OUR 6:30 a.m. flight to San Jose, Occidental Mindoro was cancelled and moved to an afternoon schedule and the bajillion hours at the terminal?s waiting area were spent either curled up in one corner to get some much needed shut-eye or nibbling on fastfood junk. But the weather was sunny despite the forecasts of low pressure areas and we refused to let the mishap dampen our spirits! After all, it?s no ordinary place that we were off to?it?s Apo Reef.

Apo Reef is considered a world-class dive destination, and has earned the reputation of being one of the best in Asia. The lush coral growth spans around 34 square-kilometer, making it the largest atoll-like reef in the country. It is second only to the Great Barrier Reef in terms of size.

Apo Reef is home to diverse species of marine flora and fauna, including the pawikan. It is also a sanctuary for sharks, mantas and stingrays.

After a three-hour rough road ride from San Jose to Sablayan, we hopped on a pump boat that ferried us to Apo Island, the largest among the three islands in Apo Reef.

The white-sand island has a shallow lagoon encircling a mangrove forest that serves as a nursery and spawning ground for numerous coastal and marine animals, including several species of birds.

There is a pair of small rafts that will take you on a scenic route while floating from one end to the other. A quick tour would bring you to the lone lighthouse north of the island. The climb up is not for the faint of heart, but braving your fears will reward you with a breathtaking 360? view of the island once you reach the top. The site also offers a stunning view of the setting sun.

Consider yourself out of reach from civilization as you will find no cell phone signal, no electricity and no freshwater. Luckily, there are comfort rooms. A single light from the solar panels illuminate the campsite. Meals are cooked a la ?Survivor? style, so make sure you bring someone who knows how to prepare a decent meal.

Aside from snorkeling and diving, you wouldn?t find a lot of things to do on the island. ?Marooned? comes to mind. In its truest sense of the word, however, it is precisely that which makes the island so inviting ? the gift of solace and pure isolation from the busy world.

Come night time, the deep blue sky becomes a vast achromatic canopy peppered with millions of blinking stars as countless as the grains of sand beneath our feet. It was completely silent save for our portable radio picking up Malaysian and Chinese music and the crackle of burning wood while we roasted marshmallows over a bonfire on the beach.

On our fourth day, we were off to Pandan Island for more diving and exploring. The island has a cozy resort that serves good meals on the cheap! A walk through the small forest west of the island will lead you to two secluded beaches, Wild Lagoon and Spanish Nose. Both merit taking the time to explore. We were supposed to stay a bit longer in Pandan but because of the flight mishap during the first day, we had to shave it down to one day.

Five days were just enough to cover all bases, though we would have stayed longer, given the chance. We all went back to Manila feeling stoked and rejuvenated from time well-spent communing with nature. We were grateful for being blessed with this opportunity.

For posterity?s sake, to make up for the wasted nine hours of our lives, not only did the airline give us food allowance for the day, we also got free round-trip tickets to anywhere in Luzon. Here?s to more adventures!