Review: Vivere Azure

Anilao’s rugged 32km coastline is punctuated with lush mountains and hilltops, most of which end in a steep drop. The shores are wild, shaped by boulders, rocks, and secluded coves covered in coral fragments and shells washed ashore by waves and strong tidal currents. But the real surprises go much deeper.

Anilao has long been recognised as the country’s major scuba diving destination for its rich marine habitats, which is not surprising given that the Philippines lies within the Coral Triangle, one of the planet’s important high-biodiversity coral reef zones. This 2.2 million square mile aquatic universe embracing six countries in South East Asia is home to roughly 76 percent of the planet’s shallow-water reef-building coral species.

Exploring Anilao’s coastlines and neighbouring islands was one of the highlights of my sojourn at Vivere Azure. My two-hour sailing on board a motorised outrigger traversed Tinglao Island’s tip before dropping anchor on a small beach. When we arrived at 9:45, a few visitors were already wading in the clear waters and perusing shallow reefs. This and other unknown beaches and coves dotted along the coast are unlike the immaculate sugar-fine sandy beaches found in developed resort islands such as Boracay or Palawan. Instead, it was refreshing to witness the wild randomness of big rocky outcrops, scattered tide pools, tan-coloured sand laced with seashells, and corals. I dared not think how long it would take before this fragile ecosystem, so far unsullied by human intervention, would remain as is, although the one thing it deserves is close management and protection through effective conservation efforts.

On the journey back, we stopped at Sombrero Island, aptly named for resembling the top of a hat with its rim submerged in water. One side has a tiny sandy cove for daytrippers, while the rougher side is more geared for snorkelling. Anilao is endowed with over 50 dive sites, most popular of which are Cathedral Rock, where two large rock outcrops frame a coral-bejewelled cross, and Arthur’s Rock for its astonishing display of multi-coloured soft and hard corals, sponges, anemones and reef fish. As an avid macro photography fan terrified of the deep, I envy divers who specialise in filming nudibranchs at close range. Apparently, more than 600 species of these tiny but adorable colourful slugs are found in Anilao’s warm waters, earning the area the title “nudibranch capital of the world”.