Anika Island Resort, Bantayan Cebu

Anika Island Resort at Bantayan, Cebu proved to be our second home during this vacation. Let me count the reasons why.

1. After 4 hours of bus travel from the north bus terminal and an hour ferry ride, lunch at Anika was worth the travel. Portion was good for 3 persons and seafood, as expected, was fresh.

2. The original room we wanted to book was full, so they graciously gave us the ocean-view room at a good discounted price. The rooms are actually container vans turned into well-thought-of abode. We loved the resort's asian-contemporary design. Clean, comfortable and with excellent taste.

3. While we were swimming, the owner was also enjoying the sea with his family. They were using jet skis which pulled a rubber boat. The owner asked if we wanted to try. I was literally shocked, because in normal resorts, you would have to pay for extra activities. And here we were offered to ride one, and so we did! The rubber boat ride was like your banana-boat, it was fun fun fun! Now if you decide to just lounge around the beach and work on your tan, or just sport your good get-up, the sand is powdery-white - perfect for that beach-bumming experience.

4. Should you want to get out of the resort, padyak transport is just outside the resort gate. You can take padyak to go to the local market and buy danggit at half the selling price in the city. 

5.  You can rent a bike (30 per hour or 150 for 24 hours) and drive on your own -  let the wheels take you through the town, beside fields, along mangrove parks, and up the steep slopes where you can have the perfect view of the sea. Don't forget to take a break and eat at the corner bakery - have some ensaymada and spanish bread!

5. I had an episode of abdominal pain. The owner visited me at my resort room, and two of their staff accompanied us to the district hospital. It was really far, and they didn't charge us anything! They even waited at the hospital until I was ok. I was really touched with how they took care of me, even if it wasn't their fault that I got sick in the first place.  Noteworthy to mention as well -- I paid for only Php50 at the hospital. I salute government doctors who gave their lives serving the Filipino people, even if they have a choice to earn good money elsewhere.

6. Now if you ask us what else we liked best - it's the faucet right before you enter your room. You can wash away the sand before you go up the cabin, just so you don't have to be uncomfortable with all the sand on your feet and on the floor. These small details make the resort dear to our hearts.

So if you're looking for a place to stay at Bantayan, make sure you get a reservation at Anika. We felt that the owners just wanted to share the joy they experience whenever they go to the beach.  Even the locals tell us that the owners are one of the nicest in the area.  Thank you for making our holidays one for keeps.

Anika Island Resort - www.anikaislandresort.com
F. Roska St., Brgy. Okoy
Sta. Fe, Bantayan Island 6047
Cebu, Philippines
Telephone (+63 32) 318 2852
Mobile: (+63) 917 328 4898
  (+63) 917 501 3598
  (+63) 922 819 0076

Baler Love #4 Surf's Up

Day 1
Meg (wide-eyed watching the surfers): Hun, I want to learn how to surf
Von (busy preparing his photo gears): Ok, I'll just take pictures of you
Day 2 (after our surfing lessons)
Meg: Exhilirating. But waaaah, I'm so tired!
Von: Hun let's buy a suit and a board in Manila.  How do we travel if we have a surfboard?
So you see, I'm stoked. Hubby is stoked-er and bit stronger by the surf-bug.

Going to Aliya Surf Camp, I was watching the waves and how suddenly it looked gigantic more than ever.  But I can't back out now, can I?
We were taught the basics on the shore and after a few minutes, headed out to face the waves.

Facing the waves head on required every inch of energy.  My first few tries resulted to tumbling under the ocean with tons of water down my throat.  

Third try and tada! I was able to stand! I was glancing at hubby and he too was already standing. Hurrah! Except that I looked like doing yoga poses on top of a surf board.

 

You try to stand, you fall. You stand again, you fall again.  More falls than successful ones.  But hey, we loved even the falls.  We didn't even mind the cuts, bruises and rashes that came with it!
Day 3

Happy to see an officemate, Kryer!  Turns out she's a veteran, even considered a local since she's there almost every other week. Yehey, someone I can ask for tips and who can understand the journey I'm going through as a beginner.

So why surf? If it made my body sore all over.  If it gave me a cut and countless bruises.  If it means more tumbles under the ocean and more saltwater to drink.

It gave me a sense of humility.  I am type A personality.  In life, I want to perfect things right away and am afraid of falling and failing.  With surfing, it made me surrender.  It taught me that it's fine even if I fall and tumble. It made me more patient with myself.  And when I was able to stand a few times, it felt great! But you can't sulk in it because there comes the next wave.

As for hubby, he likes it because of adrenaline rush I guess. And he loves how the sport challenges him physically and drain his concentration powers to the highest level.

So here we are, patiently taking it step by step, until we get to the line-up and confidently paddle on our own. Surf's up!

To learn surfing, Aliya Surf Camp offers lessons.  It is Php350 for 1 hour of lesson with instructor + surfboard. Thanks to Kuya Joseph, Kuya Paquito and Kuya Ian for being so patient with us. 'til next time!

Baler: Love at First Sight

Hubby and I have been travelling buddies since we got married in 2007.  We have been to various islands in the Philippines.  I know if hubby likes the place because he always pops his popular question,

"Magkano po lupa dito?" (How much is the land here?)

Lo and behold, he didn't ask this question this time around.  He and I knew from the time we boarded off the bus that it is an insult to even ask that question.  We were beyond words.

Our love affair with this place started when I looked outside the window with a thought bubble --

"Ok, it's your usual swarm of tricycle drivers waiting for passengers.  I wonder how I'll say no to each one of them since we only need 1 tricycle."

Upon setting foot on the ground, a manong politely asked,

"Tricycle po sir?"

Yes we needed a tricycle so we went to the one nearest us.  With the intent of riding that one, the driver said,

"Ma'am dun po yung pila ng tricycle."

It hit me in the face.  Am I in Pinas?

During our "official" tricycle ride, we were silent.  It's unusual for us because we immediately talk about what we see.

The silence was an agreement between us that we have found where our heart belongs.  It was a local community that caught us in and out.

Going to various towns and provinces in the Philippines is like a "date" with these various towns.  We acquaint ourselves, explore and get to know the culture.

This time around, our hearts were snatched.  We knew, deep within us, that we have found the one place we will keep coming back to.  Our "comfort place." Our instant and spontaneous, "tara byahe tayo," and our feet for sure will take us to this lovely community --

Baler.

So enough of my talking and find out why we love this place.

Baler love #1  Joy Bus

Baler love #2  Nature at its Finest

Baler love #3  Food!

Baler love #4  Surf's Up

Baler love #5  Community

Baler Love #5 Community

What we loved best about Baler is the community.  It immediately envelopes you with love, warmth and peace.

1. Bayler View - The resort recently opened, thus the rooms and facilities are new and clean.  The rooms come with a flat screen tv, hot shower, towel, and toiletries.  All for Php1200 per night for 2 pax.  The ambience is tropical minimalist, adding to the resort vibe of it all.
More than anything, we loved the staff!  It didn't feel like we were just in a resort.  We felt like we were part of a family.  Shiela (manager) was kind and helpful all throughout.  Special mention to Richard who was the best waiter we've ever met in all of our travels.  He was fun and easy to be with, attentive, accommodating and always had a warm smile with him.
We looked at the other resorts and everything looked warm and inviting!

2. Clean and orderly places - It was such a clean community!  The picture here is their palengke (market).  Roads were wide, streets were clean, parks were impeccable! It was inviting to just stroll around the place and observe how their day goes.

3.  Warm and friendly community - We never met even one person who was rude nor took advantage of us.  They won't treat you like you're a tourist, but would treat you like their own kababayan.  They are polite and unassuming, but were fun to hang-out with. You can have comfortable silences with them, then have light and easy conversations after. Their local dialect is also Filipino, with smooth and rich tones to it which was nice to listen to.

 Baler caught us with its rich history and culture, breathtaking beauty of nature, warm and caring people, exciting adventures, and sumptuous food.  We are grateful to the people of Aurora for welcoming us into their lives and sharing with us their lovely community.


To book with Bayler View, you may contact Shiela at 0919-286-3105.