Cabanas Madagabar - from jungle hideaway to $60M holiday resort
By Samantha Alleyne
"Like this is a hideaway." "You ent see the hideaway yet, I don't even think I can remember the trail." This was a brief exchange between a young lady and the mini-bus driver who was transporting passengers to the new $60M resort opened on Sunday. You have travelled some thirty-five miles up the Linden/Soesdyke Highway and the vehicle turns off the road, and you expect that your destination is nearby. But after about three minutes of driving on a seemingly deserted overshadowed trail, anxious heads could be seen peering through the windows seeking out the resort which appears to be beyond the sky. Actually the 'Cabanas Madagabar Resort', owned by Fernando and Barbara Caceres, is located one and a half miles off the highway. There is no better compensation for what appears to be a never-ending drive through bushes than the first sight of the twenty-five acres featuring modern facilities. The colourful beach umbrellas stand out spectacularly against the thatched roof benabs. And for the young and agile, adequate exercise is immediately derived from the sloping trail you have to follow to the centre of the resort where glasses of cool, local beverages are available. Fortified with such a glass, let's just linger under one of the many benabs which sport umbrellas and thatched roofs. The resort has swimming and beach areas, a kingdom-in-the-woods lagoon and an eye-catching, two-storey, man-made island furnished with numerous coloured deck chairs. There are also doll houses and swings for the children. This resort is a dream come true for Barbara who always wanted something of its kind for family purposes and was therefore prompted to buy the fifty-acre stretch on the highway. Madagabar has three different sections for swimming - for children, starters and pros. Three bridges with small simulated waterfalls separate the three swimming facilities. The swimming area is designed as a small river and as such the resort is divided into two parts but is joined by the three bridges. While there are no lifeguards on location at present, staff members are partly trained in that skill. The ten young men who can be seen constantly patrolling the premises to ensure that all patrons are comfortable are all smartly decked out in blue shorts and white T-shirts, adding a more professional look to things. The resort will be managed by Kim Rahaman, former manager of the Baracara Resort on the Essequibo River. The resort also offers horseback riding and fishing at a fee. According to Barbara, the fish pond contains some large fish and patrons would be allowed to fish at a cost but whatever is caught would be theirs to take home. There is also a mini-zoo designed especially for children, but for now it has only one bird and a few turtles. However, the owners plan on having more animals in the near future. The resort has a small craft shop where inflatable toys and dinghies can be bought along with the resort's T-shirts. Barbara said they bought the land about three years ago and have since been working on it. She described the long journey to Sunday's event as "a lot of hard work" since the area was like a jungle at first. They faced the challenging task of creating the island and the lagoon especially for persons who appreciate privacy. As one young man descibed his visit to the lagoon "you are between trees, walking on trees and sitting on trees." The pathway to the lagoon is lined and paved with wood, the small benches are made of rough wood and the shady effect is of course created by overhanging tree branches. At the lagoon the sun is momentarily seen peering through the tree branches. At the lagoon, momentarily the thought of being in a section of the Garden of the Eden flashes across the mind and your comfort level can be enhanced should you request a hammock to be strung up in that tranquil environment. Although the owners wanted to provide all the modern facilities they have sought to preserve the natural look so the fence leading down the steep pathway to the resort is made of rough as well as some of the small benabs. They have plans to expand the resort to provide overnight accommodation. Fernando and Barbara, who are also owners of the Cobra Garment Factory on the East Coast, said that for the first few days they were forced to use cutlasses to gain access to their land. Seven hundred dollars is the entrance fee but it doesn't include the transportation cost. Transportation on a daily basis would be available from different points in the country including the Le Meridien Pegasus Hotel, Ocean View International Hotel, R. Sookraj & Sons on Regent Street, Cobra Garment Factory, Ramesh General Store on the West Coast and Ameer Abdul in Berbice. There is one main building at the resort which houses one of the two bars, the kitchen and a relaxation area. Special packages are also offered at the resort if one wants to hold seminars or reserve the facility for a day or two. Just about sixty persons visited the resort on Sunday but this, according to the owners, was heartening because it was only the first day. They feel with widespread advertisement, they will be able to attract much larger patronage.
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