After numerous trips to the province of Cebu and skipping the opportunity to stay on the island of Mactan, I must admit to never having heard of Jpark Island Resort and Waterpark before. I had my assumptions managed to a middling level when I joined fellow travel and lifestyle writers on a media trip celebrating the resort’s tenth-year anniversary.

More and more people were choosing to embrace the vegan lifestyle not only to become healthier but also to advocate cruelty-free eating. Doing so, believers of greener dining habits were shattering previous misconceptions about veganism, such as “vegan food doesn’t taste good,” “there aren’t many vegan options,” and so on. Thanks to them and the growing number of vegan places in the country, more people were learning that vegan food was not that bad at all. In fact, it had spawned creative dishes that provided memorable gastronomic experiences.

Facing the mighty swells of the Pacific Ocean, the teardrop-shaped island of Siargao had garnered numerous accolades in recent years, including being voted the "World's Best Island" by Condé Nast Traveler—an esteemed travel and luxury magazine—and a number of widely read travel sites. Despite the growing popularity of the island, Siargao still retained its remote vibe even in the face of increasing development. Therefore, more travelers were opting to go to Siargao over other, more touristy islands like Bali in Indonesia and Phuket in Thailand.