Phi Phi Island – columbusbee

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The joy of doing nothing

Summer came and went (at least in the Philippines) and we are still holed up in this lockdown. Truly, the COVID pandemic has dramatically changed how we live our lives that even the season that we look forward to for some rest and recreation passed us by too quickly that it seems like it didn’t come at all. Not that I’m bemoaning the season gone (there are far more gazillion problems out there like loss of jobs, hunger, racism, neo-Nazi plight of ethnic minorities and other forms of abuse, oppression, and persecution that deserve more attention) but just to reflect on how time can slip us by without us even noticing it.

Missing summer

Now that summer is officially over (and here comes the monsoon rains), let me reminisce this time of the year when I would normally hie off to a beach to relax and enjoy the sun, the sand, and the sea. Not to gloat or show off really, but just my attempt to bring some sunshine in this otherwise grim and gloomy world scenario and to take you on a virtual trip around the globe to see the beaches that I have been to in all my travels (though I may miss a few coz it’s hard to track the last 20 years of travel). So pack your virtual bags (don’t forget to bring the sunscreen) and indulge in the beautiful scenery that this world has to offer (in spite of the ugliness in the world today).

Asia

Beautiful sunset of Lagen Island (El Nido, Palawan)

This is the region that has probably and arguably the best beaches in the world. My beloved Philippines, for example, has been in the list of every major travel magazines out there as having some of the finest beaches in the world. I’ll start off with Boracay white beach, coz this is the first beach that I’ve been to in my youth that really mesmerized me with its natural, unspoiled, unadulterated beauty. This was the old Boracay during the 90’s when there were only a handful of resort-like accommodations (not the party island that it is today) and the white sands were like baby (talc) powder. Tired and weary from the presidential campaign of Miriam Defensor Santiago (https://columbusbee.blog/2019/09/21/remembering-miriam-defensor-santiago/), me and the youth volunteers went to Boracay for some needed relaxation. With crystal clear warm waters, smooth tides, powdery sands, and the sun smiling at us, it was one of my earlier memories where I was truly in awe of a place with so much beauty.

One of my earlier fave summer hideaways (Club Paradise, Dimakya Island, Palawan). Stunning view (the beach looks nice too lol)

A favorite hideaway and escape for me earlier is in Dimakya Island off the coast of Busuanga, Palawan. There was only one resort there (Club Paradise) that was used to be owned by a German entrepreneur. The reason why it’s a fave of mine is because once you are in the island, you are totally disconnected from the rest of the world: no cellphone signal, no TV in the room (where the only TV in the island is in the recreation room of the resort, along with the billiard table, library, and some VCDs) and the only form of communication is thru a radio system. Don’t get me wrong, just because you have these little life inconveniences do not follow that there were no decent amenities in the island. On the contrary, you can still enjoy some fine dining and luxurious services (they have a spa area) depending on how much dollars (yes dear, the rates were not local prices with premium but the equivalent of being charged in dollars) you are willing to spend. A perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of city life and the annoying calls of your boss on your personal time.

Summer rainbow (Dos Palmas Island Resort and Spa, Arreceffi Island, Palawan)

Aside from Dimakya Island, Palawan boasts of some of the most beautiful islands in the world (rated #1 by some travel magazines) with pristine white beaches. Off the coast of Puerto Princesa (where the new wonder of the world Underground River is) is Arreceffi Island (where Dos Palmas Island Resort and Spa is). It boast of a house reef where colorful fishes abound and good for all-day snorkeling. Or enjoy a stroll along the long stretch of the beach and relax in one of the resort’s cabanas.

(Left): Lagen Island (Right top): Miniloc Island (Right bottom): Pangulasian Island

But the crown jewels of Palawan are in El Nido. El Nido Resorts, for one, manages 3 resorts in 3 different islands. Lagen Island is known for its beautiful sunsets. It doesn’t have a good beach but the beautiful sunset alone makes up for it. Miniloc Island has a nice beach that attracts a lot of fishes, particularly the jackfish thanks to the daily jackfish feeding in the resort. Pangulasian Island has the most luxurious resort among the 3 locations. It has a white pebbly beach with crystal clear calm waters. It also has a house reef where you can do a lot of snorkeling, where you can snorkel your way from the reef back to the resort (with the resort guide in tow of course). A visit to these resorts won’t be complete without doing the island hopping. Part of that tour is the trip to small and big lagoons and Snake Island with its popular fine white sandbar that emerges during low tide.

Island hopping (El Nido, Palawan)

Mactan Island (Cebu) and Bohol are two other islands in the country with fine beaches. Mactan Island hosts resorts like Shangri-La, Plantation Bay (a man-made beach and lagoon), and Movenpick. Bohol has Panglao beach. While the former is very commercialized and high-end, the latter is laid-back and still has that rustic charm courtesy of coconut trees lining up along the beach. Both have fine white sands and calm clear waters. So depending on what kind of vibe you are looking for, you have a good mix of beach locations to choose from.

The Beach (Phi Phi Island, Thailand)

A country that can parallel the beauty of the Philippines is Thailand. It’s my favorite country in Southeast Asia and has some of the famous islands and beaches in the world. Who can forget Phi Phi Island, where Leonardo DiCaprio’s movie The Beach was shot? That stunning seascape immortalized by that movie has left me in awe while island hopping from the resort that I was billeted in. This is where I had my first taste of kayaking, which is the only way to get into Thailand’s own version of the hidden/secret beach in the big/small lagoons. As a kayaking virgin, I think I did pretty well navigating the tight entrance which is also the exit (so you have to ensure that the small opening is free of kayak traffic as well as swimmers getting in and out of the hidden/secret beach). This reminds me also of the secret beach in El Nido, where you have to wiggle your way in a tight hole on the wall of the limestone cliff on shallow waters (literally a hole where only your body can fit) to get to the hidden beach.

Snorkeling in Thai waters

Then there’s the popular Phuket and Pattaya beaches, both popular and party beaches. While the former is an island, the latter is part of the mainland where you can get to by car from Bangkok in just a couple of hours. Phuket has Patong beach while Pattaya has Pattaya, Jomtien, and Dongtan beaches (more on Pattaya in my earlier article https://columbusbee.blog/2019/12/28/a-tale-of-two-pattayas/). Beaches in these locations are similar in both sand and water quality.

Taking a dip to cool off

Two other Southeast Asian beach destinations are Bali (Indonesia) and Langkawi (Malaysia). Bali is like Pattaya where it has two sides: the noisy, party side of the island (Kuta and Seminyak beaches) and the quiet, peaceful side (Nusa Dua beach). Do not expect any white sands here though, as the beaches are likely made from volcanic rocks/debris similar to those in Greece (which I will feature later in this article). Langkawi on the other hand, is an island with pockets of beaches (similar to Mactan Island), like the resort I stayed in that I have featured in one of the blog’s articles (https://columbusbee.blog/2019/09/07/the-danna-langkawi-a-brief-escape-to-remember/).

Langkawi, Malaysia

America

This region would probably have some of the best beaches as well, but I have only been to one. The island of Guam, which is a U.S. territory, is not only known for its beaches but also for outlet shopping. So this island is a haven for those who enjoy the sun, the sand, and the sea plus the shopping. Tumon beach is lined up with international hotel brands, so you have a lot to choose from (I stayed at The Westin Resort Guam). Reminds me of Gold Coast (Australia), which I will write about later part of this article.

Africa

Camps Bay Beach, Cape Town (South Africa)

Let’s now hop to the other side of the world, the region where the waters and the land meet in stunning fashion. What better way to see this is thru the beaches of Africa, particularly those in Cape Town, South Africa. One such beach, Camps Bay beach, does not only have white sands and clear waters, but also spectacular view of the 12 Apostles Mountain Range. To me, a beach with these scenery is a perfect place to be in, where the ocean’s blue waters meet the mass of brown and green earth. Unfortunately, it was winter when I got there, so didn’t really have the opportunity to see how beautiful the views are during summers. But I was still amazed nevertheless.

12 Apostles Mountain Range (partly covered by clouds) and Camps Bay Beach (Cape Town, South Africa)

Cape Town boasts of other beaches along its coastline (like those in Melbourne’s Great Ocean Road with its own 12 Apostles which I will write about later part of this article) such as Boulders beach. What makes this beach unique is the penguin colony that thrives in this location. Unlike the beaches of Asia where palm or coconut trees line up along the beach, this one is lined up with penguin nests. What I noticed is that each nest has two nestlings with their mom (the dad may probably be out looking for food). But be careful going near a nest, the mom can be very protective of her young that she will chase anyone that comes near, and that strong, sharp beak can cause serious injuries.

Boulders Beach and its popular penguin colony (Cape Town, South Africa)

On the northern part of the continent is Morocco, which I wrote a two-part article earlier (first part https://columbusbee.blog/2020/05/10/morocco-a-peak-into-my-expat-past-life-part-1-of-2/ and second part https://columbusbee.blog/2020/06/07/morocco-a-peak-into-my-expat-past-life-part-2-of-2/). Casablanca has La Corniche, the beach that has that Miami vibe where hotels and restos line up along the beach. Agadir has its beach as well, where it can get crowded and lively during summers. The beaches of Morocco usually have beige sands and cloudy waters, so for those who are finicky about sand and water quality, these may not be the best spots for you.

Agadir Beach, Morocco

Let’s pause for now and take a short break from beach overload. Yeah, I know the natural, stunning beauty can be overwhelming, with all these awesome beaches that can be very similar in some ways yet can also be unique in their own ways. To think that we have only covered three regions and there are still three more to go. Tired yet from all the virtual travels? Don’t hang up those virtual beach wear yet coz you’ll need those in the next leg of this trip.

Beach cove along Africa’s coastline

Up next: Europe, Middle East, and Oceania

Travel Buzz

Travelling alone seems to be a distant and daunting concept to most people. I remember in my latest foreign trip last December to Bangkok and Pattaya where the Philippine immigration officer asked me what’s the purpose of my travel to Thailand and I said ‘For vacation.’ That puzzling look comes with the dreaded question “Alone?”. I said ‘Yes.’ I lost count of how many times I would have to answer that question, both here in my beloved country and at the passport control of some countries (though some countries have already recognized the growing niche market of people travelling solo, particularly among millennials). So what makes travelling solo appealing to people like me?

Wandering in the wild while on wildlife safari (Pilanesberg)

Not that I don’t like traveling with company. I had the pleasure of traveling with my folks a few years ago to Europe. Since I’ve been to Europe a few times before that trip, I was officially their travel guide, baggage collector, personal assistant, and jack of all trades. It gave me the opportunity to play a role of a good host, making sure that all their needs are taken care of. I’ve never seen my Dad cried before, so when I finally did see those tears of joy, it was priceless. My Mom now has bragging rights of having breakfast in Italy, lunch in Spain, and dinner in France all in the same day! How’d that happen? Well, after spending a week in Italy, the next leg of the trip was Lourdes (France). But there was no direct flight from Rome to Lourdes, where we have to take a flight via Barcelona with about 5 hours layover. Since it was an early flight, we had breakfast in Rome. When we arrived in Barcelona before 10AM, knowing that we have about 5 hours to kill, I decided to bring them to the city (I was in Barcelona the year before so I pretty much know my way around). So I rented a locker in the airport, put all our hand-carry bags in, and took a cab to the city. I brought them to Sagrada Familia, the iconic, majestic Gaudi creation that is still unfinished up to this day. Then we had lunch before we took our connecting flight to Lourdes. We arrived in Lourdes late in the afternoon and had an early dinner.

Stumbling into the bizarre (Kuthna Hora)

I also had traveled with my sis and bro-in-law, both in Europe and US, a few years ago. For the Europe trip, we went together to London, then went our separate ways , them to places I’ve been to, while I to places I haven’t been to. We rendezvoused in Paris (among my top 5 cities), after which we went back to London for our return flight to Manila. With them it’s different, coz I’m in a company of people my age (ok, I’m a few years older, but believe me, I would usually be mistaken as the younger sibling). The activities and the dining are also different, since there are 3 people making decisions.

I have traveled with friends also and that too is different experience. You know, you play roles and act differently when you’re with your friends, family, and peers at work. You are behaved with parents, can be timid with siblings, goofy with friends, and proper with peers or staff at work.

Standing in the oldest standing structure in the world (Gozo)

So what makes traveling solo appealing? Traveling alone gives you that freedom to be just yourself. You don’t have to be behaved, timid, goofy, and proper. You are free as a bird. That freedom leads you to a path of self discovery.

As I mentioned in my earlier post (entitled Hey, it’s me), ‘I travel to overwhelm my senses, to discover and to explore, to savor and experience so that at the end of the day, I’ll come out a different, better person with a story to tell.’ What better way to achieve that than by traveling alone. This is why I now have stories to tell. I’m now a different person than I was before my last trip, than I was on that trip prior to the last one, and so on and so forth. The path to self discovery is best traveled only with and by yourself.

Channeling Leonardo di Caprio on The Beach (Phi Phi Island)

Traveling solo also gives you the flexibility and latitude to make the trip exclusively your own. You don’t have to wait for someone if you want to start your day already. You don’t have to worry if you want to make changes in your itinerary. You don’t have to be constrained by the needs of your company. Your time is your own. You don’t have to deal with the drama coz your drama is your own.

Charming the snakes with the snake charmers (Marrakesh)

The next best thing after self discovery is that you meet people and see the goodness in them. A couple of years back, I tripped and fell on the rugged cobblestone covered streets of Porto. Since it was my hand and cellphone that broke the fall, my hand was dripping with blood and I was a bit disoriented while lying still on the ground. Tourists and locals alike ran towards me to assist and helped me get up. Some offered me bottled water, thinking I was dehydrated and lost consciousness under the summer heat. In a second, you feel you’re not alone. Though your world turned upside down after the fall, you are surrounded by thoughtful, caring, and generous strangers, thinking how lucky you are to experience the innate goodness and pureness of heart.

Then there are the new friends you meet along the way. I have met young and old, abled and disabled, singles, couples, and families. The thing with solo travelers is that we tend to be magnets to families particularly if you have a certain charm (wink wink). How many times have I been invited to join families having a meal, or in their family activities. Like an adopted son or nephew. It’s actually very heartwarming.

Dennis and Maria of Germany. Lovely couple I met while having tapas in a resto (Barcelona)

You also tend to be adventurous when you are on your own. You try things you haven’t tried before, go to places you haven’t seen before. From mounting Mt. Vesuvius to cruising Milford Sounds. From discovering the bizarre in Kuthna Hora to navigating the exotic medinas of Marrakesh and Essaouira. To be awed by Kotor and dreamy in Amalfi. From channeling Leonardo di Caprio on The Beach of Phi Phi Island to water rafting the rivers of Queenstown for the Lord of the Rings sceneries. To be captivated by the Game of Thrones vibe of Dubrovnik and held captive for a moment in Alcatraz. From exploring the old in Gozo to what’s new in Shinjuku. You will realize that there is so much more you can do on your own.

So have I convinced you to go solo? I know that travel is not for everyone, much more traveling alone, but you should at least try it once in your lifetime. You will discover the world around you and uncover the world within you.

Tag: Phi Phi Island

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