Misibis Bay & a view of the Pacific Ocean
Misibis Bay Resort, a 50-minute drive from Legazpi Airport, is set on a lush island in Cagraray, Albay. It recently launched its Pacific View Wing (left buildings in the photo) to complement its pool and garden rooms and villas. Photos courtesy of MISIBIS BAY
You know you’re in Bicol when even the ice cream is very spicy. It’s sweet and creamy and great, but it still burns your mouth and makes you reach for a glass of water, which they have thoughtfully provided with the ice cream.
It’s the kind of heat that Bicolanos are used to every day, having the spiciest cuisine in the whole country. I like spicy food and what I’m having now is “mild” ice cream, but after three spoonfuls, I’m thinking that maybe these Bicolanos are having a little fun with their visitors.
We are in the lobby of Misibis Bay Resort in Cagraray, Albay, which is tastefully decorated with tropical touches and its high ceiling gives it an air of openness. The upscale resort is, since it opened more than 10 years ago, the resort of choice for vacationers in the Bicol peninsula.
A little geography lesson is called for here. When people tell you they’re “Bicolano,” they could be from any of the six provinces that comprise the region: Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Sorsogon, Catanduanes and Masbate.
There is a little friendly competition going on between the provinces and their capitals (most notably Legazpi in Albay and Naga in Camarines Sur). And it mostly revolves around food: which has the best pili nuts, laing, tilmok or Bicol Express?
Even if all the provinces claim victory over food, Albay has only to say one thing to shut up the competition: “We have Mt. Mayon.”
Indeed, from anywhere in Albay, you can see majestic Mayon Volcano and its perfect cone shape (it’s located in the center of the province) — except, it seems, when we are here.
In fact, when we land in Legazpi, the brand-new tourist bus of Misibis Bay whisks us to Cagsawa Ruins in Daraga, a complex that contains remnants of the 16th-century Franciscan Church and the best vantage point to see Mt. Mayon.
This is the classic Bicol postcard: the church belfry and the perfect cone that is Mt. Mayon side by side, but the volcano doesn’t indulge us in Daraga, or in Legazpi three days later when we are about to leave, its top covered by cumulous clouds that wouldn’t budge.
It’s May and I am in Bicol with other lifestyle writers to experience the new Pacific View Wing of Misibis Bay. Like its name implies, the rooms look out to the Albay Gulf on the Pacific Ocean.
The Pacific View Wing has three room categories: standard (39 sqm.), deluxe (59 sqm.) and one-bedroom premier (99 sqm.). Some rooms have a view of both the beach and the Pacific Ocean.
Misibis Bay offers outdoor sports such as trail driving on ATVs to the top of Cagraray’s Eco Park. On the beach, there’s windsurfing, Hobie Cat sailing, kayaking, stand-up paddle, jet-ski and wake boarding. Or you can just lie by any of its five swimming pools.
The activity I enjoyed most was snorkeling in the house reef. Maybe because of its location (Pacific Ocean), there was a lot of variety to its fish and corals. I had never seen some of them before, not even in Palawan or Bohol.
Outside the resort, Misibis can arrange tours of Albay, Legazpi and other nearby towns and provinces. There are the rolling hills of Camalig and Daraga, the boiling waters of Nag-Aso Lake, Mayon Volcano, and swimming with the whale sharks in Donsol. There are also the historic churches and shopping for pili nut and pili cheesecake.
After a day of outdoor activities, there’s the resort’s Essences Spa while the kids enjoy themselves in a playroom complete with Xbox, sandbox, see-saws, tunnels and more.
For dining, Misibis offers a mix of delectable Filipino and international dishes at Spices Café where one can enjoy the intensity and spices of local Bicolano flavor. Off premises, guests can enjoy a picnic while watching the sunrise from the Ecopark or witnessing the sunset with the resort’s signature cocktails at The Five Views, a petite patch of paradise with views of Mt. Mayon, and the nearby mountains.
What we enjoyed the most was a picnic lunch at Pinaghulugan Beach arranged by the resort. A speedboat ride of only 20 minutes, the beach was ready with a boodle lunch of grilled meats, adobo, seafood and watermelon juice — and beanbags on the beach — all arranged by the Misibis staff.
It was only a quick weekend, but it was one that recharged all of us. After all, Bicolandia is known for its laid-back islands and lazy days. And when they offer you ice cream, ask first if it’s mild.
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Visit the author’s travel blog at www.findingmyway.net.Follow her on Instagram and Twitter @iamfindingmyway.
Misibis Bay is located in Cagraray Island, Albay. For inquiries and reservations, email reservations@misibisbay.com or log on to www.misibisbay.com.
