A nondescript gate by the roadside in Liloan leads into the resort called Papa Kit’s, named after the family patriarch Papa Kito or Democrito Mendoza Sr.
Though the way in is cramped and narrow, it is an entirely different story once you are inside the Papa Kit’s Marina and Fishing Lagoon.
The whole complex is huge; it is nine hectares of floating cottages, fishing ponds, and adventure activities.
Papa Kit’s overnight rooms have sea views from the front and back windows.
Merissa Soco Bregente, sales and marketing officer-in-charge, said the total area of Papa Kit’s is actually 92 hectares but only nine hectares have so far been developed.
If, like me, you once thought that there’s only fishing at Papa Kit’s Marina and Fishing Lagoon, you couldn’t be more wrong. The resort has been continually adding outdoor adventure and other activities for its guests.
Here are some of the fun things to do at Papa Kit’s:
1. Bird watching from the resort’s overnight rooms
Accommodations at Papa Kit’s Marina and Fishing Lagoon come in the form of two-storey structures built alongside the water. Room rates range from P2,500-P2,800. The ground floor rooms are cheaper compared to the upper level ones. Both rooms are good for two but can accommodate a maximum of four. They come with free breakfast.
Birds come to roost by late afternoon at this mangrove plantation at Papa Kit’s Marina and Fishing Lagoon.
Rates for an extra person in the room: P800 if with breakfast and P500 if without.
All rooms have a view of the mangrove plantation along the coastline.
Giovanni B. Enecio, resort manager, said migratory birds make their homes among the mangroves. The best time to do bird watching is at 4:00 in the afternoon when they start to roost.
Floating cottages
If you don’t want to stay overnight, Papa Kit’s has floating cottages available for day use hours from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The rate for a floating cottage is P1,000; guests need only to pay the entrance fee of P100 per person and corkage for their food is free.
2. Learn wakeboarding or wakeskating
One of the concessionaires at Papa Kit’s is the Cebu Wake Park, which is one of a few establishments in Cebu that offer wakeboarding or wakeskating activities. In wakeboarding and wakeskating, riders skim over the sea using a board and and a cable that pulls them from one point to another. The difference between these two water sports is the kind of board used.
A rider displays his wakeboarding skills at the Cebu Wake Park in Papa Kit’s Marina and Fishing Lagoon.
Cebu Wake Park wakeboarding rate per hour is P400 on weekdays and P500 on weekends. The fee already includes the use of equipment and guidance from an instructor, especially for beginners to the sport.
The Cebu Wake Park operates the wakeboarding facility at Papa Kit’s.
3. Ride a zipline over the sea
The zipline at Papa Kit’s takes riders over the sea to an islet some distance away from the main resort site. You have to take the zipline back. The two-way zipline rates are P200 for the first ride and P100 for the succeeding ones.
Enecio said the zipline is one of a few activities being run by Papa Kit’s. The others are being managed by concessionaires.
4. Go on an ATV ride
Exploring the nine-hectare resort on an ATV is possible. An ATV ride is P550 per 30 minutes. The rate is P650 for two people riding tandem, and they can take turns driving the ATV.
The ATV rides and other adventure activities are a big hit with the Korean schools. Bregente said some schools bring 100 of their students to the resort during weekends.
5. Walk on the treetops using the canopy bridge
A canopy bridge allows guests to explore the resort’s treetops. For security reasons, climbers have to wear a harness attached to a cable that runs alongside the hanging bridge. The narrow wooden span with ropes for the railing is quite safe even for little children.
One of the adventure activities at Papa Kit’s is the canopy walk on a hanging bridge.
It costs only P50 per person. The hanging bridge forms part of a more challenging activity called the Jungle Obstacle Course.
6. Conquer the jungle obstacle course
After reaching the end of the hanging bridge, you don’t go down the wooden staircase but continue on by swinging from a platform to a climbing cargo net. You climb up the net and walk onwards on a tightrope, with only rope rails on either side to hold on to.
This is the part where you have to walk slowly. Don’t worry, you’re still wearing a safety harness attached to a steel cable.
My personal tip for this activity: Don’t look down. I did and it wasn’t my best move.
7. Acquire some equestrian skills
There are horses at Papa Kit’s and they are for riding. Also a hit with the kids, horseback riding is one of the fun activities to do at the resort. The rate for horseback riding is P100 for 15 minutes.
There are areas in the resort devoted to this activity.
8. Reel in some fish for your meal
Needing some off time from all those strenuous adventure activities? Try fishing at the Papa Kit’s lagoon.
Pay P100 and you already have unlimited use of the fishing rod with bait. The kinds of fish in the Papa Kit’s pond are bangus (milkfish) and tilapia (catfish).
Open cottages are built by the sides of the fish pond and guests may rent it for P500. They may also opt not to get a cottage but it would be a good place to take their meal after having their catch cooked.
Papa Kit’s restaurants
The fishing pond is near Resto 1, one of the two restaurants inside Papa Kit’s. It charges a cooking fee of P75 per dish.
Another resort restaurant is the Clubhouse, which is located alongside Silot Bay. According to Bregente, it is a two-storey structure that can accommodate 150 to 200 guests in the upper level. The lower level can host parties and receptions for 50 to 80 people.
Resort shuttles
Since the resort is big, it is a long way off from one activity or site to another. Papa Kit’s has two shuttles that take guests from one point to another in the resort for free.
