SAMAL! (Part 2 of 2)

Isla Reta 2

I've heard of Isla Reta but I didn't know there was an Isla Reta 2. =p  I only found out about this beach when my classmates in training and I decided to go Island Hopping one fine Saturday last February.  We rented 2 bangkas and went to Samal.  Since most of my classmates were not from Davao, Mr. Bangkero (is that what we call the driver of the bangka? haha) gave them a quick Samal Tour on Samal's popular beaches like Paradise and Pearl Farm.  The original plan was to stop over at Isla Reta, have lunch, then continue on to the next beach.  However, admission to Isla Reta was P50 per person i think and they were also going to charge us for the cottage.  My classmates thought that was too much since we were only planning to stay for like 30 minutes.  So we hopped back into our bangkas, looking for another beach to eat at.  I'm not sure if we came to Isla Reta 2 by chance, but I'm glad we stopped over here.  It's a secluded beach farther than Isla Reta 1 (i think it's on another island), and it's less populated (actually when we went there were just three groups of people in the beach (we're number 3).  I love untouched/undeveloped beaches (like Canibad) so i definitely enjoyed Isla Reta 2.  There was even a small cave, we had our pictures taken in there too.  The only downside to this beach (not only Isla Reta 2, but the whole stretch of that side of the island) is the sea urchins!  Miss Lucy (our trainer) even got stung (she had about 10 stings *ouch*) and my classmates had to take turns pissing on her toes wehehehe.  I also got stung by twice, but I think it was a baby. hahaha coz the black part that got left inside was super small, I just let it bleed out and then i removed the splinter. It was a super fun trip though.  Although I don't think I'd travel that far again.  Canibad is better for me, and walang sea urchins dun. =p

Bali Bali Resort

I discovered Bali Bali thru Joy Lao's multiply site and I super wanted to go there.  When I asked my mum if she k

nows about that resort, she mentioned that she'd been there before.  Sakto, Holyweek was coming up and our family didn't have plans yet.  So we decided to book an overnight stay at Bali Bali Resort.  Bali Bali is a quiet and serene beach and I'm raving about it because:

(1) It's a small resort.  There are only 6 cottages in the resort (and each cottage has it's own theme -- cute!).  Our group already occupied 4 cottages, so we pretty much felt like we had the resort all to ourselves. =)

(2) It has an infinity pool.  I was quite disappointed though, the beach wasn't beautiful, or at least the beach in the resort.  While swimming i even saw a Mr. Donut Box (Anu buzz =p) party burried in the sand.  There were also a lot of plants in the shallow part of the beach.  The father we went, the better the beach became. =)  At the super deep part (past where the resort's bangka parked), me, Jett, and a couple of my cousins went snorkeling (soft of) and there were so many beautiful fishies.  Gio even collected giant starfishes to bring back home. 

(3) We don't have a view of the city (and Marco Polo) from the beach.  It's located at the side of Samal Island so it's not facing Davao anymore.  Like I said earlier, i favor beaches that doesn't have the view of Marco Polo.

(4) There was Videoke -- I think this is the only time I've sang so much.  Agawan kami ni Jett sa mic hahaha!

and (5) Our package included unlimited food -- which wasn't very unlimited in our case.  I'm not sure if their cook was sanay to cook for 20+ guests with big appetites hahaha.

I was only a bit disappointed because I think they lacked manpower.  The receptionist was there the whole day that by the time it was midnight, she told me they would be closing the "main hall" of the place and if we wanted to sit around and talk, we could do it outside.  There were tables though.  Wala lang, sayang naman na andun na kami.  

It's not as if we get to stay up (and in my case, use magic sing =p) all the time. hahaha  We understand though, that she was already working since 6am so she needed her rest.  Coz she would also need to get up at 6am the following day. =p   Nonetheless, I enjoyed my stay in Bali Bali.  And I got to bring home tons of pictures. haha (Forgot to take a picture of the infinity pool though -- shtoopid me =p)

Chema's by the Sea

I've heard so much about Chema's but I've never been there.  I think everyone I know had been to Chema's (except for Jett haha).  So I was super excited when we made plans to visit last Mother's Day.  Chema's is beautiful, but for me it is very much commercialized and there are too many people here.  It's quite big although I did not get to ask how many cottages are there.  When we were there the resort was quite crowed, but that's completely understandable because we were there on mother's day.  Chema's for me is similar to Paradise Island, but caters to upper class guests.  I believe it's smaller too and they have a limit to the number of guests they admit.  

I think the thing I love the most in Chemas would be the infinity pool which is just by the shore.  =)  It has shade too -- which is just perfect because Jett doesn't want me tanning

. haha 

Overall, my stay in Chema's was just okay.  I suppose it's a resort I would go back to (I know I have a lot of friends who love C

hemas), but I don't really see something super special with it.  It also didn't help that whoever I was speaking with on the phone (for reservations) was suplado and nonchalant and that the owner or manager (i'm not sure) of the resort had a loud argument with the people beside our huts during our visit. x(

Interested in these beaches/resorts?  Check out these links:

Paradise Island

Bali Bali Beach  Resort

Chema's By The Sea

Canibad

SAMAL! (Part 1 of 2)

Although I have been in and out of Samal countless times, I didn’t really appreciate its lovely beaches until just a few years ago.  I really hated how the sea breeze made me sleepy.  Anyway I love the beach now, and since my return from the States late last year, I told myself I’d try to go to Samal every month. :) 

Here are the beaches I’ve been to since December 2007:

Paradise Island

One of the most popular beach resorts in samal is Paradise Island Resort.  Back when I was in grade school, I hated going to Paradise because they had so much jelly fish and they sting. =p  well now that I’ve grown up  I came to love paradise island, and it became one of my favorite beaches in the island – mainly because of its accessibility. When I visit paradise, I usually go early in the morning (I’m already at the beach around 6AM) to catch a quick swim, have breakfast, and then head back to davao. Also,  you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg in paradise island. Prices are reasonable with the entrance fee just 100 pesos.  I don’t really know how much the cottages and cabins cost because I just leave my stuff in the restaurant tables (which is free if you order food). =p  Paradise is my quick getaway from the city, and it is best for impulsive beach trips.

Kembali Coast

Kembali coast is actually a residential project by Filinvest.  Jett’s aunt celebrated her birthday here last January and I was fortunate enough to be invited.  The beach is quite far – it took us around 30 minutes via speedboat from the wharf.  Like I said it’s supposed to be residential but when we went to visit it wasn’t fully developed yet.  What made our trip to Kembali different from the other beach trips was the aqua sports facilities they offered.  Flying Fish, Banana Boat, Kayaks, Hobie Cats,  and other aqua sports facilities.  Sayang, when we came to visit it was quite windy.  We did not get to use the banana boats and flying gish.  We only got to use the Hobie Cats and Kayaks.  It was still super fun of course!  And we had barbecue.  I hope I’d get the chance to come back and try their other facilities next time. Haha =p

Canibad Cove

Because of my lack of knowledge in Samal Beaches 101, I turned to the internet for gorgeous beaches that I’ve never heard of in Samal.  Thanks to Google and Multiply, I’ve stumbled across a page featuring a picture of Canibad’s shoreline and it was love-at-first-jpeg-download.  I read that visiting Canibad is a real adventure, and decided that it’s exactly what I need.  So I told Jett and my friend Joi about it and after about 3 weeks of rescheduling, we were finally ready to go.

Getting to Canibad was not as easy as 1,2,3.  There were different ways to get to Canibad but we decided to take the most convenient way (for me – haha).  We brought a car, took the barge to Babak, and drove for more than an hour to a place where we could park.  The drive was only supposed to take 45 minutes but it was our first time and we took a few wrong turns here and there. =p  When we got to this place where we could leave the car we had to trek down 10 minutes to the beach.  Although the road to Canibad was long/winding/muddy (it was drizzling earlier that day)/unpaved, I could really say that the beach was well worth it.  It had the clearest (and saltiest) waters – as Jett would say “the best”, cheap accommodations – entrance to the “resort” was only 20 bucks per person, and a great view.  For those who frequent Samal,  it’s common knowledge that most of the nearby beaches have a view of the city from the shore, especially Marco Polo Hotel.  Canibad, since it’s located at the other side of the island, does not share that sight (and that’s one of the things I love about it).

What attracted me to Canibad was how the beach was unspoiled and undeveloped.  It shows nature at it's best.  Of course, by saying undeveloped, it means that there are no restaurants in the area, and no electricity. =p  I spoke with the caretaker of the resort we stayed in and she mentioned having a generator but it only runs until 10pm.  Anyway, it did not matter much since we were only there for the day.

Among all the beaches I've been to, Canibad is hands down the most beautiful.  We really had our share of adventure that day -- my friend got to see a whale swim by (while I was at the toilet dressing up -- haha) and our pickup almost fell off the road -- but i guess that's for another entry.  Haynako, I could only hope that I could re-visit Canibad this year.  I'll take the boat next time. =p

Foodtrip! (Part 2 of 2)

DAY 2

My second day in Manila began with breakfast in Pancake House Greenbelt 1 with my IG Teammates.  And instead of ordering my usual Tapa, I thought of how much food we've eaten the day before, and opted for the lighter (but not necessarily healthier) breakfast -- a golden waffle (extra crispy!). I had so much fun catching up with my girls!

After breakfast, I met up with my mom and we went to Glorietta/Greenbelt where we walked around until it was time for lunch.  Mom was craving for Italianni's grilled chicken salad so we decided to eat there.  We did not want to overeat because we know we will be eating throughout the day, so we just decided to have salad, clam chowder, and carbonara with grilled chicken. =) Italianni's always make my day -- from the focaccia down to the last drop of my dalandan drink!

It was already time for the main event: Shopping!  haha!  In my case it was more of window-shopping but I had so much fun nonetheless.  Mom and I spent hours going around the mall.  =) At around 6PM we went to Rockwell because I wanted to check out --the Dunkin' Donuts Cafe.  That Dunkin' Donuts outlet in Rockwell caught my attention when I went in Manila last December because I noticed that customers get a tray and put their own orders on their tray... kumaga self-service! 

We don't have that type of store here in Davao. =p  During my training I found out that DD Cafe is the only one of it's kind in the Philippines because it targets the upper class market here in Pinas.  Everything's different there -- even the flour that they use for their donuts!  Instead of using Yeast Donut Mix (what Dunkin' Donuts donuts are usually made of), they use potato flour for their donuts, making them a bit firmer than the regular donuts.  The donuts are also made bigger, and therefore sold at a higher price (P28 a piece).  I tried the choco web -- we don't have that variety here.  It's filled with chocolate, frosted with vanilla, and it has chocolate on top designed as a web of course.  I really liked it! hahaha =p  Mom tried the cake which was also good, and the iced coffee which for Tita Teng was too sweet =p  I'd love to go back there next time I visit manila! hehe        

We went around the Rockwell until it was already time to close.  So we had no choice but to head home,  remembering to make a slight detour for dinner.   We ate at Mann Yann, another one of mom's favorites in Manila.  We were already tired from a whole day of walking, so I wasn't able to get pictures of the food anymore. hahaha!

DAY 3

The third day was already our last day, so we did not get to do much anymore.  Most of the morning was spent stuffing our tiny hand-carried bags with our purchases, and preparing for our flight later that afternoon.  We had lunch at Razon's in Greenbelt 1.  Tita Teng was from Guagua and she wanted mom to try the pancit, sisig, and of course the halo halo.  I ordered my favorite sizzling bulalo, which came out a bit overcooked, but I still enjoyed it nonetheless.  After the hearty meal, we went to Glorietta for last minute shopping and then off to the airport we went.

It was such a fun trip even though I did not get to see my friends much.  I definitely bonded with mom, and tita teng too. I wish we had more time in Manila, I wanted to go to MOA and Trinoma.  Pero ok lang yun, B.B. was waiting for me to come home. =p  Next time ulit!

Foodtrip! (Part 1 of 2)

Like I said in my previous entry, our trip to manila was one big FOODTRIP! =p  Here are the places/restos we visited:

First Stop: Recipes

     I have always loved eating in Recipes.  I found out about this place back when I was in second year college.  I had dinner with a friend and her family in their Megamall branch and I completely love

d the food!  From then on, I ate at the GB branch whenever I can. Back in college, this meant each time my mom was in town. haha! That was the only time I could stay in Makati.  Top Picks 

include: Korean Beef Stew, General's Chicken (also my brother's favorite), Crispy Tadyang, and Crispy Tilapia. =)  My mom's fave gulay there is the gising gising. I don't eat veggies so I don't know if it's good.  Last time we were there, they din't have crispy tilapia available. They had Crispy Bangus instead.  My friend Rica R said the tilapia tasted better than the bangus. =p

 

Greenhills: Home of my favorite taco place

            My mom wanted to buy a new phone, so of course we went to Greenhills.  I never go to Greenhills without eating Juancho Nachos -- my favorite taco place.  I discovered this place approximately 2 years ago with Jal.  It's just a small stall at the foodcourt in Viramall.  I always order the tiny tacos -- taquitos, they call it -- with only the beef, cheese, and their sauce (which I think is ketchup).  I don'

t know what makes their tacos so special to me, but I really like them.  When I went to Greenhills with my entire family arou

nd a year ago, I made them try it and they liked it too.  Since then, we always buy tacos when we go to Greenhills… even when we just had lunch 2 hours ago! Haha

 

Amazing Discovery: Amazing Cones

   It had only been two hours since we ate our tacos, but I cannot just help but look for the amazing cones store in Greenhills.  I learned about it from flairinthecity and it certainly caught my attention and left me curious! Determined to sink my teeth into one of those pizza cones, Nins and I scoured through Greenhills to find it.  It was well worth our efforts, because the pizza tasted good and I had fun watching them make it and eating it.  I tried out their Hawaiian pizza (look for the name) and it was yum! My friend Nins tried their pasta cone 

and it was good too.  The pizza cones cost around Php70 each.  They had other amazing products too like ice cream and drinks, but I did not get to try them, except for nins’ sago at gulaman which tasted good too. Check out the amazing cones article that read here.

Amazing Cones

unit V118 ground floor v-mall bldg. greenhills 
shopping center san juan city 
(left side of v-mall main entrance)

http://www.amazingcones.com/

Last stop for the day: Teri-boy

Since Tita Teng is residing in Hawaii, she hadn't eaten at Teriyaki Boy yet.  So, to top off our first day in Manila, Mom decided that we should have our dinner at Teriyaki Boy.  We ate at the Glorietta Branch because that was the closest to the condo.   We ordered the usual: miso soup, tempura, gyoza, and of course the chicken teriyaki.  Nins, who was so still so full, just ordered the salad.  We had difficulty finishing our meal because we were still stuffed from Greenhills.  haha!  

After dinner Nins already dropped us off at the condo.  My feet ached from all the walking.  =p  But that's one of the things I miss about Manila -- being able to do so many things that by the time you get home, you plop down in bed (or in my case, the sofa) and not realize you're too tired to change until you've woken up. haha! In my case,  I fell asleep while I was on the phone with my boyfriend.  I woke up to him nagging me.  He thought I was doing something and was not listening to him. haha!  I found it cute though =p  When I woke up, I only had enough strength in me to explain that I had fallen asleep, get up, take a superquickshower, change clothes, prepare for bed, then I had already gone to slumberland.  What does Manila have in store for me tomorrow? =) How I wonder...

(to be continued...)