The long, dusty stretch of off-road track deep in the heart of Pampanga certainly holds promise for the willing adventurer. Past cemeteries, sub-urban tropical dwellings and farmlands is a curious remnant of a violent volcanic eruption almost two decades ago: a vast, desert-like panorama of volcanic dust interspersed every now and then by enormous boulders of rocks.
Right smack in the middle of this no-man's land is an expansive, five-pool swimming resort called Poracay.
Poracay is, of course, a welcome diversion from the cruel landscape that surrounds it. In more ways than one, it serves as a homage to a people's relentless pursuit to escape past the tragic memories of Mount Pinatubo’s eruption that washed away lives and dreams. Colorful and lively, Poracay with all its rustic charm is a direct affront to the merciless fury of nearby Pinatubo.
Spring water for healing
But beyond its intriguing location – a quiet, semi-rural locale called Porac, from which it derived its name – Poracay's other appeal is the cool, spring-fresh water that fills its many pools.
For the city-weary, the difference in water-quality and what wonders it can do for the body and the state of mind are enough reasons to justify the long, bumpy ride getting here. Refreshingly cool and laden and with a reputation of having intrinsic healing properties, the water bubbling from the brooks and into the pools provides a respite from the stress of city life.
In the middle of the resort, surrounded by pools, cottages and lush greenery, is a huge man-made lagoon where visitors could fish, swim, or else ride in makeshift rafts. One is hardpressed to believe that visitors are at the center of a dry lahar desert field, somewhere that was once only frequented by ten-wheelers on a quarry mission.
Still and all, Poracay is no Boracay. Notwithstanding its often eyebrow-raising name, however, this lone resort by a near-desert can most certainly stand on its own. Building it from scratch and managing it to become what it is today must have definitely been no easy feat. And if only for that, Poracay remains a poignant promise against the cruel landscape that surrounds it deep in the parched heart of Pampanga.
