A nurse in one of the biggest medical institutions locally, Raya’s sunny disposition and obvious passion for the beach captured the attention of Havaianas Philippines, which made her one of the seven winners of the "Flipping for the Beach" contest.

This is an initiative undertaken by Havaianas in partnership with the Department of Tourism to underscore the inherent coastal beauty of the country via an endeavor that invites locals to share the unique activities that one can participate in to immerse oneself in the diversity that Philippine coasts have to offer.

"In the Philippines, the choices for summer escapes are indeed rich. There is a lot to be explored in a country made up of 7,107 islands. In fact, the opportunity to discover something new is limitless. And this is exactly why Havaianas, being a brand the mirrors the easy vibe of the tropics, is giving Filipino beach aficionados the chance to indulge in summer bliss all year round," explains Ammiel de Leon, brand manager of Havaianas Philippines.

Raya’s entry was chosen because of her creative and vivid narrative of her one-of-a-kind experience at Misamis Occidental Aquamarine Park or MOAP. Recently, Havaianas flew Raya back to this coastal gemstone for her to relive the beach experience that carved a special place in her memory.

But the iconic fashion brand did not stop there; they also brought Raya to other attractions found in the region.

A welcome exile in the shrine city

Raya and the Havaianas entourage made their first stop at Rizal Shrine in Dapitan City where they embarked on a self-guided tour around the historical site. Future visitors of this place should look out for Casa Redonda, the hut where Josephine Bracken stayed; the Baluno Tree that was already bearing fruits when Rizal acquired the estate in 1892; the actual blackboard and table that Rizal used in teaching; a replica of Rizal’s bed; and the fabled Love Rock where Rizal and Josephine Bracken made their vows after the church refused to marry the couple.

However, the sight that caught Raya’s attention was the flock of Rizalistas – a religious organization that believes the national hero is a higher being – roaming around the shrine. Men dressed in apostolic clothing and women clad all in white from head to foot added a mystic air to the place.

The orchid city 

Dipolog is also home to Dakak Beach, which is known for its strikingly shaped bay and powdery white sand. Sulu Sea’s azure waters, breathtaking dive sites with vibrant coral reefs, and a wonderful sunset horizon make this tropical escape the leading natural attraction of Zamboanga del Norte.

Dolphins, tortoises, and more

At MOAP mainland, Raya and the Havaianas entourage toured the hatchery facilities of the place and explored its wildlife park featuring native Philippine animals. Afterwards, the team crossed approximately half a kilometer of wooden bridge. The trek was scenic with the area framed by mountains, mangroves, and the vast sea.

From the mainland, the team took a fifteen-minute ferry ride going to the main attraction of the park – Dolphin Island. For someone who doesn’t know how to swim, Raya gamely dove into the water to swim with the dolphins. "They are such gentle and amazing creatures. They look as if they are always smiling," she says.

Raya was again transported to another world as she snorkeled at MOAP’s Giant Clam Garden. Locally known as Taklobo, it is an initiative to restore the coral reefs and the clam sanctuary in the area damaged by rampant dynamite fishing in the past.

Aside from these, MOAP also holds other activities like scuba diving and open water snorkeling. For those who opt for confined waters, the place has a fresh water pool. It even provides sanctuary to an old tortoise (pawikan) estimated to be 90 years old.

Extreme adventure at the city of golden friendship

After a twenty-minute ferry ride from Misamis Occidental to Iligan and a four-hour road trip traversing the provinces of Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur, Raya reached Cagayan de Oro, her hometown and the final leg of her journey.

First on the itinerary was to face the challenge of Macahambus Adventure Park. Raya bravely crossed the Sky Bridge, a 123-meter-long bridge hanging at a height of 150 meters amid gigantic century-old trees with a panoramic view of the Macahambus Gorge below. And in order to finish the course, Raya had to Zip Line (slide-for-life) from one edge of the gorge to another – the experience of being suspended and sliding with nothing but air between her and the ground was nothing less than breathtaking.

Raya’s CDO adventure culminated with white water rafting – an attraction of growing popularity in the city. Together with the Havaianas team, Raya paddled through the raging rapids of Cagayan de Oro River and swam in its more calm parts. Successfully surpassing 14 major rapids without being thrown off the raft, Raya did the ceremonial dive from the Graduation Rock.

A beach lover's massage

"When I’m in the beach, it feels that I’m in a world of my own, far from my hectic schedule and from the noise and demands of living in the city. Going to the beach triggers all these happy emotions and I feel that I can let go and just have fun and be my carefree self," shares Raya.

And speaking like a true Philippine tourism ambassador, Raya urges other Filipinos to explore the beaches in the country. "When I browse through travel magazines and I see other beaches around the world, I can’t help but feel proud of our own. I commend Havaianas’ efforts to pay tribute to these destinations and make people appreciate them more."

Told through the voices of Filipinos like Raya who have chosen to explore what this country has to offer by taking the road less traveled, Havaianas hopes to provide a venue where local coastal tales can be shared.

Havaianas is available in All Flip-Flops, Celio, Gas, J&S Surfshop, Moana, Nail Spa, Rustan’s, ROX, Sepatu, Souk, The Zone, Orange Juice and Kidsports. For provincial outlets, visit www.havaianasphilippines.com.