Escaping into another side of heaven

Like a little kid treated out for her first taste of ice cream, I was thrilled with the pronouncement from the Editor in Chief that I was to join a familiarization tour that frenzied prospects of at last being able to tour the southern side of my second home registered in my restless mind.

Along with travel agents, tour guides and Madam Cecil Saa of the Blue Horizons Travel and Tours, Inc. Cebu Branch who headed the group, I ranked that one cool Saturday morning as one of the most memorable city life escape I’ve ever done as I was able to witness the awe-inspiring splendor of Moalboal, an island I’ve heard a many times but seen only on magazines and some source links in the net.

Discovering a Paradise

As one of the most popular diving spots in the country and home to white sand beaches and magnificent coral reefs, the almost entirely water-surrounded
municipality of Moalboal extends as a peninsula in the Southern tip of Cebu. It is nestled between the towns of Alcantara and Badian bordered to the west by Tañon Strait and where the island of Negros afar the western shoreline was reached by my eyes.

Its pristine blue seashore was entrancing that even an inexperienced swimmer like myself was tempted to explore.

But since the island hosts only a handful resorts, my group got lucky for a pre-arranged accommodation at the Kasai Village Beach Resort, a distinctive class of its own right near Moalboal’s fishermen village at Tuble, in front of the island’s stunning shoreline.

We were welcomed by Kasai’s Swedish owner Michael Petterson and his Filipina wife Lydia who are hands-on with the operation of the business. As a foreigner, Michael admitted to have fallen for the place and shared that he thinks the Philippines could very well be at par with other tourism destination abroad because of our incomparable and rich natural resources, the reason why he decided to do business in the island in the first place.

The Kasai Village Beach Resort was named after the Visayan vernacular “Kasay” that meant “crab” which is one among the array of fresh seafood that can be found in the island. As a destination for international divers and nature enthusiasts searching for first class dive spots away from overcrowded areas and commercialization, the resort’s PADI 5 Star Dive Center Oxygène Philippines provides full range of scuba diving courses, snorkeling programs, high quality equipment rentals and of course sensational fun diving.

Perfectly suited for diving and other outdoor activities; exciting excursions with jungle trips, cave exploring, motorcycle riding right at the mountains, horse back riding on the shore, and hill walking to the waterfalls and hot springs situated in neighboring towns are only a few to what is in stored for Kasai’s village guests.

All of the resort’s areas were constructed out of natural materials blending with its perfect tropical environment ambiance; so, aside for daring and adventuresome folks, the resort is equally suited for relaxation as it also provides romantics a private rendezvous and even loners like myself a place of escape with its luxurious atmosphere.

New Experiences, New Friends

Given a sea view room located directly on the beachfront with our own terrace overlooking the island of Negros , me and my new found friends enjoyed long hours of chit chat taking advantage of the brief stay in such a serene and magnificent island.

Before I got tempted to doze off after a day’s exhausting travel, I decided to explore and savor the whole new experience and welcomed the company of strangers that offered me their sincere friendship. Amazing how such an island bonded souls and different characters so easily.
When they daybreak came, we weren’t able to resist putting in our bikinis and dropped into the resort’s splendid blue pool despite a chilly weather.

For someone who is still on the process of treating a wounded heart, that solitary moment flushed back bittersweet memories of yesterday that I was glad Fergie was not there to sing me her “Big Girls Don’t Cry” hit as the setting was perfect for melodrama. But that particular moment was not meant for cheesy thoughts that I snapped back from reality to join in the group’s merrymaking.

Before that night ended, we did not let the moment pass without enjoying a toast or two of the finest wines offered in the resort’s bar overlooking the dark but calm sea with its waves echoing the rhythm on the bar’s stereo as we jammed like crazy to the beat of popular dance hits of the retro age.
Kasai Village had become quite known for its BBQ cookouts but during that breezy evening, we opted to content ourselves with the unique flavor of “kusahos,” a horse meat delicacy we bought from Barili on our day tour.

Handful Memories

The sunset on that part of Moalboal had appeared awesome with the sky’s bold stroke of colors, but the sunrise on the next day painted quite a brilliant picture with the bright sun, blue skies, and fluffy white clouds mirrored by the clear waters of the island on its canvass.
Beach views from the restaurant as we ate our hearty breakfast were absolutely stunning as the sea shone gloriously signifying another bright day ahead. But heaviness clouded my heart as we had only a few hours left to savor that brief but enchanting experience.
Pictures speak a thousand words; and on that instance, I could only hold on to them as frozen memories of my experiences in the island so we took a couple of last shots.

As we packed to leave, I realized that there really is indeed a paradise on earth, another side of heaven where I could put my thoughts into its proper places and eliminate the ugly marks of living with loneliness and emptiness that has long clouded my disposition.
When our bus left, I sighed with sadness but was content by the thought of keeping a handful of fun memories inside my heart.

As I looked forward to facing the challenges that awaits my return in the city, I murmured a silent prayer for the air to hear. I wished that hopefully I’d find myself back in the island again, walking on its sandy white beach or dipping my toes on its majestic waters.
During those moments, I knew then that I have also fallen for the place and particularly sure that the experience will always linger in my thoughts even until I reach home.

To know more about the resort, log on to: kasaivillage.com or visit Blue Horizons Travel and Tours, Inc. at G/F, Zeraus Building, Gorordo Avenue Cebu City (Beside Equitable PCI Bank) or contact them at telephone number: (032) 232-8886.