I remember the feeling again when I thought of my experience on a popular island of Northern Cebu today. Bluish as any other crystal water, cooling like a newborn wind, and magical like an island in a Disney movie—that is Malapascua Island. The boat settled near the shore after a long crazy trip through the water, the sun faced me, and the rest was history. I remember when I stepped foot on the island, I believed right away that that wouldn't just be a destination or an island—rather a beautiful experience and an exhale from all things I did from the start of this year.
Fine white sand, towering coconut trees sightseeing the approaching tourists, swings dancing with the breeze and vibrant cold water are what serenades you on your arrival. Like most other visitors to Malapascua Island, the port can really flatter your whole body because of its beauty. Well, it was only a port, but it encapsulates the whole beauty of the island. The people on the island, including the ones on the boat, were so welcoming and accommodating in their kind ways. It was a lovely introduction for me, who expected peace in my trip, and I was so happy that from the beginning, I never had a bad experience.
I checked in with my colleagues at a resort in Malapascua, the Hippocampus, located in Logon, where my friend often visits during a gig and she was the one who recommended the resort. They have different kinds of rooms: the Deluxe Beachfront, which has a ground floor and second floor option, but both are located directly with an ocean view. They also have the Central Garden, which is located centrally in their garden that features larger verandas, and the Standard Room, which is their cheapest room but still a good one. The room price ranges from 1800–3800 Php depending on the pax, but in our case, we were charged 750 Php for an additional person. The price is good because it includes free breakfast and drinks. It was clean, safe, and comfortable, although I didn’t savour the moment in the room, for I stayed and wandered on the beach more. The outside appearance of the resort also has fantastic features including umbrella cottages, open tables, and a mini-bar for liquor and beverages.
I spent more time on the shore than inside. I walked like I had all the energy in life and was not bothered by the tan responsibility. I had the most peaceful moment by the time I decided to just roam the area. The blue waters are so magnificent even in my peripheral view, the wind was messing with my hair, the sun flashed a burning light on my skin, and the sound of laughter around me was so loud but calming.
We all have those poetic and reasonable moments of being dissociated from the actual world itself, and for me, I am happy that I came to do that for myself, allowing my mind to rest and walk barefoot, and bring myself back to what I am.
My colleague called me and said we were visiting another spot and just had to book a motorcycle. I cannot remember the name of those places, aside from the resort, because I was too focused on making the most of the present moment. I remember I saw a fisherman dragging his net to the shore and a bunch of fishes were moving like earthworms. He had a good catch in a warm sunny afternoon and I guess it was enough to feed his family.
If you put yourself in the photos in this blog, you would understand how much peace the island has given to me. I was busy lately in my academics, part-time work, and responsibilities as a student journalist, that in the middle of my passion, there is a burnout happening. But I have to keep the fire burning because I cannot lose myself. My visit to those places in Malapascua has given me a sense of clarity about what was happening to me that I often overlooked while being busy with the things I risked. The time moved slower and everything was silent that I could hear my own breath. It was a rare calmness—a calm after the storm but with sentiment and connection. I believed I was able to reconnect to myself that time and found comfort in my own company like any other solitude can give to me.
I didn’t bring a good camera that time, nor had a good outfit. I wanted it to be raw, authentic, and natural. I wanted to just walk barefoot and not get bothered by my physical appearance. I knew the ancestors were so happy that I practiced what they did. I don’t have any photos other than these uploads but I saw a lot of things worth freezing. But as they said, those things uncaptured are the most valuable and precious, that no one can steal from those who saw it with their naked eyes.
I saw and was mesmerized by how the strips of coconut leaves danced with the wind, the kids running towards each other, people being drunk in ridiculous ways, the sun moving towards its usual path, fishermen with happy eyes, and the tables and chairs on the shore that have listened to the life of those who sat. Those were just simple moments but an invaluable one. We cannot afford it unless we make ourselves raw and poor to the extent we make contentment for those things.
It was quite a therapy and a recovery. Before I left the island, it lingered. It lingered like a person. I learned that I just loved it—the separation I made and the reflection. This is the part I most love and hate—the leaving. I loved how it made me happy but I hate that I have to leave a place that I don’t belong to in the first place. I was a passerby and I found my heart connected to the island. But even if I had hated it that way, I was too mesmerized by its beauty and how it inspired me to go back to my hometown and face everything with bravery that I cannot keep my hate for it. I just formed a love-and-hate relationship with an island, in a way that is soothing. And when I was heading back home, I was at peace that I know what awaits me is worthy to be known.
