A Beach Lover’s Five Essentials for

How often have you been asked the question: If you were stuck on an island and can only bring five things, what would those be? "Havaianas Flipping for the Beach" winner Mar Angelo Corazo found out the answers on his recent trip to Busuanga, Palawan.

ESSENTIAL #1: A pair of Havaianas

"All I really wanted was to get free slippers," says the candid Mar. The fifth year student of UA&P reveals that he joined "Flipping for the Beach" contest just for a shot at the limited edition Havaianas Seven Waves pair the brand was giving away to the first 70 qualified entries. "Because at the time they were announcing the contest, I just recently lost my pair of Havaianas, so I thought why not, who knows, I might get lucky." And lucky he got when the original winner decided during the last minute of trip preparations to decline her prizes due to personal obligations. Mar’s entry, which was in eighth place in a contest that needed 7 winners, was next in line to receive them.

ESSENTIAL #2: An insatiable wanderlust

While eating at Bistro Coron, famous for its one-of-a-kind pizza, Mar says that he still couldn’t believe he was actually in Palawan. "We’ve made so many attempts to go, but something always comes up that we [weren’t] be able to," says Mar "And just to satisfy our itch to travel, we’d go anywhere that we can."

The Cebu native says that he and his family have always made it a point to travel as a form of family bonding. "We don’t get to see each other that often since I am studying here in Manila while my sister is based in Cebu, and my mother and brother are migrating to the US soon. So going on trips and vacations has begun to take on a very special meaning for me." Mar shares that even if he has been to a lot of different places, he hasn’t stopped dreaming of Palawan.

ESSENTIAL #3: An adventurous spirit

Day One

Together with his sister Cecille, Mar’s first taste of Palawan was snorkeling at Siete Pecados Marine Sanctuary. Meaning "seven sins" in Spanish, legend has it that there were once seven sisters who instead of doing their chores went for a swim, and as punishment for their disobedience, a mysterious force turned each of them into an islet forever in the sea. After snorkeling, Mar couldn’t help but agree with the local myth. "I don’t know if the story is true, but one thing’s for sure: this place is really magical."

Next was a relaxing swim at Kayangan Lake, deemed the cleanest lake in the Philippines. It is maintained by the Tagbanua tribe which lives in the area. "You can forget everything here," says Mar as he lets the gentle waves of the lake drift him along.

But nearby Barracuda Lake has an entirely different vibe all together. Surrounded by limestone mountains, Mar and the team first had to make a difficult climb because of its slippery and jagged edges in order to get to the lake. The cave on the northern part of the lake is home to the fabled giant barracuda. "Adventure is lurking in every corner [of this place]," says an excited Mar.

And no Palawan tour will be complete without a dip at Twin Lagoon. Mar was the first one off the boat to try and cross the crevice -- which during high tide is submerged entirely under water, hidden from plain sight -- that leads inside. "It’s just like a secret entrance," says an excited Mar.

After swimming the whole day, Mar and the rest of the team were treated to Mother Nature’s version of a spa at Maquinit Hot Spring. A dip into its warm waters immediately gives a soothing and relaxing sensation perfect to cap off island hopping at Coron. "This is the best way to end the day," according to Mar.

Day Two

"I can’t remember the last time I saw a giraffe," says Mar, who was all set for his mini-safari adventure in Calauit Island. Declared as a game preserve and wildlife sanctuary in 1977, it is home to both endemic and African wildlife like giraffes, zebras, elands, Palawan bearcats, and the Calamian mouse deer.

Mar also got the chance to feed a giraffe named Athena, who the guide says is the most sociable of all the giraffes in the island. Mar says, "It was an unforgettable experience. I never thought I’d be that close to a giraffe, much less [be able to] feed it."

Feeling like the king of the jungle, Mar next braved feeding the Palawan bearcat. Its sharp claws and long tail makes it intimidating at first, but it’s really a playful animal that wants to sit on your shoulder like a loyal pet. "I was a little afraid at first because of the way it looks, but when I got the chance to feed it,

I realized they were really not that scary," Mar says.

ESSENTIAL #4: A take-it-all-in attitude

"This is more than I expected," shares Mar, over a sumptuous dinner of seafood, native Filipino dishes, and sweets at El Rio y Mar. "It’s a good kind of overwhelming." Waking up to the picturesque view of a vast ocean, perimetered by majestic mountains and an azure sky over your head, is so surreal he says that sometimes he has to pause for a while just to take it all in.

This is also the same feeling he got when he set foot in Club Paradise. "I still can’t believe that this is happening – that I am actually here. This is more than I expected," says Mar as he sat on the Havaianas flip-float on the beach.

ESSENTIAL #5: A Camera

Mar says he’s a self-confessed camera junkie who will take photos every opportunity he gets. "Just like the sign in Barracuda Lake says, ‘Take nothing but pictures’. We must do our own share in preserving something this beautiful," says Mar after snapping a shot of his sister with the Havaianas beach balls. "But to be honest, I took more than pictures [during my "Havaianas Flipping for the Beach" Palawan trip] – I took [away] wonderful memories, new friends, and an experience of a lifetime that will forever be stuck in my head."

"Flipping for the Beach" is a campaign undertaken by Havaianas in partnership with Studio 23’s News Central and supported by 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 do to immerse oneself in the diversity that the Philippine coast has to offer. "Flipping for the Beach: Palawan Leg" is the second of a 7-beach getaway feature/series.