Misibis Bay is easy to fall in love with. Acclaimed as a luxury island retreat, it's a destination that provides utmost exclusivity so that its guests could have maximum enjoyment during their stay. Every nook and corner of Misibis Bay is well-thought out and intended to provide a leisurely escape to its visitors.
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| Misibis Bay marker |
Misibis Bay Resort: fulfilling our dream luxury getaway
Misibis Bay is our dream getaway; a destination that we can only hope (and dare) to book when we finally have a lot of extra cash to burn, which is nowhere near the near future. However, because of some favorable turn of events, we were able to achieve our Misibis Bay dream getaway sooner than we had expected.
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| Coconut trees |
How did we do it? We booked an overnight stay at the luxury resort via a Deal Grocer promo. While there are year-round Misibis Bay promos at Deal Grocer, the minimum stay offered in most occasions is three days and two nights (3D/2N).
How to go to Misibis Bay
After our trip to Legazpi City the previous day, we woke up excited for what was in store for us in Misibis Bay.
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| Complimentary bottled water |
We arranged for the resort's pick up service to take us from the hotel to Cagraray Island where Misibis Bay is located. If you are coming from Legazpi Domestic Airport, you may ask the resort to pick you up there.
An hour before our indicated pick up time, the mini bus arrived at Neuman Haus. What was even better was that our group was the only passenger that morning.
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| Chocolate chip cookies |
Inside the bus, bottles of cold water, a jar of chocolate chip cookies, and an Evian facial spray were on hand for guests' consumption and use. We passed through mountainous terrain that overlook the beautiful Albay Gulf. Travel time from Legazpi City was around one hour.
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| Evian facial mist |
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| Misibis Bay's staff welcoming us |
When we finally entered the gate of Misibis Bay, we were mesmerized by how lovely it was. We alighted at the reception center where we were greeted by the resort staff dancing to an Ibalon chant.
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| Dancers swaying to the tune of a native Ibalon chant |
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| At the reception area |
When we had unloaded our bags, we proceeded to check in, which was a breeze because there were no other new guests arriving that day.
MAP OF MISIBIS BAY RESORT
Our Room: Deluxe Garden View
Even after we had check in and already on our way to our rooms, we were still in disbelief that we were indeed in Misibis Bay.
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| Garden View villa |
The resort looked quiet and laidback, as if we were the only people booked for the night. It will be hard not to enjoy the resort's amenities in the next few hours.
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| Our king-size bed |
We booked a deluxe garden view room, the second most affordable among Misibis Bay's rooms. Upon entering our room, we were greeted by a spacious 45 sqm. floor area with a king-size bed.
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| Tea and coffee |
Our room had all the standard amenities such as a 32" LCD TV, blow dryer, safety deposit box, iron, and complimentary coffee counter. The bath and shower room, meanwhile, had Crab Tree toiletries aside from the usual facilities.
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| Bathroom sink |
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| Crab Tree toiletries |
Incidentally, it was my birthday when we went to Misibis Bay. Khris and our friends requested the resort's staff to surprise me when I enter the room after dinner.
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| My complimentary birthday cake |
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| Birthday surprise |
Well, they succeeded in doing so. Our room was decorated with a birthday banner and the staff were holding a cake with a candle while singing "Happy Birthday." We opened a bottle of wine afterwards and drank a little. It was such nice way to celebrate my birthday.
Things to do in Misibis Bay
Time in Misibis Bay seems slow but we are not complaining. We want it that way to forget about our worries and stress from the daily grind at work.
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| Pool area |
You can while away few hours in your room, lounge leisurely by the pool, or walk slowly in the gardens. It's up to you how you want to spend your time in Misibis Bay.
However, if you are looking for other things to do in Misibis Bay, here are a few activities that you can take advantage of.
1. Enjoy the swimming pools
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| Swimming pool at Garden View villa |
For starters, there are quite a number of swimming pools in Misibis Bay where you can take a dip. Each Garden View room also has a small swimming pool so that you can enjoy the water privately.
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| Adults' swimming pool |
You may also swim leisurely in the infinity pool that overlooks the magnificent beach or you may opt for a more intensive spin in the lagoon pool. As for young ones, there is a 2-feet kiddie pool for their enjoyment.
2. Lounge at the beach
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| Beach umbrella and benches |
Misibis Bay's beach is a short stretch of shoreline. What's good about it is the fine, white sand; the clear and calm waters, and the absence of a huge crowd.
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| Driftwood on the beach |
You can perfectly spend the morning or afternoon just sitting relaxed in a beach chair and with a book, perhaps. The view is serene and calming so you do not need anything else to distract you.
3. Have fun indoors at Sitio Activity Center
Use of amenities at the activity center is free, so you can take advantage of it if you do not want to stay outdoors. Available are fun indoor activities at Sitio like billiards, football and table tennis. Guests may also use the fitness center, movie lounge and karaoke room located at the second floor.
4. Bond with your children at the Kids Room
Take advantage of the opportunity to bond with your kids in the children's playroom. The kids room has cute teepees to keep you and the little ones occupied indoors.
5. Visit the Cagraray Amphitheater
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| The amphitheater |
Located inside the Cagraray Eco Energy Park, the amphitheater with its multi-level open-air seats overlook the Albay Gulf. As it is, it can be the perfect venue for an outdoor concert.
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| Stone pillars |
However, some couples reserve it for a romantic dinner under the moonlight or even as a proposal venue.
6. Visit the Stela Maris Chapel
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| Façade of Stela Maris Chapel |
Stela Maris Chapel is a well-known wedding venue in Bicol. Perched atop a hill, Stela Maris Chapel provides a spectacular view of Albay Gulf and Mayon Volcano, a dramatic and memorable backdrop for a special event such as a wedding.
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| Inside Stela Maris Chapel |
7. Try the zipline
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| Trying the zipline |
This was my very first time to try a zipline, so I was a little nervous especially because I am afraid of heights.
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| Zipline ride |
It was having to climb up several levels of scaffolding that got me a bit shaking. However, the descent down the zipline was perfectly fine and was quite enjoyable.
8. Book a tour or outdoor activity
Misibis Bay offers a number of outdoor activities and tour packages. The tour packages include the Bicol Adventure (a visit to Vera Falls, water rafting, and ATV lava tour) and the Bicol Underground (visit to Hayop Hayopan Cave, Solong Cave, and the Naglaus Cave/Sigpit Underground River.
The land activities include an ATV tour, as well as arts and crafts tutorial sessions, to name a few. Meanwhile, the water activities available are kayaking, paddle surfing, sunset cruise, wind surfing, introductory dive, scuba diving, jet skiing, hobie cat sailing, and banana boat ride.
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| Exploring the garden |
Dining in Misibis Bay: Taste Bicol’s Finest
There are several restaurants in Misibis Bay to choose from. Let's be honest though, food in Misibis Bay is pricey, in general, but there are also pocket-friendly options in the menu. However, if you are staying on a limited time like us, don't let the cost stop you from enjoying good food. After all, you are not staying here for a week.
Anyway, here are the restaurants and the dishes that we tried at Misibis Bay:
1. Spice Market
Spice Market is the biggest restaurant inside the resort. As the flagship restaurant, its dishes provide a glimpse of Bicol’s unique culture which centers on the province’s love for chillis and coconut milk.
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| Adobo sa asin |
On our first day at Misibis Bay, we went to Spice Market for lunch and sampled Bicol's finest delicacies, the laing and tilmok, and tried their lechon kawali and adobo sa asin house specialties.
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| Tilmok |
What I like most about the laing was the rich, deep coconut milk flavor with just the right level of spiciness.
Meanwhile, the tilmok was an instant favorite. It was made of mixed crab and grated coconut meats, wrapped in taro leaves and steamed. The delicious tasted of the crab meat blended well with the coconut. Lechon kawali was at its usual sinful form (and taste).
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| Outside seating |
Another dish unique to the region is the is the adobo sa asin. For this dry adobo, salt is used instead of soy sauce. All the ingredients – pork, salt, vinegar, bay leaves, peppercorn and salt—are boiled in a pot until dry. Our adobo sa asin came with generous shavings of wood ear mushrooms (locally called tengang daga). Definitely yummy!
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| Laing Pizza |
As for dinner, we ordered pesto, marinara and laing pizza. The pasta was standard but the laing pizza was unforgettable. It is basically your laing dish in pizza form but flavors are a lot milder.
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| Pesto |
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| Seafood marinara |
And finally, we had breakfast buffet the next morning. Spice Market's breakfast offerings were not as expansive as those in hotels but at least they had bacon.
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| Bacon and tapa |
What's good about the bacon station was that we did not have to contend with a lot of diners for those crispy, heavenly strips. There was also salad, bread and omelet stations. Some of the Pinoy breakfast favorites available were longganisa and beef tapa.
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| Fish fillet and meatballs |
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| Tomato and eggplant omelet (tortang talong) |
Food was definitely expensive but the taste and the servings more than made up for it. By the way, the restaurant serves unlimited bread and butter while the guests wait for their orders to arrive.
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| Bread station |
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| Cheese station |
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| Cold cuts station |
Spice Market's schedule is as follows: Breakfast 6:00AM - 10:00AM Lunch 11:30AM -2:30PM Dinner 6:00PM - 10:00PM
2. Cocoon Cafe
Coffee and tea shop by the lagoon pool. This is located at the end of the pool; a cozy place for enjoying a good book or surfing the internet. Aside from beverages, it also offers light snacks. Opening hours will depend on the weather condition.
3. Sula Bar and Pool Bar
For those wanting some cocktails and alcoholic drinks, you may order from Sula Bar and Pool Bar. It is open from 6:00AM – 11:00PM.
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| Fulfilling our dream luxury getaway |
Epilogue
All in all, Misibis Bay is an unforgettable destination. We would want to return here, of course, and hopefully for a full weekend. The resort is beautiful, it's family-friendly, and service is world-class. We brought with us many wonderful memories when we left Misibis Bay.
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