Written by Edriel Pascua
Photography by Hannah Panganiban
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It was a cold morning when my fellow WIMterns and I met at the Manila Domestic Terminal around 5 AM. We went in early for our baggage drop and had some donuts and coffee for breakfast courtesy of Miss Mae, WhenInManila.com’s PR Director, because she’s generous like that.
Hooray for donuts and coffee!
To our surprise, it was raining when we were about to enter the plane. We boarded the aircraft Airbus A320-200, found our seats and got cozy. It was only after an hour when we arrived at the Puerto Princesa Airport. We lost track of time with how the flight went so seamlessly.
The warm sun welcoming us into Puerto Princesa.
After thirty minutes of land travel, we arrived at Ai World Resort. Right then, we already knew it would be one hell of an experience. Ma’am Bong, the resort’s Operations Manager, welcomed us with a short tour of the place before settling for a simple brief and lunch. Ai World (pronounced as “eye”) is a new resort in town with a new twist: it’s a water AND flower park. You can enjoy the pool while having a scenic view of the mountains or their flower plantation. Plus, the bricks are painted pink! You won’t run out of Instagram-worthy shots here, I tell you. Even their food is worthy of a post.
Bon appetit!
We had an extraordinary French cuisine before settling in our home for four days. Look how pink and lovely it is.
Follow the pink-brick road!
Yep, that’s me.
We didn’t really do much on our first day since we were tired, but here are some photos taken before dinner:
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DAY 2
Just wow.
Before anything else, JUST LOOK AT THAT MORNING VIEW! It’s a must-catch when you visit Ai World. The skies, the mountains, the fog. All love.
Simply paradise.
For day 2, we were offered two kinds of breakfast: Pinoy (favorites such as danggit, etc) and American (bacon, egg, etc.). I opted for the American one because I don’t eat my fish friends. For lunch, we tried the food at the Boutique Town which is unbelievably affordable for a generous quantity and, of course, topnotch taste.
Crispy in photo, even crispier in your mouth.
Where do I even begin?!
We were free until 12nn, so we decided to have a dip in their Jikitan pool which is believed to have therapeutic effects. It didn’t fail to relax us before we went on to continue our day.
At around 3 PM, we went out of the resort for Nagtabon Beach and a river cruise. Calling the beach nice is an understatement! Just look how fine the place is. I would’ve stayed there to enjoy the waves and play some volleyball, if I had the chance.
Yeah, what a beach.
There’s also a stay-in place at the very beach itself, and it’s in a form of sandcastle owned by a lovely couple with their cute dog and friendly cats.
READ: 8 Quotes that Perfectly Explain Your Insatiable Love for the Ocean
You have to cross a hanging bridge to get to the cabins. Neat, huh? Go Miss Mae!
As the sun was about to set, we were preparing to have a river cruise at Bacauan Mangroves. They told us to cover ourselves well because of the niknik bugs whose bites are itchy, so wear the right clothes when you go there. I honestly do not know where to begin with this because it was just so romantic and perfect with the serenade, the wine, and the fireflies.
A sweet serenade as you go on the river cruise.
Can you imagine bringing your special someone or family here and just simply enjoy each other’s company? A perfect way to end the day. We had fun trying to fish and spotting fireflies, and it’s a memory I’ll always treasure.
When we arrived back at the resort, a fiery performance was going on at the Boutique’s Town stage. Ai World invites performers of all kinds—singers, dancers, painters—for a chance to share their gifts and talents to everyone.
It was a hot performance, I’m telling you.
We had a wonderful dinner at Bonbonniere before going back to our villas.
