In harmony with nature...

In the laid-back town of Medina, Misamis Oriental, Philippines is a tranquil, pleasant place called Duka Bay Resort. Occupying a sandy shore and part of a hill, Duka is soothingly shaded by a cluster of large ancestral trees. Nine villas, one condotel and four dormitory-type rooms provide a breathtaking view of the bay and the island of Camiguin. All are spacious, elegant, and fully furnished.

A freshwater stream winds its way from behind the open-air restaurant, where one can savor an abundant variety of local and foreign cuisine. Using hook and line, visitors can experience the thrill of getting fish right from the stream. And for sports buffs, there are kayaks, bancas, water bikes, and gears for scuba diving.

Only a few meters from the shore is possibly the liveliest teeming coral community in Mindanao. Populated by colorful, tropical fish, and punctuated occasionally by a streak of turtles, the reef can be observed from Duka's glass bottom boats, which have become popular vehicles of marine education and entertainment. The site, which is a protected marine sanctuary, also has underwater spring and caves -- a must-see for amateur and professional divers alike.

Along the western side of the bay, partially submerged, is a gathering of large rocks. Ejected years ago from the fiery crater of Mt. Hibok Hibok in Camiguin Island, the boulders now sit in quiet meditation with the waves, so much like visitors of Duka Bay Resort, who have found in the place a wellspring that refreshes the body and the spirit.

Read Stanley Richard's "Unspoiled and Serene".