My Badian Island Escape
November 9, 2011 by kikaygurl
Filed under Beauty, Featured, Kikay's Travels
As far as escape from the hectic life go, it is difficult to find a remote place in Cebu than Badian Island Resort and Spa, a world class island “sparadise” that has earned for itself a reputation for being one of the most romantic places to stay. Many tourists have known many hotels and resorts in Cebu, but those who wish to discover the other paradise that is Badian, a two-hour drive from Cebu City, past the picturesque town of Carcar, will reveal more surprises. As we headed to the island at the Badian Bay, remnants of my busy and hectic life seem to ebb away as we docked at the jetty amidst the lively singing of the staff. Leis were placed on our necks as we were ushered to the reception where lavender-infused cold towels were passed around as Maria Catral, our gracious host, offered us welcome drinks. Because of the warmth of the midday sun, I almost ran off to one of the hammocks to laze around for the rest of the day, drink in hand, but I had to restrain myself.
Hartwig Scholz, in his many travels around the world as an international tax consultant, came across Badian Island and saw its potential. The area has long been a favorite of divers and snorkelers as the island is surrounded by a ring of coral reef stretching to one kilometre. Charmed by the locals’ warmth and the pristine beauty of the island, he had a vision of a world-class resort sitting at the spot. Twenty-five years later, his dream became a reality. Scholz was among, if not the first, to elevate the art of wellness in the country with the creation of an island resort with a full-service spa, where wellness take a mind-body approach by incorporating yoga, meditation and sound healing into their list of services. Each guest is treated like royalty in this haven where Scholz warmly welcomes guests as if to his own home. He himself gave us a personal tour of the facilities, something that he does regularly when he finds time away from the office.
Right after our open-air yoga session at the beach, we had the pleasure of dining with him at the Coral Garden Bay the following day. The reef garden can be reached by a five-minute boat ride where a buffet had been meticulously set up for all, including the two newlyweds we espied snorkeling nearby, to enjoy. I asked one member of the staff how many boat trips they had to make to get everything ready, and they said the reef garden maybe reached by a twenty-minute walk from the resort.
Scholz was an engaging host who related how years ago dynamite and cyanide fishing was rampant in the area. He wanted to make a difference, and building a resort meant he can help people from all walks of life. “I can think of only two countries that are very good in terms of service: Philippines and Brazil. But first you have to educate the people on how to take care of the environment, make them understand that protecting the environment is a must because this is their livelihood,” he shared.
All the employees of the resort live in Badian Island, one of their long-standing policies.
“You can build the most beautiful resort, yes, but you cannot leave it at that because more than anything it is the people behind it that makes each resort experience a memorable one,” said Scholz.
This emphasis on impeccable guest relation is apparent in the way the staff greets you with a genuine smile and anticipates each need.
It was only past 2 p.m., and the tide had started to come in. The boat that would take us back to the other side of the island was waiting. Despite his 80 years, Scholz moved confidently to take his seat as we glided past the serene bay. On the horizon just 30 minutes away, is Pescador Island, one of the primary dive spots in the country, where PADI-certified divers of Badian Island Resort and Spa takes guests for diving. Excursions to Kawasan Falls and glass-bottom boating are offered at the resort, but the boat trips serve another purpose as well. In one of our trips while we were there, the sense of peace was oddly transforming as we returned at sunset when sky and water had turned deep orange. Dinners, by the pool or at the beach, are grand productions. The Beach Boys, senior employees who have been with the resort since it started, rendered songs while the Kalikasan Dancers, made up of high-school students and out-of-school youths, enjoined guests to dance the tinikling. The cap the night, a selection of after-dinner drinks were presented to us, and a Palawan rain flute was played by one member the staff which Catral proudly calls “the sound of the islands.” A brief and entertaining introduction to a few of the wines and cocktails never fails to elicit a few chuckles from the guests. Choose Amarula if you want to be like the elephant with a long memory.
Left to our own devices during the day, the opportunity to escape to each of our chosen activities presented itself in pleasant ways. Our villa came with a generous floor space, allowing for plenty of relaxation and a chance to “unclutter the mind.” TVs are emphatically not present in any of the bedrooms, and WiFi is only accessible at the reception area and restaurant. This might seem a big deal to some but after a while one gets used to it and even welcomes the quiet. An infinity pool just footsteps away from our bedside had us admiring the beautiful Badian Bay where fishing boats glide past against a backdrop of blue sky. A stroll through the “love garden,” where rows of palm trees grow tall and strong, led me to a cluster of smaller palm trees growing. Each tree had heart-shaped markers with the names and dates of visit of the honeymooners who went to this place. Years after their visit, couples would visit the exact spot where they had planted their Love Tree and see for themselves how the trees have grown. It is just one of the pleasant touches the resort has for its guests. The soul is cleansed just to be here, experiencing the full force of the natural world, as far away from urban living as possible. While there is much to be done in terms of water sports such as diving, wind-surfing, kayaking and dolphin watching with the resort’s private Pleasure yatch, what proved more engaging and pleasurable for me was lounging at the beach or at the pool. Hammocks among palm trees invite guests to lie back and enjoy the peace and solitude. Picturesque tents with rattan chairs strewn about are perfect spots to immerse one’s self in a book or just relax among the cushions after a dip in the beach, which is kept immaculately clean at all times.
“People come here to unwind and soak in the tranquil surroundings and to also learn a new way of living,” said Catral.And just as the environment is kept harmonious, balanced and preserved, so is the mind and body. The resort offers retreats and workshops that focus on yoga and sound healing, facilitated by yoga teacher Amitabha of Body Mind Well-being, who took us through the basics of yoga step by step during our sunrise meditation at the beach and in the afternoon an hour of healing through sound in one of the pavilions, which I found very invigorating.
But more than the luxurious accommodation and service, it is the spa that this resort has built its reputation around. During a tour of the spa facilities, I was delighted by the Thalasso pools, which use filtered seawater containing a blend of complex minerals that help rebalance the body’s mineral deficiencies. From the Greek thalassa, meaning “power of the sea,” the Thalasso waterfalls and pools combine the pleasure of indulgence and wellbeing. The three-tiered pools are a real treat where you can gaze at the magnificent view of the Badian Bay as you relax under the sea and sky. Another special feature of the spa is the Finnish dry sauna, which cleanses the body through heavy sweating.
Before my treatment, I went to the pool and lay on one of the comfortable beds submerged under the water, anticipating what would cap my Badian Island experience—the Deluxe Four-Hand Massage, the spa’s signature massage.
The badehaus (German for “bathhouse”) had two bathtubs filled with botanicals and floating flower petals where guests can submerge themselves in skin-enhancing ingredients. Each open-air pavilions look out to a magnificent view of Badian Bay. Four kinds of aromatherapy oils are used for their treatment. The Mi Amore is made from the essence of lavender. Island Breeze is a combination of cloves and ginger. Tranquility is from the essence of the ylang-ylang flower. I chose Serenity, a mixture of lemon and eucalyptus.They say more is not always better but in the case of the four-hand massage four hands are better than two because it can work on your body in ways a two-handed massage cannot. For me, it was sensory overload. The massage begins with the two therapists putting their hands together, palm to palm as if in prayer then setting them down on the body. From the shoulders down to the lower back, they make long strokes that are done repeatedly leaving a complete and soothing touch to the body, more like a warm rolling pin with just the right pressure applied on every sinew and muscle of my body.
Scholz asked me later if I had felt one hand to be heavier than the other. I said I felt the almost imperceptible shift in pressure each time those skilful hands would run across my lower back but other than that I felt total bliss. He was satisfied with my answer and stated that kind of synchronicity can be achieved through months of intensive training, something the spa has continually strived to maintain.
Due to its remoteness, the resort is a self-sustaining operation. You don’t often hear the words luxurious and conscientious in the same sentence but Badian Island Resort insists on both. The resort is committed to green practices by using organic compost and fertilizer and 80 percent reduction of waste. They have an amazing array of herbs, vegetables and fruit-bearing trees in their organic garden, tended by Danny, a horticulturist who trained in the Holland. He readily showed me a tubful of African night crawlers, “his babies,” and gave me a tour of the facility. All the produce in this organic garden ended up on our plates, including the plump cherry tomatoes I admired while I walked by the garden. Catral said the fennel, which is good for digestion, is the best she had ever had. Danny, in fact, has five varieties growing in rows. Essential oils and other botanicals used in the spa are concocted in the resort. They produce their own coconut oil that leaves your skin radiant, youthful and glowing.
It was raining when we bade our wonderful hosts and the resort for another two-hour trip and an hour flight to Manila but memories of my stay at Badian Island Resort and Spa will linger in my consciousness. As we boarded the boat to head back to the mainland, we were left to individually contemplate on the two days we were on the island, and I for once had to admit that this was one of the rare times when I truly experienced an island vacation in its purest sense in which I was able to enjoy the simplest pleasures of basking in its beauty. Getting there may have taken a time but in hindsight most routes to paradise usually are. (photos for this story courtesy of Donald Tapan)
Badian Island Resort and Spa can be contacted through telephone number (+63- 32) 401-3303 to 05 and Mobile: (0063) 920-952-6293 + 920-953-3362 + 917-727-4931 and fax number (+63 32) 401-3302, and email badianisla@aol.com. Their Cebu City office, located at Cebu Capitol Commercial Complex-A, N. Escario St., Cebu City, may be reached through tel. Nos. (+63 32) 253-64-52 or 416-61-59 and fax (+63 32) 253-33-85. Visit Web site at www.badianhotel.com.
