When you're in the northern province of Cebu, Philippines, it only takes 30 minutes to reach well-maintained beaches that stretch along a very long coastline polished by white sand and a crowd of happy Cebuanos enjoying their time in front of blue waters. Not only does it take a short amount of time—which makes it favorable—but there is also an abundance of beaches you can find everywhere, whether public or private. When talking about blue waters, Cebu province is top-tier and a word that you should be including in your bucket list, which should have its check as soon as you visit the province.
Well, I couldn't start this blog without telling you the exact location and leave you guessing across Google Maps. Among the beaches I have visited, this one is my favorite among my kind of favorites. Not only is it premium but affordable—we enjoyed staying there and the memories we made in a long, happy day.
In the town of Medellin, Cebu, Philippines, there lies a flock of beaches named after either the owners or the color of the water. It is typical Filipino style to name a resort after the name of the owner (Tomasa Beach Resort named after Tomasa Villafuente) or the color of the water (Blue Hole in Tabogon, Cebu, Philippines). What's not typical are those beaches that no one visits—which fortunately, is none of them in Cebu.
So, grab a chair, get your glasses, and ready the sun, because I'll be sharing with you now my signature journey and experience.
THE JOURNEY AND THE EXPERIENCE
Closing the school calendar with a beach outing sounds like a universal trend everybody hops on. With no long weeks to dress up in our uniforms, we wore our best beach outfits for a victory party, surviving a fast-paced year.
On the morning of June 10 this week, my friends and I found ourselves in the same bus heading to Kawit, Medellin, Cebu. We stopped at the central market of the town to buy essentials and beverages we needed for the whole stay, and since it was a perfectly sunny day, a case of drinks settled us eventually in the market after a long debate of which is which. We immediately headed to the resort where we would be staying, which was walking distance from the market. In front of a large tarpaulin hung beside the road saying "Yurag Beach Resort," you are welcomed by its tall building—no one would think it has a beach behind.
To be honest with you, we were not so sure of the way that would lead us to the resort, but after passing by a mirror-filled facility, a grain of sand touched our feet, telling us that the water was near. A Yurag staff welcomed us and assisted us at the counter for payment of our entrance and possible accommodations. The resort offers different prices according to what time of the day you'll use the resort. We paid 100 pesos ($0.32) each for the daytime, and if you spend it overnight, 150.00 pesos ($0.50) should be the payment. Other payments we made were for the installation of the tent, use of the grilling station, and tables and chairs. Inside the resort, there are available large tents good for ten people, and the size decides the price of each tent. Also, it has a cabin room with a patio outside, overlooking the ground of the resort filled with tourists and beach features. Aside from tents and a cabin room, a grand cottage is also offered, the price of which also depends on the number of people using it. It could be used overnight since it has comfortable foam all around each side, ideal for relaxing after a tiring day swimming all around the blues. During our stay, although we didn’t pay for a cottage, the manager of the resort offered it to us for free so that we could sleep more comfortably than in the tent we were using.
Going back on track, when we finished paying for the necessities, we were assisted by a staff member to our table, which we favored being placed under an overarching tent. We all started the business as soon as we finished the setup of our table. Some prepared the grilling station, some chopped the pork and fresh fish meat, some took photos before helping, and some cooked the ready-to-cook foods. Many things happened in just a single hour, while for us, it felt like half a day had already passed.
After cooking, we organized our foods and beverages on the table before taking selfies. We prepared grilled meat, grilled fish, hotdogs and other frozen foods, and handy snacks paired with cooling drinks. As clear as I can remember, everybody enjoyed the food and all had fun—but when one of my friends choked on the hotdog he ate, everybody shattered and stopped laughing. For a moment, we were in a fight-or-flight condition until our friend, the one choking, jokingly said that it was just an act. So everybody just laughed, but I thought of choking him more.
After eating, everybody got themselves dressed up in their most beautiful outfits. Well, all of my friends are good-looking, so no one can wonder how they represent the phrase "girl ate it" in the most accurate way. We took photos, had a conversation, and started early our most solemn bond—the liquor drinking. It was a hot sunny day to start drinking, but as they say, "It's better to start early off than late." Of course, before the sun had set, everybody had their vision twirling in two lenses, with headaches and nausea. Still, we managed to soak ourselves in the beach until it got dark, bringing the liquor into the water and making random jokes to each other while some floated on the surface, acting as dead.
The day was filled with loud laughter stretching across different tables and cabins, showing that everybody had fun on this joyous and momentous day at the resort. Looking at the vast blue waters, a pair of jet skis ran the banana boats, and some pump boats roamed the farthest but safest waters to look for fishes. The blue clouds complemented the sea as if the two had been mirroring each other for the last time, seeing their beauty through reflecting one another. The sound of the waves, karaoke of tourists, splashes of water, laughter of the kids, and conversation of the drunk adults crafted the whole resort as a paradise for those who want to find peace and calmness.
As soon as the sun finished setting, everybody started the second business: preparing our dinner. We bought more frozen foods at the public market and cooked them. Since we had leftovers from lunch, we just paired them with the new ones since they were still good and fresh to eat. I cooked rice, which was now good for six people since three of my friends had gone home, as their parents didn’t give them permission to stay. We ate for minutes, took another hour of chit-chat, and prepared for another round of party. This time, the wind was cool, the waves were calm, and no one was in the resort except us. It was like an exclusive use for us, and the only sound you could hear was just the laughter we breathed into the air. No karaoke, no kids, and no pump boats roaming the area—just a pure beach untouched by people. I felt that the shore and the water had a long rest after that chaotic day. Well, it is reasonable for nature to be bothered by humans.
We spent the rest of the night at our table set up in the sand, where you could feel the cold increase every hour that passed. We kicked off our drinking session and had a little game before the actual fun. When the clock hit 8 P.M., that was when the fun began—when everybody was already dancing in fun and in a clumsy way, unbothered by their dance steps summoning the 80s dancers. I could say that no one was sober that night, because when a friend said he/she would go to a comfort room, that friend never came back. After an hour or two, we would just find them lying on the sand almost eating the grains of sand. Ridiculously.
The rest of the night is nowhere to be found in our memories. We were not able to remember the rest, but rest assured, we had a fun and breaking experience in the resort. When we woke up in the morning, we immediately prepared our things and packed our essentials. We checked out at exactly 7:00 A.M. and waited for a bus. While waiting, we ordered a bowl of noodles at the nearby store just to fill our stomachs with something solid. A minute after, the bus arrived and we headed home to each other’s houses.
That day was worth scribbling in my diary, painting the tip of my pen with experiences of good yesterdays. If one would ask me how that experience fueled me, I would answer, “Enough to reach the universe.” It was a rocket fuel and a new taste of friendship, summer, and an exciting future.
As much as I want to share everything about that trip, this is all that I could share. I hope you, my dearest reader, enjoyed this blog and would continue supporting my trips and narratives. See you in my next blog, which I will publish somewhere around the following days, so better be back before it fades.
Thank you for reading, dearest. See you around, Hive!
*Medellin is a municipality in the northern province of Cebu, Philippines that falls in the 2nd class coastal category. It is known for its aligned beaches that stretch to the next municipalities. Home to popular tourist attractions when it comes to beaches such as Yurag Beach Resort and Sadagat Beach Camp, Medellin has features of natural landscapes including the Aisle of Medellin and Bamboo Forest. Medellin is nestled with natural marine features and landscapes that interest locals and tourists, offering vibrant culture, delicacies, and a town of joyous people.
