Kahuna is a Hawaiian word defined in Pukui & Elbert (1986) as “a priest, sorcerer, magician, wizard, minister, an expert in any profession.”

More subtly, it is “an important person, the person in charge,” or “a very large wave.”

The Kahuna Beach Resort has, figuratively, something of both. It is magical and its and its guest-friendliness and customer service are as awesome as a surfer’s wave.

Where is Kahuna Beach Resort

The Kahuna Beach Resort and Spa is in is in San Juan, La Union, Philippines.

But before digging right into it, here are a few bits and pieces about La Union, Philippines

La Union is one of the four provinces comprising the Ilocos Region (the others are Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, and Pangasinan).

It is 269 kms northwest of Manila and can be reached in three ways, i.e. by air, sea, or land. The best option is by land – if you don’t mind the roughly four and a half hours ride. It is not a boring ride, though. There are numerous “convenience” stops along the way and, of course, the chance to see the Clark Airbase which is now an economic zone.

The main source of income of the province is farming and fishing. It grows plenty of rice, corn, garlic, cassava, and tobacco. Some areas are planted with grapes and if you care for a drink with a wallop, you can try the basi, a native wine fermented from sugar cane.

What makes Kahuna Beach Resort Unique

At first glance, there’s nothing unique or exceptional with the Kahuna, until you get past the reception area and come face to face with an unobstructed view of a wide expanse of sea.

Except for those beach resorts in SirIt is facing the West Philippines Sea and its long coastline of brownish to gray, fine sand has earned it the title of the Surfing Capital of the North because of the series of huge waves battering its shores – which brings us back to Kahuna where surfing is one of its fun activities.

How I got there is by default.

Maybe it was during our dinner at St. Joseph’s Resthouse in Sagada when someone suggested that, instead of heading straight back to Manila the following day, the group shall take a swing to La Union because some members of the Philippine FJ Cruisers Club, Inc. wanted to meet us there.

So I got swept away by the group.

But it was serendipitous, to say the least. In fact, it was love at first sight, not only because I have a sentimental attachment to the sea, but because it is difficult not to fall in love with Kahuna.

The lobby is well-appointed – neither too garish, nor bare. Its soft aura gives an immediate welcoming ambiance to travelers wearied after a long journey.

The girls behind the counter are very efficient, courteous, and smiling – evident among the entire operations staff of the resort.

Kahuna has about 40 rooms, cum cottages, ranging from Standard, a little over a thousand U.S. dollars, to Rest House which cost about half a grand.

My room was at the bottom but it a lot better than those of some resorts I’ve been to. It is just perfect for double occupancy. The toilet and bath are clean and stuffed with all the necessary toiletries. Bottled mineral water is in ample supply and the tiny porch provides space for contemplation or relaxation at the end of the day. But more than anything else, the wifi signal is strong even in my room.

We rolled in slightly after 12 with lunch in everyone’s mind. So we hit the dining area immediately. And it was something to behold. Not only was it huge to accommodate a hungry horde, but it also has a panoramic view of an entire ocean.

The menu is a mixture of Filipino, Western, and a little Japanese, expertly prepared by a Filipino chef who gives his creations a bit of the famous Ilocano taste. Then he presents these in a way to whip up your appetite even if you have just had a hearty brunch.

Space is a common problem among resorts of Kahuna’s type. The difference is that while others squeeze so many things into a small space, making them look like a fat woman in tight clothes, Kahuna maxed out its space.

The cottages are laid out like a small community of houses, enough parking space, sufficient amenities to cater to different guests, yet leaving enough room to wander about.

For example, there is a function room, a spa, a billiard table for those who want to shoot a few balls, a smoking area, and a modest swimming pool where I made four laps before breakfast.

But what sets it apart from most is it’s huge beachfront.

It is long and wide for an array of early morning activities like this surfer stretching out prior to hitting the waves.

For bonding (some members of the group),

posing for posterity,

Or anything you want to do while enjoying the gusty breeze and the thunder of the waves as they hit the shore.

And if you’ve got the nerves, try learning how to surf. There are plenty of instructors to choose from.

Later as I sat on the sand awed by the unceasing onrush of waves that broke just before my feet (and spilling student surfers time and time again) I felt some disbelief that I am experiencing all these in such a short time. It seemed an entire lifetime of pure happiness was given to me in a small bottle, not to be opened lest it diffuses into thin air never to be experienced again.

But there I was, and it was real. And in as much as I want it to last forever, it won’t. All I can do is hold on to their memories so that someday, when I am too frail to make it to my bathroom safely, it will be nice to think that long, long ago, a wonderful group of guys did not mind giving me a ride that took me to places I could never have made it on my own – even if I loved to.

To them, the Philippine FJ Cruisers Club Inc., I give my deepest gratitude.

~oOo~

The post My Wonderful Encounter with a Charming Kahuna first appeared on Age With Charm.

What makes you happy?

I mean really happy even the passage of time cannot diminish the forming of a smile of joyful contentment on your old and wrinkled face each time you think about it?

Call me corny or overly melodramatic, but mine was the superb weekend with my children where we immersed ourselves in sand, sea and sky within a bubble of pure, unadulterated togetherness.

What made it extra memorable is where we spent it in – in Hennan Resort in Panglao, Bohol, Philippines.

For the frequent traveler with guts and desire to try something exciting, exotic, enchanting, yet affordable, Panglao Island in the Philippines is not an unfamiliar place to have them all.

And if you want to put a touch of class to your adventure of discovery, Hennan Resort is the place to go. In fact, it has established quite a name the lobby was full of local, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, American and European guests when we checked in.

My daughter (who made the reservation) nailed the family room we stayed in perfectly. It was not too large, or too small, was well-furnished, and accommodated us all – I, my daughter and hubby, my son and wife, with enough space to move about without getting into each other’s way.

Our room provided a superb atmosphere to foster excellent bonding – something we never had as a family for a long time. And I relished every moment of it.

Hitting the Beach:

After settling in our room we immediately hit the beach

Hennan’s beach front is modest in length but its exceptionally white and powdery sand feels good to the soles of our tired feet, and its clear and clean waters are delightfully refreshing to both body and soul.

Like friends who have not seen each other for a long time, we swam, snorkeled, and shared funny stories and experiences. It was fun.

Every parent has a soft spot for his children and I am no different. My children are the centerpiece of my life and I overflowed with joy to see them connect with each other as flawlessly as a fiber optic cable.

Dining Together Makes the Food Taste Even Better:

The family that eats together stays together.

And when it comes to eating, Hennan leaves nothing to be desired. Its menu reflects the variety of its guests and they are all prepared to make you salivate and throw away your diet plan even just for a day.

More than just the food, was the chance to eat with my children. Since their Mom died, and since they got married, eating together has been as rare as a four-leaf clover. Like any live alone senior, I eat solo most of the time. And it sucks. It deadens your taste buds.

During that weekend, even if I had a poor man’s dish (which I didn’t), it would still have tasted like the food for kings.

Cloud 9 at Alona Beach:

Hennan Resort is along a stretch of white sandy beach called the Alona Beach.

It is not just a stretch of beach. It is where the nightlife of Panglao is centered. Panglao Island and Alona Beach are practically synonymous. You haven’t been to Panglao Island if you haven’t been to Alona.

Along its entire length are bars, coffee shops, hotels and motels, barbecue stands and just about anything anyone wants to see or do in the evening.

And it provided a perfect setting for me and my children to chill out after dinner.

Over coffee (for the women) and beer (for the men), we just hang loose, cozying up to each other with loose talk about nothing and everything.

For more than a couple of hours, I lived the moment – no body pains, no money issues, no loneliness stuff, and no thoughts of my age or tomorrow.

For a couple of hours I was in Cloud 9.

Counting My Blessings:

The Internet is rife with stories of elderly people left by family in nursing homes or retirement homes, forgotten and forsaken.

A couple of weeks ago, a Facebook post showed an old and decrepit man holding a placard appealing to his children in the U.S. – two doctors and two nurses – for help. At the bottom of the placard was written a message saying, “I need help. I spent my entire life working in the Middle East to spend for your education.”

It is uncertain if that was for real (it is so easy to make things like that nowadays). What is certain is that I am more blessed.

Yes, I live alone. I frequently suffer from feelings of loneliness, even depression. But I am never that far away for either or both and their spouses. I am always a part of their lives. Maybe not center stage because they have lives of their own, but never forgotten and forsaken.

We have our altercations every now and then. What parent/children don’t have There are days when I don’t want to talk to my daughter. But we don’t burn our bridges. Not the kind of father to harbor feelings of ill-will towards his children for long, I always put the effort to sooth things out. And that’s probably why my children have not written me off, too.

Children are always beautiful in the eyes of their parents, from the moment of birth, till they breathe their last.

I cannot say anything less of mine. They may sometimes be over felicitous to the point of being irritating, rebellious at times, but those are things expected of parenthood. I never allow these to become a solid wall separating us both.

Nor do I allow these to deprive me of another chance of spending a fantastic weekend with my beautiful children. In fact my daughter is again planning to make another reservation for another up-scale resort in the same island.

That’s how blessed I am.

Are you as blessed as I am as a parent I would appreciate to read of your experience as one.

~oOo~

The post A Superb Weekend of Sand, Sea and Sky with My Beautiful Children first appeared on Age With Charm.