Villa Amor Resort, Samar

WHERE: Villa Amor Resort, Biri Island, Northern Samar
DATE OF TRAVEL: July 2-5, 2010

WHY YOU SHOULD GO:
It's one of the best resorts in Biri Island! Their hammocks are perfect for relaxation, the sunset is beautiful and the owner's kayak may be borrowed if you want some adventure!

FEES:
P1,200/ 3 for the main cottage with aircon, P500 for non-aircon rooms

NOTE:
Biri Island doesn't have much shore (wake up early if you want to experience it!) but the sea in front of the resort is still great for swimming. Biri Island has an electricity schedule so there's no electricity from 12am-12nn. This resort has a generator, though.


DESCRIPTION:
Villa Amor is the new name of Villa Sunset Resort. It is located 5-10 minutes away from the Biri Island pier and 10-15 minutes away from the famous Biri Rock Formations. It is named after the owner who is a native of Biri and is now residing in Australia with her husband and children. This resort has aircon and non-aircon rooms and a small sari-sari store.

HOW TO GET THERE:
Fly/ Ride a boat to Catarman/ Calbayog. From Calbayog, take a jeep/ bus to the town of Allen (P80/head) and from there take a tricycle to the town of Lavezares (P100/trike). From Lavezares, hire a boat going to Biri Island. A special trip costs P400 for a 30-45 minute boat ride. Once your boat lands, ask a habal-habal (motorcycle) driver to take you to Villa Amor Resort. It costs around P20 per head.

CONTACTS:
Villa Amor Resort - +63930 3825788

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Haven Of Fun Resort, Samar

WHERE: Haven Of Fun, Dalupiri, San Antonio Island, Northern Samar
DATE OF TRAVEL: July 2-5, 2010

WHY YOU SHOULD GO:
1. The beach resort is very laid back! It is a perfect place if you really want to relax.:)
2. The weather is so nice. The nipa cottages with beach chairs is an excellent spot for those who want to read a book, reflect and/or listen to the waves.:)
3. The water is soooooooo clear, and it's salty enough to actually make you more bouyant. Imagine how fun snorkeling is without having to wear vests (rent is P100) and still float for a looooong time. There aren't too many coral reefs but the marine life is rich!:) We tested feeding the fish with bread and guess what? They swam away and didn't mind the bread. Yehey! :)

FEES:
P1,350/3 for a beach front cottage with aircon and TV (overnight)
P400 for a special boat trip from the Lavezares town pier

NOTE:
The locals of Samar actually call this resort "HAH-VEHN" (yes, as in have + en) so if you pronounce it as hay-ven, they may not understand you. :P

DESCRIPTION:
HOW TO GET THERE:
1. From Calbayog/ Catarman, find your way to the town of Victoria.
2. Go to the pier of Lavazares and ask where the dock of Haven of Fun resort is. From the pier, you can walk it or ride a pedicab (P3.00)
3. You can wait for the boat to be filled up or you can ask for a special trip. One way costs P400.00 for special trips.

CONTACTS:
Haven of Fun Resort - +63917 3276594/ info@havenoffunresort.com/

HELPFUL LINKS: http://www.havenoffunbeachresort.com/

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE:
We didn't know much about this resort because our goal was to go to Biri Island. But after a day in Biri, we decided it was time to explore another place and all the locals we talked to just had one place in mind: HAVEN OF FUN!

"Sobrang ganda dun!" ("It's so nice there!"), they would say. It must be their "Boracay", we thought, and so we decided to leave Biri Island and when we reached Lavezares, we took a tricycle all the way to Victoria and then a pedicab ride to the port of Haven of Fun Resort.

Not really knowing what to expect, this resort turned out to be a sweet surprise. It is no Boracay in terms of the shore and the sand, but it is charming in its own, special way.

The water was beautiful. The temperature was warm enough and the water was salty enough to make us really bouyant. Boy, did we enjoy snorkeling all day! Too bad our underwater camera came to its final rest so we weren't able to record any of our underwater fun, but that didn't make our activity less exciting. The fish were so "friendly", they didn't seem to mind that we were there. Apparently, we tested them by giving them our leftover bread and they turned out ignoring it! Wonderful!

The sand wasn't so smooth so we couldn't lie down on it for some tanning and reading. But this wasn't really a problem since this challenge was already solved! The nipa cottages with beach chairs and tables turned out to be a perfect hang-out place! We spent most of our time there reading, chatting and eating --all while enjoying the sea breeze that only made us wish we could stay longer.

Their rooms were okay...The beds weren't so comfortable, the aircon wasn't so cold and the bathroom was small, but it was clean and that mattered more for us. San Antonio is also one of the islands in Samar that actually has an electricity schedule, so there was no electricity by 6:00 am but it was okay because it was breezy even though the sun was really out and it was a perfect excuse to snorkel yet again. :)

We truly enjoyed our stay here. It was like having our own little paradise. Sure the rooms aren't fancy, there's no nightlife and the sand isn't so smooth, but it has a charm of its own that makes you want to stay longer and live the "beach" life. ;)

TIPS:
1. Bring snorkeling gear if you have plans of snorkeling! They only have a handful of snorkeling gears and they aren't so nice.
2. Make sure to bring mosquito repellent when you hang out by the beach.
3. Call ahead of time if you want to go here because sometimes, they are full of guests as this is where corporations hold their team buildings, conventions, etc.
4. Pronounce it as HAH-VEN and the locals will surely know what you're talking about!
5. If you can, take the special boat trip because sometimes, the commuter boat is so loaded and may prove to be unsafe. The trip going here is not an easy one. The currents are pretty strong.
6. If you are vegetarian, there's not much you can order. Ask them to cook vegetables (they have chop suey) for you, without the broth/ meat powder/ seasoning.

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Anvaya Cove, Bataan

WHERE: Anvaya Cove, Bataan
DATE OF TRAVEL: May 18-20, 2007
WHY YOU SHOULD GO: A great beach resort just 20 minutes away from Subic Bay. Definitely, this is a great place to relax in.
NOTE: This resort is open to members only, so if you know a member, they can endorse you and you can go and visit and enjoy the sun and the sand!

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Caylabne Bay Resort, Cavite

WHERE: Caylabne Bay Resort, Ternate, Cavite
DATE OF TRAVEL: April 13-14, 2007

WHY YOU SHOULD GO:

1. It's a family-friendly resort! It has villas for every family and it offers a lot of activities (aquasports range from snorkeling to banana boat to kayaking and more)!
2. You will pass by the "magnetic hill" of Cavite on the way here!

FEES: P7,000/2 on regular rates but if you catch their promo, they offer rooms for two with breakfast for as low as P1,200!

NOTE: We stayed here for a night because we were invited to do a clean-up dive with the Philippine Navy for Earth Day 2007! The scuba diving trip was a special arrangement. Caylabne Bay Resort does not offer scuba diving as part of their facilities.

DESCRIPTION:
Caylabne Bay Resort is nestled in a cove of Caylabne Point. Surrounding it are the islands of El Fraile, Caballo, La Monja, Carabao and Corregidor! It has a total of 160 hectares and is about 90 kilometers south of Manila.

With Mediterranean style and a beach rolled into one, Caylabne is a charming resort. It offers a wide range of activities for each family member. Swimming, snorkeling, banana boat ride, kayaking and aquatrike are among the water sports one can enjoy. The beach is a great place to play volleyball and frisbee, too! There are beach chairs where one can chill while watching the sunset. The resort also has a mini-golf area, basketball, tennis and badminton courts, walking trails, restaurant and business center.

The sand is grayish but it's soft and smooth. There's also a small river beside the beach where one can hangout if the "small" beach proves to be crowded.

The rooms are comfortable and big. For just a few hours away from Manila, this could be a perfect getaway resort for the weekend.

HOW TO GET THERE:
BY PRIVATE VEHICLE FROM MANILA:
1. Drive along South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) and exit at Carmona.
2. Continue west passing by General M. Alvarez (GMA).
3. Continue of Governors Drive passing by Trece Martirez City and continue to Naic, Cavite.
4. Follow the signs to Ternate town proper, passing by Muzon and a Caltex station on the junction that separates the road to Ternate and Maragondon. Take the right road (Ternate).
5. After the Ternate Municipal Hall, you will pass over a bridge and then Puerto Azul.
6. Continue southwest and follow the signs to Caylabne Bay Resort.

For other directions, click this.

CONTACTS:
Caylabne Bay Resort - +632 8138519-24

HELPFUL LINKS: http://www.caylabne.com.ph/

TIPS:
1. Stop by the "Magnetic/ Gravity Hill" along Ternate Highway. Put your vehicle on neutral and see what happens.:P
2. The food was very limited for us vegetarians. It would be better if you call ahead of time and tell them about your food request/s in case you have special food needs.

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