Ian Limpangog
Cebu Pacific Cebu-Busuanga inaugural flight
I arrived at the airport a bit off from the call time. I was lucky though that there wasn’t any queue at the bag drop counter. It also helped that I already made an online check-in. I was able to bypass the line of passengers getting their seats assigned.
After leaving my luggage at the hands of the ground crew, I headed directly to the boarding gate to attend the inaugural ceremony of our flight.
Cebu Pacific launched direct flights to Coron from Cebu twice daily
Cebu Pacific Air, for the second time, is flying direct to Coron (Busuanga) from the queen city of the south. That day, I was one of the lucky passengers to fly the maiden flight. The simple send-off program awarded a flight voucher to the first person to check-in and recognized the partners that were supportive of the milestone.
Since it was an inaugural flight, the plane received a water cannon salute. The Cebu-Coron flight was serviced by an ATR 72-600/500 and travel time was approximately 1 hour and 35 minutes. By the way, Cebu Pacific offers twice-daily flights for the said route.
Arrival in Busuanga, welcomed to the paradise
We arrived in Busuanga as scheduled. Chelsea of Discovery Shores greeted us at the arrival hall, and then led us to our ride. We met the cheerful members of the airport pick up team.
If you are not aware, Club Paradise Palawan is part of the Discovery World group, the same company that operates the Discovery Shores and Discovery Suites brands.
We then traveled to Decalachao River Wharf for about 10 minutes, and then boarded a speedboat, Paraiso 2, to Dimakya Island where our host stands.
Wrapped with powdery, white sand on one end, cladded with lush vegetation on the other, and surrounded with translucent, azure water, Club Paradise Palawan defines a paradise. The resort is a destination in itself. With the staff so welcoming and services so pampering, you’ll definitely consider it your second home.
Check-in was smooth and fast. All we need to do is sign, and then we were assigned to our respective rooms.
I particularly loved that cucumber-lime welcome drink with salt on the rim of the serving glass. They call it alcohol-free margarita and it was so good.
Before we checked our rooms, we headed to the hidden beach for our exclusive buffet lunch. Food was great and I really loved all the Filipino dishes that were served.
The Sunset Villa
The room given to me was a sunset villa. Upon checking in, I suddenly missed someone. If only I can bring one person with me, that trip could have been perfect. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed the entire stay. I just wished that I have a special someone to share the happiness with.
The villa sat at the resort’s main beachfront. It offered neat access to the clear shallows and a good vantage of the island’s stunning sunset.
It had its own balcony where a nice hammock was hanged on one corner and sleek sofa was perched on the other.
Inside was a comfy king bed and fluffy pillows on top of it. I got six pillows, by the way. It didn’t have fancy embellishments but is packed with essential amenities. There were two bathrobes, two pairs of slippers, a safe, mini bar, flatscreen TV with international channels, a decent supply of drinking water, beach essentials, a huge comfort room, bath towels, and toiletries.
The room is air-conditioned, but if you prefer to reduce your carbon footprint, you can turn it off, and then open your windows. There is also a huge ceiling fan to aid your energy-efficient ventilation.
After taking a bath, I took a nap. That way, I could appreciate the bed more.
The Glow Spa
I was awakened by my 5:30PM alarm. I was scheduled for a massage at six o’clock, and I needed to prepare myself. It was my first time to permit a stranger touch the whole me, so I was reluctant at first.
Without any second thoughts, I headed straight to the Glow Spa. The soothing scent of essential oil and the calming lullaby of the nature-themed music somewhat helped me relax. When my turn came up, everything happened swiftly in the next hour. That was one of the most pacifying and pampering 60 minutes of my existence.
Dinner by the Beach
I went straight to dinner after the massage. The scent and grease of oil was still on me when I joined the group at dinner. The Chef prepared grilled fish and meat, roast chicken, mix veggies, various local desserts or kakanin, good selection of spirits, and savory crab soup (this one was my favorite).
The night did not end after our meals. When the wine and beer are served, we talked about each others love life, and then suddenly shifted the topic to gender orientation, identity, and expression. We ended the night with opinions about the infamous family feud in showbiz. I was reserved at the moment so I wasn’t able to give my two cents. But every detail of it was still clear on my memory.
Island Hopping Tour and Boodle Fight Lunch
The following day, we hopped on the resort’s flagship outrigger boat after breakfast.
Our first stop was Malpagalen Island. The island’s gorgeous white sand bar and majestic limestone cliffs is surrounded with Coron’s immaculate, azure seas. Its shallows is aquamarine and its sand is white and powdery.
Malpagalen, by the way, came from a Cuyunon word that means bald or no trees.
We navigated to Dimalanta Island next. It is a snorkeling haven. A stunning array of corals, colorful swimmers, and fascinating creatures of the deep await to be uncovered. I was particularly awed by the large pipe corals that rest underneath.
We spent only thirty minutes there and then headed to Diatoy Island.
Diatoy Island is resort owned. The green mound that floats north of Busuanga is necklaced with a beautiful white strip. The island also features spectacular coral amalgamation. It is perfect for snorkeling and scuba diving as well.
Kayaks and paddleboards were provided for us. Beach beds and bean bags were also available for those who preferred to lounge under the sun’s heat.
Our boodle fight lunch was served at Diatoy. Yummy Filipino treats were served, including everyone’s favorite lechon, humba, salted egg and tomatoes, sugpo, mud crab, chicken adobo, grilled fish, sinigang, and a lot more.
We returned to the resort tired but happy and full.
The Farewell Dinner
I rested a bit before joining the cocktail. We then had our farewell dinner at the beach, inside a tent that was especially arranged for the occasion. The dinner was a full-course Thai meal. It was meticulously curated by Chef Alex Atthasarn, the resort’s executive chef, who is a Thai descent himself.
We didn’t want to leave Club Paradise, but since we all have individual life realities to go back to, we bade our farewells with our fingers crossed, hoping that sometime in the future, we will set foot on this beautiful island once again.
Searching for best hotels and affordable flights? Check out our complete list of affordable hotels and resorts via Agoda or you may also see available Airbnb properties in the city.
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