Soon, discover Palawan’s beauty at Mövenpick Resort & Spa Huma Island
DUBAI — Movenpick Hotels & Resorts announced that it is to manage Huma Island resort — a private island in the heart of Palawan.
The island is world-famous among divers for its exceptional corals and abundant marine life as well as 12 of the most iconic shipwrecks of the mid-20th century.
Huma Island itself is also steeped in mystical magic from the tip of its rain forest-covered mountains to the bottom of its primeval caves.
The endless pristine sand that rings the island was once home to “Ibrahim the Sailor” who was swept ashore in 1352 when his galleon Huma was shipwrecked while on its way from India to China. Ibrahim may be long gone but his legend and his ship’s name live on.
Respectful of such a unique and mystical setting, the new Mövenpick Resort & Spa Huma Island is the only resort on the island and will feature 80 over-water bungalows when it opens in the final quarter of 2012.
“Huma Island genuinely deserves its description as a dream destination,” said Andreas Mattmüller, chief operating officer of Mövenpick Hotels and Resorts for the Middle East and Asia.
“This is our second resort in the Philippines after our property in Cebu and it is a magical place that I am sure will cast an unforgettable spell over anyone who visits,” Mattmüller added.
The island can be reached from the mainland via seaplane and luxury speedboat. Upon arrival at Mövenpick Resort & Spa Huma Island, guests can enjoy every indul- gence. All over-water bungalows boast a contemporary tropical design and feature a private Jacuzzi.
There will be a choice of six restaurants offering Lebanese, Italian, Asian and seafood cuisine as well as an entertainment room, library, fitness center and a six-treatment-room spa with glass floors so relaxing guests can enjoy the marine life below.
For those who want to explore the extraordinary geography that makes up Pala- wan, island-hopping trips will be available in traditional Philippine bancas as well as a dive center for guests keen on discovering the magic of the area’s marine life.
“We are looking forward to welcoming discerning guests to Mövenpick Resort & Spa Huma Island,” said Dr. Hamad Al Tuwaijri, president of the resort’s owning company, United International Hotels Group, Philippines.
“But in addition to our leisure customers I cannot imag- ine a better place to conduct an important business meeting or as a location for a perfect wedding or honeymoon,” Tuwaijri added.
Palawan’s natural beauty infuses a total of 1,768 islands and is internationally celebrated. Nestling between the China and Sulu Seas, the islands were declared a fish and wildlife sanctuary in 1967 and today feature more than 11,000 square kilometers of pristine coral reef and countless colorful marine species from the gentle dugong to endangered sea turtles.
Palawan also covers a staggering 1.5 million hectares of bright white beaches, rare rainforests, mountain ranges and underground rivers, all offering endless varieties of flora and fauna, more than 600 species of butterflies, and 200 different types of birds.
“The natural splendor of this astonishing part of the world, combined with the magic of Huma Island, is absolutely unforgettable,” said Mattmüller. “Truly, it is paradise found.”
The Huma Island resort is one of 15 new hotels set to be opened by Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts across Asia by 2015.
The region has been a major focus for expansion by the upscale Swiss hospitality company, and already Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts operates two hotels in Thailand, two in Vietnam, and one each in India, the Philippines and Singapore.