In Northern Cebu, there’s a private, white-sand beach sitting in a large cove. Surrounded by cliffs, this spot, at times would protect you from the wind. It was, however, affected by Typhoon Odette, which washed small rocks onto the beach. Since the typhoon, it has been under maintenance but is set to open to the public soon.

As we arrived in El Mar, there was a lot to take in. We took a right into one of the many sizable gates just off the road and were greeted by two guards in full uniform, who greeted us then let us through. Driving along, we made our way down this winding road that led us to a cliff and a long stone pier. As we made our way down the path, the beach revealed itself on the left. They had prepared for the arrival of guests by setting up a line of tiki torches along the shore. Towards the middle of the beach was a tent with tables, chairs, and a stage close to the water. The catering was behind the tent and featured Filipino Food. Further down the beach located a cluster of tents, where the guests would be sleeping. The bathroom was up the hill and we heard they are planning to add more bathrooms soon. After surveying the area we parked the car.

The breeze we felt after stepping out of the car was refreshing and cool. The clouds overhead were large and moving slowly. The first thing we did was walk down the stone pier to get a better view. As we made our way down the pier, our eyes noticed the beach opening up which made it much larger than what we first anticipated. The whole vibe was like we were in Hawaii. In fact, that was the theme for the party later on in the night. Down below the end of the pier was a stony embankment that served as the home of several small crabs. They scurried around to find shelter from never-ending waves and every so often would get knocked off in the wash below. Luckily for them, it was a calm day on the water which made their jobs easier. The water was incredibly clear which allowed us to see schools of silverfish darting back and forth in unison. The energy was peaceful but slowly filled with anticipation for the night's event.

After making our way back and crossing the entrance to the beach area we noticed the sand was soft and fine. It wasn’t too hot because the sun was already setting. This was good for our daughter, Cora, and allowed her to walk on the beach with bare feet. We were hoping she would walk on her own again because the night prior, she walked on her own for the first time. We actually have a video on our youtube channel about that if you want to watch it, we will leave a link here:

_{from left to right; Ate Chona, Sheina, Sheila, Christian, Aizel, Cora, Stephanie, May Ann}

_{Cora has been swimming since 2 months old and loves it. She wanted to swim here but it was already too late as the water was cold.}

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It was beginning to get dark and all the guests were arriving. Group by group they made their way to the tent and dining area and sat down to enjoy the night's festivities. We, on the other hand, were still playing with Cora in the sand. After we noticed the event was starting we took our seats and were led in prayer then invited to line up and get some food.

There was a large display of Filipino Food which included; rice, squid adobo, beef steak, fresh fruit, fruit salad, chicken with herbs, sinubang isda, more rice, and a Lechon to top it off. The food was great and so was the music. They provided live entertainment as well and the first performer was the same singer who performed at our wedding last October. He made sure everyone had a fun dinner and kept us entertained until the next performance happened. The next performers were the dancers from Cebu Safari, who performed several numbers before finishing their set. After this everyone was a little lighter and was ready for the next acts which included; a dinosaur mascot to take pictures with the kids, and the finale of fire dancers who came out when the night was darkest which made it much more impactful. Once the food was eaten and the performances were complete, the guests were made drinks and began to celebrate the night. As a family whose baby is almost 1, that was our cue. We said our goodbyes and made our way back to the car. At this point, Cora was very tired (or Kapoy in Bisaya) and wanted to be with Mom. After Stephanie grabbed Cora, the tired little girl fell asleep. Christian drove us home and on the way back we were excited about the next adventure we go on!

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_{Our little family}

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El Mar Resort Sugod, Cebu Philippines - [//]:# (!pinmapple 10.798919 lat 124.033209 long d3scr)

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