Exotic and Sustainable Travel in the Philippines

Are you dreaming of bliss on an island, or should I say many tiny Islands, far far away... of white sand beaches, grass-thatched roofs and rare birds singing in the trees above your hammock...of snorkeling, kayaking or even rock climbing? If so, the El Nido Resorts in the Philippines might be your destination.  They are located on Lagen Island and Miniloc Island within the protected area of El Nido. The 45 islands and islets and the surrounding sea present endless opportunities for adventure, nature appreciation, and even just simple pleasures. El Nido itself is a municipality located at the northwestern tip of the province of Palawan. The Municipality of El Nido is composed of 18 barangays (villages) covering a total land area of 50,000 hectares. Its population of 27,000 people, is a mix of native Palaweños, with a heavy presence of migrants from other parts of the Philippines.

Lagen Island Resort has a total of 50 rooms with a variety of accommodation styles: 18 Water Cottages built on stilts, 9 Beachfront Cottages with a perfect view of the entire cove, 20 Forest Rooms and 3 Forest Suites built on the fringes of a tropical forest. All rooms have floors made of antique woods and furnishings made of old wood reclaimed from old houses. 

The air-conditioned Clubhouse serves as the main dining area. On the lower level are the boutique, game area, library, clinic, and a conference room that can accommodate up to 70 persons, depending on configuration. The 12 x 25-meter swimming pool, designed with an even depth of 4 feet so as not to touch the roots of  trees that lie underneath, is located in front of the clubhouse. Nearby is a poolside bar.

The sound of waves gently lapping at the beach accompanied by the ambient reflection of lights on the pool creates a memorable dining experience under the stars.  It is the scenic landscape, crystal clear waters, and relative isolation that fascinate and attract travelers to this special place.  The rooms aren't too shabby either!

 Each cottage, room, and suite is air conditioned and has a private toilet and shower with bath amenities , a mini-bar, stereo system with CD player, and IDD telephone.

At the back of the resort is a trail that passes through a forest and ends in a private cove.  If you decide to venture far from your hammock on that white sand beach, you will find many unique features. You may discover Vigan Island, also known as Snake Island, because of its winding white “snake’s tail” of sand.  If you enjoy history, visit  Cudugnon Cave,  one of El Nido’s stunning geological formations.  Archaeologists believe it was used as a burial site during Neolithic times. This ancient cave was formed by a million years of weathering action that hollowed out large portions of  emergent limestone layers.

You may want to paddle your way to nature’s wonders, using the special sea kayaks, and regular kayaks available at the Marine Sports Center.  El Nido ("nido" in Spanish means "nest") is named after the edible nests of Swiftlets (Collocalia Fuciphaga) found in the crevices of its limestone cliffs.  These nests are the main ingredient for the gourmet nido soup.  Considered  a showcase of Palawan’s geology and diverse wildlife, El Nido's majestic limestone cliffs stand guard over clear waters, with hundreds of species of tropical fishes and corals, and three species of endangered sea turtles.  

The resort offers a wide range of activities, from soft adventure sports to more leisurely pursuits. The more adventurous can even do some rock jumping!

Facilities at the Miniloc Island Resort are equally attractive.  They include an open-air restaurant located at the clubhouse, a boutique, game area, beach bar, and a conference room that can accommodate up to 40 persons.  Snorkeling areas, dive sites, lagoons, secluded beaches and picnic sites are all within easy reach of both resorts. There are over 100 private beach locations readily accessible from both resorts.

Miniloc Island Resort features grass-thatched roofs on 50 rooms with a variety of accommodation styles: 5 Water Cottages, 2 Waterside Cottages, 5 Seaview Rooms and 10 Deluxe Seaview Rooms built on stilts, 13 Garden Cottages surrounded by tropical plants, 3 Cliff Cottages nestled high in the hillside, and 12 Beachside Rooms.

All of the 50 rooms are made of local and natural materials and are equipped with an air-conditioning unit, mini bar, hair dryer, private toilet, shower facilities, and private verandas that offer views of the cove and nearby islands.

At Miniloc’s very doorstep, off the long dock, guests can snorkel alongside 3-foot-long Jackfish and hundreds of Sergeant Majors, Damsel fish, Fusiliers, and other multi-colored tropical fishes.  You can be adventurous and explore them on your own, or be accompanied by a Marine Sports Guides.  A complete line of snorkeling equipment is available free on a  first come first serve basis.

The forests of El Nido are host to more than 100 species of birds, a large number of which are endemic to Palawan. If you take an invigorating walk amongst the giant trees and lush rainforest, you might see a monkey, Palawan Hornbill and other wondrous flora and fauna. If you end up at a beautiful cove on the west coast of the island, you may choose a 15-minute kayak paddle back to the resort. It's a great aerobic workout!

AND it's SUSTAINABLE...The El Nido Resorts  strive to operate with minimal impact on the environment. They believe in respecting our natural resources through responsible tourism. The resorts work closely with the community in the prevention of illegal fishing, promotion of coastal clean-ups, environmental education campaigns, monitoring of snorkeling and dive sites, and installation and maintenance of mooring buoys. Both properties have desalinating plants to reduce the sourcing of water from watersheds in mainland El Nido. Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) ensure that resort sewage is non-damaging to the environment, and recycled water from STP is used for flushing and irrigation. Residual waste is sun-dried and used to fertilize plants in the gardens.   The resorts also make significant annual donations to a Conservation Trust Fund for future environmental projects.

Sustainable Living In San Fransisco's Presidio District

The Belles Townhomes are San Francisco's first LEED Platinum-certified multi-family housing units. The seven unit multi-family building is designed and built by Kieran Timberlake and LivingHomes in a modern vernacular.  It's an adaptive reuse project which has turned a hospital into an apartment building in the city's historic Presidio district (and National Park!)

Its own sustainable community, the Presidio Landmark was built with the love of nature, culture, community, and urban conveniences in mind. It's within walking distance to both the Lobos Valley Overlook and the artsy boutiques and Asian markets of the Richmond District. Laurel Village cafes and shops are nearly as close as the serpentine cliffs of Baker Beach. A short bike ride brings you to the Golden Gate Bridge and the Marin Headlands—or a 20-minute bus ride lands you in the Financial District. 

Each home features an energy dashboard to monitor energy usage in hopes that residents will become more aware of their usage and lower their footprint. Rainwater is collected from the roof and stored in an underground aquifer to minimize stormwater runoff and drought- tolerant plants are used in the landscaping. Over 90% of the interior spaces receive natural daylighting.  With solar panels on the roof, energy monitoring and efficient appliances inside, rainwater collection and a lot more,  new tenants are sure to feel happy-go-lucky.

Each 3-bedroom unit is a 3-story design with low- or no-VOC carpets, paints or adhesives and uses a high concentration of recycled-content materials.  Each home has its own roof top solar system to provide some of the energy needs. The first and second floor feature the garage, storage and the three bedrooms and bathrooms; the third floor contains the main living spaces.

This is truly city living that aligns with your values, your interests and your desire to live life to the fullest.

If you haven't seen our current Platinum LEED Certified project on Butterfly Beach in Montecito, check it out here.

 

Eco Friendly Exotic Wood Tables

What could be more fabulous than a piece of art that is also a piece of nature that is also a piece of furniture that is also concerned with the environment?  Rotsen Furniture has created some amazing pieces from exotic, reclaimed and salvaged wood from Brazil.  I love the modern touch he adds with his aluminum, stainless steel and Plexiglas bases.  It really makes the wood stand alone and even appear to be floating in some creations.

Tamburil Slab Coffee Table 

Reclaimed Tamburiuva wood on a reflective aluminum base

Reclaimed Floating Wood Desk

Reclaimed Muracatiara wood with transparent Plexiglass base

Bolacha Star Coffee Table

Reclaimed Tamburiuva wood 

Alice Coffee Table

Salvaged Imbuia wood

Live Edge Floating Console

Salvaged Muracatiara Wood

Bolacha Side Table

Reclaimed Grapia wood

Sliced Wood Coffee Table

Reclaimed Imbuia Wood

Cilindro Coffee Table

Reclaimed Cinnamon wood

For more of the line or Custom Pieces visit Rotsen Furniture.

They are having a great sale on this line right now at Avant Gallery

Post Author  Tamara Wallop
for Globally Gorgeous

An Organic Martini? Yep. You Bet and with Aloha & Sustainable Vodka.

In favor of the "work hard, play hard" motto, we at Globally Gorgeous love to end the day with a good martini.  We were recently introduced to Ocean Vodka, hand-crafted and made in small batches on Maui with 100% Mahalo Deep Seawater, it's 100% USDA Certified Organic. Made by a  Maui family that has been raised for generations on surfing and ocean related activities, they  have been deeply influenced and affected by the ocean itself.. They have also recognized how fragile ocean eco-systems have become.  Having owned and operated successful businesses for several decades, they decided it was time to devote themselves to a project that was not only highly enjoyable, but could also provide a means to give back to protecting our ocean environment.  The water is drawn from 3,000 feet below the surface off the coast of the island of Hawaii to  insure the water is cold and safe from surface pollutants.  The family then uses a state-of-the-art facility to desalinate the water, while still retaining its precious minerals. 

Try this:

OCEAN POTION

2 ounces Ocean Vodka

1 teaspoon sugar

1 squeeze lime

1 chunk of watermelon

1/2 slice cucumber

*vigorously shaken

*served with a thin slice of cucumber

More great cocktail recipes on their site.

As we love to support companies with "green practices," this company  practices in a place with energy-efficient lighting, recycles all shipping materials, utilizes reusable steel containers to transport bulk spirits and deep sea water, and uses natural cleaning products and recycled post-consumer office supplies.

*A portion of all Ocean Vodka's profits go to organizations that help protect and revitalize our ocean's resources.

Art from Recycled Copper. Call it Eco Art or Just Call It Beautiful

Susan Venable for Maienza - Wilson (Detail)

Recycled….reused….green….eco-friendly….no matter what you call it, Susan Venable’s art fits the bill. For the past 25 years, she has worked in line with her environmental concerns, in a way that treads lightly but shines boldly.  Her steel and copper bas-reliefs have been placed in large public spaces as well as intimate alcoves.  Using steel and copper from re-cycled sources she creates works of art that bring light and interest to the human environment. Susan is one of our favorite artists and is based in Santa Barbara, CA.

Susan Venable"Zen Saga"

Non-objective and reductive in approach, she “weaves” recycled copper wire in the grids using an ancient Peruvian technique and creating something entirely unique.  They are an exploration of structure, surface, materials, and the relationship between them.  Copper is one of the earliest known substances used in art making. There is a wonderful paradox in the use of this ancient earthy material, expressed in a space age form: blending the idea of art and technology….past and future.

 “My inquiry is on a perceptual level, to elicit an abstract response from the viewer.  Not to recall a specific place or object, but to create a transcendent reality. To remind without being specific…..to be contemplative and serene.” 

Susan Venable "Fire Mirage"

Each piece consists of thousands of copper wires, which catch the natural as well as the artificial light to produce a shimmering effect.  The copper wires appearing as thousands of gestural lines, creating a meditative field. Some pieces include non-objective oil + wax paintings. ...To quote Orville Clarke: “Susan Venable’s art plays with our perceptions.  Constructed of copper wire tied to steel grids, looking soft and sensuous, her pieces are actually hard….the surfaces appear to move with the breeze, however they are static.  Their structures and colors give the illusion of natural fabric, yet they are all man-made.  The paradox emerges, for gestural implies quick rapid probing of the unconscious while her methods are slow and deliberate, more akin to Zen than action painting.”

 Susan Venable Moanalani Installation

Acutely aware of further impacting a degrading and exploitive environment, all of the metals are fabricated of recycled material, the bees-wax is a renewable resource, and the painted surfaces are on reclaimed wood.  To achieve an expressive and original art form, while being sensitive to the impact of manufactured art materials is a challenge she enthusiastically embraces. Here is a link to Susan's Site.