Summer STAYCATION Suggestions 2014

Our tourism logo says."It's More Fun In The Philippines!"  And it is indeed true!  We have so many islands to explore that Filipinos need not venture out of the country for some summer fun.  In this post I am compiling some of the travel destinations we have visited in the past few years.

DUMAGUETE
Dumaguete is not really a top-of-mind destination for Filipino travelers, but this sleepy town attracts a considerable number of foreign tourists, perhaps because of its proximity to some of the country's best diving sites, the whale sharks swimming around Oslob, and the dolphin sightings in the nearby city of Bais. We were lucky enough to be able to swim with the whale sharks, and you can read about our whale shark experience here.  

We stayed at Hotel Essencia, a hotel that is conveniently located in the middle of downtown Dumaguete, walking distance away from everything else.  Click here to know more about our accomodations and how we got around the city.

Read ALL my post about Dumaguete here.

ILOILO

Iloilo is another place we visited because J participated in another swimming event, the Batang Pinoy National Championship.  I initially thought that our 5-day stay would provide sufficient time to squeeze in a city tour; but quickly realized after having spent half-day cheering my daughter on by the poolside, under the humid Iloilo sun, I was too pooped to actually go around the city. Nevertheless,you will still be getting the dish on Iloilo's must-visit restaurants and what pasalubongs to buy here in this post.  And if you want to make the most out of your money in terms of accomodation, then you won't go wrong with Days Hotel Iloilo.  You can read my review on the hotel right here.  

At Tatoy's, one of the best seafood restos I've tried.

Read ALL my post about Iloilo here

ANVAYA COVE in Morong, Bataan
Anvaya Cove will indulge the water lover in you as you take your pick of four pools that lay side-by-side. A lap pool on the right most, followed by an infinity pool that appear to blend seamlessly with the waters of Subic Bay, then a Jacuzzi and, tucked in a corner, a kiddie pool with a slide.

 

I wrote about the accomodation and the facilities in our first visit here.  And on our second visit, I mentioned about the Nature Trail activities like a rope obstacle course that the kids enjoyed because they got to release their inner Indiana Jones.  There's also a trial that took us into the middle of a very thick bamboo forest; we step gingerly on boulders as we make our way through stream beds that are almost dried up. The last stop in this adventure was taking the zipline. 

 

Read ALL my post about Anvaya Cove in Bataan here


ACUATICO in Laiya, Batangas.

Acuatico in Laiya, Batangas doesn’t have the wide and spacious frontage that other resorts have, but it lays claim to having the best pool among the Laiya resorts, or even the whole of Batangas, for that matter.  The pièce de résistance - the infinity edge pool that looks out to the open sea.

Read ALL my post about Acuatico Resort in Laiya, Batangas here

Have you finally decided where to bring your family this summer?  You can also read my other post about Summer Vacation Plans 2014 if you are thinking of going out of the country.

FOLLOW ME!   

   

Anvaya Revisited

We had the chance to revisit Anvaya during the tail-end of summer; the first week of June, the week before school started for my girls..  Not much has changed since our last visit so I will not write so much about the facilities anymore.  You can read detailed review of Anvaya during our first visit here.

Although we spend a lot of time together as a family, out-of-town trips are still treasured.  There's something about a shared experience with loved ones that draws the family closer. 

Summer Road Trips

stay·ca·tion.  noun \ˈstā-ˈkā-shən\

 A vacation that is spent at one's home enjoying all that home and one's home environs have to offer.

-Merriam-Webster Dictionary

If you do not have any plans of going out of the country this summer, why not take some time to discover the beauty of our own islands - take your brood for astaycation. 

For the circus that I call family, we go on staycations regularly, whenever there are long weekends/holidays that allow it.  Staycation ideas for families abound for us here in Manila; we are lucky to live in a country with diverse topography – all nearby.  There are road trips to do, mountains to climb, beaches to visit.  There are a number of attractions waiting to be explored. 

Take advantage of living in a tropical island and take a pick of any of our beaches.  Beaches feature a number of activities that the whole family can enjoy, such as kayaking, jet-skiing, snorkeling, etc.  Just imagine:  azure blue water, white sandy beach and verdant coconut trees…  

Slather on the sunscreen, put on those sunglasses and go out!

Here are some suggestions:
1.  Go on a Food Trip to Pampanga, the Culinary Capital of the Philippines. 

2.  Kids love to visit Ilog Maria Honey Bee Farm in Tagaytay

3. Tagaytay's Paradizoo is another must-visit place in Tagaytay

4. Tagaytay also offers a lot of restos, so you (and your pants) might as well squeeze in a Food Trip

 

5. Visit a Hydroponic Farm (in my post: Bees, Buddhas and Blackberries)

 

6.  Stop over at Nuvali on your way to any of the Southern destinations

7. Swim in the best infinity pool in Laiya, Batangas (Acuatico Resort)

8.  See Bataan in a whole new light by staying at Anvaya Cove Beach and Nature Resort 

 

9.  Subic in Zambales is a joy to visit now because of the SCTex.  Visit Ocean Adventure, enjoy the rustic stables of El Kabayo, or pay the wild animals a visit at Zoobic Safari.  We usually stay at the Subic Yatch Club, but you can also read Mom-Friday's post about her Subic accomodations.

scenic El Kabayo taken from my pre-blogging days

10. Villa Escudero, in the border between the provinces of Laguna and Quezon, is also another option for your wanderlust toes.  Admission fee already includes:
~Lunch with your legs halfway dipped in flowing water as the dining tables are situated right below the hydroelectric dam 
~A visit to the Escudero family museum which is housed inside the Villa Escudero church contains the family's private collections.  

~ go around the plantation on a carabao-driven cart

~Kayak on native bamboo rafts along the peaceful Libasin Lake, home of the country's first working hydroelectric plant.

I bet I have you packing already…

FOLLOW ME!   

   

From Nature With Love {Curative Effect of the Sea and the Sting of the Jellyfish}

My mom and dad both grew up in the province, and they have managed to retain their provincial upbringing upto this day, especially when it comes to utilizing homeopathic medicine and natural healing methods. Growing up, it was not unusual to be treated for our childhood cuts, bruises and bumps with a mixture of dried herbs mixed with a pungent dark liquid. Our sprains and body aches were likewise remedied with a healing massage by the "manghihilot," a trained chiropractor well-versed in the ancient Filipino art of healing called hilot. Rashes and other skin irritations were alleviated by going to the beach and soaking in sea water. This is because sea salt acts like a magnet, pulling toxins from the body.

For the therapeutic reasons, whenever C and I stay the night at a beach resort, we always have this routine to saunter to the shore first thing in the morning. We enjoy our walk in silence, inhaling the crisp sea air, almost tasting its saltiness. They say that the see breeze has lots of negative ions floating around, and much research has been done to document that the negative ions present in the sea breeze contributes to that relaxed state of mind that most of us feel after a beach vacation.

My three kids suffer from eczema, although the attacks have become few and far between now that they are older, they still experience some minor recurrence from time to time. Whenever we visit the beach, we include sea bathing in the itinerary, we ask the kids to soak themselves in the salty healing sea water.. The recent visit to Anvaya Cove was no different.

This is how much they liked it:

Those who did not have violent reactions had to be escorted on both sides...

or carried with no part of their body touching the water. Just look at my nephew's tightly curled up legs.

They do not have issues with the sand...

It is the multitudes of jellyfish present in the Bataan water that gets to them. The lifeguard was quick to mention that the jellyfish thriving on their shore are what you call the sand jellyfish, and not as lethal as the box jellyfish which was in the news recently. He also made mention that the developers have made measures to curb the growing jellyfish population from reaching the swimmers by putting up nets along the buoy lines. Still despite the precautionary measures, the Anvaya beach is still a jellyfish minefield.


The warm water that summer brings always attracts a huge population of these gelatinous invaders closer to shore. Although the chances of being stung by a jellyfish is minimal, the risk is still evident. I made sure my kids are protected by letting them wear long-sleeved rash guards and long board shorts, or a long sleeved wet suit. Only very minimal skin is exposed. Not only does this protect them from the harmful UV rays, but it also defends against the painful sting of the jellyfish.

We figured that the worst thing that could happen from a jellyfish sting was a bearable pain akin to an ant bite. The lifeguard assured us that dousing with household vinegar will immediately ease the pain. we recklessly abandoned caution (and common sense, too, perhaps?) and swam with several stingers; the normal arm movement during swimming pushed them away from our space and kept us safe.

As soon as we got back home, I immediately went to check my inbox, and what would welcome me but an article about a jellyfish attack on a nine year old girl. After reading the article, I looked back to our close encounter with the jellies, and wonder if we were recklessly putting ourselves in harm's way. Now that I have all the facts, I am not that brave anymore. :)

Anvaya Cove

When I hear the word Bataan, what instantly comes to mind is the second World War and the brutal death march where Filipino and American soldiers were forcibly asked to march more than a hundred kilometers to their own death.  A lot of the soldiers were beheaded or bayoneted along the way by the Japanese army.  Those that survived later died of dehydration and starvation.  (Shudder!) Nowadays, the province has started to step out of that dark shadow and is becoming more known to local travelers as the location for Ayala Land’s high-end seaside residential-resort community, Anvaya Cove. 

Last week, my side of the family, all eight adults and 5 kids, drove a convoy up north to visit this exclusive resort located in the pastoral and laid-back town of Morong, at the farthest end of the Bataan Peninsula, northwest of Manila.  As we exit the south gate of the Subic Bay Freeport, we passed by a well-cemented road carved out of the side of Bataan’s thickly-jungled mountainside, showcasing some of the best bamboo forests in the country.  After about 3 hours on the road, including two stopovers and a missed turn later, we reach our destination.

My family of five was billeted in the garden casita which comes with 2 single beds (which they compressed to a king-sized bed, upon my request) and a daybed with a trundle.  The casita is well-appointed and very spacious; a long way from luxurious, but very comfortable nonetheless.  The room was equipped with a flat screen TV, a DVD player, and free WiFi.  It was the only room available on our preferred date, and proved to be the best value for the money as the bigger villas still only allowed for a maximum of 2 adults and 2 kids, regardless of the steep increase in room rates.  Extra persons regardless of age will be charged an additional P700.00 to cover the overnight accommodation and complimentary breakfast.

The casitas and villas are located far away from the main pavilion, but there are golf carts available to ferry guests to and fro.  The route is only a few hundred meters long and, if it were not that hot, we would have preferred to run the distance. 

The Asian-Tropical inspired pavilion walkway is one of the most photogenic spots in the resort.  The main pavilion is the gateway/crux of all the activity at the resort.

Walk past the reception area and have a meal at the dining hall.   The food-cost is comparable to the economy meals offered at family style restaurants, which should have been a good thing, only the quality of the fare was not so great.  However, the service is exceptional, and the all waiters showed a genuine eagerness to be of assistance.  Case in point, the staff graciously carried out J's request for a Mickey-shaped pancake, but the pancake had a very strong flour-y taste to it.

 

Our day was flooded with sunshine and we have our pick among the four pools that lay side by side.  A lap pool on the right most, followed by an infinity pool that appear to blend seamlessly with the waters of Subic Bay, then a Jacuzzi and, tucked in a corner, a kiddie pool with a slide.  

 

The country experienced its hottest day ever the day that we were there.  The maximum temperature that day sizzled at 37.3 degrees Celsius.  Not that I needed the weather statistics, I felt the insufferable, scorching heat.   Not even the pool's water can take the edge off the mid-day heat.

The wide beach front which looks across a beautiful shaped island cove is perfect for families like mine, with little kids, as the beach floor has a gentle downward slope.  The beige-colored sand has a texture that comes very close to the powdery sand at Boracay’s Station One.  I noticed that the sand take on varied hues, depending on where you are, it gets darker as you get nearer the water. I wonder if they had the beach filled with a finer sand than what was originally in place as I remember, very clearly, the sand being much, much darker and slightly coarser when I first visited three years ago.

There are numerous water and beach activities to do.  The kids spent a good part of the afternoon under the shade of the leaves of the numerous coconut trees, happily building sand creations. 

Some of us ventured to the water...

And the rest of us enjoyed playing beach frisbee and volleyball...

While the young ones amongst us took a slow and leisurely walk along the shoreline..

When we found the midday sun too strong for our liking, we retreat to the game room where there is a wide selection of board games to enjoy.

Come night time, after dinner, everyone hied off to the library where there is a refined collection of books with genres ranging from astronomy, culinary, travel guides, biographies coffee table books about Philippine homes, current issues of leading magazines. DVD and CD titles are also available for viewing in the media player provided for in each room.  Free WiFi is available throughout the resort, and should you leave your laptop behind, there is a minimal fee to rent the numerous computers stationed at the library and the game room.

Yet, C felt that the singular Ayala trademark of brand excellence is, to some extent, running a little bit lower in this development.  Not to complain but he noticed the inadequate attention given to small details that are so evident in their other developments.  For instance, the need for night lights in the path to the guest residences was not provided, leaving the trail very dark.  The reason could most probably be because the development is still a work in progress.  

Notwithstanding its state of incompleteness, our experience there was that of fleeting exclusivity. The place exceeded our expectations.  The scenery of the beach during sunset is superlative and the location of the residences tucked in the middle of the forest provides for a peaceful retreat.  The nature activities are praiseworthy and the staff is one of the most friendliest that I have encountered.  

My family found what we came here for.