A Slice of Paradise
The unrivaled beauty of the island paradise of Palawan has been echoed countless of times, sending ripples around the world and leaving travel enthusiasts, even just the curious, in awe of the island’s magnificence. Now, Palawan has just received yet another recognition from Condé Nast Traveler as No. 2 in “The Best Islands of the World 2016” list, based on the magazine’s Reader’s Choice Awards survey.
The island, which is home to one of the new seven wonders of nature — the Puerto Princesa Underground River — boasts majestic landscapes, pristine beaches and the welcoming charm of its people. In one of its idyllic towns called Sabang sits a slice of paradise that is cradled by colossal karst mountains, lush forest and a mostly calm sea — the Sheridan Beach Resort & Spa.
A “green” resort
About a two-hour scenic drive from Puerto Princesa City, the resort is walking distance from Sabang Port, the jump- off point for the 15-minute boat ride going to the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999. And because it is situated in one of the most protected areas in the country, the resort, now on its fifth year of operations, continues to champion environmental sustainability. It also aligns its values to the requirements of the area, which is conservation of the environment.
The 96-room resort is powered by solar panels and wind turbines. It uses 80 to 85 percent renewable energy for its operations. According to resident manager Michael Villegas, the resort aims to be 100- percent green by next year. Every building in the resort has cistern tanks that collect rainwater, which is used to water the plants and flush the toilets. The resort also has its own sewerage system that is regularly checked by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
“There is also a huge effort among the people in the community to preserve the area. They are well-informed about the importance of taking care of the environment. They are protective of it. The awareness of the people here is already ingrained in them, the self- discipline is already there,” shares Villegas.
Aside from arranging tours to the Underground River, the resort also encourages guests to experience countless of activities available in the area. The resort’s massive 340-ft.long pool has a grand view of the mountains facing north, and a view of the sea in the south.
As this is a beachfront property, one may also walk along the fine-sand beach and explore the stretch of the coastline where one can also lounge and get some quiet time. For an adrenaline fix, there are the Sabang Zipline, a guided Monkey and Jungle Trails, and an ATV track. There is also a Mangrove Paddle Boat Tour, which is a community-based project run by the locals.
Going organic
A feature that the resort is proud of is its Sheridan Organic Farm, which is about seven kilometers away from the resort. As a nod to the continuous efforts of the community to preserve the environment, this organic farm was born.
Located on an 88-hectare land owned by Sheridan, this farm supplies the resort’s fruits, vegetables, herbs, some free-range chickens and its signature Sheridan Black Rice. As sometimes the land yields more than enough produce for the resort, the farm sells some of its fruits, vegetables and black rice at its store near the Sabang Port at cost price for the community.
The farm is open for guests who would like to experience farming or just be closer to nature. There are also treeplanting activities in the farm, which was enjoyed by the 40 candidates of the recently concluded Miss Asia Pacific International 2016 held at the Sheridan Beach Resort & Spa.
There are villas and dormitory- type accommodations for overnight guests here in the farm. There is also camping area for those who are ready to commune with nature. According to farm manager Noy Angeles, the camping area, which is popular for backpackers and Agriculture students, is conducive for company team buildings. A farm tour, which includes a lunch with a farm- to- table menu or boodle- fight style, is also available for resort guests.
Powered by solar panels and two wind turbines, this farm is on its first two phases. Villegas shares that there are plans to expand the farm to have more livestock like organic pigs, and also a flower farm.
A steward to the community
With all the efforts to preserve the beauty of the environment and promote tourism, Sheridan Beach Resort & Spa gives back to the community in Sabang. “The company is geared towards helping out the community especially hiring the qualified employees we can absorb within the area. Fifty to 55 percent of our staff members come from Sabang,” Villegas notes.
The resort also adopts a group of children from the Sabang Elementary School and trains them to be part of the Sabang Children’s Choir, whose members were recently at the resort to perform at the Christmas tree-lighting ceremony.
“We invite them to serenade our guests during Christmas season. With their experience here in the resort, they are very happy. Also, for the past three years, we have had a Christmas fund drive called Star of Hope to raise money to help out organizations near the resort like the group of jungle guides in the area. Those are just some of our ways of giving back to the community and we incorporate it as our corporate social responsibility,” shares Joey Osmeña, the resort’s corporate marketing manager.
In the quiescence and stillness of nature that cradles the Sheridan Beach Resort & Spa, there is a strong message that the resort is sending out to the world: advocate sustainability, preserve the environment and embrace the community.