Sailing, Snorkel & Seafood in Lapu-Lapu, Philippines! Unif rainbow kimono.
I chalked up a lot of amazing travel memories this year, from the lost city of Petra to petting owls in Japan. However, one of my absolute favorite days of 2014 was the one I’m sharing with you now.
My team and I were in the Philippines to film a video about Pacific Cebu Resort (did you see my post about this gorgeous place?) We met the mayor of Lapu-Lapu — one of the biggest cities in Cebu — and she arranged for her tourism board to take us on an island-hopping beach excursion.
I’m all smiles before we sail away for the day. I wore Ksubi Bellatrix sunglasses from West LA Boutique. Love the anime-Goth round shape of the glasses.
There’s no better backdrop for this Unif rainbow tie-dye robe, also from West LA Boutique (check out their fabulous online store, which carries brands like these). It’s the perfect swimwear cover-up, with a fringe that moves in the wind. Unif also makes a rainbow tie-dye skirt and colorful sneakers.
We met our Lapu-Lapu guide, and hopped onto a boat. I walked the front plank like a pirate, and let the wind blast through my robe and hair.
(The above 5 photos are by K of Bright Production in Hong Kong. The rest of the images are by Melissa Rundle and Eric Bergemann.)
A Titanic moment, at the bow of the boat. How I love my Technicolor dream coat.
About 30 minutes later, we docked at Caohagan Island. I couldn’t believe my eyes: white sand, pristine waters, and almost no-one else there.
Travelers tend to overlook Cebu as a beach destination, which is a mistake. It’s not expensive to stay in the Philippines, and you get a far more authentic experience than if you went to a place like Phuket, which is over-run with tourists.
There aren’t any Starbucks on this island. You pick your seafood fresh from the local vendors, and they’ll cook it up for you.
What on Earth is this striped sea-creature?
It’s a mantis shrimp, a lobster-like Southeast Asian crustacean. They move in a creepy-crawly way, as you can see in my Instagram video.
I find it thrilling when I come across local food that I can’t recognize. Not sure exactly what type of conch and clams these are, but I’m willing to try.
Our Lapu-Lapu tourism rep took charge and ordered a selection of seafood for us to share.
While we waited for our meal to be cooked fresh, we browsed other stalls that sold handmade jewelry. The Philippines is an easy destination to visit because many locals speak English, and accept American dollars as currency.
Black Mustache meets Rainbow Brite. Filmmaker Melissa and I waded into the calm and warm shore.
The waters are so shallow in Lapu-Lapu that you can walk between some of the islands during low tide! Here’s a shot of my skeleton-print swimsuit, similar to this ribcage one in black and white.
In the reflection of Melissa’s heart-shaped sunglasses (get them here), you can see the palm trees and beaches of Caohagan.
Apparently, these Japanese men are in on the secret! Cebu is not far from Japan and Hong Kong, but still, not many people think of it when they plan a vacation.
Time to chow down on seafood, lightly seasoned with Asian flavors. Crab, squid, fish, abalone, mantis shrimp, conch… I’ll let the photo above speak for itself.
After, to wash off, all you need to do is jump back into the ocean. Ah, the island life!
Only a few hundred people live on this tropical isle, mostly working as fishermen and craftspeople. I enjoyed seeing how the residents of Caohagan lived.
It didn’t take long to walk across the barangay (or village). We ran into a lively parade of Filipino schoolchildren!
They all waved and smiled at us. So sweet, these school uniforms.
Aren’t you tempted to climb this treehouse, camouflaged by leaves?
These children insisted on posing for photos. I must have taken a dozen snaps of them.
Sad that we had to leave Caohagan, but there were more islands to explore. Since the waters were so shallow, we had to ride this little “jukung” in order to board the larger “banca,” or pump boat.
By now, I’m sure you see why this Lapu Lapu adventure was one of my favorites this year.
Cebu’s weather is humid, and I was glad to cool off during the boat ride.
We arrived at Nalusuan Island, a resort and marine sanctuary. Located in the Olango Reef, these waters are rich with sea life.
Case in point: this is what the sea floor looked like, from the pier. How many starfish can you count?
Sipping a fresh coconut in the Philippines, under waving palm trees. If this doesn’t convince you to come here, I don’t know what will.
Cebu has it all. Marine diversity, snorkel and scuba, white beaches, clear waters, an intriguing culture, flavorful local food… and at much lower prices than Bali or Bangkok.
As I mentioned before, I have some eye and skin sensitivities that make activities like snorkeling impossible. Melissa and I stayed on shore and threw fish food at Eric, and he filmed them splashing around.
He used a Go Pro underwater camera to capture the experience of snorkeling. We’re excited to show you the fish in action, when we release our travel video.
Huge smiles for Lapu-Lapu — what a perfect day! None of this would have been possible without the sáv Hospitality team, which brought us to Pacific Cebu Resort.
How do you like my rainbow Gothic beachwear? Were you as surprised by Cebu as I was?
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Le Meridien Taipei: modern art boutique hotel. Custom cat portrait paintings!
While in Taipei, I stayed at Le Meridien — a hotel that could easily be mistaken for a modern art museum. The focus is on Asian art with a sense of humor. Walking around, I encountered apologetic cavemen statues and grumpy fish.
Speaking of fun art… If you want a custom portrait of your pet (like the one of Basil Farrow above) then make sure you read to the end of this post. Lots of cute cat photos await you!
Let’s start with a tour of Le Meridien. When you step into the lobby, you’ll see an immense statue of a giraffe with his head bowed. Made from stainless steel by Chinese artist Li Hui, the animal represents the hotel’s dedication to guests.
Le Meridien belongs to the Starwood group, and opened not long ago (November 2010). Despite being an international name, the hotel has a boutique feel.
The large suites are popular for special occasions, especially New Year’s Eve. Can’t beat this window view of Taipei 101.
The building is located in Taiwan’s downtown business district, Xinyi. The proximity makes it ideal for both work and play (since the best bars are also located here).
At Le Meridien Taipei, art an essential part of the guest experience. The 160 rooms contain different works, putting art within reach of every traveler. This living room had X-ray photo of luggage above the sofa, by Nick Veassey.
I was charmed by these seemingly child-like drawings by Ye Yongqing. Primitive, simple, yet profound.
Anyone can come into the property and stroll through the public spaces. Contemporary art is everywhere, and you can take photos of (or with) it.
I got into a fight with this caveman, who tried to apologize.. but I wasn’t having any of it! (It’s by Cao Hui, one of my favorite Chinese contemporary artists. His remarkable works mix humor and morbidness.)
Another favorite: these “The Little Prince” quotes by the elevators. The twisted wire is abstract, but it creates shadows that form words from the famous novel. (The hotel features international artists too; this is by Fred Eerdekens of Belgium.)
My blue hair matches the hue of Taipei 101, which used to be the tallest structure in the world. I’m wearing a white sheer caftan by Show Me Your Mumu, and a rainbow tie-dye top with a Gothic harness collar, by Gladnews Japan.
Le Meridien Taipei is not just about design — it’s also a 5 star stay. Wouldn’t you like to soak in this freestanding bathtub?
Or in the swimming pool? I was tempted to jump in, outfit and all.
I can’t help but smile when I see “Dream Fish” by Hiroshi Ohashi, a Japanese Buddhist carver inspired by fairy tales. Look close: those are dolls riding on his scales!
Le Meridien’s luxurious seafood buffet is one of the most popular in Taipei, with a current waiting list of three months! The price for a buffet meal is about $30 US, but that includes sushi and eclairs.
The PR team treated my photographers and me to lunch at My Humble House, the Cantonese restaurant found in the hotel.
They’re known as one of the best dim sum spots in the city. I could have eaten these truffle-and-veggie steamed dumplings all day.
The dishes are hearty favorites — spicy tofu, barbequed duck — with an upscale twist, like these flecks of gold.
We also ate at Quube, a chic restaurant with tasty cocktails. The food ranges from Asian specials, like chicken fried rice…
… to Italian pasta with lobster, and tomato and bocconcini salad.
Quube’s dishes are perfect for sharing: there’s something for everyone. Images taken by Ken Yuen and noircorner.
I leave you with these Meng Jin paintings. They reflect on how everything changes while you’re travelling, but the sky is the same — no matter where you are. Thank you to Le Meridien Taipei for this inspiring experience.
You can see more on Le Meridien Taiwan’s Facebook page. Also check out my post about their sister property, Humble House.
Speaking of animal art… a huge package from artist Bitsy Knox arrived for us. Basil Farrow couldn’t wait to look inside.
So he used his big, plush feet to try to open up the cardboard! He was right — the present was for him.
We uncovered… a custom painting of my Scottish Fold cat! Basil gives it a sideways-paw of approval.
Isn’t the resemblance uncanny? Basil’s round face, plush fur and short tail are perfectly rendered. Huge thanks to Bitsy Knox, a Canadian artist living and working in Berlin, for this adorable painting.
Would you like a custom painting of your cat or dog? Just contact Bitsy Knox through her website, and send her a few photos. She’ll create a custom work that perfectly captures your pet’s look and personality. It would be the perfect Christmas gift, especially for animal lovers.
Check out more photos of Basil and his portrait on his cat blog. There’s also a new video of my Scottish Fold running obstacle courses. Yes, you can make cats exercise!
Do you buy your pets presents? Did you enjoy the cheeky works of art in this post?
LA CARMINA
