It was the perfect weekend to leave Manila – with all its cares, troubles, and an early but unceasing torrent of rains and floods – to set out on what the brochure promised to be a “journey to another world.” And, indeed, just minutes after landing in Cebu, the blue sky and the warm, welcoming sun promised that a relaxing respite was in store.

From the airport, a 20-minute ride took us to Plantation Bay where my companion and I were greeted by the smiles of the resort’s cheerful crew. We then walked towards one of the resort’s attractive lodges and were ushered into a beautiful, rustic, and Filipiniana-style Verandah Suite that had a stunning view of the resort’s blue waters.

Water Paradise
It is difficult to resist the temptations of this paradise, as clear blue waters beckon you to leave the confines of your room, walk just a few feet, and plunge in. Truly, the most amazing and prominent feature of this vast and picturesque seven-hectare resort is its incredible expanse of water — Plantation Bay has the country’s largest man-made saltwater lagoon. This expansive body of water is the resort’s central feature, with the lodges and rooms built around the lagoon to provide every guest not only a beautiful view but also ready access to the warm, tempting waters. For some lucky guests, their verandahs come equipped with ladders that allow them to go directly into the lagoon.

Because I prefer the wide expanse of a beach and snorkeling in the colorful waters of the ocean rather than the crowded confines of a typical resort pool, I was pleased with the lagoon concept of Plantation Bay. It combined the wide open space and colorful beauty of a beach with the calm and shallow waters of a typical pool. Still, if beach lovers and water sports enthusiasts were to hanker after the waves and expanse of the ocean, Plantation Bay has its own strip of beach, complete with a wharf, dive shop, a “lover’s rock,” and a seafood restaurant with a seaside view.

Dotted all around and within the lagoon, other features add to the uniqueness and beauty of the place – small island pockets with hammocks, gazebos atop the water, a diving rock for the more adventurous, and even a large and imposing man-made waterfalls with a small pool at the top and two twisting water slides.

Plantation Bay’s charm is further revealed when one walks around the resort. Though the warm afternoon sun tempted me to just plunge into the area of the lagoon nearest our room, Sunshine – one of the resort’s PR officers – offered to give us a walking tour of the place.

The hour-long walk was picturesque, affording us the pleasure of walking along the sandy edges of the lagoon, discovering pretty clusters of trees strung with wide hammocks, and appreciating the waterways, walkways, and various hidden-away spots of the resort – including the secluded path that leads to honeymoon villas each having a private pool. The walk also brought us to the center of the lagoon where, amidst the expanse of water, was created a sandy and coconut tree-lined peninsula that rimmed the resort’s large freshwater pool and also led to the resort’s 24-hour Kilimanjaro Café. During our three-day stay in the resort, this area would be one of my favorites. It was the best spot to enjoy the beautiful expanse of the lagoon, and it was nearest to the heated fresh-water pool and its eight relaxing whirlpools and submerged bar.

At the end of a full and rather tiring day, my friend and I were quite ready to enjoy the waters of Plantation Bay. We swam in the lagoon’s cool waters, walked along the sandy peninsula, and dipped in the warm whirlpools of the freshwater swimming area. We also discovered that it would be best for resort visitors to bring along a pair of booties or aqua shoes that could better tackle the rather rough lagoon floor and the larger-grained sand that was actually created by crushing the dead coral that used to be in that area.

The next day, after enjoying a very filling buffet brunch and equipped with the essentials (sunblock, towel, shades, sarong, and camera), we were ready to just enjoy the lagoon’s inviting waters and laze around all day. Of course, Plantation Bay caters to those looking for relaxation and repose as well as those who want a little more action. From the weekly Schedule of Activities given to each guest, I saw that I could take part in an assortment of events for that day – a tennis clinic, duodecathlon, billiards challenge, swimming lessons, and even archery lessons — all for free during the scheduled hour.

In any case, the warm day and beautiful waters of Plantation Bay made the lagoon the more attractive option for me. It was hard to get bored, as there were many shady and pretty nooks and corners to visit. My afternoon was busy swimming, snorkeling, relaxing at the whirlpools and, of course, mustering enough courage to go down one of the long and winding slides along the waterfalls.

It was easy to feel as if you and only a few lucky ones are actually enjoying these pleasures of Plantation Bay. The size and design of the lagoon and the resort is such that the place does not seem crowded. Indeed, this was how I felt despite the fact that the resort was nearly three-fourths full at the time of my visit, according to the General Manager.

“We Aim to Please”
The day ended perfectly with a relaxing time at the resort’s outdoor spa, Mogambo Springs, which continued the theme of a natural lagoon setting. After enjoying a refreshing half-hour chair massage, I quickly headed to the variety of pools available – soaking in the hot pool with jacuzzi jets, dipping quickly in the cold saltwater / mineral pool, trying out the waterfall massage, and even the unique high-pressure needle shower.

The spa not only offered another way of finding rejuvenation at Plantation Bay, it also reflec-ted the resort’s commitment to providing the best ser-vice and warm hospitality Filipinos are known for. I liked the fact that the crew were all friendly and intent to please without being too intrusive. The resort strictly carried the ‘no tipping’ rule, and, to our pleasant surprise, guaranteed personalized butler service for each room. As we experienced, the butler could attend to various errands from purchasing another roll of film to arranging for transportation around the resort.

The evenings were also lovely in Plantation Bay as lights from all around the lagoon and lodges all served to create a soft glow around the resort without deflecting from the stars in the clear evening sky. Looking around at the beauty presented by Plantation Bay, it is amazing to realize that this unique and world-class resort was all envisioned and designed in 1996 by its Filipino founders. The waters and lush grounds of Plantation Bay actually arose out of once undesirable land filled with shallow and murky lagoons full of stony and jagged coral formations in Mactan Island. The resort is definitely different from the hotel-resort cookie-cutter mold. Not surprisingly, Plantation Bay is frequented by local and foreign tourists.

It was indeed a restful and rejuvenating weekend for me and my friend as we enjoyed the variety of pleasures offered by Plantation Bay to the weary and worn out. Plantation Bay provided, for me, a real refuge from the cares and concerns I would have to return to in Manila, and it is a refuge I hope to visit again.