Cebu Stay | Energies Aligned at Hale Manna Moalboal

Chilling by the inspiration point at Hale Manna

The road seemed to stretch farther and deeper as the afternoon. We’ve been on the road since mid-morning. While we had a welcome respite from the road travel at Aloguinsan for the Bojo River Cruise, I must admit I was getting a bit antsy to reach our home for the night in Moalboal. Though the ride was roughly an hour and a half long, the road became narrower and dustier as we left the highway. We were looking for Hale Manna Beach Resort and Coastal Garden, located almost at the tip of this short protrusion of a land southwest of Cebu. There was surprise in seclusion as we found out as Hale Manna is bursting with good vibes and energy.

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Cebu Stay | Anika Island Resort at Sta Fe Beach Bantayan Island

I’ve always liked resorts with character. As soon as our van drove in at the Anika Island Resort in Sta Fe, Bantayan Island, Cebu, I thought those container-type accommodations look cozy. I haven’t tried staying in one so I was very curious how they manage to repurpose them as lodgings. Anika Island Resort already had a great location along a beautiful stretch of white sand beach on Bantayan Island and the added comfort of their facilities and services makes for a memorable leisure escape.

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Nuvali Stay | Microtel by Wyndham South Forbes

It is when getting soaked under the rain while road biking doesn’t completely matter. It was fun actually riding through a squall as we made our way back to our base in Microtel by Wyndham South Forbes in Silang Cavite. My GPS tracker logged in 8.6km one way coming from a bike trail in Nuvali using the colorful road-bikes we rented from the hotel. It was a nice gesture from Microtel to have a few towels ready by the entrance door as we were soaking wet.

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Pangasinan Stay | El Puerto Marina Beach Resort and Aquatica Marina Water Park

A 4–5 hours drive in a private van from Manila to western part of Lingayen, in North Pangasinan led us to El Puerto Marina Beach Resort. A resort that seemed to be at its lonesome on the western end of Lingayen Beach. Secluded and far-flung. Within its gate and fenced property is a fairly large area. There’s enough parking space for at least 5 vehicles. There’s a fishing pond, a pavilion for dining and if you look closely by the reception counter, a small pond with an arapaima.

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Palawan Stay | Microtel by Wyndham Puerto Princesa: Emerald Beach and Mangroves

Staying for the fourth time in a hotel means I like the establishment a lot. That I trust in the quality of the rooms and also the service they provide. That I could say for Microtel by Wyndham Puerto Princesa Palawan. If I ever wanted to stay in a beachfront property in Puerto Princesa, this is a top choice in mind. It has been five years since I first came here and I have to commend how well they have maintained the place. Yes a few little changes here but it’s the same old Microtel I liked.

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El Nido Stay | Qi Palawan: Secluded, Romantic and Luxurious Escape

Cool easterly winds blew toward us at the desolate San Fernando beach in Sibaltan, El Nido like a comforting afternoon embrace to what relatively has been a humid summer day. Only a few resort guests from Qi Palawan were at the beach, mostly couples situated spaced apart on some lounge chairs or standing intently. Enjoying intimate moments together while staring into the blue horizon, waiting for the moonrise. And slowly, a wondrous globe pierced through the horizon, the moon looked bigger and closer to Earth in all its golden glow. The moment was inexplicably both fast and slow as we watched in wonder. We always talk about sunsets and sunrises, but moonrises and moonsets remains an underrated beauty. Much like secluded places, like this resort, Qi Palawan, found in the far-flung corner of Northeast El Nido, away from the tourist town proper, exclusivity and closeness to nature can be found.

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San Vicente Stay | JuRiSu Resort: Home by the Long Beach

Having my stint in El Nido officially done, I decided to explore more of Palawan before heading home. San Vicente, Palawan has been getting quite some attention lately so I decided to visit that area. I wanted to stay by the vicinity of the famed Long Beach but looking for an accommodation, I noticed that most of them are within poblacion (town) which is 3km away. JuRiSu Resort popped up from my search and found their location amidst the famous beach. It became my home for 3 days in San Vicente.

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