Travels
Bellarocca Island Resort and Spa, are you for real?
Bellarocca Island Resort and Spa
I can’t believe what I’m looking at right now. Just passed by Rico’s blog a while ago, Buhay Bahay-bahayan. I was amazed by the picture and as I read through, I was more amazed when I learned that it’s in the Philippines. And not only that, in Luzon.
Bellarocca Island Resort and Spa is located in Marinduque. I am not well aware of the province though I hear it a lot from my neighbor’s transistor radio in Batangas. “MIMAROPA, Ang Radyo Natin. (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon at Palawan)“. Not sure if it’s FM or AM.
I think this is the most beautiful place I know in the Philippines so far. Or maybe it’s just the picture. I don’t know. Is this photoshopped? I want to have our second honeymoon there. Someone from the resort, please send us free invites. I wanna see your place and I will do crappy reviews for free. But seriously, If only I have instant 50,000 pesos at least, I would hurry to reserve a room for four, and whoever wants to join should pay for their own expenses.
How to get to Bellarocca Island Resort is just a matter of choice. You can get there by land and by water, by land, air and water, by air only, by water only or the combination of all.
For a longer article, visit Rico’s post. [Bellarocca Island Resort and Spa]
My Views of La Virginia Resort
So I was in La Virginia Resort in Batangas last weekend and I was very satisfied of the place, the experience, the fun and all. I highly recommend that place as an alternative to beach, yet somehow I’d think La Virginia Resort is way better than a beach. Maybe it’s just me because I used to live by the shore when I was a kid so I might not be as excited as you when it comes to beaches. But regardless of the taste of the water, the La Virginia is ‘A’ class and on top of the list I had thus far. Maybe I would rate a bit higher than Estancia Tagaytay, which is also a haven.
The Resort
La Virginia Resort is a 6-hectare resort located on a hilltop in Mataas na Kahoy, Lipa Batangas. The place is overlooking the Taal Lake, which is also one of the things you will enjoy there. But of course you’d probably want to experience being at the Taal Lake itself than just looking over it. Upon entering the resort, you’ll definitely see a ‘welcome arc’, but you might also never mind the arc because there’s a really big concrete image of a vulture attacking a crocodile just by the entrance as well. There are also a lot of other concrete animals all over the place including a giant lizard called dinosaur. Maybe it would be much better if the animals are alive, but the good thing is that they won’t have to feed them everyday and will just keep them painted to keep their beauty. The only animals I saw in the resort which are alive are the caged monkeys and a pug and of course some birds.
Apart from fauna, there is also flora. Plants and trees surround the place, making the place more relaxing and however it repels a bit of the suns heat. Paint all the things any color you want but green will naturally equal it.
Accommodation
When it comes to rooms, there are a lot of options you can choose from. They have the 4-storey Pagoda which gives you exclusive access to a private pool, billiards, darts and other facilities. They also have a vast number of Ifugao Huts, Nipa Huts and some other type of houses. I swear, the houses are mansions. Haven’t got a chance to peek inside the houses but I can judge it from the outside. There are also hotel rooms that are fully furnished so you don’t have to bring your own TV sets and refrigerators. Room prices range from Php 1,500 to Php 15,000. But if you don’t want to spend for the rooms, maybe you can have a nap at the chapel but you won’t do that, would you?
The Tree House
One of the place in La Virginia Resort that I like the most is the Tree House, though I wasn’t able to fully enjoyed it. I’d like to take very nice pictures from the treetop but since my SLR camera isn’t good enough, it bored me down the tree house and instead took pictures it could take. By the way, SLR means super-low-res. The tree house has 3 stories, concrete animals, and real fruits. From the top, you will have a better view of the surroundings and probably be able to spot the differences among the rooftops below. You will also have a nicer view of the Taal Lake, but don’t just jump from the tree top because if you think you’ll land at the lake, you’re wrong.
The Swimming Pools
There are four swimming pools in the resort as my counting ability suggests. The one with two slides, the one with two playing dolphins, the kiddie pool which was being renovated, and the Pagoda private pool. Not sure if I missed anything here but I will assure you, I enjoyed just the Pagoda private pool. But of course I would have tried the other pools so I can say I enjoyed everything, right?
How to go to La Virginia Resort
I will try my best to illustrate the map you have to take going to the resort using just words so please try to understand.
Based from experience, we started from Manila, took the South Luzon Expressway and took the Batangas exit in Calamba. We drove through Sto. Tomas, Batangas and took the STAR Tollway. About 20 minutes later, I fell asleep and before I knew it, we were at the Lipa National Road. We took that road and turned right just after the Fernando Airbase. A couple more left and right turns and we were at the resort.
If my instructions confused you, you may also take note of the address below and ask someone else how to get there.
Barangay Manggahan
Mataas na Kahoy
Batangas
Philippines
(043) 703-2145 (Voice)
(043) 312-4323 (Fax)
info@lavirginiaresort.com
lavirginiaresort@yahoo.com
http://www.lavirginiaresort.com
The La Virginia Resort WYSIWYG
I didn’t have a perfect time for the full review yesterday and I thought I can publish a simple galley for the meantime. The pictures are not the best quality but pretty much tell the whole story, and probably convince you have your time to visit the La Virginia Resort.
Please enjoy the photo album.
La Virginia Resort, Mataas na Kahoy, Batangas
View of La Virginia Resort, Mataas na Kahoy, Lipa Batangas
It’s sure going to be another not-so-ordinary summer experience this weekend for me, as I will spend another moment in an unusual place for a resort. Or at least to me it is. It’s gonna be my first time to the place and I don’t know much about it but I assume the place is at the mountain or hill top. Not sure about it but the picture likely says so. So my job this weekend is to know more about La Virginia Resort and share my experience to my lovely readers. All I know for now is that it’s one of the many resorts in Batangas.
And I also think something that could make it even ‘not-so-ordinary-summer’. I think it’s gonna rain on weekend but I hope I could still enjoy it. Unless there’s a storm, I will be there for sure.
In the meantime, you may read my reviews of the resorts I recently visited.
Contact Info
Barangay Manggahan
Mataas na Kahoy
Batangas
Philippines
(043) 703-2145 (Voice)
(043) 312-4323 (Fax)
info@lavirginiaresort.com
lavirginiaresort@yahoo.com
Trip to Cebu – Bohol Updates
Bags are packed.
We manage to squeeze in our clothes, Sam’s, Ley’s, Leah’s and mine, in a medium-sized gym bag. And as long as we can, we’ll try to limit the bags we’ll carry, so one backpack for Leah to hold abubots, mineral water, baby’s milk. One back for me to hold the netbook, cellphone chargers, documents, camera, and some USB wires. Not sure if wires are allowed in the airport or airplane. How strict are they when it comes to wires, gadgets and all? No idea, I have.