TRAVEL SCENE

Most outstanding beach resort award

Imagine yourself away from the rat race of the city. You are in a tranquil place surrounded by the azure sky and pristine waters, sipping buko juice under the shade of a tree, and simply enjoying the sight. As kids’ laughter drifts in the air, the fresh wind blows through your hair giving you the feeling of utmost serenity. Ah, what a life!

If you are searching for a place to commune with nature or simply let yourself loose, then you need not look and travel far. The Philippines hosts numerous splendid beaches that draw local and foreign tourists alike all year round. It thus comes as no surprise that the country is known across the globe as the home of the best beaches.

Whenever foreigners or balikbayans visit the country, a troop to the beach will surely be a part of the itinerary. Their visit is never complete without exploring the beautiful beaches the Philippines is known for.

Our beaches not only add beauty to the country but boost the local tourism industry as well. Among the many beach resorts located all over the country, one stands out – 357 Boracay Beach Resort.

The 357 Boracay Beach Resort is located in the province of Aklan in the Visayan Region. A world-class resort, it boasts of modern-day amenities which include fully-air conditioned rooms equipped with cable TV, bathrooms with hot and cold running water, and 24-hour electricity.

Yet despite these modern facilities, it conveniently blends with the traditional way of living. Visitors get total relaxation from the beauty of nature – the silent swaying of the trees, the hum of the birds and the inviting view of the beach.

Recently, the 357 Boracay Beach Resort was awarded as the Most Outstanding Beach Resort in the event dubbed as “Who’s Who in the Philippines.” This event is acknowledged as “the country’s biggest tribute event” and has been giving due recognition not only to outstanding Filipino achievers but also to outstanding consumer products, services and manufacturers in the past 16 years.

The Outstanding Beach Resort Award was judged via an open public nomination followed by random consumer survey and research. An opinion poll was also conducted to determine the awardees.

The award was presented to 357 Boracay Beach Resort by Speaker of the House Jose de Venecia, who also delivered the keynote speech.

In recognition of his noteworthy projects, Speaker de Venecia was also given the Dangal ng Bayan Award for Public Service at the “Who’s Who in the Philippines” awards night.

Asiana Airlines tops safety records

Asiana Airlines (OZ), one of Asia’s youngest international fleets, has announced that it has completed over 500,000 flights without a single accident. The Korean carrier has marked five-and-a-half years of operations with among the highest marks for flight safety and management. The outstanding safety record is reflected in Asiana’s low hull insurance rating of only 0.076, more favorable than most international carriers and far better than the average rating at 0.112 of the world’s top 50 passenger carriers.

You Jung Park, Asiana Airlines regional manager, reiterated the airline’s commitment to passenger safety and security amidst growing concerns for the industry worldwide. Asiana flies to 45 destinations in 12 countries.

It flies to and from Manila nine days a week, including three extra flights, two of which depart just before midnight. This is in response to the strong demand for Koreans wishing to visit the country.

Asiana, with its 11 points in China also recently became the largest operator of services between Korea and China, having more frequencies and destinations than any other airline, proof of its steady growth in the industry.

Asiana received the 2001 Passenger Service Award by Air Transport World Magazine for the airline company’s service innovations and responsiveness to customer needs in the air and on the ground.

It also won the 2000 Airline Management Award from Airbus. Boeing has also cited the airline with a Company Award of Excellence for best safety and on-time reliability at 99.81 percent, the highest among its clients.

All-night party in Singapore

Following the success of Singapore’s first dance music festival last year, ZoukOut returns to Sentosa to sate the seething anticipation of clubbers around Singapore and the region with an even more spectacular event this November.

Zouk is one of the hottest discos in Singapore. Shining with an even more brilliant line up than its predecessor, this year’s event will feature a variety of styles of dance music from techno to house to retro tunes on Sentosa’s idyllic beaches, where about 15,000 people will come to dance from dusk till dawn.

Alongside the music tents, there will be a chill-out area, make up and body-painting center, and even a “playground” for the listless. Stringing it all together, the evening spells tantalizing entertainment with a delicious “carnival-esque” flavor. Thousands of clubbers are expected to converge for 13 hours of non-stop pummeling dance beats, a myriad of dazzling performances and an electrifying atmosphere. It’s the region’s definitive dance music festival not to be missed.

For more information, log on to www.zoukclub.com.

Travel packages for October

MSA-Educational Tours and Travel (MSA-ETT), a new travel agency established by MSA, one of the country’s premier tutorial and review center, unveils its promos for October.

Offered are two exciting holiday packages. Take a seven-day, six-night rendezvous to Bangkok, Hong Kong, Singapore, offered at $548 per person. This includes roundtrip airfare via Cathay Pacific, airport transfers, hotel accommodation with daily breakfast, and half-day tours of each city.

Meanwhile, for only $799, get a chance to visit two cities of Australia. Choose from Sydney, Gold Coast, Melbourne, and Brisbane. This package is an eight-day, seven-night tour that includes rountrip economy airfare via Qantas Airways, three nights hotel accommodation in each city, daily breakfast and roundtrip coach transfer.

MSA-ETT also offers educational tours here and overseas, company outings, family vacation packages, and local and international trips. Added services include arrangement of hotel or resort bookings, ticketing, passport processing, visa assistance and travel insurance. For inquiries, bookings and reservations, visit 315 Katipunan Ave., Loyola Heights, Q.C. or call 434-3693 or 925-7216.