We all know that the province of Marinduque is the host of the world-famous Moriones festival. We also know from our grade school geography lesson that Marinduque, a heart-shaped island-province in the middle of the Philippine archipelago, is often referred to as the Heart of the Philippines. The view from the airplane shows no white beaches or any visible landmarks. We’ve never fancied this province as a place of immense natural beauty, like, say, Palawan or Bohol.

A little, beautiful rock changed that perspective.

Our trip to the Bellaroca Island Resort and Spa was also the first time we’ve visited Marinduque. Landing on a sleepy airport, with a terrible comfort room, is not a surprise given the sad condition of one of the main Manila international airports, voted one of the worst in the world. The concerned government agencies and other stakeholders should really do something about it. Soon.

Anyway, this tiny discomfort is quite manageable because the land trip to Bellaroca’s port is merely 45 minutes, on board the resort’s fleet of comfortable vans, with captain chairs for individual comfort. The baggage goes to an entirely separate van for guest comfort.

Forty-five minutes of Metro Manila congested traffic is boring. The same time spent on the open roads towards Bellaroca is engaging, through open concrete roads lined by coconut trees, as what one would expect in the province. Nipa huts, those type similar to the replicas at Nayong Pilipino, abound beside concrete houses. Short stretches of dirt roads, with portions in the process of being paved, break the monotony of the drive.

A creek spills over the highway at one bend. It made us wonder if it’s accessible during heavy rains. Rampaging rain water at the side of the mountain opened a chasm on the outer lane of the road, creating a nice view of the rolling terrain down to the sea. The vehicle was a few inches from the edge. Maybe the ground was already stable with the rocks being piled by the squad of men leisurely working under the midday sun. It looked dangerous, but it felt, well, fun. Strange.

Whatever feeling of danger was immediately quenched by the sight of white dots and lines on a dark blue-green island out in the sea. It looks marvelous. Bellarocca, here we come.

We know it’s an island and we thought it’s further out to the sea. It’s closer than we thought, easily accessible by speed boats in 5 minutes. The convenience would be the same if we’ve stepped into the resort right off the airplane. Life vests were immediately distributed right off the service van, with assistance from the crew.

There’s no waiting period, which is great because waiting is one thing a traveler would gladly do without in travel. Just step right into the wooden pier and into the boat. Marvel at the clear waters as the boats powerful engine comes to life. It’s hard to resist imagining a movie scene, with Agent 007 in a fast boat running after his nemesis, with the Greek architecture and the sea as background.

The beauty is surreal it’s so easy to daydream.

The ride is comfortable, the smell of the sea relaxing, and we stepped into the Bellarocca port not shaken, not stirred, but with a smile. The sound of island melody, obviously sang by smiling staff waiting on the pier, wafts through the air.

The golf carts await, ready to roll through the steep, winding roads to the top of the island. These carts are on constant standby at strategic areas of the island. Just pick up the phone or call the attention of the nearest staff, ask for a cart, and it’s there pronto. Or you could try, like we did, to take a hike and try your luck going up the steep climb. Our recommendation? Take the cart.

Even at that point, you’d forget that this is one of the most expensive resorts in the Philippines, with a published rate of more than P40,000. Per head, or, in tours (and, uhm, catering) lingo, per pax. Per night.

There are promos, with more than half-price discounts for a 3-day package.Stumbling on a promo, however, is like winning in the lotto, not because of the heavy discount, but because there’s a small probability of getting it.

There were around fifteen other guests who arrived with us at that hour. More followed in the subsequent flights. It appears that Bellaroca has a high occupancy rate, at least when we were there.

One significant difference with other resorts is this — new guests don’t have to stand around while registering upon arrival. Guests are comfortably seated at a lounge, complete with soft chairs and welcome drinks. The staff collect the forms and while the registration is processed, an officer briefs everyone about what to expect, the facilities, sights, sounds and other helpful details about Bellarocca. And even before our little daughter could catch a koi at the mini-pond in the middle of the lobby, electronic keys were distributed.

There were two things I remembered during the briefing. One, there was a drink-all-you-can, free cocktails by the beach in the evening. Two, the sun rises before six in the morning, beautifully visible from the observation deck, with hundreds of steps going up, at the top of the island. If no sunrise photo is here, blame it on the slight drizzle that, we were advised, made the climb a but unsafe (no, really, it’s not because I realized I’d die catching my breath before reaching the top).

Food in Bellarocca is reasonably delicious. The kinilaw was fresh, as expected from a place surrounded by the sea, but the fish meat was already cooked by the vinegar.

The food we enjoyed, which is the very same food item enjoyed by our good friends Ging and Joji who happened to be at Bellarocca at that time, was the soft bread. It was, well, soft when warm and really delectable. We ordered around a hundred pieces when we checked out.

The room is spacious and clean, with a balcony overlooking the internal swimming pool. Perhaps knowing that we had kids, the staff offered to clean the room twice a day. Also knowing that we had kids, the staff took care of the kids so we adults could enjoy our meal. With a smile, for free.

And because our daughter had colds, we went to see the doctor and when we mentioned the specific medicine prescribed by our own pedia, they offered to buy the medicine from the town kilometers away. The doctor was with the group that welcome the guests. He was there during sent off.

While we were enjoying the infinity pool, a staff suddenly emerged with a tray of beverages for us to choose from. It’s like they’re reading our minds. These are not-so-little gestures that we truly appreciate and should not be forgotten, through this article (of course, the beverage was no longer free, otherwise, abuso na kasi).

Whoever discovered this place has an eye for beauty. This small island is perhaps similar to all other islands off the coastline of Marinduque. Each island are similarly hugged by the calm azure sea and highlighted by the blue sky. Fresh sea breeze caresses the manicured lawns and inclines. In front of the island stands the majestic Mount Malindig, a dormant volcano with grassland slopes that are fine like fur, exactly how the dwarf bamboos of Mt. Pulag look like. In the middle of it all is a beautiful island — Bellarocca.

The place would be impressive for first time visitors. On the other hand, the only way for the park to attract former patrons is to offer new sights and sounds. First came the lights and sounds show — the Musical Fountain. Then came the Penguin Exhibit. We didn’t get to watch the Musical Fountain, having seen something similar in Singapore’s Sentosa. The penguin exhibit, on the other hand, is not to be missed, especially by kids.

These are Humboldt Penguins (Spheniscus Humboldti). C’mon, say it again, out loud: Humboldt. Do I hear someone complaining? Why add a “t’ or a “d” when one would do? Of course, you can’t complain. Did we complain when you added “h” to Rhose? Or Bhoyet? Or Mhay? Bhong? The list could go one, but you get the idea.

The Humboldt penguins are found in — no, not Antarctica, but in South America, coastal Peru and Chile. The waters may be cold in these places, but the land is hot and dry. This explains why the two-hour queue outside the penguin enclosure is actually colder than inside the penguin exhibit. There’s another queue inside, for the Snow Village. It’s easy to imagine that the never-ending lines, including the queue for the tickets, are bound to get worse as the Christmas season draws near.

This brings us to something important: be mindful of your health because there will be great swings in temperature. It’s very hot outside the venue. It gets manageable inside with the aircon. It gets a bit hotter inside the penguin exhibit. Then it gets really, really cold inside the Snow Village (bring your snow gear, although they provide a suitable jacket, for free, but imagine how many people used that for the day).

If you love penguins, and you visit the Penguin Exhibit because of that love for penguins, hold on to that emotion. Don’t mind the mini-slide outside the penguin enclosure. Unless they improve it, it will remain corny, especially if you’ve tried the Enchanted Kingdom or the Splash Island.

Heck, the slide inside Snow World of Star City is better. The Snow World is also bigger than Manila Ocean Park’s Snow Village. The queue going in is just as long. But the “snow” in the Snow Village is like snow, flaky and soft. The “snow” in Snow World is like ice, hard. And the crowd is different (it’s for you find out).

The Snow Village experience lasts for 5 minutes. You could actually extend and go out together with the batch (that’s another 5 minutes), but be considerate to those who are in line outside. Besides, we brought our kids and had to go out even before 5 minutes.

It’s a blissful 5 minutes, mind you. Sure, it pales (pun intended) in comparison to the cold in the States or Antarctica. On the other hand, the beauty of the experience is this — you can end it whenever you want to. You can’t simply step out of your house in the States to get back to a warmer climate. The Snow Village is a 5-minute change of atmosphere and environment, like the spice in your favorite dish.

The Trails to Antarctica, while a bit misleading (the penguins here are from Peru and Chile, not Antarctica), is informative. Plus it’s strategically placed where the queue would be, which means that everyone would have all the time in the world to read the trivia and look at the photos. Nice. You have something to distract your mind from the long wait.

Going back to the Penguin Exhibit, there’s a “feeding experience’. For an additional P250, you’ll have a close encounter with the penguins as you feed them. The P250 includes a photo souvenir. We were there for the Penguin Exhibit. We didn’t know that the P300 fee already includes the Trails to Antarctica and the Snow Village. These are welcome bonuses, I must say, but the kids would still enjoy the penguins without these add-ons.

[See Map: Directions on how to get there. See bigger map.]

The Amana Waterpark boasts of having the biggest wavepool in the entire Philippines. It probably has a bit larger wavepool than that of Splash Island, although it can’t seriously challenge Splash Island when it comes to the variety of water slides and rides (as of now, Amana has a wavepool and a kiddie pool). Still, if you’re within the vicinity, a wavepool would really be enough to entertain the kids this summer. A swimming pool, by itself, would do the trick. A wavepool would definitely be better. (If anyone knows why they say “13 waves” to describe Amana, do tell us. I don’t know if that has something with the more established resort also in Bulacan: 8 Waves Waterpark in San Rafael.)

More importantly (for the budget-conscious, at least), Amana allows food and drinks to be brought inside (we received a subsequent clarification from Amana that only food and water are allowed). Alcoholic drinks are not allowed, and so are containers that are made of glass (also, as normally required in swimming pools, come ready with the proper swimming gear).

Amana opened its gates last month, March of 2009, and it is far from complete. There’s so much room for improvement for this place (let’s just leave it at that), though I didn’t mind the narrow, not-so-smooth road going to the resort — I always consider the journey part of the adventure in going places.

How much? Entrance fee (day swimming) is P250 for adults, and P200 for children (4 feet and below) and senior citizens. Gates open at 8:30 a.m. Entrance fee (night swimming, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.) is P120 for adults and P80 for children and senior citizens. Some cottages, on the other hand, have the following basic rates: 8 persons – P600; 10 persons – P800; 30 persons – P1,500.

How to go there? Now that you know how much it costs, let’s talk about how to get there. From Metro Manila, take the North Luzon Expressway (NLE) and go to Sta. Maria through the NLE’s Bocaue Exit (turn right after the exit ramp). Upon hitting a fork in the road (with PTT gas station at the middle of that fork), take the road going left. Then you’ll see the newly-opened Walter Mart. Turn left at the WalterMart intersection. After that, it’s a series of right/left turns, so just follow the streamers/directions along the way. If that fails, ask for directions: Bagong Barrio, Pandi, Bulacan. That’s where Amana Waterpark is found.

Go to Reviews.Visitpinas for reviews, ratings and details on Amana Waterpark (location, contact details, rates, operating hours, etc.). Or see the map and directions, click here.

We have been putting off our trip to Manila Ocean Park for more than a month. We would have loved to be among the first to go, but since long lines are expected with newly-opened establishments, we decided to wait until the lines aren’t that long. So, today, a Sunday, we decided to go (there are so many long weekends to choose from, by the way).

The Manila Ocean Park opens at 10:00 in the morning, so getting there earlier means no hassle in looking for the perfect parking space and no falling in line. There are two parking areas: one beside the Manila floating hotel, right after the Manila Hotel, while the other is near the restaurants (Manila Harbor, Pantalan, etc.).

You may also want to leave your water and food at home because, just like Enchanted Kingdom, food and water are not allowed unless bought inside.

You should have no problem getting there because the Manila Ocean Park is surrounded by so many landmarks. It’s just behind the Quirino Granstand. It’s at the other side of the Rizal Park (also known as Luneta, where the statue of the national hero, Jose Rizal, is found). There are two points of entry: one at the intersection of the Manila Hotel and the other at the intersection where the Museo Pambata is found. It is under 5 minutes from the US Embassy, Baywalk and the Manila Yacht Club. See map and directions.

I must say that the highlight of the Manila Ocean Park trip is what I’d like to call the “sea tunnel”. It’s a thick glass tunnel underneath the huge aquarium. You feel you’re under the sea, without Sebastian or Ariel. Not good for a claustrophobic. The view is great, which is the “something” that I mentioned earlier that should make up for the lack of whale or sea lion shows.

But I’m going ahead of myself. Let’s go back. See map and directions.

The first part of the tour is called Agos, which is an open area with plant-filled high walls (except that the plants are newly planted), with a waterfall. At the top of the high walls are thick wires running from one end to the other, which gives the eerie feeling of being in one of the dinosaur cages of Jurassic Park. Here you’ll be greeted, not by a T-Rex, but by giant fish like the Giant Arapa–something. There’s the Electric Eel (I was tempted to ask for a demonstration if it’s really an electric eel). There’s a statue that seems to be out of place, though. I believe it’s a fertility statue, which looks like the one found in one of the Boracay islands. I don’t know why it’s at the Manila Ocean Park, but I know for sure that the nuns who were with us didn’t get their photos taken with the statue.

It’s hot at the open Agos section and you’ll let out a sigh of relief upon entering the next section, which is air-conditioned. Here you’ll find the Pajama Cardinalfish, which is only one of the types of fish that I’m still trying to figure out how they got their names. There’s the Titan Triggerfish, which I include here because it has a cool name. There’s the Longhorn Cowfish (a yellow fish with long horns, but doesn’t look like a cow) and Hispid Frogfish (which doesn’t look like a frog), both weird-looking fish. There’s the Giant Spider Crab, which, as its name suggests, is huge, and looking at it feels like watching a movie about aliens. There’s the Longfin Bannerfish, with its lovely strips, and the Spotted Garden Eel, which hides itself by burying half of its body in the sand.

There’s Convict Blenny (which appears to be wearing the old black-striped prison uniform), guarded by the Sergeant Major (no, I’m not kidding, the Convict Blenny is also a fish). There’s the Featherstar, starfish and anemone. When you say anemone, what comes to mind? Ah, clownfish. Nemo, the most famous clownfish, and his father’s sidekick, Dory, are also at Manila Ocean Park.

There’s a restaurant (Ozeano), which is right after the Fish Spa (perhaps you’re wondering if they massage a fish at the Fish Spa). Other fastfood stores, like Chowking, are still in the process of construction. But I guess I’m yapping too much. Just take time out to bring your kids to Manila Ocean Park. My son had a great time and I was surprised to hear him say new words, which we didn’t teach him, like a panda (the logo of the WWF, which is a partner of the Manila Ocean Park), as well as other familiar names like seahorse, turtle, shark, whale and stingray. There are other photos and videos of different kinds of fish, but we can’t upload everything here. So just go and enjoy.

Reasonably priced at under 5,000 per villa a day, with three bedroooms at the second floor and plenty of space at the ground floor (there are also bungalow type residences), the Montevista Villas is a good getaway for the entire family. If you’re on a budget mode, you could bring enough beverage and food to last for the vacation (they discourage cooking inside the villas, which has a refrigerator but no cooking equipment, but you could always bring a rice cooker of some portable cooking/heating device). If you prefer the full-serviced hotel setting, Holiday Inn is just a stone’s throw away.

We (and by “we,” I mean a group of 14) were at Montevista only for a day, so we really had no time, and I was not really interested, to go around. I was planning to try the spa, but decided to sleep and rest. Maybe next time I’ll check out the golf course or try my luck at the Casino Filipino.

There should be no problem going to Montevista, as the North Luzon Expressway is travel-friendly. Take the Angeles exit, which is near the end of the expressway, turn right after you pass the Angeles toll both, then just go straight (or ask around just to be sure). If this article brings up more questions than answers, you could contact Montevista Villas through these numbers: (045) 599-7000, 845-2495 and 299-5800. And if only this article is sponsored, I could also tell you who to look for when you call. Just kidding. =) Enjoy your vacation.

Because Tambuli is in Mactan island, you’re guaranteed fresh seafood. You enjoy eat-all-you-can buffet, while watching a great  performance of folk dances. While the beach is not really as spectacular like Boracay or Bohol, the water is clean for water activities like zooming in a jet ski. If you’re tired of seawater, you could choose among the freshwater pools. And because it’s somewhere secluded, you could enjoy your privacy. Read more about Tambuli Beach Club through its website. Enjoy!

Rate and review Shangri-La Mactan or see the brochure for details.

What’s more impressive, however, is Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort & Spa, a five-star hotel and resort. It’s a paradise where you could choose to frolic in the beach or the number of swimming pools.

Should you proceed to the beach, there are a number of water activities including jetski. Don’t forget to bring crumbs of bread to feed the fish in the water near the beach. You could choose among the number of dining options, although I prefer the Cowrie Cove, where you could enjoy fresh seafood right by the beach. You could relax in the spa or spend the night in solitude, contemplating about anything at the wharf. There’s really more you could do, that is, if you could pull yourself out of the room. With a soft bed, a balcony overlooking the swimming pools and the beachfront, and with a significant other, why would you get out of the room?

Rate and review Shangri-La Mactan or see the brochure for details.

I didn’t have much chance to enjoy this paradise the first time I was there, when I served at the Asia Pacific Economic Conference (APEC) Ministerial Conference, held here way back in 1996. I promised myself, just like MacArthur (although Gen. MacArthur made his promise to the entire country), to return and enjoy this paradise, but not on taxpayers’ money. I kept my promise, almost ten years and a couple of pounds after. Really, there’s too many places to see and so many things to do, with so little time to do it all. See the Philippines every chance you get, because there might not be another chance to do it.

Just a caveat, there are less expensive options (also discussed in this blog) if you want to enjoy Mactan. Still, if you have money to spend, Shangri-La is one of the best options.

Of course, there are a number of good spas around, including those scattered in the cities of Metro Manila. It’s entirely possible that the massage in the best city spa may be similar with, even better than, that in Nurture Spa, but there’s one major difference — being immersed in nature. Nurture Spa is located in Tagaytay City, which is the nearest alternative to the cool atmosphere of Baguio. So, a massage is a good alternative from (or a good activity some time after) eating bulalo at Leslie’s Restaurant, steak at Massimo’s, or cheese cake at Bag of Beans.

The spa is a bit far from the main road, which means that you bask in the quiet and tranquility of nature. Nurture spa has a number of cottages, including a cluster of authentic traditional Ifugao huts, which means that you could take time out — the whole day, overnight or for a couple of days — to stretch and relax. If these perks don’t interest you, then go there for the massage.

Here’s how to get there. You could also read more about the Nurture Spa through its website. I strongly suggest you make a reservation before going there. (Photo: “Stolen” shot at the stairs of our rented Ifugao hut. See the high fence? The hut is sealed from the rest of the cottages. That’s perfect if you want privacy. Enjoy!)

[See Map: Directions on how to get there]

There’s a fish farm in the middle of the sea on the way to the Pearl Farm, but there are no pearls. Not that it matters, anyway, because you go there to enjoy the resort.

We took a van from Davao City, but not before devouring a good serving of sinugba na tuna (grilled tuna) and kinilaw.  We tried to drop by the Crocodile Farm but there was no more time. This is just the Pearl Farm.

Jump-off point after the ride is a hotel with a pier, Waterfront. Peddlers of pearls abound at the pier. While pearls. Black pearls. Different grades. Different sizes. Different prices. This only adds fuel to my initial (mis)impression that pearls are indeed cultured in the Pearl Farm. But the pearls are from the other areas of Mindanao, not from the Pearl Farm.

From Waterfront’s pier, the banca (boat) ride towards the Pearl Farm, located at Samal Island, takes some 30 minutes away.

The boat passes a number of white beaches. Pare, ‘yun na ba ang Pearl Farm? (Dude, is that the Pearl Farm?)  “No, sir,” the boat operator retorted with a smile. Maybe he has experienced (or suffered through?) similar child-like questions. Are we there yet? Are we there yet?

When you see beautiful cottages on stilts lining the white beach, you know you’ve arrived at the Pearl Farm. I thought it would be fun staying in a cottage where the balcony opens to the sea, literally. You can play some game (like spin a coconut?) and the loser gets thrown to the sea. Direct from the balcony. Or it’s like a Ro-Ro when it’s hot — roll-in, roll-out. Just slip to the water for a dip and roll back to the balcony when done.

Unlike Boracay or Laiya, there are no neighboring resorts or restaurants within walking distance. It’s just you, the island and the Pearl Farm (so choose your companion carefully, although that sly smile on your face tells me you know exactly who to bring).

But because it has no neighbors, it’s quite secluded . . . perfect for, you know. This is a self-contained place. Jetski and water sports. Billiards while having beer. A restaurant that serves good food. A number of swimming pools.

There’s no pearl grown in the Pearl Farm. The jewel is the place itself, where you could relax and enjoy nature at its best. Enjoy the white sand, the clean sea water, the gentle breeze, the fresh food and the great hospitality.

Perhaps those set of traits comes to mind when you hear Eagle Point Resort (Anilao, Batangas). I realized three things on our way to this resort.

First, are there eagles in Eagle Point? Yes, there are eagles at Eagle Point Resort, but these majestic birds are in cages (also sea turtles and sharks) Unless you’re a diehard animal rights advocate, it doesn’t really matter because you go there not for bird watching, but to enjoy the clear and clean waters, the secluded atmosphere, and the surprisingly good food. You go there to unwind and relax.

Second, I was expecting a great beachfront. There was no white sand and no beach area, unfortunately, but the seawater is clear and clean. We still enjoyed the sea. Plus there’s a swimming pool, with slides, for those who prefer fresh water.

Third, it’s a long drive. After 4-5 hours of driving from Manila, you go through a stretch of dirt road, then through a very narrow road — steep at certain points — carved out off the cliff. I believe it’s all worth it, though. As in Sagada, maybe it’s true that you have to go through hell to reach paradise.

Anyway, for romantic getaways (or, for any reason, you just want stay away from the crowd), the stand-alone cottages at the edge of the resort are highly recommended. You could read more about Eagle Point Resort, including directions on how to get there, through its website. See also here.