As I dig my toes into the sand, the cool cerulean sea reaches out in waves and washes over my prickly skin. The iced mojito ordered from the nearby beach bar sweats under the hot, summer sun, staining the paper pages of the latest novel I’ve taken to reading.
Kilometers away, far from the buzzed beaches
of thumping bodies and the hypnotic beats of Boracay’s Summer Place and Epic
nightclubs, I enjoy the quiet and the solitude.
When in search of quiet, in the most
luxurious and most private surroundings, it pays to have your own little corner
in the sandy, idyllic escape that is Shangri-La’s Boracay Resort and Spa.
In the city, most would agree, our minds
click at such a frenetic pace, like hummingbirds on crack. Our schedules are
packed with so many things that multi-tasking has become the norm. And when we
do use what little strength we have left after a long day’s work to peel
ourselves from our desk, our minds are still connected to our work via WiFi or
Blackberry. We can always be found, like jaded subjects willing to be disturbed
by the master that is the daily grind.
With so many contraptions and distractions
that we’ve drafted for ourselves, it is no wonder that quiet has become the new
luxury commodity.
This is why Shangri-La’s Boracay Resort and
Spa prides itself in its unique offerings: Asian hospitality, pampered
accommodations and a private and quiet place to meditate. Think, listen and
reconnect — that is its sacred mandate.
With a renowned hospitality brand name
attached to it, Shangri-La’s Boracay Resort and Spa is bent on meeting the
standards of other international hotels. Shangri-La’s suites and villas are
bedecked with modern amenities — or temptations, if you would like to think so
— such as WiFi, flatscreen TVs and a whole modern indoor entertainment center
dedicated to hardcore gamers and computer geeks. But more than all these
combined, Shangri-La offers even lovelier promises: that of an experience
unparalleled by any other resort. Here, guests have the fringe choice to shut
off and shut out from the modern world.
This thread of tranquility and luxurious
pampering is immediately felt as we sailed into Shangri-La’s private dock. The
swaths of glistening white sand and the crisp turquoise sea of the resort’s
private beaches envelop the rising lush landscape dotted with stylish
villas. But before we could even spell relaxation — or finish our welcome
drinks, for that matter — we are whisked off on a resort buggy and we make our
way up to one of the resort’s fabled restaurants, a true jewel of the sea, the
Sirena.
The Dame of the Sea
As we ascend the steps towards Sirena, the
group is greeted on this particularly cool night by a modest bonfire. The heat
and the warm amber lights — coming from both the little campfire and the main
dining area — effectively display Sirena’s seductive appeal.
Sirena, which means “mermaid” in Filipino,
offers an extensive menu of seafood creations as well as wines and cocktails.
From sumptuous seared scallops to grilled lobster tails and pan-roasted black
cod, each dish is the perfect execution of culinary creativity. This is, of
course, thanks to Sirena’s multi-awarded chef Shivji. His ingenuity and
artistry comes out as he takes local fresh produce and transforms it into
beautiful, sumptuous works of art, each dish expertly paired with a
distinguished wine.
As we sip our nth round of drinks (The fan
faves are the mojito and sangria.), we see lovers and honeymooners taking their
time, deep in intimate conversation, oblivious to the outside world. Patti
Javier, director of communications of the resort, follows our gazes and shares,
“Shangri-La enjoys a foreign market of honeymooners from Korea, Japan, Europe,
Malaysia and Southeast Asia. It’s a pretty new market. And we are expecting
more when another local airline opens direct flights from Hong Kong to Caticlan.”
Since opening in 2009, Shangri-La’s Boracay
Resort and Spa has been enjoying a strong surge of visitors. During the trip,
the resort was buzzing at 80 percent occupancy. “We are turning three years old
and we already have return market. We are glad that they still enjoy what we
have to offer,” continues Patti.
Not surprising, since the world-class resort
is the embodiment of luxurious setting and five-star Asian hospitality nestled
in a dream destination. Shangri-La’s winning vacation equation doesn’t make it
hard to see why so many foreign and local guests choose to spend their precious
down time here.
As our feast parades into the room and onto
our table, we catch a glimpse of the horizon. Within seconds, it changes with
sweeping hues of tangerine, magenta and a deep, rich purple, the color of ripe
pomegranate. Some of the guests basked in this incredible summer sunset from
Sirena’s private al fresco cabanas, which rest along the hillside, beside
Solana bar. With a 180-degree panaroma of the sea, it is quite difficult to
find a more picturesque or romantic setting.
It is safe to assume, therefore, that the
reason why so many lovers choose to spend their honeymoons in Shangri-La’s
Boracay Resort and Spa is because their love stories have been inspired by
nothing less than these magical few moments. Many an excited groom-to-be has
asked the hotel to assist him in orchestrating a romantic proposal atop
Boracay’s lovely hilltop Italian restaurant, Rima, or treetop suite for a
private villa BBQ. Shangri-La’s Boracay Resort and Spa is only too honored to
oblige and be part of the momentous occasion.
Overheard on the other table, an elderly
German sporting his newly acquired Boracay tan, says, “At first I thought the
price per night was pretty steep, but sitting here; it’s a small price to pay.
The view is priceless.”
Patti admits that the many take into serious
consideration Shangri-La’s price point. “We offer very fine things that command
a certain price, but we are very decent and humble about it,” she says.
The Sweetness of Silence
While the all-night parties and raves in
Station 2 of Boracay anchor the weekly calendar, the time spent on Shangri-La’s
two private beaches, Punta Bunga and Banyugan, seems to lengthen and soothe the
soul, like a well-worn watch that is wound down to the soft rap of a
metronome.
But quiet and luxury should not be mistaken
as a boring combination. You can enjoy serenity, the clearness of thought,
while surfing the waves, walking the reefs or discovering the colorful depths
of one of the 20 marine sanctuaries surrounding the resort. You can experience
all these depths of the marine sanctuaries under the professional guidance of
Scotty’s, a five-star PADI dive center, located at the resort’s beachfront.
How can we talk about healing and
rejuvenation without mentioning spa treatments? Located on the opposite end of
the sprawling resort is the renowned Chi spa. And a trip to it easily proves
its weight in gold.
Illumined by golden tea lights, the sanctuary
has adopted time-tested traditional Asian treatments meant to make the most of
quiet of Boracay’s natural surroundings. As you walk through its giant aged
wood doors — which bears entrance to the relaxation pavilion, spa pool, jacuzzi
and several luxurious suites — the delicious scents of spicy ginger tea and
incense waft through the warmly lit spa. As your lungs fill with the sweet
healing aromas, the tense muscles in your temples, neck and shoulders begin to
relax. From the moment you step into Chi, it starts working wonders to soothe
your weary, city-frazzled spirits.
According to traditional Chinese philosophy,
“chi” is the life force that governs the body and well-being of a person. The
director of the spa explains that when chi flows freely in the body, there is
balance and good health. However, when chi is obstructed, one can expect
“dis-ease” and illness to follow. Thus, all the treatments — from the local
Pinoy hilot to Asian wellness massages —
offered at Chi underline the philosophy of balance and movement.
One of the recommended therapies under
Shangri-La’s Sense of Place treaments is the fluid, sensual massage, the Hot Dinu-Ot. Highly recommended
to awaken long slumbering senses, this deeply sensual and rejuvenating therapy
uses a balm made from local indigenous sambong,
lagundi, morin and
lemongrass. The individual is wrapped in banana leaves and left to sweat out
the toxins in a 75-minute steam bath. While the masseur kneads away the knotted
nerves on your back, your mind is allowed to sit in the sweet silence, left to
drift in and out of precious sleep. As fast as the ice melts on the warm onyx
stone in the sauna, the native therapy just as easily melts away your bodily
aches.
Serene like the waves and finer than the
sands of this renowned realm, Shangri-La’s Boracay Resort and Spa definitely
offers a different subdued, yet indulgent tropical experience. Here, whether it
is enjoying a five-star meal made with the freshest catch from the sea or
simply lounging in the shade of the sandy idyll for a lost afternoon, you’ll
have the chance to lie back, wind down in quiet, and maybe rediscover a “peace”
of yourself long lost in the noise of modern living.
For more information or reservations, log on
to
www.shangri-la.com/boracay/boracayresort or
call (63 36) 288 4988.
Airphil Express
flies daily from Manila to Caticlan.
First published in PeopleAsia Magazine
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