Visited the same old places but went home with brand new discoveries. It's more Fun in the Philippines indeed!
17 March
Summer was jump-started when we took a road trip to Quezon province with my hubby's car club, Pride Elites (click link to view album). We've been to Quezon several times since my father-in-law was born and raised in Sariaya, and my husband practically spent almost every summer in the town when he was growing up. We used to visit their ancestral house until our lola passed away that there was just nothing left for us to visit after the house was sold. I have known that there are a lot of nice beaches and lovely tourist spots there but haven't gone to most of them.
Sierra Madre was the agenda for the road trip but when we got there, the group was still thirsty for more driving as they're pretty much enjoying the uphill-downhill-mini-zigzag roads we're taking. The next thing we knew, we were navigating the boundary mountains of Rizal and Quezon, asking the locals for additional directions to Kamay ni Hesus. We ended up using an old school toilet from one of the houses along the road, having late lunch at the town's popular diner, and refilling gas at a local station named "Road Runner". All that and more for 12 hours of driving our super hatchbacks, how's that for a road trip! :)
I learned that there are a lot of resorts in Real while the nicest beaches are in Infanta, Quezon. Some of them even offers world class accommodation too. I can't wait to experience these underrated places that's just 2-3 hour drive from Manila!
Marabella Palace Resort, Antipolo City
24 March
This year's summer team building destination may not be as extraordinary as the ones we've had in the past. The venue was even far from Mi Terraza, the one we went to a few months back which for me is still the best resort in Antipolo by far. What made this trip special was my first time to witness how the weather in Metro Manila would change right before my eyes. It was surreal.
I've been in and out of Antipolo because of its accessibility and since I have a number of friends who live in the area, but I never thought that the good ol' city view could still surprise me like it did.
Splash Oasis Resort, Los Baños, Laguna
21 April
Summer isn't complete without the traditional day trip to Laguna hot springs with the family. Although my heart still belongs to Doña Salud, this one is prolly the grandest among the stretch of resorts as they offer hotel-type accommodation, giant water slides and more. We almost had the pool to ourselves, maybe because people thought it was exclusive to hotel guests but no, day trippers are welcome. One just have to pay extra in case they wanted to experience the slides, which also serves as the entrance fee for other areas of the resort.
photo credit: Splash Oasis website
The water was just too hot for the weather so we didn't enjoy as much as we hoped. It even became an inside joke that what we did was to "beat the heat with more heat". Hahah. The place is nice, we will definitely come back, during the rainy season perhaps.
4-5 May
One boring weekend got us driving up North the city of pines. Just like a day trip to Laguna hot spring resorts, it's a must to visit the Summer Capital of the country during this season. Surprisingly, regardless how many times you've had your photo taken with either the horse or the Saint Bernard in Mines View, how many boxes of Ube Jam you brought home from Good Shepherd, or how much Burnham Park becomes more crowded every year, there's still a lot to discover from the place, all you gotta do is research and plan ahead, and so I did. Since we wanted this trip to be different, we made sure to try out things we haven't in the past.
It was my husband's first time to brave Kennon Road, and despite 3 near death experiences we've had on that route that night, his comment after the stretch was, "bitin!" lol. Crazy!
from our handy dandy mobile GPS :)
We got there around 8pm. I wanted to try 50's Diner for dinner but when we saw the place, we just didn't feel like having burgers and shakes after a 4-hour drive so we decided to check out other options. Since we're not that familiar driving around the city at night, we decided to try our luck at SM Baguio. It was our first time to enter the said mall - literally the coolest mall in the country! No AC, open air, genius! I just hope there'd be more dining options instead of the usual ones we have all over metro manila. As much as we wanted to search for the best place to have dinner at, we were just too hungry so we had to settle for Chinese at David's Tea House.
I really had a hard time finding availability for a same day reservation that weekend. After hours of searching and numerous phone calls, I am thankful to have found this drive-in called Hollywood Hotel. Not bad for a motel, huh!
our non-AC room named "Japan" :)
We took the 12-hour stay, the room was spacious and clean, there were basic amenities and the shower has a heater. The room was also really cold, courtesy of the fresh Baguio breeze. We paid a minimal extra person fee for my daughter which included extra bedding so we were all able to comfortably relax the rest of the night. I would really recommend the same accommodation setup to those who would spend most of their stay outdoors like us. Only if there are more hotels like this in the city, not sure.
Our 12-hour accommodation didn't come with breakfast of course, which wasn't an issue since part of the plan was to have brunch at the well known, Cafe by the Ruins.
I didn't know that their menu is different during breakfast though. Nothing special since the selections are the ones you could easily pull off at home, except that their ingredients are all fresh and organic so the servings are bursting with flavors and color. I am looking forward for a chance to try their lunch and dinner menu, hopefully soon.
Our next stop was Camp John Hay. One of the most popular attractions yet we haven't visited it since. I also didn't know that they actually offer accommodations. This place for me is by far the best part of the city, Baguio at its best. Another reason to drive back up next summer.
Club Punta Fuego, Nasugbu, Batangas
26-27 May
Over a decade ago, my in-laws and I used to go to Nasugbu, Batangas during summer. I remember that the beaches we've been to are unremarkable. This weekend getaway changed my perception about the town, for they house one of the best exclusive resorts in the country.
We never thought we'd still be able to take another summer getaway as a family, this trip is one perfect example of saving the best for last I suppose. It was planned and booked a couple of months back with my friends who just couldn't go anymore the last minute. Since the reservation was non refundable, I decided to bring my husband and daughter instead.
The place has been on my travel bucket list for the longest time especially that the resort used to be exclusive for members, well it still is during weekends. The place may be stained with its years of operation, but it could still pass the standards of a four star resort hotel as it has been rated.
The Casita we got was just across the parking area, they have oceanfront ones so make sure to be very specific about your preference during the booking process. The room was spacious, it looked and smelled clean. The only negative thing I noticed was the glass doors by the bathroom, they seemed to be deprived from glass cleaners. But overall, we had a relaxing stay.
It can be classified as a grand or destination Resort Hotel as it offers a lot of recreational activities like Tennis Court, Mini Theatre, Game Room (air conditioned children's playground, Wii and PS3 available), etc. They have several pools, most of them are infinity type, they have a number of beaches within the peninsula but the Lower Beach is the most recommended for swimming or water sports. There is a complementary shuttle service around the resort and bicycles, jet-sky, and the like are also available for rent. The place was really peaceful. It's a 3-4 hour drive from Manila but an overnight stay could be enough as they actually allow guests to stay and enjoy the facilities until 6pm after check-out. That should give one enough time to tour the entire resort and experience its amenities. Also at no extra cost, club guests are welcome to visit their new extension, Terrazas de Punta Fuego, which is just a 15-minute drive from the main club.
photo credit: Club Punta Fuego website
It is a well maintained and promising resort that's embraced with exclusivity. If you're looking for a place of total relaxation that's within a few hours drive from the city, this is the place for you. But there's a catch, the food.
The accommodation conveniently comes with breakfast buffet at the main club's San Diego Restaurant. Although the presentation may seem as breathtaking as the view of the resort, the selections and taste were ordinary. I really hope they can do something about this as it may spoil the whole experience altogether. But overall, it's a place I wouldn't mind going back to, even for just another sunset swim at their lovely pool.
How about you, where were you all summer? :)
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