A first in the last frontier

Ooops. I’m no Lindsay Lohan who made her confessions on the big screen as the teen drama queen (although I sometimes tend to be). Forgive me for I have sinned (in indulging too much in this leisure). This is my first time in Palawan, the Philippines’ "last frontier." My destination: Club Noah Isabelle.

It took us four transfers to get to the island resort – a 90-minute Asian Spirit flight to the Cesar Lim Rodriguez Airport (which is one unique airport where you get a view of the mountains), a short jeepney ride to bring us to the Tamisan River, a jetty ride along the Tamisan River (formerly Rio Verde) and the ferry boat ride (the 45-minute jungle river cruise where we saw virgin mangroves and were amazed with the many islands and pristine beaches along Taytay Bay).

It was almost a four-hour journey getting there. Nevertheless, it was an adventure in itself.

The resort offers many an activity – from snorkeling to diving, from island hopping to cave exploration, from kayaking to pedal boating, from fishing to wind surfing. So, it wouldn’t come as a surprise that Club Noah Isabelle has been one of the top picks of couples and families who look for the best place to relax and unwind from stress, get away for a romantic weekend or experience the adventures that they’ve always dreamed of.

In this paradise, guests get a feel of going back to the essentials, which the fast-paced modern life has left behind – beauty, adventure, sustenance, harmony and romance. Staying at this paradisiacal resort is like enjoying the luxury of leisure while getting close to nature. The resort strictly implements an environment-friendly policy – true to its claim as an eco-tourism spot. The one-mile radius that the resort keeps and safeguards is teeming with dazzling denizens of the deep. We even got to swim with these underwater creatures when we had our water activities.

"We (people) claim we’re the smartest, but we don’t realize how much we harm nature," said Ito Tuason, the resort’s public relations and planning officer.

The accommodation was simply fantabulous. Guests wouldn’t miss their homes in the city once they step into one of the 30 cabañas situated over the water and connected to land by a short walkway. The veranda overlooking the Taytay Bay is an additional treat.

Guests who come in large numbers need not worry as family cabañas are also available. These are duplex-style split levels you need for excited children climbing up and down the stairs or for the whole barkada. There is also a stair that leads directly to the sea so you can go snorkeling whenever you feel the desire to.

In Club Noah, you never run out of activities to enjoy and delight yourself with. I tried snorkeling and scuba diving although I must admit I’m not good at these water activities. Still, the 15-ft.-depth thrilled and satisfied a diving neophyte like me. Fishing is also one relaxing activity.

I was also delighted to explore the stories of the caves. Rock formations are everywhere in the St. Joseph’s Cave. The best of it is situated in front of the cave – a boulder in the form of a bearded man with a cane, which locals believe as St. Joseph. The Pabellon Cave offers an ice-cold swim in its 20-ft. "indoor pool."

Island hopping is also an option. We visited Isla Blanca (or Isla Walang Tao) and spent the rest of our snorkeling graduation there. The white sand and the clear waters were a picturesque sight to behold.

The fun never stops even when the sun already bids goodbye. To ensure that our stay will be well-remembered, the staff exerted a little more effort to surprise us with candle-lit cocktails at the open-air North Cave. It was truly a romantic experience ("This cave has already witnessed a lot of proposals," said Tuason.) when you look up and see the stars and moon above.

I climbed the 109 steps (or more) to get to the Rock Bar. At the top, you’ll get to see the island on a better view and recall constellations as you gaze at the stars.

A delectable feast awaits every guest at the island resort. For shrimp addicts like me, Club Noah Isabelle gave me a delightful treat. I also enjoyed crabs and the appetizing squids. The resort also took advantage of the fresh fruits islands are known for. It took me a trip to Palawan to love the fresh watermelon shake. I must say that sumptuous food were served every meal of the day that I found it hard to decide on which one to try first.

And these food treats can be as exciting as the water activities because they can be served in different spots and many restaurants in the resort – by the beach, at the main dining area or even inside the caves!

It was a unanimous comment from the group that the resort staffers were multi-talented. Their smiles were so welcoming and to some extent contagious. I felt close to the people who were then strangers to me. We were even teary-eyed when they rendered us a song while we boarded the boat which would take us back to the airport.

Guests will surely feel so attached to the warmth and sincerity that is so Palaweño. And one more thing, no tipping policy is implemented at Club Noah Isabelle. Anyway, no need to when you deal with the sincerest people on earth. 

I have always been afraid to leave home especially if I am alone. On our way back to the airport, I realized that I actually did not leave home. My stay at Club Noah Isabelle on Apulit Island, Northeastern Palawan was actually like home – the place, the people and the cuisine. Needless to say, I really enjoyed and had so much fun. As the island gradually disappeared from my sight, I felt so thankful to have spent a first in Club Noah Isabelle and hoped to be back there again.

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(Miss Joanne Rae Ramirez's column will resume on Tuesday.)