Wow Siargao!

Last month I was hijacked by my better half Twink and bunso and taken to paradise. I flew back to Manila from Bohol (my article the other week) and within a few hours I was flying with them and our gang of adventurers back to the Visayan Islands. Our destination: Siargao and its most famous resort — Dedon.

I’d heard about Siargo, and its fantastic surfing. I’d also been aware of the resort set up by the energetic young German wunderkind Bobby Dekeyser, whose line of chichi outdoor furniture Dedon is a must-have for high-end estates and hotel developments. Dekeyser had set up a factory in Cebu a few years ago to take advantage of wonderful Cebuano craftsmanship and his furniture is now taking over the world.

On one of his early visits Dekeyser ventured to nearby Siargao. Located in the province of Surigao del Norte, northeastern of Mindanao, it is the country’s next Boracay. He fell in love with the island and the surf and started to plan a resort there. Dekeyser rebuilt the tropical refuge from an older existing facility. He envisioned it as an extension of his brand. He thought if the best resorts in the world were using his furniture, then he should build the world’s best resort as a showcase of his pieces.

Dekeyser brought in a whole team made up of French architect Daniel Pouzet, industrial designer Jean Marie Massaud, and Filipinos Garrick Yu and Maritess Lampert. The aim was to craft a resort “village” with room for only a handful of luxury villas and a limited number of guests. Each visiting couple or family was to be pampered and waited on hand and foot. They were not to be treated as “… just a room or villa number.” In the four days we were there, we can say all that was achieved.

We arrived at Siargao with our regular travel companions Dindo and Aileen Litonjua along with Oli and Penny Laperal. The seven of us were quickly ushered to a stretch jeepney. The jeepney was furnished in Dedon material (which uses a synthetic fiber that replicates the look and texture of rattan) and was definitely way more comfortable than your ordinary rust bucket ride. The ride was smooth and we were treated to local organic sweets prepared by the resort’s kitchen.

We arrived at the resort and were greeted by the entire staff! The resort has only nine villas in two clusters of five and four and we were guided directly to our respective villas. I love the fact that all the villas take on the best aspects of vernacular architecture, all are raised from the ground, have natural light and ventilation (although air-con is an option) and use local materials. The roofs are of nipa bound together with Dedon material. The insides were commodious with a number of the villas having lofts.

Once we were settled in we met for lunch at the dining pavilion, one of four structures at the center of the resort. All are open and expansive and clustered around a pool fronting the beach. The menu was superb and everything was made from scratch. The resort has its own organic farm and the resort’s co-managers Matthew and Morag Koerner told us they were starting to raise their own livestock.

The service at the resort was great. Our adventure guide quickly drew up four days of island hopping, snorkeling, paddle board trekking, kayaking and, of course, surfing. Yes, at 58 years old, I was “forced” to surf. I tried to put it off but everyone in the group, including 10-year-old Chocho was gung-ho about it. We motored down half an hour from the resort, got a quick lecture and practice on the beach and it was off to the waves. We all managed to get on the boards after a few tries and I eventually got the hang of it. Hey, we were surfing!

The rest of our stay was a cycle of good meals and good treks around Siargao. Our favorite stop was Naked Island not far from the resort by the Dedon boat. It is a spectacular white sand bar a kilometer or so off the main island. We swam and snorkled in the crystal clear waters while the boat crew set up Dedon chaise lounges and our refreshments on the beach. We also loved the mangrove pavilion behind the resort. The mangrove treks on paddle boards and kayaks start from there and we had a Tapas night there too. I also enjoyed taking photographs of the resort and the island (aerials by LIPAD Aerial Photography). Everything about the island is photogenic, from the air or on the ground.

The rest of the time we spent at the resort was a mix of pool cocktails, delightful dinners and meanders about the extensive grounds. We introduced Chocho to Shirley Temples because all the adults had martinis or margaritas at happy hour. Evenings brought out magical fireflies and because we were a distance from the town, it was ideal for all the stars to come out and treat us with nightly displays

Siargao is a must-visit destination; its surf, beaches and surrounding islands offer a variety of treats catering to the active, along with those that want to chill without being crowded out by hordes of people. Finally, Dedon should be in everyone’s bucket list, so you can say Siargao and surfing … been there Dedon that!

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Feedback is welcome. Please e-mail the writer at paulo.alcazaren@gmail.com. For more information on Dedon resort log on to http://www.dedonisland.com. Fantastic aerial images by LIPAD Aerial Photography. For more information email lipad.aerial@gmail.com.