The wellness and spa industry is developing at a pace that rivals the mobile telecommunications industry of the mid 1990’s and there is no sign that the appeal of luxury, health, holism and urban escape is abating.

On an island off the northern coast of Cebu, a disenchanted traveler can find unspoiled beaches as beautiful as those of Boracay, Palawan, and Bohol, surrounding an old town steeped in history and rooted in faith. This is Bantayan Island, a haven for soul-searchers and sun-worshippers and, for a time, Cebu’s best-kept secret. Enhanced communication connectivity, an improved road network, and a small wellmaintained airstrip for charter flights have opened up the island to the rest of the Philippines. And with the Department of Tourism (DoT) identifying Cebu as one of its eight priority destinations, tourists cannot be far behind.

These days, improved roads to the north offer the most convenient alternative getaway from Metro Manila. Subic, Bataan, and Pampanga – over recent years, these destinations have slowly emerged as popular summer spots located north of Metro Manila. They have become well-known for providing wholesome family activities such as duty free shopping and swimming with the false killer whales in Subic, snorkeling and encounters with the ‘pawikan’ in the pristine beaches of Bataan, playing a round of golf in Clark, and merrymaking during fiestas in Pampanga coupled with indulgence in such culinary delights of the local culture as ‘halo-halo’ and ‘sisig’.