I’ll never get tired of coming back to Cebu. It’s one of the few provinces in the Philippines that hold a special place in my heart. I’ve been to Cebu four times already as of this writing, and each visit offered a unique travel experience. Every trip had its own element of surprise.
Just this summer, my friends and I flew to Cebu from Manila to spend the remaining days of the beach season. We wanted to take it easy, so we settled in just one place—Cebu White Sands Resort and Spa at Maribago Beach in Mactan Island.
Facade of Cebu White Sands Resort & Spa as seen from across one of its swimming pools
Our twin room at the Mabuhay Building
Accommodation and Dining
Morning view of the pool from our room
Our twin room at the newly-renovated Mabuhay Building offered an astounding view of Mactan. The bedroom was clean and kempt; its interior just had the right balance of light sheets and dark furniture.
Room service was great. When I phoned the front desk about the defective bedside power outlet, they immediately sent a technician to fix it. The rest of the facilities were good but if they could install a bidet in the toilet, that would be great.
One of my favorite parts of Cebu White Sands was the Room 801 roof deck bar. There you can have a nice view of Maribago Beach and the rest of guiMactan Island.
The place gets livelier at night when the acoustic band starts to play their music while you relish in the bar’s modern aura. They also serve palatable dishes such as Braised Lamb Shank, Tapas Platter, King Henry Grilled Porkchop, and Grilled Tiger Prawns.
Stylish ratan chairs at Room 801 Bar
Aerial view of Maribago Beach from the roof deck of Cebu White Sands Resort & Spa
Pond full of colorful koi fish located outside Anahata Spa
Buffet lunch at Cebu White Sands Resort & Spa
Room 801 Bar during sundown
Here’s a selection of dinner items at Room 801 including Tiger Prawns and Tapas Platter
Island Hopping with Cebu White Sands
Our second day in Mactan was allotted for island hopping with Cebu White Sands Resort and Spa. The tour package covered three locations: the marine sanctuary at Guilotongan, festive lunch at a private islet called Islas Tres Rosas, and a snorkeling spot near Sta. Rosa Island.
The private boat of the resort is spacious it could accommodate a large group of tourists for island hopping. Refreshments such as soft drinks and beer were provided by the resort, and our seafood and meat dishes for lunch were grilled at the back of the boat. It was like a floating house for it even had its own mini toilet near its rear.
Swimming with the fishes at Guilotongan Marine Sanctuary
Enjoying the underwater view at the marine sanctuary
Islas Tres Rosas is a private islet owned by Cebu White Sands Resort and Spa
Our island hopping started off early in the morning, and by that time, dark clouds had already formed over the coast so I thought it would rain the entire day. Thankfully, it lasted for only about two hours, and the rain didn’t ruin the underwater beauty of the marine sanctuary at Guilotongan Island.
After a sumptuous lunch at Islas Tres Rosas we went to our final spot which was a snorkeling haven near Sta. Rosa Island. We stayed there for about an hour and enjoyed its clear blue waters and rich marine life. We returned to the resort at 2 PM.
Grilled meat, fresh seafood, and ripe fruits were among the fare we had for lunch at Islas Tres Rosas
Perhaps the best place to eat dried mangoes is right here at its province of origin: Cebu
Anahata Spa Experience
I absolutely enjoyed our island hopping activity, and because of that, my body got really tired in the afternoon. Upon return to the resort, we took one more dip in the swimming pool before coming back to our rooms to rest until dusk.
An hour nap wasn’t enough to relieve the headache and body pain I had that day. Add up the fact that we only had three hours of sleep the night before, so my mind was like floating in the air. Good thing I was scheduled that evening for a full-body massage at the hotel’s in-house spa called the Anahata Spa.
I loved the Signature Massage (PHP1,800 per person) of Anahata Spa. It was my first spa massage experience, so I would say it relaxed and re-energized my body and soul. Being ticklish, I expected I’d laugh the entire 1 1/2 hours massage session, but the hands of the masseuse were so gentle I almost snoozed. It was a fantastic experience, indeed.
Panoramic view of Maribago Beach and parts of Mactan from Cebu White Sands Resort and Spa
More Info About Cebu White Sands
Cebu White Sands is far from downtown Cebu, so if you want to hang out in Cebu City you’d shell out about PHP270 for a one-way taxi tariff.
But hey, if you want to have a peaceful and relaxing staycation, I think you won’t be needing to go to the city anymore. Cebu White Sands Resort can offer you almost everything you need.
For online reservations, book through Agoda or directly at their website.
The post Summer Sojourn at Cebu White Sands Resort and Spa appeared first on kurtzky.
