3Fraser
Morton
WRITER
Seafaring Souls
Page 74
—
You’ve got to take a boat, or a
few boats, to the Mentawais,
in Indonesia. “If you want
picturesque tropical islands,
you have to put in the effort,”
Morton says. From Sipora, he
fondly recalls Daniel, “the
20-year-old artist from whom
we bought a carving, and who
paddled out into the waves
with me and spent most of the
time laughing at my expense.”
That’s because Morton is no
surfer, but he is “an eternal
optimist, plagued with
stupidity and a desire to try
things beyond my skills.
After staring for days at
Lance’s Right, I couldn’t leave
without trying my luck. It
could have ended badly.”
Instagram: @far_features. FROM TOP: SONNY THAKUR; COURTESY OF STEPHANIE ZUBIRI; COURTESY OF FRASER MORTON; COURTESY OF ESZTER PAPP4Eszter
Papp
PHOTOGRAPHER
Seafaring Souls
Page 74
—
“Tropical tales like Robinson
Crusoe spring to mind” in the
Mentawai Archipelago, Papp
says. Their hosts at Hollow
Tree’s Resort were “joyful,
ocean-going people, their
relationship with nature
inspiring. I loved our evening
meals, where we ate under
the stars listening to and
laughing about their stories
from their days at sea.” They
came to know the Sikerei
medicine man they stayed
with as “Papa,” and he
showered them with affection
and kisses. “He was hilarious
and was always dancing. He
couldn’t speak English, and I
couldn’t speak Mentawai, but
we got along well.” Instagram:
@eszt_.2Stephanie
Zubiri
WRITER
Pure Philippines
Page 96
—
Manila-based Zubiri headed
back to Bohol for colonial
history, churches, nature and
empty beaches. “Usually you
need to choose between the
beach or the countryside and
culture, but Bohol has it all.”
Her top culinary honors here
go to Amun Ini resort: “I
would make the trek just to
have their crispy pata [deep-
fried pig trotters] with
flatbreads—the fresh slaw,
the crunchy skin and soft
meat and that tangy, spicy
yogurt sauce. Oh, and the
eggplant gnocchi is a close
runner-up.” Next on the list?
“Siargao. The surfer’s
paradise just opened direct
flights from Manila.”
Instagram: @stephaniezubiri.231contributors (^) | MAY 2017
1
Francisco
Guerrero
PHOTOGRAPHER
Pure Philippines
Page 96
—
“Bohol is a great microcosm
of the Philippines,” Guerrero
says. For dive spots, he picks
Balicasag and Pamilacan.
“The further of the two
islands is Pamilacan, about
an hour’s boat ride from
Panglao. The majority is a
marine sanctuary, with no
fishing and no diving areas.
But you can snorkel, and it is
simply spectacular, teeming
with marine life and coral
gardens.” Above ground, “the
Chocolate Hills probably top
most people’s to-do lists, but I
need to watch the sunset at
the Baclayon pier. The sky
turns into deep purple and all
the locals come out to have a
swim or just take a stroll.”
Instagram: @studioguerrero.
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