A place to escape to

CEBU, Philippines — Summer is almost here and, in all likelihood, everybody is already looking for a place to escape to – away from the craziness and pollution of the city. There is widespread, desperate need to find peace and tranquility, to recharge from all the stressful days at work. The feeling of toes dipped in the sand while enjoying a drink is just so relaxing; more so with the cool breeze touching your face.

Such perfect summer getaway where to pamper oneself and enjoy nature now only takes a short drive from the city. Pacific Cebu Resort, a 6.5-hectare beach and diving paradise is neatly tucked in the southern coast of Mactan Island. The resort has a 226-meter stretch of white-sand beachfront. It has its own private pier for its bancas that take guests to the best diving spots around the island.

The moment one enters the resort, the refreshing beauty of nature all around is immediately felt. The blue- and white-themed lobby beckons like a warm old friend. The seascape in the near distance lends an exhilarating backdrop. Especially at the burst of sunrise, the view is like a beautiful painting coming to life!

In the spacious superior room, with a spectacular view of the ocean or the garden, is where to completely disentangle from the usual daily grinds. There are also villas and family suites. Pacific Cebu Resort has135 rooms in all. The resort is managed by SAV hospitality of Hong Kong and has a 4-star AA standard resort rating.

The resort’s La Terraza Bar and Restaurant is open 24 hours, serving continental and Filipino cuisine. Room service is available 24 hours, as well. To soothe tired mind and body, the Aroma Mosaique Spa offers a wide array of relaxing facials and body treatments.

World-class recreation facilities in the resort include three outdoor swimming pools – a kid’s pool, main pool and diving pool for diving tutorials. There is also a tennis court and a basketball court for ball-game enthusiasts. For those who love adventures, there are water sports and tour activities available, including banana boat rides, diving, snorkeling, kayaking, jet skiing, parasailing, sunset cruising and island hopping.

Among divers, Pacific Cebu Resort is known for its excellent diving facilities. It also offers diving courses under PC Divers, which is a PADI Gold Palm Dive Center. The courses include discover scuba diving, open water scuba diving, advance open water scuba diving, dive master training and even emergency first responder diving course.

All diving courses are done by a team of professionals, certified dive masters and instructors from different countries. Instructions are in English, Cantonese, Japanese and Filipino, depending on the nationality of the student. 

The resort also provides perfect outdoor venue for weddings, birthdays and other celebrations. Each event booking is complete with food, wine, entertainment and an overnight stay in a superior room for two persons.

To know more about Pacific Cebu Resort – its full lineup of amenities, fun activities and guest-centered services – the website is at: www.pacificcebu-resort.com; contact phones: (032) 495-6608. The resort is located in Suba-basbas, Lapu-lapu City, Mactan. 

A Sunset Cruise

On a perfect sunny afternoon, Cathay Pacific Cebu hosted a leisurely sunset cruise on the Mactan Channel for the top-tier members of its frequent flyer Marco Polo Club.  The occasion was also to usher in the Year of the Goat.

Manager Cebu Jasmine Chan welcomed the exclusive group aboard the M/S Jokai.  She then updated the members on the three exciting cities that Cathay Pacific was soon flying to – Zurich in March, Boston in May, and Dusseldorf in September. Ms Chan also announced the March 11 launch of the airline’s latest freighter destination, Kolkata.

As the guests settled in for the cruise, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres were served amid samba beats from the band.

The sunset cruise was also to honor the airline’s highest flyer in 2014.  The award went to Diamond Member Justin Sanders, who fortunately was in town long enough to receive his award in person. Other members also got to take home special items such as Cathay-branded Cross pens, baggage tags, leather notebooks, Year-of-the-Goat stuffed toys, and annual red Cathay Pacific Hock calendar. The occasion ended with the traditional fireworks display.