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calm water on the way to Capones Island

One of the best things to do on the island, aside from just hanging around and not being able to enjoy the beach, is go up and take a tour of the lighthouse. The lighthouse is at the back of the island when you’re facing the open sea.

reference: Pundaquit’s Website

the Capones Island lighthouse on top of a big rock formation, from afar

Capones Island is 3 kilometers away from its neighboring island, Camara Island. Both islands are side-trip destinations from the more popular Anawangin Cove. offshore).  A Spanish-era lighthouse which visitors can explore lies on top of the Island.

a steep ascend to the lighthouse

To get to the lighthouse, visitors would go up a steep hill (but actually is a large rock formation) from the shore.

beautiful rocks that will make your ascend a bit difficult

hundreds of slippers scattered in the rocky shore of the island

I never found out why but there were a hundred of footwear scattered all over the rocky shore of the island. Maybe the visitors were not careful during their trek that they bust their footwear there. It’s the only realistic explanation, though it wasn’t very hard to trek along the rocky ground. I hope to find out why when I come back.

Before reaching the lighthouse, visitors will enter a forest-like area, then a canopy of trees that will show the gate that welcomes everyone to the lighthouse.

on the way to the Capones Island lighthouse, lush greens

canopy of trees (view of the ocean)

the lighthouse at Capones Island

Inside, everyone can explore the whole vicinity. Visitors are allowed to go to the top of the lighthouse to view the ocean. There is a beautiful spiral staircase in the main entrance, and some enchanting Spanish floors, walls, doors and windows.

spiral staircase – ornate, rusty and beautiful

Spanish window with the view of the sky, the ocean and the hills

After exploring the lighthouse, we frolicked in the water around the island for a while before boarding our boat to Camara Island.

Related Posts:

Getting to Anawangin Cove, Zambales
Anawangin Cove, Zambales (part 1) – The Beach
Anawangin Cove, Zambales (part 2) – The River
Anawangin Cove, Zambales (part 3) – The Open Field
Anawangin Cove, Zambales (part 4) – The View Deck
Anawangin Cove, Zambales – The Sunset Skies
Camara Island, Pundaquit Zambales

Camara Island is the closest island from the shores of Pundaquit Zambales. The island, like its close neighbor Capones, is also a big lump of rock with very little soil. Trees aren’t that many but because of the rock formations and angle of the island, it’s not hard to find shade and scenic spots for a great photo shoot.

The island has a great view of the open ocean. It has two sides separated by a white sandbar that becomes visible during the lowtide and disappears during the high tide. Big rocks that dwarf the tourists are plenty on this island. It won’t be long till you find yourself taking photos of them or with them and just be astonished by their size and weight.

reference: Pundaquit’s Website

We were in Camara Island very briefly, less than 30 minutes, coming from Capones Island to see the lighthouse. Camara and Capones Islands were our side trip destinations from staying overnight at Anawangin Cove.

Approaching Camara Island

It has fine white sand and a sandbar that was not visible at the time we were there, but we knew it was there because there was a group of tourists who were quite far from the shore, but the water’s still knee-level. I wasn’t able to enjoy much though, because on my first few minutes in the water, my foot caught a thorn. Luckily I got my army pocket knife with tweezers. Careful, a lot of areas underwater were a bit thorny.

our boat docked at the white sand beach

But enjoy it just the same, it’s a wonderful view!

view of the sea from Camara Island

Related Posts:

Getting to Anawangin Cove, Zambales
Anawangin Cove, Zambales (part 1) – The Beach
Anawangin Cove, Zambales (part 2) – The River
Anawangin Cove, Zambales (part 3) – The Open Field
Anawangin Cove, Zambales (part 4) – The View Deck
Anawangin Cove, Zambales – The Sunset Skies
Capones Island, Pundaquit Zambales

We were very lucky to have booked a room in EcoVillage on the Holy Week of 2007 when all resorts near Camsur Watersports Complex were fully booked.

EcoVillage is a gated community with different natural and man-made structures and sights to see.

It has a bird aviary of exotic birds, a floating gazebo, hanging bridge, bird houses, small parks within the area, a swimming pool and different kinds of trees and flowers. there was also a man-made bat-cave on top of a stream and surrounded by tall bamboo trees so the cave does not look man-made at all.

It’s accommodation facilities vary from studio type units with own T&B to cabins. The cabins are the most inexpensive at Php350, having a bed and an electric fan, with a little camp-feel at night since it’s located outside with trees and it’s dark. If you’ll be out exploring the whole day, and on a budget, this lodging is good enough for you. Eco Village has comfort rooms and shower facilities near the cabins so no worries about that.

It’s in the same vicinity as CWC but quite a long walk. A tricycle ride costs Php 10.00 per person.

Enjoy world-class cable skiing facilities at Camsur Watersports Complex and enjoy some relaxing time at The EcoVillage in Pili, Camarines Sur.

For more information call:
Telephone # (+6354) 477.56.36 or (+6354) 478.00.93
or e-mail us at: infocamsur@gmail.com

The EcoVillage Management Office
Capitol Complex, Cadlan,Pili, Camarines Sur
Philippines 4410

Related Posts:

Camsur Watersports Complex, Pili, Camarines Sur
The Great Bicol Adventure: Rest and Relaxation in Awesome Camsur

We went to Marinduque some five years back, but the good memories still stay with me. I have never heard of Marinduque until we were planning for a vacation there, but I am so glad that one of my friends knew about the place. So off we went for a vacation that was not so planned, yet turned to be magnificent.

This was a time when digital and old school cameras ruled the scene, so you’ll have to forgive me if the photos here are not of the same quality as those in the other blogs (I’m sure my husband would want to have that disclaimer). In fact, many of the pictures you see here are scanned. One thing I remember most from this trip is the fact that it was my first time to taste C2 iced tea.

You can reach Marinduque by taking a bus to Dalahican Port in Lucena (3 hours) then riding one of the fast ferries (less than 2 hours). You need to take a jeepney ride from the Marinduque pier to the town (30mins).

Marinduque is a very simple town, and in fact it will be hard to find establishments still open after 8pm. It may have changed since we were there last, but there were no bars, no restaurants, and no malls in town. We had a great time, though, talking about ghost stories, as there were rumors of extraordinary incidents in town.

We stayed at Boac Hotel, the one hotel that we were able to book. It was nice, clean, and most of all, affordable. Though one of our friends swears that he heard people talking in the hallway at 2am, only to find none when he looked out. Creepy!!!

There are gems of places to unwind and relax in Marinduque. Though food was quite hard to find, their beaches were perfect for rest and relaxation.

We went to Tres Reyes Islands, a virgin island that boasts of perfect white sand.

We went spelunking in Bathala Caves, and saw some big snakes in the process (notice I am not jumping with glee).

Anyway, here are some traveling tips for you if you ever plan to go to Marinduque:

• Bring cash! Perhaps it’s progressed now, but back then we cannot find an ATM in sight! For the ladies, bring extra cash! You can buy a lot of good handwoven abaca bags, for very reasonable prices.

• Get a friendly driver with his own jeepney to act as your escort service. There are not much public transportation in town, and you would want to be sure that someone is there to bring you back to land.

• Make reservations in the Boac Hotel. Although it is not the Shangri La, it is quite hard to get rooms if you just walk in. The Boac Hotel is DOT certified, and many workshops and seminars are held there.

• When you start traveling, bring plenty of food and water to last you through the day. Food is very cheap, but it is not so easy to find.

Most of all, respect the culture of the town. Don’t wander around town late at night making noises. You never know what you might find!

Lyn Almario is my older sister and travel buddy. A freelance writer and an Engineer, in no particular order.

The photos in the internet built up my expectations, and it’s good to discover that the Andanita Taj of Tagaytay delivers.

lounge area

It’s small in front, and all that I saw in the photos  is the facade with three lighted domes. But when you enter, it’s a big, cozy place with couches and pillows. Ambient music that’s distinctively Indian, and walls full of illustrations and artworks, plus a closer view of the Taal Lake!

paintings on the wall

Description: Hot and spicy dish with tomatoes with Goa. Heavy use of vinegar and the traditional meat is from Portugese Influence.

It’s really spicy with the chilly powder showing in the dish (those red dots).

Chicken Tandoori (Php 290)

Description: Chicken marinated in yoghurt with freshly ground spices and lemon juice grilled in Tandoor.

I enjoyed this chicken very much because I like all viands with lemon. It’s a bit spicy and can be improved by adding a bit butter to buff up the taste a little. But still, all is good.

Taj of Tagaytay is the name of the restaurant of Andanita Bed and Breakfast Hotel. Check out their website here.

Relates Posts:

Souk Kafe
REHM Apartelle, Tagaytay City
Ming’s Garden
Sonya’s Secret Garden
Tagaytay City

Facade of The Sunflower

For a garden that’s been listed in travel menu of Travel Café Phillipines (TCP), which is a marketing initiative of the Department of Tourism, this place may not be a real secret anymore, though it’s location is still far from the hustle of the city.

basin of flowers

The Book

Sonya’s Secret Garden is located at Barangay Buck Estate, Alfonso, Cavite, about 2KM from the main road, taking the way to Nasugbu from the Tagaytay Junction. The place is well kept with lots of plants and small areas for relaxation. There’s also a spa at the end of the trail.

Relax at Sonya's Secret Garden

The food is mainly served at The Sunflower, one of the many dining areas of Sonya’s Garden. I did not try their eat-all-you-can set menu. It costs Php 610 (USD 14) for  green salad, bread, pasta, dessert and drink. Since the Sonya’s Garden is one of the recommended places of TCP, I feel a little disappointed having to be on a tourist destination with very limited food choices. Paying quite an amount for food is no problem if you feel that it’s going to be worth it, right? I was also expecting an elaborate gourmet menu, which they don’t have. I was hoping to taste some gourmet Filipino favorites, or exotic garden foods, but my expectations were let down. But I am sure that the food will be very filling and worth it, only that I was looking for something else to eat. So if you plan to go to Sonya’s Secret Garden, don’t expect for a gourmet eating experience, but enjoy the garden experience that it has to offer, especially with the delightful ambiance.

Inside The Sunflower

Dining Area

Bench at the entrance of the Spa

Here’s the map to the place (taken from Sonya’s Garden website).

Sonya’s Garden also offers bed and breakfast services for those who wish to have a relaxing time.

Sonya's Garden Map of Tagaytay

Fortunately for us, on our way back to the junction, we decided to go to the Taj of Tagaytay, which, from my www-reading, is a fusion restaurant of Indian and Persian cuisine. The photos of the place looks interesting too. To my delight, the place really cool and artsy.

Related Posts:

My Tagaytay City Story
Ming’s Garden
Andanita Taj of Tagaytay
Souk Kafe
REHM Apartelle

Facade

Souk Kafe is a small lovely restaurant in Robinson’s Dasmariñas Cavite that offers Western and Eastern cuisine. It has a cozy and thematic ambiance, with foreign-language music piping out from the speakers. Because of the numerous shisha pipes on display, I expected Persian food, but to my surprise, their menu is really interesting with servings of Arabic, Indian, Persian, Italian and Spanish food.

Shisha, wines and a mix of cultures

Shisha Pipes and Wines

Braai Mix Salt and Spice

Mana Pizza - Daily Heavenly Bread. 10 inches of blessing for only Php 99!

Seafood Soup (creamy crabmeat soup infused with garam masala) Php 75

Crab Crostini (crab sticks on top of fresh tomato slices topped with cheese then baked)

extra order of salsa

my mango shake's cream melted already

Chicken Sezzane (sesame-coated chicken fillet with slightly spicy sauce served with mixed vigetable sautee as side dish)

Alokozay Iced Tea Php 48

sppon, fork and knife wrapped in decorative napkin

Last Saturday was my friend Ktin’s bday celebration (today is her birthday, Happy Birthday, Ktin!) in her house in Cavite. We drove for about two hours to get to Dasmariñas. After the party, we visited Souk Kafe in Robinson’s Dasmariñas and met with the very bubbly owner of the restaurant. We were there until 12 midnight.

Sorry it's a bit blurry, but you get the picture :)

We already had a plan to go to Tagaytay after the meeting. I searched for lodgings that are economical since we’re only going to sleep the night away until we go sight seeing in the morning. Too bad it was hard to find these places in the internet. Only the more famous, and of course more expensive accommodations were at the first few pages in the searches. I even searched for resorts, so just to be prepared, I brought a set of swimwear.

Since we finished late, we still tried to call up Microtel, which was said to be 10 minutes away from Souk Kafe, but it was fully booked, and so was Days Hotel. I was ready for an adventure, anyway, so me and my travel buddy decided to go up to Tagaytay and canvass for accommodations when we get there.

It was a really dark drive from Dasmariñas to Tagaytay, and there were a few forking roads, but stay on the right side until your gut feel says you’re almost there! Well, our gut feel would know because our way started to get foggy with a really fine drizzle. We rolled down the windows a bit and… brrr! The second sign of getting near the Tagaytay Junction is the “hotels / room for rent” signage in every couple of meters. Then the famous rotonda (junction) with 7-11 on the right.

From the rotonda, to the right (side of 7-11) is the way to Nasugbu, Batangas and to the left is to Sta. Rosa, Laguna. And somewhere there is the famous Taal Lake that we were not able to see because of the darkness.

I dropped by at 7-11 to pick up some snacks (that amounted to Php 485) and from there, I could see Overlook Inn so we checked it out. They have a room for two at Php 1350 with a small bed and Php 1670 with a bigger bed. Both have a T&B, TV and free breakfast (hotdog, egg, rice). Since the rooms were a bit small, we tried to look for other places further down the street to Nasugbu. We found Tirona and Eufel. We did not ask for the rates of Eufel because we did not quite like the look from the outside (like a real house, so there’s probably some common areas with the other guests) and Tirona seemed fully booked with all the cars parked around it. Then a man, from nowhere, came y my window holding what seemed to be two coupons. I opened my window and in his hands he held two business cards for Jessar Inn and REHM Rooms for Rent, their rates and amenities. He talked to us saying that Jessar is his Aunt’s place and he’s on his way home and he could guide us there with his tricycle, which was four minutes away, en route to Sta. Rosa, the opposite side of where we’re at. He even wanted to show us his ID. He does not look shabby so I said there’s no need for identification. What got us interested was that there’s free wi-fi connection on both places. And so we followed him. It was around 10 minutes away at 40 KPH.

Calabarzon Map (image from from www.guinayangan.com)

There’s a hundred peso difference between the rates of the two Inns, the cheaper one, REHM, has two available rooms while Jessar was fully booked.

We checked out the next day at around 2PM, went to Ming’s Garden and Sonya’s Secret Garden. Had super-late-lunch/early-dinner at Taj of Tagaytay and passed by Olivarez Complex (where there’s Mercury Drug and Mc Donalds) and left at exactly 9:20 PM. We were in Kamuning at 11 PM with no stop-overs but with a bit of wrong turns and getting lost, when already in Manila! All in all, it was a fun time though I was not able to use my swimwear.

A decoration at Ming's Garden, Tagaytay City

I’ll be posting separate articles about the places I’ve mentioned, but for now, I shall hit the sack.

Related Posts:

Souk Kafe
REHM Apartelle, Tagaytay City
Ming’s Garden
Sonya’s Secret Garden
Taj of Tagaytay

Related article: Subic Trip

Playa Papagayo Beach Inn and Restaurant is just beside 7-11 at Olongapo’s National Highway and there’s a signage at the facade for Playa Papagayo and Cantina Mexicana. Pass by a couple of resorts first, including Arizona Beach Resort, before getting there. Arizona, just like Blue Rock Resort was almost full and Palm Tree Resort would not accommodate four people in a room even if we pay the extra bed and person so we’re left with no choice that to get two separate rooms which would cost Php 2,500 (54.50 USD) per room. And that made me wonder if Subic Bay resorts do not have rooms with two beds on it. Lucky for us, we found Playa Papagayo. After checking out its neighboring resorts, we found it to be the best in terms of ambiance and affordability.

Playa Papagayo Beach Inn and Restaurant

When we checked in, the receptionist was polite and accommodating. We got a 20% discount upon checking in, so our Superior Deluxe Room, which had two beds, priced at Php 4,032.00 was cut down to P3225.60. We had the choice of getting the Standard Room that is good for two persons at a discounted price of Php 1,200.00, which would be cheaper for us, but we preferred the Deluxe room because it’s more spacious and was on the second floor.

Superior Deluxe Room

The place reminded me so much of Bamboo Beach Resort in Boracay.

We ordered our dinner from the resort, Cantina Mexicana’s menu, before 6PM then had some fun time at the beach.

Playa Papagayo Beach Inn and Restaurant - The beach

Playa Seaside Restaurant

The Playa Seaside Restaurant

After eating, we prepared for a night out. We went out to have a couple of beers. We tried Oriental Rose Tavern, a red-light bar. The girls said that shows are not allowed in Barretto, girls only dance. I don’t know what kind of “shows” are prohibited there, but I’ve been to Fields Avenue for a trip of student journalists and I don’t remember any remarkable shows. I was in Fields Avenue to interview girls about their job, and about the whole system in Fields as well. Also, I’ve been Venus in Puerto Galera and the shows the dancers/showgirls did were actually entertaining. There were star dancers who do acrobatic and sometimes almost athletic pole dancing and all the girls in the dance floor were very energetic. So anyway, we played five rounds of billiards at Php 10.00 per game. San Miguel Light is Php 60.00 and Rhum Coke is Php 65.00.

Before finally going home, we bought Ice Cream on Stick and some snacks from 7-11.

In the morning, we had our continental breakfast at Nina’s Margarita Bar. A breakfast includes three freshly baked pan de sal (salted bread), a slice of butter, a spoon of jam, small a small serving of juice and a cup of coffee. You can ask for more butter and/or jam anytime. But we ordered for additional food.

Nina's Margarita Bar

Nina's Margarita Bar (photo by www.amreidizon.tumblr.com)

Continental Breakfast (photo by www.amreidizon.tumblr.com)

Bacon (photo by www.amreidizon.tumblr.com)

Bacon – Php 110 — menu says there are five (5) slices, rather it was weighed according to grams

Freshly Baked Bread (photo by www.amreidizon.tumblr.com)

Butter and Jam (photo by www.amreidizon.tumblr.com)

Egg (photo by www.amreidizon.tumblr.com)

Egg – Php 20 — menu says it could be cooked any style, but you can only ask for scrambled and sunny side up. I asked for ’scrambled and curry’ style (meaning with tomatoes and spices, and I’ll just pay for the additional ingredients) but they could not accommodate it.

The waiter in the morning was not as good as John. He’s not very lively, which was actually, not bad, as long as he’s attentive. But he was not able to get our orders correctly for a couple of times, and I would always ask him to repeat our orders, because it so seemed that he’s getting a little confused. So it would’ve been perfect if not for the minor restaurant hassle in the morning. So my advise: revise the menu and say that the side order of bacon is served according to grams, and eggs could only be scrambled or sunny side up. Breakfast is served until 10:30 AM.

Beach in the Morning

After breakfast, we enjoyed more of the silver-white sand beach. The water was cold when we first dipped at around 5PM the day before, and it was also a bit cold at 10 AM. But it’s fairly clear and the shore is clean. The sand turns dark gray when wet, and the sand below gets easily disturbed and the water becomes “dusty” so taking pictures underwater was a bit hard for us.

We checked out at 1PM and had lunch at Rizal Highway then off to Zoobic Safari! Read more about our tour in the Zoobic Safari.

Related Posts:

Subic Trip
Cantina Mexicana, Playa Papagayo Beach Inn and Restaurant
Zoobic Safari – The Only Tiger Safari in the Philippines

When we were in Singapore, we visited the Ikea in Tampines, Suntec City Mall and Fountain of Wealth, The Merlion, Hawker Center / Hawkers, Esplanade and the Orchard Road.

We went back to Sentosa to see the Pink Dolphin Show at the Dolphin Lagoon located at the far end of the island. We took the cable car from the Singapore Cruise Center building beside the Vivo City. And rode the Sentosa Express back to the mall then off to an art tour!

Here are some photos of our cable car ride:

Cable Cars, on the bottom left, a Casino on the rise, a Merlion statue from afar

View of the Ocean

cruise ship docked in the ocean, view from above

A roundtrip ride is at SGD 10.90/ SGD 5.50 (adult/child). Admission center is located at the Mt. Faber Harbour Front Center and will end inside Sentosa at the Imbiah Lookout where you will find the Tiger Sky Tower.

Related Posts:

Vivo City
Food Republic
Java Kitchen
Sentosa
Skyride and Luge Car
Underwater World
4D Magix Show
Songs of the Sea
Clarke Quay
Suntec City Mall
Fountain of Wealth
The Merlion
Hawker Center / Hawkers, Esplanade
Orchard Road