71
{
}
full of diving
gear, on another
spontaneous
escape from
the city. “Two
hours and we’re
underwater!”
my companion had
marveled as we set out, keen
to take our dives.
The weekend ended, however, with
none of us ever taking our gear out
of our bags. We’d ended up in Lilom,
under the shade of the eponymous
tree out front, talking all night. So it
has come full circle, I thought: Anilao
reminds me of what I knew when I
first started coming here — that it is as
magical above water as it is below.
Cebu Pacific flies to Manila from across
the network.
here and there — considerate
development that has been mindful
of the underwater environment.
Marine sanctuaries and reserves have
been put up, dive sites regulated and
dive guides better trained,
which has all helped
towards preserving
the underwater
environment for a
new generation of
diving enthusiasts.
Development
has gone well
above the surface
too — and, as a
sign of the times,
the newer resorts like
Bambu Villa and Lilom
are geared not just to divers, but to
weekend vacationers and their families.
The lack of a continuous sandy
shoreline means, for better or worse,
that it will never develop the kind of
party culture that Boracay or even
Puerto Galera have, ensuring that resort
life in Anilao will always be about quiet
retreat. And these resorts are built with
that in mind, offering comfort and quiet
to landlubbers.
My last trip to Anilao was again a
revelation. I’d driven there with a trunk
T A K E T H E P L U N G E
Aiyanar Beach & Dive Resort in Mabini
has 16 rooms and an impressive infinity
pool; (inset) nearby Lilom offers
charmingly personalized service —
including possibly the best massage
you will ever have
