Enjoying nature in Albay’s sole high-end green resort

• Source: https://www.rappler.com/life-and-style/travel/ph-travel/199245-misibis-bay-resort-nature-green-resort-albay
• Tuesday, April 3, 2018

(Rappler.com)

ALBAY, Philippines – In Albay’s sole high-end resort situated in Cagraray Island in Bacacay town, tourists don’t need to go far from the shoreline to catch a glimpse of colorful fish.

Tourists are welcomed by a school of fish at the breakwater of the Marina Bay area of the Misibis Bay Resort, less than 10 meters away from the shore.

Stephen Harris, a Canadian tourist along with his Filipina wife Celeste snorkeled within the Marina area of the resort. The couple returned to Misibis Bay Resort after 9 years.

“We’re supposed to be heading to Catanduanes but we decided to go back in Misibis 9 years after our first visit here. It was an amazing experience again with a lot of development, with healthy corals home of different colorful fish and of marine life,” Stephen said.

Stephen did not use any GoPro underwater camera to capture the rich marine life. He described the bay as a “paradise” with clean water and rejuvenating coral reefs.

Green resort

Misibis Bay is a resort with a fish sanctuary, and is to home giant clams. Located in Barangay Misibis, the resort known for its white sand beach is the first high-end "green" resort in Bicol as it is powered by solar panels.

Cecille Balala, associate engineering manager of Misibis Bay, said that the solar panels genetate 310 kwh per day.

Businessman Elizaldy “Zaldy” S. Co of Sunwestville Realty and Development Corporation developed Misibis Bay and Residential Resort. Co wants to put Bicol on the world map.

“We put up this resort to change the perception that Bicol can be proud no more than Mayon Volcano.” Co said, adding that the resort was built with enviromental protection in mind.

The resort counts as among its guests world leaders, local celebrities, Hollywood actors, international models and beauty queens, and NBA players.

Natural beauty

On the way to the resort, visitors can stop to appreciate panoramic views of islets with Mayon volcano as a backdrop; Sula Channel, which used to provide sanctuary galleons during typhoons when the country was still under Spanish rule; and Albay Gulf and the rolling mountains.

From the resort, one can walk head to caves which houses limestone formations. Pototan Cave in neighboring Batan Island can be reached by boat.

Just 20 minutes from the resort is Pighologan Cave. After a half-hour boat ride through the underground riven, tourists can visit the monkey sanctuary in Manaet Islet.

Historically, Cagraray Island in Bacacay town where the Misibis Bay Resort is located is considered as a historical jewel because of the archeological relics found there between l879 and 188.

Juan Alvarez Guevarra found sacred burial jars in two of at least 28 caves in the island. Local historians suggest that these archeological evidences could prove that Cagraray Island was the cradle of Bicolano civilization about 200,000 to 300,000 years ago.

The construction of a coastal road network in Cagraray Island is underway former Bicol tourism regional director Maria Nini Ong-Ravanilla worked out the development of Cagraray Island with the help of Albay lawmakers.