I’ll start with the word to sum this whole experience up – BREATHTAKING!
We stayed at the most amazing place in Bohol – Anda.
Anda is like a biscuit that someone has taken loads of bites out of. Small beach-fronts, private beach fronts, white sandy beaches, coral, topaz sea, topaz sky.
Mary’s Mum had had a Mabini Government workshop at this “resort” for a week, literally living there full time for 5 days or so. East Coast White Sands Resort.
So we took her advice and booked in there for two nights. It certainly did NOT disappoint. Although on the way there a tad dubious, driving down dusty roads with nothing in view of any description to then – BOOM – the resort.
I upgraded to a family room to get two beds, two beds in a room that has a front facing view of this. Now that is a thing of beauty to wake up to in the morning isn’t it.
Just look at the kids enjoying the private beach front. Look at the color of that sea, my goodness!
The place we stayed at had something like 15 rooms only, small cabin-like places with one restaurant/reception, tennis court, infinity swimming pool and Jacuzzi – that’s it. Very basic, but absolutely delightful experience.
Here is a left and right view from the beach. SO now you can see why I use the word “breathtaking” to sum this experience up.
On the menu is fresh coconut juice. How fresh? How about, I’ll just climb the tree for you now Sir. F*ck me, now that is fresh!
Food was amazing. The chef certainly knows a thing or two and we dined there every night enjoying his fair, all was just too good from soups, to fried pork, to prawn cutlets that the kids adored and had two nights running – even asking for them at breakfast.
Well done Anda, you are a beautiful place and I certainly hope that one day we’ll be back to enjoy you again, and maybe even invest in you for my pipe-dream you may have read about before. You’d come stay here right? I mean check this place out, how could you not? Kennett’s pipe dream may one day be realized here. I mean it, look at this place. I’m out of breath typing this, and seeing the pictures again. I LOVE this place!
A mandatory requirement from my lovely Mary, is “Facebook, Facebook!” So here are Mary’s Facebook poses. Very nice babe!
We had Marvin, his girlfriend and the kids come to stay one day and it was such such fun. We spent the day at the beach and poolside followed up by a big family dinner.
A first for them and in fact only my second time was jet ski fun, so we rented for an hour or so and all jumped on and sped up and down the coast. Really cool.
I think Marvin enjoyed it most though, check the face. He’s a bike rider, so duck to water analogy applies of course. He even took to standing up he was going so fast, ha ha, nice one Marvin.
Even Ollie took to this like a duck to water, and disappeared off on his own a few times. Way to go Ollie!
We also had such good fortune to meet just the nicest, loveliest, most wonderful couple from Utah, USA – Jon and Josie. They are travellers who enjoy Asia and South East Asia in specific having been to Cambodia, Vietnam, Philippines, etc.
Such a small world too as Josie works for the World famous Sundance Film Festival, yes owned by Sundance himself Robert Redford. This was a crazy meeting because we were supposed to be attending a fiesta event back in Mabini that night and itinerary changed so we decided let’s just stay at the resort. So because of that we got a chatting to Jon and Jos, luckily, and when we exchanged job roles and Jos announced the Sundance linkage of course I was able to discuss Ollie’s film – sometimes this world really is such a small small place.
But that aside just what a lovely couple, kindred spirits to “getting off the beaten track” and enjoying a country, a city, a town for what it truly is. And if ever you, the reader, happen to be in Utah and want to go on a guided fly fishing tour through some of truly the most amazing God’s country, please let me know and I’ll link you in to Jon. He has a passion, oh yes, and a business specializing in that very thing.
I thank Jon and Jos in advance as they have offered help re Ollie’s film and positioning to Sundance. We wish you well, and hope to meet again!
So how to finish this one off? Sometimes words are truly just not enough. “A picture paints a thousand words”.
So here you go, this is my parting gift to you, and my memory of a truly amazing place – Anda, Bohol. You HAVE to go there one day!
