The Welcome

Located in the Bicol region’s Cagraray Island, about an hour away from the Legazpi airport, Misibis Bay often has the undeserved reputation among travelers that it’s not easy to get to. The truth is, getting there is fairly simple. You can reach it either by availing of the resort’s airport transfer service or—if driving from Legazpi City—by taking a 45-minute scenic drive across a bridge that leads to the island. Our group did the latter since we were coming from lunch in the city proper.

Upon arriving at the resort, we were greeted by smiling staff who handed us each a native bracelet to wear and served us with fresh buko (coconut) juice, still in its shell while a group of dancers welcomed us with a traditional Ibalong dance.

The Room

After a quick check-in process that took almost no time at all, we were driven to our rooms in a golf cart. Mine was located at the resort’s newest addition, the 60-room Pacific View Wing complex launched in late 2017. True to its name, the spacious and peaceful complex offers rooms with a view of the glorious Pacific Ocean. Within minutes of our arrival, I could already feel the stress of the past week falling away.

The Food

Misibis Bay is located in a region well-known for its excellent cuisine, so it’s no surprise that it offers a menu that presents both traditional and modern options to its guests. Local favorites, featured in their Pagkaong Bicolnon (Bicol Food) section of the menu, include the adobo sa asin, Bicol’s version of the Philippine adobo; bicol express (pork simmered in coconut milk); crispy pork tinugtungan (twice-cooked pork marinated in burnt coconut milk); tilmok (shredded coconut meat with crab meat and shrimp and wrapped in taro leaves); and laing (taro leaves in coconut milk, shrimp paste, and chili).

Although I’ve always leaned towards the savory over the sweet, my favorite dish, surprisingly, was a dessert: the tinutungan ice cream, which is made from burnt coconut milk. Despite its somewhat bland grey coloring, the ice cream was delicious, with a sweet, smoky flavor that made for the perfect conclusion to a rich meal.

In 2012, Misibis Bay made headlines when it hosted American actor Zac Efron during a brief visit to the Philippines. These days, the resort is still making the news after being awarded by the Department of Tourism with an ANAHAW Level 1 Certification during the ANAHAW Philippine Sustainable Tourism Certification Awarding Ceremony in August 2018. The recently launched certification program, which recognizes hotels and resorts that help promote a more sustainable tourism industry, has five levels in total so it’ll be interesting to track Misibis Bay’s progress as the years go by.

What I Love Best

My favorite part about staying at Misibis Bay was the fact that this was a place where you could definitely just stay in if you wanted to. The resort is situated in five hectares of land and offers so many options for activities, you’re spoilt for choice. While a suggested itinerary was laid out inside my room when I arrived, the staff was quick to emphasize that everything was entirely up to me. That said, I tried not to miss out on, from indulging in a relaxing massage session at the spa to trying out various activities like swimming, taking out the jet ski, and wakeboarding. My favorite activity was probably snorkeling, which was excellent mainly because the area where we snorkeled was so close to the beach we didn’t even need a boat to reach the corals. It probably also helped that we were there during the low season so my session with the guide consisted of just me and one other companion. During our excursion, we saw hundreds of colorful fishes, beautiful corals, and even some giant clams!

Another activity I really enjoyed was driving an ATV around the island, which gave us the chance to visit the nearby eco-park, where visitors can zipline, ride a luge cart, and enjoy the view from the park’s open-air amphitheater.

Our group also took some time out to enjoy an island lunch excursion and even managed to squeeze in a movie night where we all indulged in fresh popcorn and a good Noah Centineo rom-com.

The Verdict

From sumptuous culinary dishes to enticing indoor and outdoor activities, Misibis Bay sure has so much to offer—which is why we recommend staying there longer. And if you’re looking for a great view, make sure to book a room at the Pacific View Wing, which guarantees you an unforgettable stay.

(SHIRTTAIL) Misibis Bay Resort, which is managed by Enderun Hospitality Management, is located in Bay Resort, Bacacay, 4509 Albay. For more information, visit . For bookings or reservations visit .