Amanpulo by Cynthia Rosenfeld
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Amanpulo
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‘I may have ruined my future honeymoon’ is the alarming thought that passes through my head as I sink bare feet into the white talc fineness outside my Beach Casita at Amanpulo (‘peaceful island’ in Sanskrit), Amanresorts’ only property in the Philippines that opened in 1993 on Pamalican Island, a former coconut plantation. Mine and mine alone, the low hung bungalow designed by Filipino Francisco Marosa and loosely modeled on traditional bahay kubo boasts a king size rattan and coconut wood bed angled to all glass walls that optimize North Sulu Sea views framed by lush indigenous foliage.
Rather than bemoan my single status on this piece of Palawan paradise a dramatic one hour’s flight and 225 miles south of Manila, I’ve decided instead to seek my fortune among the sand dollars that wash up with the frothy tide, content until I realize these delicate discs are lodged around the message I LOVE JAZMIN scratched into an otherwise flawless shore.
As the sun sets, a most important decision looms: to watch the orange orb from an indoor or outdoor daybed, or while swaying in the enveloping canvas hammock. Stretched out on a plush cushioned divan with fresh calamansi juice in hand, I concentrate on the day’s last light until the doorbell rings. Rather than room service, I devote my first night to an in room head massage so relaxing the pen drops and I can only recall a supreme state of bliss.
With the first morning sun, I make my way by foot around the island’s perimeter, a one and a half hour stroll past another twenty eight suites just like mine that encircle the private 89 hectare spit of sand while an additional eleven Treetop and Hillside Casitas hide among the soaring palm trees. Seven larger beachfront compounds are currently under construction and will add private pools to Amanpulo’s already numerous enticements.
Circumnavigating the island requires me to climb over sculpturally gnarled branches that spill into the sea and skip over slippery seaweed farmed on neighboring islands for export to skin cream companies in Japan. Past the gently sloping southern shore where baby black tip sharks congregate, I spy the flowing white curtains of the beachfront massage pavilion which I vow to seek out later in the day, then continue along the coast before trekking through bush that brings me to natural grotto. Here I discover a serenely peaceful outdoor chapel enveloped by the tropical greenery that I later learn is a very popular spot for marriage ceremonies.
Each casita comes with a golf cart to navigate Pamalican Island. A confirmed non-golfer, I approach this mini four-wheeler with a bit of trepidation but after one of the endlessly patient and smiling staff of 250 Filipinos gives me the five minute lesson, I steer over to breakfast at the Clubhouse where I take a seat outdoors by the 30-meter pool. Over black sweetened rice porridge and strong coffee, I plan my day. Though snorkeling, diving and windsurfing are on offer, I decide to soak up the sun. At midday when the sun casts blinding light upon the toe singeing sand, I catch a ride out to the floating Kawayan Bar, complete with fluffy towel covered cushions and Marlon the bartender, whom I send away so I can minimize tan lines.
Just when I begin to feel lonely, flying fish burst above the greenish glassy surface. Eventually I grab some fins and goggles to dog paddle around the surface, ogling the resident batfish, parrot fish and a turtle in the distance. The sun pulsates with cosmic energy all afternoon despite this being the rainy season, eventually dropping behind jagged outcroppings as if setting fire to the ancient rocks. In the burnt orange dusk, I head back to my Cebu marble bathtub to admire the best suntan I’ve ever achieved.
Dress is casual around the island, so I slip into something simple and navigate my cart northbound to Shigerino’s Place, a hilltop lookout recently landscaped with wooden picnic table and cushions accessible by romantic winding path and named for a frequent Amanpulo guest, one of the many ‘Amanjunkies’ who consider this their favorite of founder Adrian Zecha’s famed retreats. As we dine on an extravagant barbeque of grilled meats and fresh caught seafood, General Manager Miguel Guedes de Sousa and his wife Mafalda catch me up on what’s ahead for the Philippines’ most desirable destination.
High tech toys are arriving in the rooms, from iPod clocks to the new flat screen televisions, once unthinkable at any Amanresort but increasingly the norm. Miguel is eager to show off his new gym staffed with personal trainers, the benefits of which show on his own enviable physique while Mafalda asks if I’ve seen that sexy massage sala, both recent additions. They tell me that when the second Beach Club is complete in 2008 it will be possible to switch between the two deep deck hangouts depending on the monsoon. All the better for my tan, I tell them as we toast to the coming season. We all three agree that the new floating bar is a must-have experience for any Amanpulo guest and they regale me with plans for the new spa as well as more immediate activities like photography and cooking classes already on the high season calendar.
While I know Pamalican and its surroundings are part of a marine sanctuary, I learn the next morning on a nature walk with Philip, a long time Amanpulo staffer, that the island itself is a veritable aviary, home to more than fifty native bird varieties like the Black-Naped Orioles and neon blue Steere’s Pittas I’ve spied outside my bedroom window. Water bottles in hand, we walk the island which under the guidance of a naturalist becomes a completely different terrain than the sandy stroll of yesterday.
He points out turtle hatching areas and we see marine turtle nesting trails then look up to catch a glimpse of an emerald dove he tells me are some of the fastest fliers on the island. Listening carefully and eyes wide open, I learn to distinguish between the island’s sea grape trees, the leaves of which can be used to cure red eye, pandanus trees, umbrella trees with their floppy leaves and the ipil-ipil tree which looks like a fern. We climb steps carved into the marble rocks to take a delicious fresh fruit breakfast from this hilltop picnic table with some of the earth’s most perfect nautical views.
A habitual late sleeper, I find myself rising early here to catch the first glimpse of peach sky against the morning’s lavender sea that will climax as turquoise before settling into navy at night. On my last morning, we head out aboard of one the resort’s many seafaring craft, en route to Halog Island, a sandbar where I collect as many seashells as my hands can hold while the staff sets out a decadent array of fresh baked croissants, muffins and fruit slices. As we soak up our postcard perfect surroundings Mafalda tells me Amanpulo has just rented this island, carving out yet another slice of heaven for the blessed mortals among us.