever problems you have in Manila, leave them behind. Plus appreciation and respect for the people you’re going to see and respect for the environment. Any travel advice? Make it as easy as possible for yourself. Don’t put on all your rings if it’s going to set the metal detector on. Just be mindful of the rules and regulations of the airport security. Wear comfortable footwear and maybe take a jacket because sometimes it gets cold on the plane. For local travelers, secure your bags, and put stickers or ids on them. Where do you want to holiday next? My boyfriend and I are planning to go on a trip to Mindanao. When I saw it 10 years ago, it reminded me a little bit of Cubao. We took a boat to some island where we ate at a table set up above the shallow waters. I want to find that island. I haven’t been to

Which was your worst holiday? Locally, I don’t have any horrible experience because when you’re home, you feel like you’re home. Abroad you feel lonely or sick. But at home [the Philippines], the Filipinos are so helpful. When you need something, they’re always there for you. Your biggest packing mistake? When I was younger, I overpacked. I used to take a lot of shoes, making my luggage heavier. The worst hotel you’ve stayed in? There are some shady places in Boracay. It’s like you go to your room and there’s a cockroach on the pillow. Trying to save money, you book a cheap place and before you know it, you’re staying in a place in an alley way. And you find out why it’s cheap – you can hear the whole barangay having beer just downstairs or the kids screaming in the morning. There are places where the walls are paper thin and you can hear couples fighting drunken fights. And there’s bad service at the reception. What do you avoid on holiday? Overconsumption of alcohol because you wake up the following day with a huge hangover. What do you hate about holidays? When I’m on vacation and there’s nothing to do but relax, I tend to become bored and restless on the third day. What helps is exercising. I do yoga.

august - september 2009 I SEAIR InFlight

30 SEAIR InFlight

I august - september 2009

inroom

indulge

Fundacion Pacita standing on the hills above Basco town

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Room at the top

Chip Childers checks out the late Ivatan artist Pacita Abadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s former casa de inspiracion now turned into a hotel and falls in love Photos by ferdz decena

august - september 2009 I SEAIR InFlight

inRoom

F u n dac ion Pac i ta B ata n e s N at u r e L od ge

Location

ravely straddling a ridge on the hills above Basco town in the windy barangay of Tukon, Fundacion Pacita Batanes Nature Lodge overlooks both the Pacific and South China Seas, and the 360 degree views from all areas of the property make Pacita seem like it was sponsored by a postcard company, with dormant volcano Mt. Iraya, Marlboro Country, the PAGASA Weather tower and other sites spread out right in front of you. CHARACTER If you are not an artist when you come to Fundacion Pacita, you will want to be one by the time you leave the hotel. Located on a former cow pasture owned by the Abad family, Fundacion was originally created as a home studio and casa de inspiración for the late artist Pacita Abad, whose tireless traveling around the globe never dampened her love for her native Batanes and its people. The serene setting and breathtaking views brought peace to the final two years of Pacita’s life before she eventually succumbed to cancer. Fundacion Pacita was painstakingly refurbished by her brother, former Department of Education secretary Butch Abad, who continued on supporting Pacita’s passions – celebrating her native Batanes, and encouraging local Ivatan artists to flourish. Proceeds from the lodge help to fund the Pacita Abad Center for the Arts, which educates young artists from the province and supports heritage conservation projects in Batanes, such as the iconic stone vernacular houses. Finished in 2004, the compound has only this year opened as a lodge, and bookings are already in high demand. The stone architecture honors the local structures made out of stone, while the interior’s African and European-inspired art installations show the influences of her travels. ROOMS

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If your hunch was, after pulling up to the stunning exterior that the rooms must be just as impeccably and charmingly decorated as what you just saw on your arrival, you would be correct. The rooms are a mix of modern and traditional comforts, the two setting the tone in decorating, with artistic detritus, books, shells and curios relaxing lighting and other painstakingly chosen objets d’art. Each room of this 10-room hotel, including the standalone cottages, has a private deck, and most rooms lead to a private garden and unique view of the scenery. Hot and cold water, mini-bar, queensize bed, private view decks and wi-fi access are standard. All rooms except the family loft have air-conditioning, although on most days, the wind blowing in from the ocean should be enough to cool you. A minimum of two

I august - september 2009

days booking is required, pleading the case for making Fundacion the base for the duration of your stay in Batanes. Room rates are inclusive of set breakfast, round trip airport transfers, and a half day cultural heritage tour. Rooms begin at P4,500++ (about US $100++) for the family loft, up to P7,900++ for the family terrace view. Away from the main building are several standalone cottages, for those wanting an additional notch of privacy. fOOd The order of the day is simplicity, quality and flexibility. Guests can indicate what they would like to eat during their stay, or trained chefs can surprise you with one of their few tasty options. One uniquely Batanes option is the tatus, or coconut crab, which also tastes good with butter and lemon.

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Visit www.funcacionpacita.ph; e-mail iinquiries@fundacionpacita. ph or myla.pisig@fundacionpacita.ph; call +632/ 929 2602. Make sure you inform the inn staff about your travel plans on the island and your departure details. With prior notice, the staff can help make your stay at Batanes enjoyable and hassle-free. Batanes has a limited number of vans and trucks to get you around the countryside so coordination with the hotel’s efficient staff is crucial.

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WE LIKE It is always a privilege to experience someone’s labor of love, especially when they have good design sense and uncompromising execution. Fundacion Pacita has the details covered, from the first time you spot its unique European Church/Ivatan style architecture a kilometer away on the drive in, to the time you glance over at your bedside table and see lovingly placed hand crafted furniture and room décor. The

Nature Lodge soft opened November last year. So far, word of mouth has kept the place well-booked, so book ahead if you’re keen on making Fundacion part of your Batanes stay. Included with your stay at the Lodge is the half-day heritage tour of the mainland, always a jaw-dropper. NOT SO KEEN That a day only has 24 hours, a week only has seven days, my wallet only has a finite amount of cash in it, and my boss only gives me a limited amount of vacation leave. If I did not have these limiting factors, I would live at Fundacion Pacita and try painting for the first time. Verdict The fact that I’d live out the days of my life here if I can say enough.

ExplorE thE NorthErN paradisE BEforE thE Crowds ComE

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Local veggies, fish and beef dominate menu choices, and can be cooked whichever way you want. The menu also includes the local flying fish and Ivatan adobo. Try the wild mabolo fruit if it’s in season, just to have a taste of the exotic. Lunch and dinners are not included in the room rates, and run from P350-P900 per meal, depending on the fare.

BATANES ON THE BRINK

october - november 2008

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SEAIR offers from daily to twice-daily flights to Basco during most of the year. From Basco, Fundacion Pacita can pick up guests in their comfortable van or four wheel drive vehicle for the 10-15 minute drive from the airport to Fundacion.

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Each of the rooms at the Lodge are designed to take advantage of the view. This one shows off Mahatao town

4 days in boronGan Hiking, caving, and surfing in Eastern Samar’s capital town

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All abuzz

If you like the crowd and being at the heart of Boracayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s White Beach, La Carmela is for you, says Catherine Calderon Photo by Roberto Francisco

L a C a r m e l a de Bor ac ay

inRoom

Executive suite at the executive wing

C Location

entrally located at Station 2 on Boracay Island, La Carmela De Boracay stretches from White Beach up to the back street of Barangay Balabag, with the fleamarket on its right and the Tourist Center on its left. Shops, the market, and restaurants are almost right at your doorstep. The resort has two buildings – the La Carmela Main and the Executive Wing. Boracay Courtyard, a sister property, is linked via alleyways. First Impression Walking into the resort is like walking into a playground. The heart of the resort is its swimming pool so this is what you see the minute you walk in, plus of course children running around, jumping in and out of two shallow swimming pools with jacuzzi and fountain. The restaurant and the bar and business center are all located from across the pool, adding to traffic in the area. La Carmela caters to families and big groups. Décor in the main building is Mediterranean while the executive wing is more modern cool. ROOMS I was booked in a junior suite on the top floor of the hotel’s newly extended executive wing. At the end of my room there’s a stair leading to a loft deck with two beds. The room is fairly simple with a queen-size wooden frame bed, covered with fresh white linen. There are a few pieces of wooden furniture, including a dresser, and a small sofa. Every room has air-conditioning, cable tv, private bath with hot & cold shower, and if you’re staying at either the penthouse, honeymoon suite, family, VIP and deluxe rooms, you get a bathtub and a jacuzzi by the veranda. A superior

room for up to four costs from P2,100 (or about US $50), depending on the season, while a two-person penthouse goes for P9,000 inclusive of breakfast. Generally, it’s best to book an odd number room (executive wing) if you want to guarantee a quiet night. fOOd It’s buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner. International fare is served with Mongolian as a mainstay on the dinner menu. Native dishes such as deep fried pork thigh and ox tripe in peanut-based sauce are among the house specialties. In the summer, tables are set on the beachfront, with the resort providing entertainment in the form of a fire dancer and acoustic singer. WE LIKE The staff are courteous and eager to serve. If you want to indulge in some scuba diving, parasailing or island hopping, the resort can instantly arrange this for you. NOT SO KEEN The resort has 242 rooms in all and even when the place is not fully booked there’s still a crowd to contend with. Verdict If you are not crowd-shy, this resort is easy on the pocket and offers fresh, clean rooms, and activities to keep the kids busy.

essentials To book, visit www. lacarmeladeboracay.com. E-mail info@ lacarmeladeboracay.com lcdboracay@gmail.com; call telefax +6336/ 2886974, 288 5572, 288 4377.

august - september 2009 I SEAIR InFlight

must Try

Steak side

145Â° Fahrenheitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prime beef flown in from Idaho gets the thumbs up from meat-loving Ces Rodriguez Photos by ferdz decena

14 5 ° Fa h r e n h e i t P r i m e S t e a k s a n d S e a f o od

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The setting. Modern cool. There’s clever lighting ranging from spot lights, pinkish red ceiling lights casting a warm glow on tables, and ambient light filtering through glass walls covered by gray curtains on one side and sculptural wooden latticework on the other, creating a cozy atmosphere. The food. The specialty of the house is prime steaks, top-tier beef graded by the US Department of Agriculture. Most restaurants, according to the chefs here, serve USDA choice, not prime which has more marbling or fat running through the meat that it flavors. The prime steaks are bought from the exclusive Philippine distributor Snake River Farms in Idaho, a cattle ranch that crossbreeds Wagyu bulls from the Kobe region in Japan with premium Black Angus from the US to develop a proprietary herd referred to as American Kobe Beef. Critics have called it “a very juicy, ‘buttery’ steak with a big round flavor.” Order your beef medium rare to taste it at its best, served pink inside with no bleeding. The steak is brushed with one flavor while cooking and then seasoned with another flavor. I ordered a medium rare US Wagyu Manhattan cut (P1,800). It was served with a light sprinkling of French sea salt and served with a fourinch section of beef bone filled with marrow, and sweet French beans. The steak was juicy and full of flavor. The New Zealand mussels (eight pieces for P560) were served with a reduction of balsamic vinegar and garlic. Try the house salad (P285 single serve, P580 to share), mixed greens consisting of misuna, romaine, red garnet and microgreens with French blue cheese, kalamata olives, seedless red grapes and a dressing of French raspberry vinaigrette. The greens are grown only for the restaurant in a Novaliches farm co-owned by Chef Andrew Tan Chua and delivered fresh every day. I also recommend the chocolate mousse with caramelized bananas (P230) served warm, with the deep taste of dark chocolate contrasting nicely with the sweetness of the fruit. The restaurant has 90 wine varieties rated 90 points and above by Robert Parker, who rates wines globally, much like the “Michelin stars given to

This page: Cooked to perfection: the US Wagyu Manhattan cut

Left: The modern cool interior of 145° Fahrenheit

restaurants.” Eighty-five percent of the wines are from California. The chefs. Chef Andrew worked in Chicago and received most of his culinary training in the States, including a stint at the Four Seasons Hotel. Chef Jeremiah Sy studied at the Les Roche in Switzerland prior to enrolling at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley for six months. Sy did his practicum at Les Nomades, a fine dining restaurant in Chicago. In 2001, he returned home to the Philippines. Chua and Tan opened 145° F in November 15, 2008. Why 145° Fahrenheit? Well, it is the ideal internal temperature of a medium rare steak, the restaurant’s star dish. Service. Attentive but discreet. Who dines there. Mostly families.

The price. If you order your food to share, dinner for two without wine will cost you about P3,000. The Tomahawk, 1.3 kilos of ribeye bone-in, is good for four and costs P3,900. Thrown in for free is a liver pate appetizer. Wine is good value for money. A Pepperwood Grove is P750 here but P1,900 or P2,000 in Makati or The Fort. You can also order by the glass. A glass of chardonnay is P140. Verdict. Great for dates but better for families owing to the open layout of the restaurant. A definite must-visit for those who want to indulge in top-tier steaks without the top-tier price tag.

145° Fahrenheit Prime Steaks and Seafood, UG Floor, IL Terrazzo, #35 Tomas Morato corner Scout Madriñan, Quezon City. For reservations, call +632/ 703 2725.

august - september 2009 I SEAIR InFlight

c ov e r s t ory

insider’s gu ide

This photo by Jocas A. See

ins & outs

in focus Boracay’s White Beach at sunset

ins&outs

Island in a capsule

For years Boracay Island’s powder white sand beach has attracted both young and old. Visit off-peak and enjoy lower rates and a far more tranquil island vibe reporting by lei chavez

Stay. Shangri-La Boracay, which opened in April 2009, has 217 rooms, 43 villas and suites, private lap pools, outdoor showers, and a spa within its 12-hectare complex. Its tree houses have outdoor jacuzzis while its villas have beach views. Brgy. Yapak,

Boracay Island; +6336/ 288 4988; www. shangri-la.com. Fridays Boracay, a

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37-cottage style room resort in a garden setting. It occupies the quieter, northern end of White Beach, with the resort well set back so guests can enjoy a vast spread of the milky-colored shoreline. There are also 80sqm elegant premier suites with a private verandah. Guests are given fruit baskets when they arrive and truffles. Station 1,

Boracay Island; +632/ 892 9283, +632/ 810 1027; www.fridaysboracay.com. Small island hotel Blue Waves Boracay Beach Resort, located right next to Fridays is a

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three-storey structure that faces the beach. All rooms are clean and airconditioned. If you occupy the ground floor room, your meals can be served right at your private

august - september 2009 I SEAIR InFlight

Bor ac ay I sl a n d

Smoke Restaurant

garden area. Shopping and dining at the island’s main White Beach hub is five minutes away by tricycle. Station 1, Boracay Island; +6336/ 288 6544. Check out Astoria Boracay, formerly Boracay Gold Crowne Resort, in December, when it reopens after completing renovations. The resort wii have 36 spacious and well-furnished Hispanicinspired rooms. Visitors can choose from villa-type rooms to cottages with private terraces. Dogs are allowed. Boat Station 1;

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Boracay Island; +6336/ 288 1111, +632/ 687 1111 loc 8024; www.astoriaboracay com.

Dine. The newly-relocated Bamboo Lounge serves Chinese food. Order crispy tofu with shitake mushroom and wash it down with the Bambojita, Bamboo’s own liquor concoction. The bar is open until two in the morning.

Station 1, Bans Beach Resort, +6336/ 288 3161. Siam Chili in Plazoleta serves Thai

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food. Popular dishes are its Pad Thai, and Thai red curry with fish fillets. Plazoleta near The Regency Hotel. Aria Italian restaurant serves a wide range of dishes from antipasti to salads and four special set meals. Try its bestselling wood-fired oven baked pizza.

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D’Mall Rotunda; +6336/ 288 5573. • Smoke Restaurant near the market is a hole-inthe-wall eatery that lets you buy your own

Learning scubadiving in Boracay

raw ingredients for the restaurant to cook whichever way you wish or you can choose from the restaurant menu without blowing your budget. The place is at the back of D’Mall near the Boracay Market. For desserts, Zuzuni’s Mati Chocolate Sin will definitely bring unadulterated bliss. From the outside, it looks like a chocolate crinkle but inside the soft body is a rich chocolate perfectly paired with vanilla ice cream. +6336/ 288 4747;

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www.zuzuni.net.

Mandala’s spa villa

in hordes over Ilig-Iligan Beach is around six in the evening when they go off to scout for food. The Dead Forest next to the fishponds at the southern part of Boracay has several dead trees, projecting an eerie picture at night. The Kar-Tir Shell Museum displays a small collection of shells as well as arts and crafts native to the island. D’Mall for shopping for anything from sunblock lotion, flip flops, native bags and baskets, pearls and local beads, to swimwear and most anything under the sun. Scuba dive or indulge in various water sports offered in almost all the resorts and hotels. And if all else fails, Fairways & Bluewater Boracay Resort has a par 72 golf course if that is what gets you going. The view of the greens and the sea is an added treat. www.fairwaysbluewaterboracay.com. Try Reef Walking, submerging 20 feet underwater and walking on the reefs. Your gear might look funny at first but the colorful corals and marine life are enough reward. +63920/ 872 0460,

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SEE and Do. Boracay is famous for its four-kilometer fine White Beach. Find your own quiet spot – a not so difficult thing to do in the off peak – and set aside time to watch the spectacular sunset or indulge in several watersports on offer. Ride the Zorb! is the newest attraction in Boracay’s Ilig-Iligan Beach. Take the Harness ride strapped inside a 3m giant plastic ball or the Hydro ride sitting inside the humongous water-padded ball. Soon as you’re ready, the ball is released to tumble downhill. +63927/ 908 5131. Hike up Mt. Luho, considered as the highest point on the island near Bulabog Beach. When you make it to its peak, you’ll be rewarded with a panoramic view of the island. The Bat Caves on the east coast of Yapak is worth a visit. Best time to see these creatures fly off from the cave

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+63928/ 506 6670; reefwalkercoralviewer@ yahoo.com.

Relax. Award-winning Mandala Spa and Villas is a must-visit for its excellent spa treatments and natural food. It offers detox and cleansing packages, and a yoga vacation. Boracay Island; +6336/ 288 5858; www.mandalaspa.com. Tirta Spa offers prime wellness services. Visitors can choose from a range of massages and spa services such as Secrets of Egypt, before and after sun treatments, and Tirta’s three-hour ritual. Sitio

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Malabunot, Manoc-Manoc, Boracay Island; +6336/ 260 2488, +6336/ 288 6481; www. tirtaspa.com. Shangri-La Hotel’s CHI, The Spa, offers Chinese and Himalayan treatments and healing concepts. www.shangri-la.com.

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For more information, contact the Boracay Tourism Office, Boracay Main Road, Balabag, Boracay Island; Tel: +6336/ 288 3689, Fax: +6336/ 288 3689

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Smoke restaurant photo by Mike Alcid; Scuba diving photo by Robert Francisco; Mandala Spa and Villas photo by Daniel Soriano; Map illustration by Marlon A. See

insAndOuts

Cover Story

In search of the

Perfect Beach Why stay with the madding beach crowds, when you can have a beach all to yourself? We send Cris Yabes to Romblon to find the one, while we list six more quiet alternatives Addi t ion a l re p or t in g by t he I n F l i g h t re s e a rch t e a m o p enin g pag e Photo by e r ik l io n g o r e n

in s ide pag e Photo s by Pa r c C r uz AND J O CAS A . SEE

Swimsuit by Salsatrends; Location: San Pedro Beach Resort, Talipasak Beach

DAY 1 Ta b l a s I s l a n d

Until recently,

going to Romblon was like an expedition, taking up hours of travel. So it was a relief that my trip to this province of marbles and virgin beaches was going be via SEAIR’s Dornier 328 aircraft, a 40-minute direct flight to Tugdan airport from Manila. I was booked on the early afternoon flight together with the rest of the editorial group and arrived at 2:30pm. Romblon congressman Eleandro Madrona’s staff were already waiting for us. We drive past a rugged coastline fringed with towering coconut trees. The road around Tablas is generally smooth and easy, with some parts still undergoing construction. On this four-day trip, we are to scour Romblon's two islands — Tablas and Romblon — for that tourist ideal, beautiful unspoilt sandy beaches. Halfway through our drive we stop by the Madrona Beach Resort, owned by the congressman. The cottages have been washed out from last year’s typhoon, a disaster that's still etched in the memories of the local people. Here I take my solitary afternoon walk on flat pebbles, trying to appreciate the grey weather. There is only one structure that held its strength on the ground – a wide hut of sturdy bamboo flooring where I sit to read a book. We are to spend the night in the congressman’s guest rooms in his ancestral home further down the road in the town of Bachawan. Dinner is simple and homey: soup and fish. Then we walk out looking for a store to buy something but there seems to be no life after dark. At about 7o’clock in the evening the town is dead; and to ease the loneliness of the atmosphere, we take a slow stroll by the breakwater, which has somehow been converted into a mini-boulevard lit up by lamp posts. We chat until we are ready for an early bedtime.

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I n se a rch of t h e per fec t be ach

Cover Story

Madrona Beach Resort

DAY 2 Romblon Island

At dawn, we drive about 15 kilometers to get

to the San Agustin port just in time for the ferryboat that will take us across to the next island, also called Romblon, the capital. For P100 (about US $2) for about an hour's trip, MV Maria Querubin sails us to this quiet getaway. From the deck, we see traces of the historical Spanish town center and its bare landmarks, most famous of which is a centuries-old cathedral with a belfry this town is proud of. We arrive on the island just in time for breakfast. I find mine at the Romblon Deli, which is just a few steps away from the port. I sit on the terrace as though I am in one of those outdoor cafes in a small unknown town in the French Riviera. The homemade bread is excellent. This is continental breakfast with jam and tea served with milk in ceramic cups for only P60. Tea with milk is not Filipino fare, but the owner of this deli is British. The menu also includes spaghetti, fish, and calamares at an average price of P160. After breakfast, we head to Tiamban Beach Resort, set in a lush outgrowth of pandan trees. It has a small cove that stretches to some 50 meters and is ideal for small picnics or to just laze about in privacy. The beach has creamy beige sand, gradually sloping seabed, and clear waters.The atmosphere is lazy, so lazy that even the dogs would rather sit by your feet while you read a book at a washed-out picnic table under the wide awning of a Talisay tree. Our next stop takes us to Talipasak Beach, known to be a favorite of foreign tourists. From the port in Romblon town, you can hire a tricycle cab for P150 to take you on a single trip of about 15 kilometers west of the main road of Romblon Island, from where you take a short walk down a zigzag path to the charming Talipasak Beach. It is only about a kilometer long and rounded off like a cove, has creamy colored sand and clean, clear waters, perfect for swimming and snorkeling. The seabed is gradually sloping and is rocky in some patches, but overall, a great place to dip in the warm, soul-healing waters. From

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I n se a rch of t h e per fec t be ach

Cover Story

Clockwise from bottom left, this spread: InFlight writer Cris Yabes in San Pedro; the cobblestone path to the resort; and Talipasak Beach

the beach you have a good view of Tablas island in the horizon. There is a marine sanctuary at one end of the beach, home to untouched reefs, pelagics and diverse marine species. Finally, I've found one beach for my short-list of unspoilt beaches. If you like Talipasak you can book a stay at San Pedro Beach Resort, with its native-style cottages overlooking the beach. One could sit and dine here under a trellis of vines or find a secluded spot, enjoying the lush garden with its colorful magenta bougainvilleas and red orange hibiscus. A room here costs P600 a night. Some divers stay at the resort, but bring their own equipment or rent from a nearby resort. To book, call owner Mina Mingoa at

mobile 63928/ 273 0516 or e-mail minamingoa@yahoo. com. Close by to the resort is a local bar known to locals as Totoy, the ownerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name, where foreigners, mostly Swiss, love to hang out for some rhum and a buffet of local Filipino dishes every second Friday of the month. Robert Abdon, whom everyone calls Totoy, runs the place. He also sells plastic tubes of instant coffee, dried noodles, and other convenience food and essentials, and makes and sells bamboo bracelets for P70. Bob Marley songs play in the background. Adorning the bar is a sculpture of an indigenous god in a Buddhist pose. Sadly, we are not staying the night in Talipasak. Our guides have made arrangements for us to stay the night at the Punta Corazon Resort, which has hillside cottages with air-conditioning and television (Rooms cost from P1,100 a night). The room I am staying in has a balcony overlooking the placid sea and in the distance, other smaller and uninhabited islands. It has been raining with little let up since we arrived and it puts us in the mood to just sit and listen to jazz music. I ask for a masseuse to help me nap and relax but no one came because of the weather. So this is better than turning on the television; we could not kayak and there is obviously so little time to dive. Nightfall comes easily and the air of peace immediately settles on the horizon.

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Punta Corazon's seafront

I n se a rch of t h e per fec t be ach

Cover Story

p u n ta cor a zon Photo by jo c a s a . s e e

DAY 3 Cobrador Island

I miss breakfast

of rice porridge my companions had in one of the food stalls, while I wait for the outrigger that will take us to Cobrador Island, located north of Romblon. There is sign of hope that the sun will come out, but only briefly for today. The captain of the boat is Raul Mortel, a crewmember of the congressman's yacht, and "chief of the island", which is celebrating its traditional feast of Flores de Mayo, usually celebrated at the end of May. Mortel, who shuttles passengers twice a day for P20 each, is friendly and accommodating and knows Romblon like the back of his hand. From Romblon Island’s port, we reach Cobrador Island in less than 45 minutes. The shore appears as idyllic as any other in the archipelago, with a stretch of small colorful fishermen’s outriggers docked on the beach and brown-skinned children playing in the water. The beach coves are beautiful, covered by fine white sand and crushed corals.There are no lodges here so it is a place for a good day-out, swimming and snorkeling. Cobrador is also known for its native atis fruit they call ‘sweet apple’, orange and oblong-shaped watermelons, and juicy, sweet pineapples. Today, nearly all of Cobrador’s 1,000 people are gathered here in Sitio Cabugaan’s town plaza – teenage boys playing basketball for a championship, the teenaged girls selling the local halo-halo dessert and the local councilors cooking festive dishes in firewood. We taste their one-of-a-kind liswi shellfish, and jackfruit in coconut sauce and extra spicy banana hearts at a picnic table under a tree, fanned by a lovely breeze blowing in from the sea. After our meal, we started walking in the afternoon heat. From Sitio Cabugan’s beach, we take a two-kilometer hike towards the southern direction, down a dusty road past the elementary school, further on past an abandoned resort, up the concrete steps to a cemetery on a hill — where we come across an old woman wearing a cowboy bandana, dark shades, and a cigar pressed between her lips — and past more thatched shacks, some of them beaten from last year’s typhoon. We must have gone past through two barangays before we finally reach Sitio Maracay-racay, where a modest, rustic bamboo house

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I n se a rch of t h e per fec t be ach

Cover Story

Clockwise from bottom left, this spread: A little girl shows off her collection of tiny shells; liswi shellfish cooked in coconut milk; and Sitio Cabugaan's beach, Cobrador Island's makeshift port, the access to Maracay-racay

surrounded by a Bermuda grass lawn and tropical plants greeted us. The house overlooks a beautiful fine whitesand beach with clean, clear, waters. Our holy grail is found! There and then, we decided this is the place to stay the night. We ask the caretaker, an elderly woman by the name of Azon, if we can stay the night. I know it’s cheeky, but it’s worth a try. Luckily, she says we are welcome to stay; we are guests of the captain after all. The owner of the house is on holiday in France with his wife and has appointed the captain as overseer. The house is made of bamboo with cogon roof. Azon leads us up the thick bamboo steps to a room standing on a dais of chiseled rocks. There is a single bed with a mosquito netting draped from the ceiling. We hear the sound of the rolling waves. Azon makes us feel at home. She puts frangipani flowers in the spacious bathroom by a bamboo grove and tealite candles in the bedroom. There is no electricity here and the power generator goes off after dinner so the candles will come in handy. Tonight all three of us will sleep in one room, but no one minds this. The prospect of a dip in the nearby sea and a nap far outweighs everything else. Lunch is tinned tuna and some vegetables, the only food available at the nearest store. All this is rather impromptu but we did arrive without notice. The star of this trip is the beach, with sand as fine and white as that of the famous Boracay Island. The seabed has rocky parts, but slopes gradually, ideal for swimming lazily and for allowing kids to play in the shallows, close to the shore. The water is gin-clear. From here, you can hire a boat to take you to nearby uninhabited Tacut islet, home to Tacut Reef, a marine sanctuary and an excellent diving spot. Out here in sleepy Romblon, you get the privacy and local welcome you don’t get in more developed destinations. We take our nap in the gazebo by the beachfront, the household dog sleeping with us. I can smell the salty sea air and hear the waves and the wind, blowing fiercely. The clouds indicate that it would rain tonight. But who cares? We’ve found our paradise of a beach and our little private heaven in Romblon.

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The weather was far from perfect when the InFlight group reached Maracay-racay beach, but even on a gloomy day the water was sparklingly clear and tempting. In the distance are Tacut Reef, Alad Island and Tablas

I n se a rch of t h e per fec t be ach

Cover Story

s i t io m a r ac ay- r ac ay, co b r a dor i s l a nd Photo by jo c a s a . s e e

This page and opposite: A tropical garden surrounds this thatched cottage in Maracay-racay, facing one of Romblon's best beaches

essentials SEAIR flies three times a week from Manila to Tablas, one of the three major islands of Romblon province. Visit www.FlySeair.com or call +632/ 849 0100. Best time to visit is from August to January. Check out the the atiatihan festival, the local mardi-gras that takes place on the second Friday of January. To book tours and transfers and general travel help, contact SEAIR manager Bong Atienza at +63919/ 670 2491. He can arrange for a SEAIR shuttle to take you to the port of San Agustin, from where you can hire a boat or take the passenger ferry MV Maria Querubin to destinations on Romblon or Sibuyan island. The distance from Tugdan airport to San Agustin port is about 30 kilometers – which is about a drive of 45 minutes on a fairly decent coastal road that will give you a view of the island’s rugged beauty. You may also hire jeeps or pickups for a rate of between P1,500 to P2,500 (about $32-$53). Most tourists pre-arrange their trips with the resorts. The province’s congressman, Eleandro Madrona, is at the forefront of Romblon’s tourism. His office at 152 Maginhawa St., Sikatuna Village, Quezon City, can handle any travel arrangements for you, from food to transportation to resorts. If you need tour guides, look for Joey and Christopher, staff of the congressman. For more information on our perfect beach in Maracayracay and requests to stay the night in the house mentioned in our story, contact Congressman Madrona’s office. The beach is open to the public. Those who are in no hurry to jump from island to island can stay the night in Tablas, where the Madrona Beach Resort is

54 SEAIR InFlight

located. The resort was damaged by a typhoon recently but it is fully operational now. For more info, please contact Bong Atienza. Or the congressman might take you in as his guest at his family’s ancestral residence in the town of Bachawan about 15 kilometers away from the San Agustin port. This town is dead by nightfall but you can take a stroll on the mini boulevard by the sea next to the congressman’s beach house, which also has a helipad and a private church.

Map illustration by Marlon A. See

I august - september 2009

I n se a rch of t h e per fec t be ach

Cover Story

A guide to the islands

Looc Bay Marine Refuge and Sanctuary

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I n se a rch of t h e per fec t be ach

Cover Story

Carabao Island

Beach-hop Romblon Island Maracay-racay is a fantastic powderwhite sand beach with gin-clear waters, one of the best beaches visited by the InFlight team. The seabed is rocky in parts and slopes down gradually. It is also the jump off point to the neighboring dive site of Tacut Reef, a marine sanctuary. Maracay-racay is a 2km hike to the southern direction, through two barangays. For more information, check our essentials section. Carabao Island Beach is said to be the next Boracay. It's located in San Jose town, south of Romblon and just about a two-hour boat ride from Boracay. It has several white-sand beaches similar to Boracay's White Beach. Talipasak Beach is a secluded beach with cream-colored sand, gradually sloping seabed that is rocky in some parts, and clean, clear waters. Close to the beach is a marine sanctuary that houses untouched reefs, home to pelagics and diverse marine species. The beach is a 30-minute drive from the port down the main road, plus a scenic five-minute hike.

Talipasak Beach Marine Sanctuary

Cresta de Gallo

Cobrador Island, located north of Romblon Island is the biggest islet in Romblon. It has beautiful coves fringed with fine white sand and crushed corals. You can reach Cobrador in 35-40 minutes by outrigger boat from Romlon’s port to Cobrador port. Tiamban Beach has creamy beige sand, clean, clear waters, and a small cove that stretches to some 50m. Again the seabed slopes down gradually. From the beach, you can see Tablas Island in the distance. Tiamban is located about 5km from the town proper or a 15-minute drive from the main port.

Beach-hop Sibuyan Island Cresta de Gallo is a five-hectare, kidneyshaped islet that has an impressive beach of lush interior and powdery white-sand. It is largely undeveloped and there’s no lodging anywhere on the island, but this is one of the perfect places in Romblon to have that great day-out, swimming and snorkeling and lazing about in the sun. Pack a tent, lunch and drinks, lots of sun cream to enjoy your day out on this island paradise. To get to this beach requires an hour's travel by land from the main town of San Fernando to Brgy. Azagra where you can hop on a pumpboat

for another 30-minute scenic trip. Cresta del Gallo is located south of Sibuyan in the town of San Pedro.

Beach-hop Tablas Island Looc Bay Marine Refuge and Sanctuary is not a beach, but we’ve included it anyway because it is one of the best spots for snorkeling and fish feeding. This sanctuary is host to diverse species of tropical reef fish, hard and soft corals, turtles, octopuses, eels, seabirds, and hundreds of continuously regenerating colorful giant clams. The sanctuary is located in the midwestern portion of Tablas. Contact your SEAIR agent or the Romblon congressman’s office for more information.

All information contained in this article are from Romblon’s tourism office, tour guide Joey Morada, and InFlight’s research team and archives. Our thanks to Congressman Madrona for his help in InFlight's editorial coverage of Romblon province and to his staff Ann Marie Mamong, Cesar Malaya, Christopher Salvador and Joey Morada for their assistance.

august - september 2009 I SEAIR InFlight

Looc Bay Marine Refuge and Sanctuary and Cresta de Gallo photos by George Tapan, Carabao Island Beach photo by Harvey Tapan, Talipasak Beach Marine Sanctuary photo by Jocas A. See

We’ve taken out the guessing game and done the research for all you virgin beach lovers. Have a read of some of Romblon’s exciting beach stops

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august - september 2009 I SEAIR InFlight

To p 1 0 d iv e s The Philippinesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; best underwater hang outs according to award-winning photographer Gutsy Tuason

I n t er v iew b y Mo n i c a D e L e o n

Pho t o s b y Gu t s y Tu a s o n

M a p i l l u s t r a t ion s b y m a r l o n a . s e e

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insider’sguide

About Our insider Our insider guide Gutsy Tuason lets us in on his top 10 dive sites in the country and has kindly lent us some of his best marine life photos taken in the course of 30 years of diving. Tuason won the Palme d’Or award at the 27th World Festival of Underwater Images in Antibes, France for his portrait of Anilao, Batangas, an underwater community of fishes, eels, worms, crinoids, and soft and hard coral. He was born in Sydney in 1968, but spent most of his childhood in the Philippines. He has been diving for 30 years and has logged in some 4,000 dives, half of which were in Philippine waters. Tuason describes the Philippines as one of the best dive destinations in the world. “It is part of the coral triangle, which means it has one of the most, if not the most bio-diverse marine ecosystems on the planet,” he said. Malapascua Island, off the northern tip of Cebu and home to thresher sharks, is one dive spot he holds especially dear. “I think it’s probably the only place on the planet where you could consistently see thresher sharks in the wild”. Other places close to his heart are Anilao in Batangas and the Sulu Sea.

A green sea turtle slides past a school of jacks at Club Paradise Resort’s house reef

august - september 2009 I SEAIR InFlight

A n i l a o , Bata n g a s

A chromodoris nudibranch at Mainit Point

insider’sguide

A commensal shrimp in a bubble coral at Cathedral Rock

Dive spot: Mainit Point The Draw: Good chance to see sharks, mostly whitetip, blacktip, maybe grayreef, whaleshark if you’re lucky. And pelagics like tuna, jacks, the bigger fish Depth: Anywhere from 20m-50m Level of difficulty: 9 out of 10, depending on the current Best time to visit: All year round except when there’s a typhoon HOW to get there: Mainit Point is about 10 minutes away by boat from San Teodoro, Batangas, where dive resorts like Balai (www.balai-resort.com) or Planet Dive (www.planetdive.com.ph) are located Dive spot: Cathedral The Draw: Fish feeding, lots of colorful reef fish, some good macro life like nudibranches or eels Depth: 10m-20m Level of difficulty: About 3 out of 10. Occasional strong current, but generally a good place for beginners. “Probably 99% of the divers certified in Manila who did their check-out dive in Anilao for sure tried Cathedral in one of their dives,” according to Tuason. Best time to visit: All year round except when there’s a typhoon in the immediate vicinity HOW to get there: About five minutes by boat from Aquaventure (www.aquareefclub. com) and from Acacia Resort (www.acaciadive.wordpress.com), and about 10 minutes away from Club Occelaris (www.cluboccelaris.com)

batangas

Anilao

august - september 2009 I SEAIR InFlight

T u b b ata h a R e e f , S u l u S e a

Sulu

Dive spot: Shark Airport in North Island. Tuason calls it the sandy area and prefers the shallow part because it’s got nice white sand, good lighting and marine life to see The Draw: Beautiful white sand filled with coral bommies and coral outcrops, schools of fish and all sorts of fish activities like some cleaner wrasse cleaning bigger fish, plus sights of sleeping turtles, sharks (whitetip, reefshark, tigershark, leopardshark, and the shovelnose ray, which is a half shark, half ray that’s pretty rare). Says Tuason: “Some of these you have to be lucky to see. For sure, you’ll see greyreef, whitetip, and maybe blacktip. If you go early in the morning, you can sometimes see sharks feeding. Lots of underwater surprises in store. Unfortunately, the last time I saw a shovelnose ray was in a market in Puerto Princesa, dead. I’ve never seen a shovelnose since 2002 and I’ve been to Tubbataha every year since then. I used to see them a lot more often in Tubbataha in the early 80s.” Depth: Shallow, only about 3m but with an abrupt drop off, deepest of which is about 20m Level of difficulty: 2 out of 10. If there’s a current and you keep going with the current, Shark Airport turns into a washing machine, which makes it a 10 out of 10 in difficulty Diving in Tubbataha is generally for experienced divers. If the Amihan or the northeast wind is blowing hard in Tubbataha, sometimes the boat can’t cut across the waters. Warns Tuason: “There are certain spots in Tubbataha where you sometimes won’t be able to dive like Black Rock and Bird Island. These

spots are exposed to the Amihan and when the wind gets very strong, the big waves don’t allow the boats to moor in the mooring line. And there’s a spot on Bird Island called washing machine, where, like Black Rock, the currents can get quite crazy. For Black Rock, it’s tricky. It’s an easy dive up to a certain point. It starts with a wall that gradually flattens out. And then all of the sudden, when you get near the corner, it slopes and you get the down current that takes you out. So even if it starts as an easy dive, if you don’t know the spot, all of a sudden there’s this current that will just take you down the slope that doesn’t have a wall. A wall current will just move you along the wall and it’s pretty easy and you can go up to a different level. But this one takes you out so you have to fight your way back to the shallow area. Or you can just let it take you and you pop up in the middle of the ocean. Hopefully the boat will pick you up. But try to avoid that.” “Black Rock is an 8/10. Not a tough dive. You just have to be with an experienced guide. For Washing Machine, it’s about an 8 or 9 as well. But then the part before that is probably a 2.” Best time to visit: March to June. “The one dive destination that has a distinct season really is Tubbataha and that’s because you’re eight-nine hours away from the nearest land. If something crops up there, it’s a long haul back. Generally speaking, diving in the Philippines is all year round. In other places, if it rains, it rains. It doesn’t really matter.” HOW to get there: Take a dive aboard from Puerto Princesa City to the Tubbataha National Park. From the mooring area, the sites are about five minutes away by chaise boat

Shark Airport turns into a washing machine,

“If there’s a current and you keep going with the current, which makes it a 10 out of 10 in difficulty” 64 SEAIR InFlight

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insiderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;sguide

A school of yellow-tail fussiliers

A coral bommie on the sandy area of Shark Airport

03 An ornate ghost pipefish on a house reef off Dauin

Common lionfish circling the pillars at Ducomi Pier

Negros

insider’sguide

Diver and a car used as an artificial reef in Dauin

Dive spot: Dauin The Draw: Macro life, all the critters. Resorts based here usually have house reefs, which are actually the best places to dive. Sanctuaries where barangays don’t allow people to go fishing are also good to explore Depth: Mostly shallow, about 20m and above Level of difficulty: 2 out of 10. Doesn’t require an expert diver Best time to visit: Almost all year round HOW to get there: Dauin is the mainland part of Negros Oriental and is where most of the resorts are situated. Dauin is about an hour away by land from Dumaguete City, about an hour and 15 minutes’ flight from Manila

NEGROS

Dauin

Dive spot: Clownfish City in Apo Island The Draw: A coral head with every square inch covered by sea anemones and clownfish Depth: Anywhere from 15m-30m Level of difficulty: Generally 2 out of 10. Best for beginners and advanced diver Best time to visit: All year round as long as weather permits your boat to cross from the mainland of Negros to Apo Island HOW to get there: It’s about 5-10 minutes away by boat from Apo Island. Take a day trip or stay in an Apo Island-based resort. Apo Island is about an hour’s boat ride away from Dauin

august - september 2009 I SEAIR InFlight

Mindoro

A seafan at San Agapito Point, Verde Island

Dive spot: Fishbowl, Puerto Galera The Draw: Sharks, schooling fish, large seafans, colorful reef and fish life Depth: Ranging from 40m-50m. “They don’t usually take people to fishbowl. It’s just too deep. When they teach scuba, the trainers don’t usually allow students to go past 120ft, which is about 30m. There’s no underwater police there so you can do whatever you want really. But if a resort’s taking you and you have an open water [licence], and you say you want to do Fishbowl, they’ll check you out first on a different dive site and see how you are when you are diving. And if they think you are skilled enough, they’ll probably let you dive Fishbowl.” Level of difficulty: 8 or 9 out of 10. “Definitely for experienced divers. If the currents are strong then it’s a blue water ascent because you have no choice. And you’re in the Verde Island passage so the current can take you way out there in the open water. That’s pretty much deep diving on air.” Best time to visit: All year round except when the water’s rough HOW to get there: Take a commuter bus from Manila to Batangas port for about three hours. Almost all major bus lines have regular trips to Batangas port or you can hire a car from Manila to Batangas Port for about P6,000. From the port, take an outrigger boat to bring you directly to Sabang Beach, where Fishbowl is less than a 10-minute boat ride away Dive spot: San Agapito Point, Verde Island The Draw: Schooling antheas, fairy basslets, schools of jacks, large gorgonian seafans, practically every rock that’s filled with coral. Good pelagic and macro life. A good chance of seeing sea snakes. The site is actually a pinnacle and you dive around that. You can’t explore the whole pinnacle in one dive. You’ll probably need a couple more dives Depth: Anywhere from 8m-40m Level of difficulty: 6-8 out of 10, depending on the current. A bit of an advanced dive as currents can get strong here Best time to visit: All year round except when the water’s rough HOW to get there: From Lea Beach in Batangas, it’s about an hour-and-a-half boat ride away

Puerto Galera Mindoro

insiderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;sguide

A seafan at Fishbowl, Puerto Galera

05 Soft branching coral

A giant soft coral and feather star

Ba l i c a s a g , B o h o l

insiderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;sguide

A school of chevron barracudas in Barracuda Point, Balicasag Island

Dive spot: Barracuda Point The Draw: Big schools of barracudas, seafans, some nice corals, good visibility, and sometimes some nice macro life like nudibranches Depth: About 20m Level of difficulty: 4-5 out of 10. For beginners and advanced Best time to visit: All year round depending on the waves HOW to get there: If staying on Balicasag Island, no dive spot is more than five minutes away by boat. If staying on Panglao Island where most of the resorts are, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s about 40 minutes away. To get to Balicasag from Cebu, drive through a bridge that that connects to Alona Beach in Bohol, a jump off point to the island. Hire a cab from Cebu to Alona Beach for about P400-P450. SEAIR will fly from Caticlan to Cebu on August 7

Bohol

Balicasag Island

august - september 2009 I SEAIR InFlight

Coron, Pal awan

School of jacks in tornado formation, Club Paradise Resort’s house reef

Dive spot: “Two things for Coron. There are the World War II wrecks that most people go for. And I’m a big fan of wrecks. But personally, my favorite spot in Coron is the house reef of Club Paradise resort. For shipwrecks, Kogyo Maru is one of the highlights in Coron. It has the clearest water (best visibility). You can even see a car trapped inside the cargo hold.” The Draw (Club Paradise house reef): Turtles, schools of jacks, cuttlefish, jawfish, and for the lucky few, dugongs or seacows Depth: 10-12m maximum Level of difficulty: 1 out of 10. For beginners and up Best time to visit: All year round. But sometimes, during Amihan, the wind is very strong and the waves are coming in right smack on the house reef and you are not allowed to dive HOW to get there: About a 30-minute banca ride from the main town of Coron in Palawan, about an hour’s flight from Manila

Coron Island

palawan

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insiderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;sguide

A cuttlefish poses in front of schooling jacks at Club Paradiseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s house reef

Pink anemonefish with their host, a magnificent sea anemone

Moalboal, Cebu

Sa r a n g a n i Bay , M i n d a n a o

A feather star and schooling surgeonfish at Gutsy’s Reef, Sarangani Ba

Moalboal, Cebu Dive spot: Pescador Island The Draw: Frogfish, barracudas and other pelagics, sometimes whalesharks passing through Depth: 10-12m maximum Level of difficulty: 5 out of 10. For beginners and advanced Best time to visit: All year round for diving. No particular season for whaleshark sightings. The passageway in between Moalboal and Pescador Island is like a highway of whalesharks HOW to get there: It’s about a 20-30 minute banca ride from Moalboal. You can reach Moalboal from Cebu in three hours. A hire car costs P2,000

CEBU

Moalboal

Sa r a n g a n i Bay , M i n d a n a o Dive spot: Gutsy’s Reef (Tuason discovered this reef, thus the namesake) The Draw: Cabbage corals, seafans, schooling surgeonfish, giant trevallys, whitetips, reef sharks Depth: A deep reef straight down to about 30m with strong current Level of difficulty: About 8 out of 10. Definitely for experienced divers Best time to visit: “It’s just recently been discovered so can’t tell yet” HOW to get there: It’s near the border of Sultan Kudarat. Jump off point is General Santos City, from where you drive by land to Maasim. From Maasim, it’s a two-hour boat ride to Sarangani Bay. Contact South Point Divers (www.southpointdivers.ph) and look for owner Paul Partridge to get you directly to Gutsy’s Reef as this site is not publicly charted. From Manila, you can reach General Santo City in one hour and 15 minutes’ flight

mindanao

Sarangani Bay

A p o R e e f, M i n d o r o

A rarely seen twin spot lionfish

Dive spot: Ranger Station The Draw: Coral gardens, colorful reef fish, turtles, sandy area, clear water. A very photographic place. You’ll see schools of pygmy devil rays if you’re lucky as their appearances are quite unpredictable, the nice fish, and see hammerheads, dogtooths Depth: Anywhere from 10-50m Level of difficulty: 3 out of 10. Beginners can dive here but going down to the 50m depth is not recommended Best time to visit: All year round as long as there’s no low pressure and/or typhoon in the area. Liveaboards usually schedule trips there from November-June. Club Paradise, if weather permits, does overnight trips via a big basnig or local watercraft all year round HOW to get there: Via liveaboard (Visit www.expeditionfleet.com) from Batangas or via a big banca from San Jose, Mindoro, or via a banca from Club Paradise (www. clubparadisepalawan.com) in Coron for about four hours onboard if traveling on a good day

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mindoro

Apo Reef

M a l apa s c u a , C e b u

A giant manta ray by the deep cleaning station at Monad Shoal

Dive spot: Monad Shoal The Draw: “You go for two things: thresher sharks and manta rays. You see the sharks early in the morning but it can be dark and a torch would probably just scare the shark off.” “I’ve always been intrigued by sharks. But I’ve always known that thresher sharks are deep water sharks and you don’t usually see them near the reef so I never really went to look for them because I always thought that if you see a thresher shark, it would probably be some jack-off-chance, chamba type of thing. But when I heard that there was a place in Malapascua where you could see thresher sharks, I immediately went there, and went there again, and again, and again. I’ve been there about eight times just to keep shooting them. I still don’t have my dream shot of it or what I call the money shot.” Depth: Deep reef straight down to 18m then slopes to about 25m Level of difficulty: 5 out of 10 because it’s straight down. Not a place where you can gradually go up. So once you’re straight down, sometimes you might have to come up with a blue water ascent or ascending when there’s no reef around and you’re in the middle of the blue Best time to visit: All year round diving with the thresher sharks around all year. Manta ray season is from June to December HOW to get there: From Cebu, take a three-hour land drive to Maya town, then some 20-minute banca ride to Malapascua Island

Malapascua CEBU

august - september 2009 I SEAIR InFlight

insider’sguide Reef Scenic at Mainit Point

essentials PADI, NAUI and SSI are the three reputable dive agencies that accredit dive operators. In getting a dive school or in booking dive tours, make sure the one you’re getting is accredited by any of these three agencies. To book dive tours or to enroll for diving classes, book Scubaworld (www.scubaworld.com.ph), Aquaventure (+632/ 844 1996), Whitetip Divers (www.whitetipdivers.com) or Pacifica Dive Center in Alabang (www.pacificadive.net).

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Boracay is a great place to get started in diving, with full sessions that can be done in the ocean. For most people from Manila, another base for learning to dive is Anilao, Batangas. El Nido is a nice place to get certification but expect it to be costlier. To book a flight to Boracay and to El Nido, visit www.FlySeair.com. Diving doesn’t require a diver to be a particularly strong swimmer although it helps if one’s fit. It’s a must to always get clearance from a doctor before setting off on a dive tour.

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In the shops pages 19-21

in the shops

i n m y b ag

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august - sePteMber 2009 i seair inflight

• Victoria Marin june - july 2008

august - september 2008

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In My Bag page 22

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august - september issue ‘08

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inMyBag

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Three families talk about their homes by the sea & how they changed their lives

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green mission Is Boracay ready for eco-rating? 3 days in batangas A horse-ride up the rim of Taal Volcano’s crater cohiba resort boracay Apartment living, beach style PLUS SEAIR lAunchES BoRongAn, SAmAR flIghtS

october - november issue ‘08

www.seair-inflight.com • www.flyseair.com

south east asian airlines on-board magazine

A PLACE IN THE HEART

december - january 2009

4 days in boronGan Hiking, caving, and surfing in Eastern Samar’s capital town

Where to Go for live music A hot list from cool people

NEWS FLASH

island life Fruit bats, turtle hatchlings, and a luxury stay in Club Paradise

PLUS

SEAIR STARTS FIRST INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS TO KOTA KINABALU

seair noW flies direct to boronGan, samar

december - january issue ‘09

to subscribe past issues from our archive, call:

+632/ 8402803 80 SEAIR InFlight

I december - january 2009

Burberry, 1/L Greenbelt 4, Ayala Center, Makati City Tel: +632/ 757 6290

22 SEAIR InFlight I AuGuSt - SEPtEMBER 2009

• H&M wallet www.hm.com

• Lip Balm Beauty Bar, 1/L, Glorietta 2, Ayala Center, Makati City Tel: +632/ 810 0525 or 810 0684

• Parker ballpen National Bookstore, 1/L Glorietta 2, Ayala Center, Makati City Tel: +632/ 892 5766

• Burt’s Bees Lip Balm Beauty Bar, 2/L Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center, Makati City Tel: +632/ 757 4577

• Sketchpad Available at National Bookstore

on page 80

96 SeaiR inFlight

i oCtobeR - novembeR 2008

december - january 2009 I SEAIR InFlight

seair

Vision To provide world-renowned domestic and international airline and aviationrelated services following the highest safety standards. Mission To satisfy customer needs and surpass their expectations and requirements. • To fulfill the requirements of shareholders, business partners, employees and suppliers, following ethical business practices • To foster an atmosphere of team building through commitment and dedication to employees’ welfare and to achieve the highest sense of company identity • To be a benchmark model in the application of Quality Management System in the aviation industry • Our philosophical outlook is to support environmental conservation and community empowerment through educational awareness and direct involvement Quality Policy To provide excellent, safe, and reliable air transport that exceeds customer requirements through continual improvement of the established Quality Management System. Basic Facts and Figures South East Asian Airlines (SEAIR) is a pioneer in Philippine aviation. Since 1995, we have been flying passengers to some of the most beautiful destinations in the world. Consistency, quality and reliability characterize SEAIR’s operations. • Awarded “Best Airline of the Year for two consecutive years (2002 and 2003) by the Philippines’’ Consumers Excellence Award • Serves a total of 15 destinations nationwide. We fly the most number of flights to Palawan and offer the fastest and most number of connections to Boracay • Employs over 200 people ready to provide excellent service to our passengers • Our fleet is made up of four Dornier 328s and six LET 410 UVP-E aircraft for use in scheduled and chartered flights.

86 SEAIR InFlight

Competitive Advantage EXPERIENCE. SEAIR has been a pioneer in aviation, flying foreign and local tourists to the most remote tourist destinations in the Philippines since 1995. MODERN FLEET. SEAIR operates one of the youngest fleet of aircraft in its segment in the industry. FASTEST FLIGHTS. Our state-of-the-art aircraft allow us to offer you the fastest flights in selected routes, including Caticlan (Boracay) in 35 minutes. HIGH LEVEL OF ENGINEERING AND MAINTENANCE SUPPORT. SEAIR is an International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) authorized third-party repair station. Its services include maintenance service for airframes, power plants, avionics and aircraft interiors. INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS. We continue to innovate in customercentric products that will make traveling more fun and convenient. Other Services Leisure Escape Packages (LEP) We offer one-stop shopping for your next vacation. Hassle-free and competitively priced, our fully packaged vacations include accommodation and air fare. Call us and book now at: Tel. +632 843.7308 E-mail: packages@flyseair.com Charters Our aircraft may be chartered for special corporate and group travel. Our charter specialists will assist you in planning and arranging your special travel. For inquiries call us at: Tel. +632 849.0200 E-mail: charters@flyseair.com Cargo We ensure a safe, secure and reliable delivery of your freight and parcel. For inquiries call us at: Tel. +632 851.5555 E-mail: cargo@flyseair.com.

I august - september 2009

milestones 1995 Iren Dornier, Nikos Gitsis and Tomas Lopez founded South East Asian Airlines (SEAIR) with two nineseater DO-28 airplanes flying from Manila to Caticlan, and Taytay and Busuanga in Palawan. 1996 SEAIR took delivery of its first LET410 aircraft, a 19seater Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL) aircraft, ideal for the small runways of Palawan and other destinations where bigger commercial aircraft could not land. 1996 to 2003 With the success of the first LET410 aircraft operation and the commitment of SEAIR to fly on a regular basis, SEAIR gradually increased its fleet from one LET410 to nine. 1999 SEAIR embarked on a nationwide expansion program. It opened regional hubs in Cebu and

Zamboanga and became the only airline to interconnect the premier destinations in Palawan with its ManilaBusuanga-El Nido-Puerto Princesa service. 2001 to Present SEAIR established a base in Zamboanga in Mindanao. It continues to operate flights to remote Cotabato, Tawi-Tawi and Jolo. 2002 and 2003 SEAIR was awarded “Best Airline of the Year” consecutively by the Philippines largest ‘Consumers Excellence Award.’ 2003 SEAIR’s Quality Management System was certified ISO 9001:2000 compliant by the TÜV Rheinland Group. 2004 SEAIR reached the 1 million passenger mark. SEAIR also acquired its first Dornier 328, launching the “Fastest Flights to Boracay” campaign. 2006 SEAIR acquired its fourth Dornier 328. Its fleet size

allowed it to operate up to 30 flights to Caticlan daily. • SEAIR introduced its online reservations and e-ticketing system the first and only on-line system to offer e-tickets from Manila to Boracay and Busuanga. E-ticketing services later expanded to include Cebu, Clark, El Nido, and Puerto Princesa. • By December 2006, SEAIR’S transactions through its online reservations system reached a record high in Philippine e-commerce. 2007 SEAIR celebrated its 12th year in aviation, the longest running airline, next to Philippine Airlines. SEAIR now offers up to 41,000 seats a month throughout its network and flies up to 20,000 passengers to Boracay a month. 2008 SEAIR launched its first regional flight to Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia in November. SEAIR also started flights to Tablas in Romblon, Daet in Camarines Norte, Baler in Aurora, Batanes in northern Luzon and Borongan in Eastern Samar.

august - september 2009 I SEAIR InFlight

fleet

Dornier 328 The Dornier 328 is a German built, new generation aircraft with 32 passenger seats. It is one of the fastest and most advanced jetprop in the world. specifications Make: Dornier Powerplant: PW 119B Length: 21.28 m (69 ft 10 in) Wing Span: 20.98 m (68 ft 10 in) Height: 7.23 m (23 ft 9 in) Seating Capacity: 32 +z 3 crew Number of planes: 4 Max Take-off Weight: 13,990 kgs (30,843 lbs) Speed: 325 knots

LET410 UVP-E The LET410 UVP-E provides first class comfort, while simultaneously servicing both paved and unpaved airstrips. In the 19-seater class, no plane is better suited for short-haul transport than this aircraft. specifications Make: LET a.s. Powerplant: WALTER M601-E Length: 14.42 m (47 ft 4 in) Wing Span: 19.98 m (65 ft 5 in) Height: 5.83 m (19 ft 2 in) Seating Capacity: 19 + 2 crew Number of planes: 6 Max Take-off Weight: 6,600 kgs (14,520 lbs) Speed: 175 knots

Do-24 ATT No airport required! Let our unique amphibian aircraft bring you and your 15 closest friends to your choice of 7,107 islands in real style. For the latest update on this spectacular aircraft and its progress around the world, visit www.do-24.com.

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route map Basco, Batanes

reservations Laoag

makati Ticketing Office Tel. +632 849.0100 San Fernando La Union

Sales Office Tel. +6302 849.0201 to 18 +6302 849.0219

Philippine Sea

Baguio

Luzon

Metro Manila Domestic Terminal Tel. +6302 851.5555 Fax +6302 891.8711

Baler CLARK, ANGELES MANILA

Clark, Angeles City Headquarters DMIA, Hangar 7224 Tel. +6345 599.2384 Fax +6345 599.2383

Philippines

Marinduque MINDORO

Angeles Sales Office Tel. +6302 851.5555 Fax +6345 323.6713

Tablas, Romblon

Busuanga

Caticlan

Boracay

Cebu Ticketing Office Tel. +6332 341.4879

South China Sea

Daet

Borongan

PANAY

El Nido

Visayas

Iloilo

Taytay

Sales Office Tel. +6332 254.9337 +6332 255.0801

SAMAR Masbate

CEBU

PALAWAN

Boracay Caticlan Airport Tel. +6336 288.7360 +6336 288.7272 Fax +6336 288.7163

Puerto Princesa

Camiguin

Mindanao

Zamboanga Tel. +6362 991.2225 Mobile +63919 333.8520

Sulu Sea

Cotabato

Malaysia

Jolo SABAH

Davao

Zamboanga

Kota Kinabalu

BRUNEI

Cagayan de Oro

Pagadian

Balabac

Puerto Princesa 399 Rizal Avenue Extension Tel. +6348 434.5272 +6348 433.2540

Siargao

NEGROS

General Santos

Tawi-Tawi

Celebes Sea

SARAWAK

Borneo Regular Route Seasonal Route

august - september 2009 I SEAIR InFlight

people

Capt. Onie Angeles Dornier 328 chief pilot

"My most memorable experience was flying across three continents" Interview by Margie Francisco Photo by Mario Babiera

I started working at SEAIR in 1996 as first officer pilot of the Dornier 28, one of the first aircraft operated by SEAIR. From 1998 until 2005, I was first officer pilot then captain of LET 410. Now, I’m chief pilot of the Dornier 328. When we were flying the Do28 and the LET 410 aircraft, everything was manual until the Do328 came in and we started automated, state-ofthe-art flights. Flying an aircraft is like driving a car. I need to strategize my route. I have to plan my directions with the help of the control tower. I always communicate with the ground controller because they give me instructions such as when to hold my position or when I’m cleared for landing. When I have a flight, I usually log in at work an hour before the flight’s check-in time. After check-in, I go to the briefing room to discuss with the dispatcher the current weather information and details about the destination we are bound for. The dispatcher will let me know if my route is clear or if my alternative route is good. My most memorable experience at SEAIR was the time when I, together with airline owners Mr. Dornier and Mr. Gitsis, ferried the RP-C 2628 aircraft from Europe to the Philippines. It was in July 2000. We took off from Germany and made a

stopover in Greece where we stayed with Mr. Gitsis’ family. From Greece, we flew to Egypt then to Bahrain, then to Mumbai, until finally to the Philippines. It was really exciting! We weren’t just flying within the Philippines; we were flying across three continents – Europe, Middle East and Asia. My philosophy at work is to know your limitations and boundaries. Just do your work right. Stress comes with work and I know I can’t always avoid that. How I face it? I usually let loose by hanging out with my friends, by talking to them. Or sometimes I give my wife a call for advice. My favorite destinations in the Philippines are Camiguin and Batanes. The atmosphere in Camiguin is very tranquil, very provincial. I like Batanes because it’s really beautiful and quiet. Whenever we fly to Basco and we’re about to land, the breathtaking scenery always astounds me. I’ve been with SEAIR for a while and I’ve always been happy working for the airline. For as long as SEAIR wants me here, I’ll stay.

ne w s

SEAIR Launches SEAIR Travel Care

SEAIR relaunches flights to Cebu, increases Boracay flights

SEAIR is now offering SEAIR Travel Care insurance for a worry-free travel, covering missed flights, luggage loss or damage among other unforeseen inconveniences. Travel Care is available online at www.FlySeair.com for only P250 per passenger. Prudential Guarantee and Assurance powers SEAIR Travel Care and is named by the Euromoney Insurance Survey as "Best Insurer for 2009".

To buy SEAIR Travel Care, book online at www.FlySeair.com

SEAIR has relaunched flights to Cebu from Caticlan and increased direct flights to Caticlan from seven times a day in June to up to 18 daily roundtrips in August, up to 27 in September, and up to 32 in October. The Cebu flights, which started on August 7, are operated on Fridays, Sundays and Wednesdays. SEAIR Boracay flights from Caticlan are the fastest and most convenient in the market, using the Dornier 328 state-of-the-art aircraft. SEAIRâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dornier 328 flights to Boracay gets you to the party island in 35 minutes. Seamless travel is assured with the added convenience of complimentary transfers from the Caticlan airport to Boracay jetty and vice versa, the shortest queues and airport check-in procedures, the fastest baggage claims, and exclusive boarding pass privileges in partner establishments in Boracay and Manila. It has been serving that route since 1995 and has the longest history of service to Boracay via Caticlan.

For bookings and inquiries, visit www.FlySeair.com or call (+632) 8490100 or SEAIR Cebu at (+6332) 2550801 or (+6332) 2549337 to 38. For packages call SEAIR Leisure Escape Packages at (+632) 8437308

SEAIR gives away seats to Boracay medical mission SEAIR raffled off airline seats to about 30 doctors and dentists who flew to Boracay to give free medical care to 200 local residents. The medical team are members of the Medical Caravan 2009. The caravan was conducted by The Metropolitan Doctors Medical Clinic (MDMC) and Rotary Club of Boracay last May 23-25. Doctors from the Phi Lambda Delta Sorority and the Phi Kappa Mu Fraternity of the University of the Philippines College of Medicine and dentists from the Centro Escolar University treated more than 700 people, conducting a total of 267 dental extractions, 211 dental prophylaxis, and 222 minor surgeries. This medical mission was organized by Dr. Maria Cristina Teotico of MDMC and Ms. Julia Currie, Rotary Club of Boracay President.

For more details and for 24-hour medical service in Boracay call Metropolitan Doctors Medical Clinic (Boracay) at (+6336) 288 6357. For news on SEAIR visit www.FlySeair.com

Lowest fare to Boracay now available online SEAIR is offering the lowest fares to Boracay, available only online. Fares from Manila to Boracay starts at P350 one way. Cut-price fares to other destinations are also offered online on other destinations for booking and travel up to October 15, 2009. SEAIRâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S Boracay flight experience is enhanced by complimentary transfers from Caticlan airport to Boracay and vice versa, shortest queues and check-in procedures at the airport, fastest baggage claim, privileges for boarding pass holders in partner establishments in Boracay and Manila, and 35-minute fastest flights to Boracay.

Book online at www.FlySeair.com for the best deals

SeaWorld offers discounts to SEAIR passengers SEAIR passengers can enjoy discounts from SeaWorld Dive Center in October and November. Passengers get 20% discounts on all PADI courses and PADI Discover Scuba Diving Program when they present their SEAIR boarding pass.

For more information, e-mail Master Diver Peter Tay at peter@petertay. org

august - september 2009 I SEAIR InFlight

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TRAVEL DIRECTORY BORACAY BLUEWAVES BEACH HOUSE Boat Station 1, Balabag, Boracay Tel: (036)288-6544 (0917) 629-0189 • 819-1897 (0922)539-6036 www.bluewavesboracay.com PINJALO RESORT Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan 5608,Philippine s Tel: (6336)288-3206 Fax: (6336)288-3478 info@pinjalo.com, info@calypso-asia.co m www.pinjalo.co m THE BORACAY BEACH RESORT Boat Station 1 & D’Mall , Boracay Island, Malay Aklan Tel: (036) 288-3208 •(036) 288-3130 Fax: 036)288-5565 www.windsurfingboracay.com nenettewindsurf@hotmail.com PEARL OF THE PACIFIC RESORT & SPA Balabag, Boracay Island, Mala y, Aklan R&G Bldg., 831 EDSA, Quezon City Tel: (632) 926-0162 • 924-4483 (036) 288-3220• 506-3131 www.pearlpacific.com.ph boracay@pearlpacific.com SEA WIND RESORT Balabag, Boracay Island, Mala y, Aklan Rm. 305R&G Tirol Bldg., 831 EDSA cor. E. Lopez Avenue, Quezon City Tel: (632) 416-4010 • 920-2257 www.seawindresort.net seawind@pacific.net.ph WALING-WALIN G BEACH HOTEL BORACAY Balabag, Boracay Island, Mala y, Aklan 395Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., Makati Cit y Tel: (632) 896-9456• Fax: (632) 896-9451 www.waling.com boracay@philonli ne.com sales@waling.com LA RESERVE RESORT AND RESTAURAN T Balabag, Boracay Island, Mala y, Aklan Tel: (036)288-3020 Fax: (036)288-3017 www.lareserveboracay.com info@la reserveboracay.com ORCHIDS RESIDENCES ON BORACAY Angol, Manoc-Manoc, Malay, Aklan Tel: (036)288-3313 Fax: (036)288-3012 orchidslynn@hotmail.com BORACAY REGENC Y Boat Station 2, Boracay Island, Mala y, Aklan Unit 5-B 5/F W. DEEPZ Bldg. , 1033 M.H. del Pilar St., Ermita, Manil a Tels: (632) 523-8707• 523-8708•523-2899 (036) 288-6111 Fax: (036) 288-6777 • (632) 523-9790 www.boracayregency.com LE SOLEIL DE BORACAY Boat Station 2,Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan G/F PJL Corporate Center, 1782 Nicanor Garcia cor. Candelaria Sts., Makati City Tel: (632) 899-6779 • 890-0493 Fax: (632) 899-8756 • (036) 288-6118 www.lesoleil.com.ph lesoleil@pjlhullier.com

SPR REAL ESTATE, INC. www.sprboracay.com Tel: (6336)288-3631 (Sales) (6336)288-5798(Rental) Fax: (6336)288-5797 MANDALA SPA Boracay Island, Mala y, Aklan Tel: (036)288-5858 Fax: (036)288-3531 www.mandalaspa.co m ESCONDIDO BEACH RESORT Balabag, Boracay Island, Mala y, Aklan Unit 1207 President Tower Condo , 81 Timog Avenue, Quezon City Tel: (632)426-2817 • 411-4448 •(036)288-4777 Fax: (632) 413-5079 Telefax: (632) 413-5079 escondido@hotmail.com NAMI PRIVATE VILLAS White Beach, Boracay 12th Floor Sage House, Herrera St., Legazpi Village, Makati City Tel: (632) 812-1484 • (632) 892-0371 (036) 2886753-55 www.namiboracay.com SURFSIDE BORACAY RESORT & SPA White Beach, Angol Point Boat Station 3, Malay, Aklan Manila Ofc. Tel: (632) 338-8659, 338-6899 mail@boracaysurfside.com www.boracaysurfside.com ZUZUNI BORACAY Resort & Restaurant Boat Station 1, Balabag , Boracay Island Tel: (6336)288-4477 info@zuzuni.net • www.zuzuni.net MICROTEL INN & SUITES Diniwid Beach, Boracay Is., Malay, Aklan 106 E. Rodriguez Jr. Ave. (C-5), Ugong Pasig City Tel: (632) 671-7171; (63 917) 523-7171 Tel: (6336) 288-4311; (63 917) 716-5004 sales@microtelphilippines.com www.microtelphilippines.com SANDCASTLES THE APARTMENTS White Beach, Boracay Island 5608 Tel: (6336) 288-3207/ 3449 (0917) 819-3049 / (0920) 558-7188 info@boracaysandcastles.com www.boracaysandcastles.com www.tribaladventures.com

PALAWAN CLUB NOAH ISABELLE Apulit Island, Taytay, Palawan 6/F Multinational Bancorporation Centre, 6805Ayala Ave., Makati Cit y Tel: (632) 844-6688 • (632) 844-6166 (0918) 909-5583 www.clubnoah.com. ph info@clubnoah.com.ph CLUB PARADISE Regent Bldg. Malunggay Rd. FTI Complex, Taguig City 1630 Philippines Tel. Nos.: (632) 838-4956 to 60 Fax Nos.: (632) 838-4465 / 838-4762

MARIBAGO BLUEWATER BEACH RESORT Maribago, Mactan Island, Cebu 1120 Cityland/Her rera Towers, 98Herrera cor. Valero Sts., Salcedo Village, Makati City Tel: (632) 817-5751 • (6332)232-5411 to 1 4 Fax: (632)845-0680•(6332)492-0128to 29

EL NIDO MINILOC/LAGE N Miniloc Island/Lagen Island, Palawan Ten Knots Development Corporatio n 2/F Builders Centre 170 Salcedo St., Legaspi Vill., Makati City Tel: (632) 894-5644 • Fax: (632) 810-3620 www.elnidoresorts.co m

BADIAN ISLAND RESORT AND SPA Badian Island, Cebu Cebu Capital Commercial Complex- A N. Escario St., Cebu City Tel: (6332) 253-6452 • 475-1103 Fax: (6332) 253-3385 • 475-1101 www.badianhotel.co m

EL RIO Y MAR ISLAND RESORT Regent Bldg. Malunggay Rd. FTI Complex, Taguig City 1630 Philippines Tel. Nos.: (632) 838-4964 Fax No.: (632) 838-0595 LAMURO RESORT & SPA 73 Real Street, El Nido Palawan Tel: (0918) 908-1204 Manila e: 1 First Street, Virginia Summerville, Mambugan, Antipolo City Tel: (632) 682-7168 • (632) 682-7170 • (632) 682-7172 www.lamuro.com

CAMIGUIN JOHNNY’S DIVE ‘N’ FUN Volcano Diving, Sport Fishing, Parasailing MTB Tours, Rapelling, 4x4 Tours . . . Secret Cove Dive Resort Yumbing, Mambajao, Camigui n Tel: (088)387-9588 www.johnnysdive.com SECRET COVE DIVE RESORT Mambajao, Camiguin Island Tel: (088)387-9084 Fax: (088)387-9184 www.secretcovecamiguin.net Info@secretcovecamiguin.net

OLE SPANISH TAPAS BAR Y RESTAURANTE

D’Mall Boracay • Tel: (036)288-5940 ARIA beachfront of D’Mall, Boracay Tel: (036)288-5573 MONGKOK DIMSUM & NOODLE S D’Mall of Boracay, Boracay Island Tel: (036)288-5978

MICROTEL INN & SUITES Punta Engaño Road, Lapu-lapu City, Mactan Island, Cebu 106 E. Rodriguez Jr. Ave. (C-5), Ugong, Pasig City

Tel: (632) 671-7171; (63 917) 523-7171 Tel: (6382) 233-2333; (63 905) 303-9840 sales@microtelphilippines.com www.microtelphilippines.com LEGEND HOTEL PALAWA N Malvar St., Puerto Princesa, Palawan 60Pioneer cor. Madison Sts., Mandaluyong City Tel: (048) 433-9076 • (632) 633-1501 Fax: (048) 434-4276 • 433-9077 www.experiencepalawan.com.ph WATERFRONT MACTAN 1 Salinas Drive Lahug, Cebu City 6000 27/F Wynsum Corporate Plaza, 22Emerald Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig City Tel: (632) 687-0888 • (6332) 232-6888 Fax: (632) 687-5970 • (6332) 232-6880 www.waterfronthotels.net

DAVAO PEARL FARM BEACH RESORT 1504 Corporate Center 139 Valero St., Salcedo Village, Makati City Tel: (632) 750-1898 • 750-1896 •893-2093 Fax: (632) 750-1894 Kaputian Island Garden City of Samal Tel: (6382)221-9970 to 78 Fax: (6382)221-9979

CEB U

RESTAURANT AND DELI HEIDILAND DELI D’Mall, Phase IV, Boracay Island 5608Mala y, Aklan Telefax: (036)288-5939

ALEGRE Calumboyan, Sogod, Cebu Pathfinder Holdings Philippines, Inc. Hotel and Restaurant Division Tel: (6332)231-1198 • 254-9800•254-9811 Tels:(632) 634-7505to08 www.alegrebeachresort.co m

SHANGRI-L A MACTAN Punta Engaño Road, P.O. Box 86,Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu 2nd Floor Makati Ave., Shopping Arcade Makati Shangri-La Hotel, Makat i Tel: (632) 818-0952• Fax: (632) 893-8503 Tel: (6332)231-0288• Fax: (6332) 231 -1688 www.shangri-la.com PLAN TATION BAY RESORT AND SPA Marigondon, Mactan Island Cebu Suite 906,National Life Insurance Buildin g Ayala Ave., Makati City Tel: (632) 844-5024to25 Fax: (632) 844-5030 www.plantationbay.com

THE MARCO POLO DAVAO CM Recto Street, Davao City Tels: (6382)221-0888Fax: (6382)225-011 1 3/F Adamson Center, 121 Leviste St., Salcedo Village, Makati City Tels: (632) 893-0888•893-5719 •752-0888 Fax: (632) 840-5111 www.marcopolohotels.com/davao MICROTEL INN & SUITES Mamay Road, Lanang, Davao City 106 E. Rodriguez Jr. Ave. (C-5), Ugong Pasig City Tel: (632) 671-7171; (63 917) 523-7171 Tel: (6382) 233-2333; (63 905) 303-9840 sales@microtelphilippines.com www.microtelphilippines.com

august - september 2009 I SEAIR InFlight

edwin’s Boracay There’s a magical, almost floating quality to Boracay’s Tulubhan Beach at 4am. Its bluish, purply-waters in this photo taken by Edwin Martinez make you feel like a sorcerer will rise any minute from the mist. Tulubhan Beach is on the eastern side of Boracay. It is a 30-minute boatride from the island’s main White Beach. SEAIR flies to Boracay 10 times daily. (Visit www. FlySeair.com) Martinez specializes in landscapes. His photos have appeared in Digital Photographer Philippines, Singapore Airlines’ SilverKris magazine, Practical Photography and Digital Camera UK. He won the 2008 Digital Photographer Philippines Featured Landscape, Cityscape and Infrared Photographer award, and 2008 Digital Camera World Magazine Photographer of the Year (yearbook cover and commended landscape category). -- Margie F. Francisco Visit www.edwin-martinez.com and www.flickr.com/photos/ edwinmartinez350d.

Camera: Canon 350D Lens: EF-S 10-22mm at 14mm Aperture: F/25.0 Shutter Speed: 1/34 sec. ISO Speed: 100

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LEP Leisure Escape Packages

We make your vacation precious. So, we have it all wrapped up in the best packages.

For holidays made convenient, call:

+632 843 7308

E-mail: packages@flyseair.com URL: www.flyseair.com