Back to Boracay

My friends often wonder why I travel so much yet hardly ever go to Boracay. One reason is that I am not a beach person and if I do go to the beach, Boracay is not where I would go. It is different from the Boracay I knew in the ‘80s when lights were off at 10 p.m. and there were hardly any people. Now, there are just too many people on the island.

I was forced to go to Boracay to attend a wedding… actually weddings of friends are the only reason I ever go there. The wedding was in Asya Premier Suites so I decided to stay there.

I had heard of the beauty of Asya but never saw it.  I didn’t even bother to Google the place so when I got there, I was enthralled by its beauty. The exclusive resort has a beautiful landscape and holistic design. It is serene and has tasteful interiors. The resort is designed using a fusion of traditional and modern Filipino aesthetics. The structures are highlighted by natural materials such as stone and wood, perfectly complementing the sprawling  landscaped spaces around. 

It was exactly what I wanted since I valued privacy and wanted a tranquil holiday dwelling amidst Boracay’s party atmosphere. 

The Entry Pavilion provided a warm welcoming feeling and a sense of grandeur without the trappings of overly decorated spaces. Water is an integral part of the architecture, with the courtyard fountain cascading alongside the central stairway leading up to the swimming pool, which had a minimalist design, creating an uncluttered space that gives way to the natural beauty of its surroundings.

Asya has 16 Premier Suites and four Presidential Suites. Each suite covers a spacious 110-square-meter area elegantly designed in a minimalist tropical style. The suites come with a private veranda, a European-size stand-alone bathtub and “his and her” lavatories.  A private wading pool is available for Premier Suites.  Room amenities include audio and video equipment (LCD TV, DVD player and iPod dock), Internet access, coffeemaker, in-room safety box, a mini-bar and bathroom amenities.

The resort also has a gym, Kamalig (a multi-purpose room), a business center, a gift shop, shuttle service (within the island), golf carts, nanny service, in-room massage service, a private speedboat, a safety deposit box, board games, toys, books and a DVD collection, water sport activities, 24-hour security and medical assistance… basically everything and more one would find in a five-star hotel!

Palay (rice grain) Restaurant is a perfect venue for private dinners, family celebrations and wedding receptions. It has air-conditioned and al fresco dining areas that can accommodate 100 to 150 persons. Palay offers Filipino and international cuisine. I must say, the food in the resort was excellent!  

From the Visayan word “sun,” Adlaw bar offers a wide selection of drinks and tapas while offering a wonderful view of the island and the ocean as well as the spectacular sunset.

The stunning resort is perfect for weddings, out-of-town conferences, or simply a vacation!

Boracay is a beautiful island and I wouldn’t mind going back there, as long as I stay in Asya Premier Suites where I can relax in a serene and private atmosphere, and just maybe leave to party on the main beach at night if ever I am in the mood to! I just maybe back there in April for another wedding…

(Asya Premier Suites Boracay is located at Sitio Cagban Barangay Manoc-Manoc, Boracay Island Malay, Aklan.  Tel. No. (6336) 288-1790. The Manila office is located at 3/F Eight One Eight Bldg., 818 Pasay Rd. Makati City. Tel. No. 893-5276, 892-0128. Visit its website at www.asyapremier-boracay.com or e-mail [email protected] or [email protected].)

Let’s go, Malasimbo!

Mount Malasimbo in Puerto Galera will be the place to be from Feb. 27 to March 3 for the Malasimbo Art and Music Festival 2014!

This year brings something for every taste, from emerging new talents, legendary vocalists, jazz, funk, soul, dance fusion and crossover artists and not to mention sound system culture, which all fit in alongside the best local and indigenous talents, arts, boat parties, workshops and immersive local activities. Performers include indie folk singer-songwriter and guitarist Jose Gonzalez, soul-jazz fusion pioneers Roy Ayers and Lonnie Liston Smith, pioneer of spiritual jazz and jazz funk genres, legendary UK vocalist and now M.B.E. Omar and the exceptional 2013 Grammy award winners Robert Glasper Experiment.

Bringing the big party road blocking beats is probably one of the most spiritual men in deep house US producer and solo artist Osunlade, the twisted musical mash up showman Mad Professor, legendary disco and party good times ambassador Greg Wilson, the finest party purveyors Heavy Boogie, who bring their own recipe for sunshine, moonlight and good times to the party. Other artists announced so far also include Mark de Clive-Lowe, Low Leaf, June Marieezy and Jordan Rakei, who will be taking the stage to bring yet more island party magic under the sun and stars.

In partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of Tourism, Malasimbo Music and Arts Festival work hard each year to protect and preserve the natural environment. Reforestation initiatives have been funded by festival proceeds in 2011, 1000 trees were planted in 2012 and the festival supported the reforestation of mangroves in Puerto Galera. For 2013, a tree planting initiative is set for Earth Day (April 22) in order to preserve and proliferate Philippine hard woods like narra and mahogany as well as medicinal and therapeutic plants such as guyabano, malunggay and eucalyptus.

Promoting nature, Filipino tribal culture and ethnic arts is the cornerstone of the festival ethos, with projects for the development of the local community such as reforestation efforts and the installation of solar energy for the Iraya Mangyan community’s Health Unit in Baclayan, Mindoro.

Every year, members of Philippine indigenous communities  namely the Iraya Mangyans and Hanunuo Mangyans as well as the T’boli from South Cotabato in Mindanao, are invited to perform their dances, to present their products and to hold workshops teaching weaving techniques or other local crafts at Malasimbo.

As part of a committed effort to educate the public about Mindoro’s indigenous people and culture, the Foundation built a life-size Mangyan Village on the Malasimbo Festival grounds that feature the lifestyle, handicraft, language and music of the seven Mangyan tribes of Mindoro.

Also immerse in local activities such as diving, island hopping, trekking and kayaking.  Check out Aninuan Falls approximately two kilometers from White Beach and can be reached by trekking on the riverside through lush jungles ot Tukara River about 25 kilometers from the town proper. 

White sand beaches and attractive coral deposits line the entire coasts of Puerto Galera. The most famous are White Beach, Big and Small Lalaguna, Talipanan, Aninuan, Haligue, Long Beach, Dulangan (Bulabod), Boquete and Villaflor.  Visit local historical sites such as Black Rice and the Cross with two Canyons at Muelle, Poblacion and Garita or Guardhouse at Behiya, Lalaguna, which was the guarding point for the entry of pirates and marauders to the coves of Puerto Galera.

The event is presented by Vue and D’Aboville Foundation, with the support of the Department of Tourism, VISA, Shell, TicketWorld, Sofitel Philippine Plaza, Stagecraft, Royal Cargo, Lafarge, Chinabank, Coca-Cola, the Local Government of Puerto Galera and the Province of Oriental Mindoro, the Philippine Coast Guards Auxiliary and the Most Beautiful Bays in the World.

(For information on how to get there, visit malasimbofestival.com/transportation/. Check out www.malasimbofestival.com or

www.facebook.com/Malasimbofestival.)