ISLAND BLISS
A VIEW OF PARADISE: Depending on sea conditions, Two Seasons Island Resort is approximately 40–60 minutes from Coron town via their private, powered catamaran or speedboat.
ALWAYS IN SEASON JOAN C. BULAUITAN discovers a resort that’s OMG-worthy in this part of Palawan.
W
hen a staff offered me “a glass of OMG, Ma’am,” I didn’t realize that she was also handing out the acronym of the day. I took a sip of the deliciously cooling concoction made of orange juice, mango syrup, and grenadine, and mechanically repeated after her—OMG. Then she gave me a plate of crinkles and fudgy bar cookies, followed by a serving of churros with two dips—caramel and chocolate. OMG! A few minutes later, I keyed in to my room, excitedly swept my gaze across the king-sized bed, iPod dock, and flat-screen TV, then opened the sliding glass door to my private wooden deck with its own Jacuzzi. OMG! And for the knockout punch, I stepped into the bathroom and took a hot shower under the wide rainfall showerhead. As a curtain of warm water deliciously cosseted me from the cares of the world, I continued my mantra. OMG! This was exactly how I needed to feel. Coddled. And Two Seasons in Coron certainly knows how it’s done. I had my adventures earlier in the day. I revisited Cayangan Lake, a consistent winner in the Philippines’ cleanest lakes that it had been elevated to the hall of fame. With all that excitement and the equal thrill of a choppy boat ride to the resort, I crawled my way to bed after my shower and had one of the best siestas of my life. By the time I got up, the sun was hanging low on the horizon. I joined friends at the Sulu Restaurant for cocktails and a pizza, which
I hardly partook of, as I was nursing my appetite for dinner since crabs was on the menu. We moved to an al fresco table for a better view of the full moon and indulged on a gourmet dinner. The next day, I wanted to try paddle boarding but the wind wouldn’t permit so I opted for the HydroBob Submersible Scooter. It is similar to helmet diving, but better because your helmet isn’t harnessed by a rope. The machine is motorized so you are free to move around. I slipped my head into the helmet attached to the machine and rode it like it were a motorcycle. I didn’t realize how rich with marine life the shore reef was until I went under. Every direction I took took me to more fish. I needed a good knead before the day was over so I scheduled a massage just before dinner. My masseuse pressed all the right buttons in my body to ease me into a nap. I needed very little else before I retired for the night so the light dinner of paella soup was perfect. Cookies and fudgy bars were at my beverage counter when I turned in, both of which I could not resist. Still, I managed to sleep early, and wake up early for my morning flight. While taking my shower before dawn, I opened the blinds and saw a very pregnant moon casting a silvery light on the water. It was another OMG moment, and perhaps a fitting end to a sublime Two Seasons experience. n
PAL Express flies between Manila and Busuanga daily. For more information, call PAL reservations office at (+632) 855 8888 or visit www.philippineairlines.com 68 I Mabuhay Magazine I July 2013