My friends know that I am practically the poster child for every NOT-A-MORNING-PERSON out there. Ordinarily, I'd rather stay all bundled up under the covers than do anything else, really. But in Amanpulo, I was up bright and early that morning. I usually hate being woken up but nature's morning orchestra roused me to wakefulness. The cicadas were singing in full force and so were the birds. I could even hear a monitor lizard from somewhere near our casita. I got up, made my requisite cup of joe and moved to the deck to savor the morning. Since it was so early in the day, it was cool out there in the deck but not uncomfortably so. This was one of my favorite spots in our casita. The day beds were perfect for tanning and lounging in the sun without worrying about the sand going into places where sand shouldn't be. I was so tempted to stay there all day and read a book but my sense of adventure won out.
We had breakfast at the Beach Club. This side of the island is pretty much where the action is. Right next to the Beach Club you'll find the Sea Sports Hut where you can borrow snorkelling gear and non-motorized water sports equipment like kayaks, windsurfing boards, paddle boards, and even a Hobie Cat catamaran. We spent the morning trying out everything we could.
We started with all the easy ones first. Did you know that the water right in front of the Beach Club is home to a school of fish (I forgot what they were called, though). Ask for some bread from the restaurant; don't forget to tell them it's for the fish feeding. Anyway, the moment you drop the bread into the water, be prepared to get mauled by the cute fishies (and my mauled, I meant adorably tickled haha).
We started with all the easy ones first. Did you know that the water right in front of the Beach Club is home to a school of fish (I forgot what they were called, though). Ask for some bread from the restaurant; don't forget to tell them it's for the fish feeding. Anyway, the moment you drop the bread into the water, be prepared to get mauled by the cute fishies (and my mauled, I meant adorably tickled haha).
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The resort also offers snorkelling trips for interested guests twice a day: one in the morning and the other in the afternoon. We were actually planning on skipping the snorkelling trip since we were not really up to mingle with people (hehe) but when we found out that nobody else was going on the morning trip, we decided then and there to just do it! We had the entire boat all to ourselves.
When you're on the boat, the water is so clear that you'd think you're still in shallow water. You can still see straight through to the bottom. I'm a pretty strong swimmer so I said I'd go in without a life vest but when I dove right in and saw how deep it actually was, I had to ask manong for a vest! Anyway, we spent most of our snorkelling trip feeding more fish, bigger ones this time. The manong who drove our boat and toured us mentioned that Amanpulo is home to a huge school of batfish. He even taught me how to use the bread as bait to try and catch (by "catch", I meant hug and release) one of the batfish.
Another highlight of the snorkelling trip was when we saw two of Amanpulo's resident pawikan. God, they were huuuuge! We found them happily munching on some seagrass. Manong was so nice, he tried to make them come up to the surface so we can see them better but, alas, food >>>>> everything else. I guess, I can related to that. haha. Looks like I've found my new spirit animal!
When you're on the boat, the water is so clear that you'd think you're still in shallow water. You can still see straight through to the bottom. I'm a pretty strong swimmer so I said I'd go in without a life vest but when I dove right in and saw how deep it actually was, I had to ask manong for a vest! Anyway, we spent most of our snorkelling trip feeding more fish, bigger ones this time. The manong who drove our boat and toured us mentioned that Amanpulo is home to a huge school of batfish. He even taught me how to use the bread as bait to try and catch (by "catch", I meant hug and release) one of the batfish.
Another highlight of the snorkelling trip was when we saw two of Amanpulo's resident pawikan. God, they were huuuuge! We found them happily munching on some seagrass. Manong was so nice, he tried to make them come up to the surface so we can see them better but, alas, food >>>>> everything else. I guess, I can related to that. haha. Looks like I've found my new spirit animal!
We tried Hobie Cat sailing next and it was one of the most memorable rides of my life. The cool thing about a catamaran is that it runs solely on the wind caught on its sails. I thought it would just be a leisurely ride; apparently, it could go pretty fast pala! Anyway, we were going so fast but I wasn't really paying attention, so when we hit a big wave (I didn't see it coming, I swear) I got knocked out of my seat and slid almost right outta the boat. Good thing I managed to get a good grip on the hull or else I really would've fallen off. My cousins were laughing their asses off and I was laughing right along with them but, I swear, it felt like my heart was about to beat right out of my chest. Talk about an adrenaline rush!
Manong took us on the Hobie Cat down to Shark's Point where some baby sharks can be found playing. Unfortunately, we didn't see a single one. :(
Manong took us on the Hobie Cat down to Shark's Point where some baby sharks can be found playing. Unfortunately, we didn't see a single one. :(
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We spent the rest of the morning and a bit of our afternoon lounging on the beach and getting some sun. While the others got their tans on, I walked around the area to take in the sights of the island.
We blocked a huge part of our second afternoon for spa treatments like massages and wraps. What's an R&R trip for if not to get pampered, right? The Amanpulo Spa is the highest building on the island. From the lobby, you pretty much have a panoramic view of the beautiful scenery.
We blocked a huge part of our second afternoon for spa treatments like massages and wraps. What's an R&R trip for if not to get pampered, right? The Amanpulo Spa is the highest building on the island. From the lobby, you pretty much have a panoramic view of the beautiful scenery.
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The whole body massage was wonderful! I've always had tense shoulders, especially all throughout my preparation for my licensure exams. This trip was definitely just what the doctor ordered. I haven't felt that relaxed in a long time, to be honest.
(from my phone)
Our stay in Amanpulo was winding down too soon. Since this was our last night, I made it a point to really watch and take in the sunset, and man, it did not disappoint. I marvelled at the amazing sight before me that late afternoon. And as the night claimed the day, all I felt was awed.
Check back soon for my third and final installment about our trip to Amanpulo
