Our perfect summer family vacation

By: Audrey Tan-Zubiri

Philippine Daily Inquirer

A few days ago, I was blessed with enough leisure time to sit down in front of my computer and sort through the thousands(!) of digital photographs stored in my hard drive.

Every once in a while, I go through the photos of the year and develop the most memorable ones. As I went through them, I saw some of our most recent vacation pictures, and couldn’t help but compare our current vacation concerns to when it was just me and my husband, Migs.

Back then, we used to choose destinations as exotic and exciting as possible—never mind if we had to take anti-malaria pills or travel in tiny planes. Adventure beckoned!

Nowadays, our destinations are chosen with different criteria. Traveling without children is always a guilt trip for us, so we rarely leave without them. Because of that, the photos in my hard drive are of family vacations in our farm, where we have everything that we need for them.

Recently, we decided to venture to a resort that we had long wanted to visit. We wanted a vacation that would allow the kids to enjoy and let us relax without worrying about how to entertain them. But at the same time, we wanted a little bit of excitement for ourselves.

Misibis Bay

And so, one clear summer day, we found ourselves on a plane bound for Legazpi City. Destination: Misibis Bay in Cagraray Island. We had heard so much about the resort amenities and, at the same time, we had been trying for years to find an opportunity to visit the whale sharks in Donsol, Sorsogon.

We arrived at the resort mid-afternoon and as soon as we checked in, the kids were off to the beach, which was right at our doorstep. It was Juanmi’s first trip to the beach, and he loved it! He spent all afternoon frolicking in the sand with his sister. Meanwhile, his ate kept herself busy building sand castles and searching for shells.

We spent all afternoon on the beach, until it was time for dinner. Mealtimes, I soon discovered, were a breeze! There was a full buffet to choose from and if by chance the kids really wanted something different, the local staff was more than happy to prepare kids’ favorites such as pizza, spaghetti, and macaroni and cheese.

The next great discovery of the weekend was the Kids’ Room. Padded and equipped with enough equipment to rival a Gymboree outlet, it was a dream come true for my rambunctious duo. There were also movies, Barney shows, play stations, and other computer games for older children, but my kids were happy enough with crayons and coloring books.

Meanwhile, Migs and I would challenge each other to table tennis tournaments, with Adriana cheering on the sides, while Juanmi tried to steal every ball that landed on the floor.

The next day, Migs and I took off for Donsol. We left right after breakfast and, after a two-hour nap, were welcomed by Arlie, the resort’s recreations manager, to the home of the world-renowned whale sharks or butanding.

We queued and filled up the necessary forms, watched a pretty impressive information video, and soon we were in a banca, prowling the seas for the gentle giant.

It wasn’t long before our guide signaled to us, and no more than five minutes after we jumped into the water, there it was! I froze as soon as I saw it. Gentle? Yes. Giant? No. Giant doesn’t even begin to cover how huge it was.

I recovered from my shock, and soon found myself swimming along as we followed from a safe distance. It was incredible! Several dives later, we realized we had already spent about two hours out at sea, and we were starving.

Like magic, Arlie produced delicious gourmet sandwiches from a cooler, packed and ready to eat, together with cold bottles of water and soda. A generous number of butanding sightings and food—what more could we ask for?

Personal playground

When we arrived back at Misibis, we found out that we weren’t the only ones who had had a great afternoon.

Our kids had made new friends with general manager Ian and Gay Varona’s daughters, Gianna and Cara, and together, they had spent the afternoon treating Misibis Bay like their own personal playground. My daughter gamely offered me a quick recap of their day, which included watching the “colorful” women in costumes dancing, feeding the fish, swimming in the baby pool, and making even more sand castles. Clearly, we were not missed.

The next day, we were all up bright and early. The kids were raring to hit the Kids’ Room with their barkada, while Migs and I looked forward to checking out the rest of the island on the All-Terrain Vehicles they had. Never again will I underestimate the advantages of a playroom in a resort. Now we had the freedom to go off without feeling guilty about the kids.

We took the ATVs and climbed over hills and went on undeveloped dirt tracks through the forests, and before we knew it, we were on top of the highest peak of the island, enjoying the magnificent views of unspoilt beauty and lush scenery. On the way back, we passed some of the other attractions of the island, such as the zip line and the gorgeous glass chapel overlooking the ocean. What a view!

That afternoon, just when we thought we had enjoyed everything Misibis had to offer, we were invited to join the sunset cruise. We gamely hopped on the boats, and together with Ian’s family, enjoyed the beautiful sunset while admiring the perfect cone of Mayon Volcano.

I couldn’t believe how quickly our vacation had gone by! Looking at the photos now, I am reminded of how much I miss waking up to the sound of the ocean waves gently caressing the shore.

Definitely, these pictures are going to be the first to be printed and, hopefully, I’ll have more pictures to print from future trips to Misibis Bay.

Matchless at Misibis Bay

By Bryan B. Garcia

February 20, 2011, 1:53am

Members of the media were tested to perform MVP challenges with Pharmaton celebrity endorsers Derek Ramsey and Karylle.

 Where in the world is Misibis Bay? That is the question posed by mere uninitiated mortals.  But for those in the know, especially those well entrenched within the inner circles of the luxurious lifestyle, Misibis Bay is one of the country’s “most exclusive and privileged hideaways.”

Tucked away in its own little corner of Cagraray Island  in Bacacay, Albay in the Bicol Region, Misibis Bay is about an hour’s drive away from the Legazpi Airport.  It is a veritable paradise playground, offering the utmost amusements in the most private setting. Thirty-seven luxurious villas play host to discriminating guests who only want to savor the sun-drenched beaches, or lounge about by the pool, or “thrill over the countless pleasures within the island or beyond”.

For those who have discovered Misibis Bay, time stands still as they while the time away in their latest haunt.  But more and more explorers are wandering into this pleasure destination.  Take for example a group of city folk who took up the MVP Unleashed Challenge introduced by multivitamins and mineral supplement Pharmaton.

Designed to simulate the actual MVP Unleashed Challenge, albeit on a much smaller scale, Pharmaton subjected a chosen few to the gist of what the adventure challenge would be like. This provided a legitimate excuse to run around and grasp the beauty of the resort as well as the whole island of Cagraray, transforming Misibis Bay into a giant playground where participants ran, paddled, climbed and swam their way through the tasks.

The kayak and the digging challenges were done on the resort’s exclusive one kilometer coastline. Although the blistering heat bore down heavily on the participants, the soft white sand as well as the cool blue shores proved to be enough to abate the sun’s angry rays.

The obstacle course on the other hand, provided a different type of challenge. Set inside the territory of the Cagraray Eco-Energy Park the obstacle course and zip line challenge proved to be a test of dexterity, coordination and balance. Although hanging for dear life might seem daunting, the view of the Albay Gulf from atop the giant jungle gym type course somehow offers a comforting sight.

For the last leg of the challenges, participants were asked to complete weaving tasks. The attention from the challenge was softened by the almost Zen-like atmosphere of the Eco-Energy Park’s Amphitheatre. The site of the recent Amazing Race Asia Philippine leg pit stop, the Amphitheatre sets the perfect mood thanks to the gorgeous sunset, broken only by the stoic pillars of the theatre’s stage.

To break the competitive vibe, the resort’s facilities were more than enough to diffuse the tension of the challenges. With three swimming pools, an adult pool, interactive kiddie pool and a 100 meter-long lap pool, the Sitio activities center as well as the numerous bars situated at various parts of the resort, anyone can switch to relax mode in a snap of a finger.

For the more adventurous in spirit, an exploration of the resort and the island’s expanse is well worth the time. One awesome way of doing so is on a Segway, a two-wheeled, self-balancing electric vehicle which the resort has 10 units of. Another is through one of the resort’s ATVs (All-Terrain Vehicles), which can be driven all the way to the hilltop inside the Eco-Energy Park, an ideal spot to witness the early Bicol sunrise and to see the five mountains of Bicol including the towering peak of Mt. Mayon.

No matter how hard one tries to describe the ambience of the resort, words still fail to capture some of the feelings induced by its atmosphere. The casualness and serenity of the space, the aroma that wafts from the kitchen and dining area, the natural sounds that envelope the entire expanse, as well as the personnel’s friendly smiles, all contribute to the lighthearted Misibis Bay vibe.

Although this is but a crevice in a massive landscape, peppered right and left with stunning beaches and awesome views, only less than a handful can claim to be at par with what Misibis Bay Resort has to offer. Humbling, awe-inspiring and meaningful, these are but some of the sentiments that a trip to Misibis can awaken, an experience that only a peaceful co-existence of man and nature can create.

Matchless at Misibis Bay

By Bryan B. Garcia

February 20, 2011, 1:53am

Members of the media were tested to perform MVP challenges with Pharmaton celebrity endorsers Derek Ramsey and Karylle.

 Where in the world is Misibis Bay? That is the question posed by mere uninitiated mortals.  But for those in the know, especially those well entrenched within the inner circles of the luxurious lifestyle, Misibis Bay is one of the country’s “most exclusive and privileged hideaways.”

Tucked away in its own little corner of Cagraray Island  in Bacacay, Albay in the Bicol Region, Misibis Bay is about an hour’s drive away from the Legazpi Airport.  It is a veritable paradise playground, offering the utmost amusements in the most private setting. Thirty-seven luxurious villas play host to discriminating guests who only want to savor the sun-drenched beaches, or lounge about by the pool, or “thrill over the countless pleasures within the island or beyond”.

For those who have discovered Misibis Bay, time stands still as they while the time away in their latest haunt.  But more and more explorers are wandering into this pleasure destination.  Take for example a group of city folk who took up the MVP Unleashed Challenge introduced by multivitamins and mineral supplement Pharmaton.

Designed to simulate the actual MVP Unleashed Challenge, albeit on a much smaller scale, Pharmaton subjected a chosen few to the gist of what the adventure challenge would be like. This provided a legitimate excuse to run around and grasp the beauty of the resort as well as the whole island of Cagraray, transforming Misibis Bay into a giant playground where participants ran, paddled, climbed and swam their way through the tasks.

The kayak and the digging challenges were done on the resort’s exclusive one kilometer coastline. Although the blistering heat bore down heavily on the participants, the soft white sand as well as the cool blue shores proved to be enough to abate the sun’s angry rays.

The obstacle course on the other hand, provided a different type of challenge. Set inside the territory of the Cagraray Eco-Energy Park the obstacle course and zip line challenge proved to be a test of dexterity, coordination and balance. Although hanging for dear life might seem daunting, the view of the Albay Gulf from atop the giant jungle gym type course somehow offers a comforting sight.

For the last leg of the challenges, participants were asked to complete weaving tasks. The attention from the challenge was softened by the almost Zen-like atmosphere of the Eco-Energy Park’s Amphitheatre. The site of the recent Amazing Race Asia Philippine leg pit stop, the Amphitheatre sets the perfect mood thanks to the gorgeous sunset, broken only by the stoic pillars of the theatre’s stage.

To break the competitive vibe, the resort’s facilities were more than enough to diffuse the tension of the challenges. With three swimming pools, an adult pool, interactive kiddie pool and a 100 meter-long lap pool, the Sitio activities center as well as the numerous bars situated at various parts of the resort, anyone can switch to relax mode in a snap of a finger.

For the more adventurous in spirit, an exploration of the resort and the island’s expanse is well worth the time. One awesome way of doing so is on a Segway, a two-wheeled, self-balancing electric vehicle which the resort has 10 units of. Another is through one of the resort’s ATVs (All-Terrain Vehicles), which can be driven all the way to the hilltop inside the Eco-Energy Park, an ideal spot to witness the early Bicol sunrise and to see the five mountains of Bicol including the towering peak of Mt. Mayon.

No matter how hard one tries to describe the ambience of the resort, words still fail to capture some of the feelings induced by its atmosphere. The casualness and serenity of the space, the aroma that wafts from the kitchen and dining area, the natural sounds that envelope the entire expanse, as well as the personnel’s friendly smiles, all contribute to the lighthearted Misibis Bay vibe.

Although this is but a crevice in a massive landscape, peppered right and left with stunning beaches and awesome views, only less than a handful can claim to be at par with what Misibis Bay Resort has to offer. Humbling, awe-inspiring and meaningful, these are but some of the sentiments that a trip to Misibis can awaken, an experience that only a peaceful co-existence of man and nature can create.

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