Place: Sunset Cove Beach Resort in Morong, Bataan

We went to Sunset Cove Beach Resort in Morong, Bataan last yeat but I only remembered to write a review now.

Planning a family outing during summer is frustrating, especially when they ask me to do it just a few weeks in advance. During this season, it is more difficult to find a good beach or pool resort that's not too expensive and still available. By good, I mean somewhere decent, clean, has a nice view and/or facilities. It's important that they have a family room that can fit more than 10 people and that they allow guests to bring food and cook inside the resort premises. It's also a factor if the resort is not too "public" because nothing ruins a summer outing than a crowded beach or pool where you can't swim in without bumping into someone.

So when my family gave me this task, I chose to go north. Our initial plan was Subic and I've already inquired and researched about the places where we can stay and where we can swim. The good resorts in Subic are way beyond our budget for 12 people so I thought we'll go to a public beach by day and crash in a cheap hotel by night.

Then I found about Sunset Cove Beach Resort in Morong, Bataan, which is somewhat close to SMBA and thought that this was the better option because they have both a beach and accommodations. Immediately, I asked if they have a family room available on April 13-14, our target date and they said they do. So everything was set in motion. They sent me a quotation and asked to make 50% deposit to their bank account to reserve the room.

 

While I find the family room rate to be delightfully cheap, I wasn't too happy about the additional charges, especially the additional fee for the Bahay Kubo lounge/dining area. We're getting a room already, do we really need to get a separate cottage for dining? Can't we just eat inside the room? But the total amount was still cheaper than my initial estimation for our Subic trip and very much within the budget so I just let it go.


The Resort

We made a side trip to San Fernando, Pampanga because my uncle's parents live there, and we paid them a short visit and he knows this wonderful market place where we bought our food supplies. Then we entered SMBA and exited at the Morong gate. From there, we just followed the directions given to us by Sunset Cove, or did we get that from Google? Sorry, I can't remember anymore, but the place is not that difficult to find.

It was past 10 a.m. when we arrived at the resort and we were immediately greeted by the owner, Ma'am Cecil (Jimenez). Because it was still early for our 2:00 p.m. check-in time and our room was not yet available, Ma'am Cecil chatted with us and kept us entertained by her stories of how they started the resort and what they do during the lean season. Apparently, the place can get flooded during the rainy months. It was a good chat and she was very accommodating.

By 11:30, we were told that our room is ready and we can unload our things and start cooking. The use of the kitchen and all utensils were already included in our quotation so we asked someone who looked like the manager of the resort, because he's the go-to person for everything, for the things that we need for cooking.  I forgot to ask for his name so let's just call him Kuya.

Our Family Room

Before we went to Sunset Cove, I inquired first if we still need to bring kitchen and table utensils. I was told that they will provide all these, so we didn't bring any. And they did provide these. But Kuya, the one who manages everything in the resort including these utensils, was a very busy person and it's sometimes difficult to find him. We tried to ask the other staff, but they seemed clueless and they just told us to find Kuya, because he's the only one who knows about it.

Asking for something that we needed in the kitchen became a bit frustrating and we usually ended up improvising, which was okay, but the hassle of repeatedly trying to find Kuya when we need something, and not finding him was draining. We wished we just brought our own utensils, and we would have had I known that getting what we need would not be that easy.

After cooking our food, we asked if our bahay-kubo cottage, where we were supposed to eat, was already available. But it's not and they told us to just use any vacant table cottage that we can find. Good thing there were a couple of unoccupied tables near the cooking area.

I'd also like to point out that the "new wing kitchen" in the quotation. which we paid P1,000 for, is just your typical public grilling area with a gas stove. We only consumed a small amount of the LPG and grilling areas are normally provided for free in other resorts, so surely, it's not worth P1,000. We felt like the kitchen did not really justify the fee. But let's move on... to more problems.

Remember that this was summer and the resort accepts day tour and overnight guests. By noon, people were starting to pour in. I almost pity those who came at around 2:00 p.m. because they couldn't find any empty cottage, table or kubo or what-have-you type, anymore and they were just standing there, looking tired and helpless. I think there was a company team-building event or a birthday celebration - or worse both - that day and the place was jam-packed. I was just thankful that we arrived much earlier.

And then there's the problem with our cottage. By 2:00 p.m., we asked again if we can use the cottage already because 2:00 p.m. is the official check-in time and I assumed that it will be available by then. But no, it's not yet available and it was only then I realized that they were renting out all the cottages to day tour guests. And that's just wrong because we paid for our cottage.

Granting that there was only a 3-4 hours overlap in the check-out of day tour guest and check-in of overnight guests, but the fact remains that we paid for that cottage and we are entitled to use it during the hours specified in the contract. Otherwise, they shouldn't have included that in the quotation and it should be just an option for overnight guests.

Our Bahay-Kubo Cottage



It is spacious enough for 15 people

By late afternoon, the day tourist had left and the place was quieter and less crowded and we finally got our cottage. We started to prepare for dinner and transfer some of our things and our food from the room to the cottage. After dinner, when no one was longer interested swimming at night and everybody just wanted to rest and sleep, we again carried our things and leftover food from the cottage back to the room. And in the morning, we did the same thing.

You see, having a separate cottage, a few meters away from our room, was really unnecessary. It would be perfectly okay for us to eat and lounge inside our room. We could skip the cottage all together and there wouldn't be the need to haul things back and forth. But since we paid for it already, not using it would mean wasting our money.

And then there's the water problem. Because they had so many guests during the day, their water reservoir was already empty by evening. We needed to wait until their motor had pumped enough water back into the tank. We were lucky our room was on the ground floor. Those who were on the second floor needed to wait longer to have water flowing in their faucets and showers. Some faucets in the resort have water, albeit close to a trickle, so we were able to wash our dirty dishes.




The Family Room

Our troubles didn't end with the resort's facilities. We had more in our room.

I totally agree that room that can comfortably fit 12 people at P6,000/night is a great find. Inside the room, we had 6 double beds, a small air conditioning unit, 2 wall fans and 1 stand fan. There was no closet for our clothes, no refrigerator and there's only 1 bathroom for all 12 of us to use. It wasn't swanky but it was alright.

 

Excuse our clutter. That's what you get when you have 12 people in a single room.

However, when we asked for the key to the door knob, they couldn't find it. We asked several times to no avail. At some point we were told that the previous occupant, who is a friend of the owner, brought the key with him by accident and they were trying to get it back. In the end, they told us that they'll just replace the door knob. But that didn't happen.

Also, for some reasons, people keept going into our room thinking it was the resort's public comfort room, probably because of the lack of clear signage and our room is close to the real comfort rooms. Because of this, we couldn't all go out at the same time and at least one had to stay inside to guard our things. It was a bummer.

Another problem was keeping the room clean and mud-free. The resort sits on a sandy ground and they didn't have cemented pathway so our sandals/flip-flops/shoes/whatever were always sandy. We couldn't leave them outside the room because, even if they weren't exactly the expensive brands, someone might take interest and steal them. You never know, right. No choice but to take them inside so sand was all over the floor. And because they didn't provide any floor mats, when we go to the bathroom, our slippers get wet, water and sand mix, and the sandy floor became a muddy floor.

Speaking of bathroom, we also had some issues there. Our bathroom looked pitiful, you could just imagine how dirty one small bathroom can get if 12 people were using it. There was a leaking pipe under the sink so we couldn't keep the floor dry, even if we try. There's nothing, not a caddy or a hole in the wall, to place toiletries on and there's no trash can.


The Beach

Although, it seemed that our stay in Sunset Cove Beach Resort, was unpleasant, it wasn't so terribly bad. While the resort itself was disappointing, the beach area was the redeeming factor. The sand is not white, more of a light gray and it turns into a rich cream color at the peak of noon. In some areas of the beach, the sand is black. But don't expect powder-fine, cool Boracay sand.

 

I like that some areas had a rustic, unspoiled charm.

 

 

Because it's a cove, the water was calm, and clear almost like spring water. It actually felt like we were in a big swimming pool rather than a beach because the waves, if there were at all, were very gentle. It's a small cove and you can walk from end to end in less than an hour. There are other resorts in the area, but I think Sunset Cove is the biggest.

We particularly like the beach area in front of Sweetwater Resort, the farthest resort on the right end, because it has the clearest water and there were hardly any people there at that time so it felt like we have the beach to ourselves.

The cove has lots of potential and I just hope that the resort owners will do their part in maintaining the beauty of the place. In the morning, we saw some trash left by guests who had bonfire the night before. No one was cleaning it. There's also food wrappers and plastic bottles floating in the water.

This is just a small cove, and if resort owners don't implement strict rules regarding trash, it's just a matter of time before the water becomes polluted. Without the clean and clear water, the cove doesn't really offer anything much.

Well, except for a great sunset.

We also went on a boat ride, P500 for 10 people (the 2 kids were free). If anyone offers you a boat ride for more than P50/head, don't accept it. There's not much to see, just the other side of the cove and the boat ride was short.

The Verdict

I think it's obvious that I won't be recommending Sunset Cove Beach Resort, especially if what you're after is relaxation and hassle-free stay. I understand that this is not a high-end beach resort and we weren't expecting fancy amenities and posh accommodations. Despite that, we felt that the resort fell short in providing us the basic things that we expected they will provide. After all, these are just basic things that other resorts of the same caliber have no trouble providing.

One of the staff admitted to us that they simply took in more than they can accommodate that day so it was chaos. To be fair to the staff and especially the owner and Kuya, they were really very friendly and accommodating. But I can't simply ignore the misses and shortcomings. And we all agree that although the beach was nice, Sunset Cove Beach Resort was simply not worth going back to.

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Sunset Cove Beach Resort
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sunsetcove/
Email: sunsetcove@yahoo.com
Phone: 0915-784-6541
            0933-674-0906
            0928-500-1132

Place: Bolod Beach, Panglao Island, Bohol

Said to be the longest and best shoreline in Panglao Island, Bolod Beach is a 1 1/2-kilometer stretch of unspoiled white-sand beach and is located at the southern part of the island. Unlike its more popular neighbor, Alona Beach, Bold Beach is a quieter, less crowded area which allows tourist to enjoy the beach more. This is the reason why I chose an accommodation in Bolod Beach.

When my husband told me that he will be working during our vacation, I knew that we won't likely be able to do our planned Bohol tours. So I thought at least, I can make it feel more holiday-like by staying at the most beautiful beach in Panglao Island.

And how does Bolod Beach fare? Let's take a look:

 

  

Captivating, isn't it? Indeed, the view is spectacular. The blue sky is seamless with the clear azure waters, and both are in perfect contrast with the verdant green landscape and cream-white sand of the island.

However, when we first strolled the beach, early morning of our 2nd day, the first thing that we noticed are the algae, shells and dead corals that littered the shore. This made it not comfortable to walk barefoot in some areas.



Large, dark patches in the water also caught our attention. When we went closer, we found out these are mini coral gardens where a few marine creatures have taken shelter.

Starfish in the water

Sea Urchin on the sand

D holding a small starfish

And a bigger one

Sea Urchin in the water

At first, I thought this is so cool, that even in the shallow areas of the beach, marine life is abundant - just goes to prove how rich and teeming Bohol's seabed is. But this can be alarming for children who usually frolic near the shore because they can get stung by sea urchins or something else (I'm not sure if starfish bites). There are sections near the shore and past the coral gardens that are bare and seemingly safe to swim in. I guess it will be up to parents to steer clear their kids from these "inhabited" parts.

So what do I think of Bolod Beach?

Annoying as it is to be always comparing all the beaches you've been to, to Boracay, I can't help it. While Boracay isn't exactly algae-free, you can walk on its sand without fear of being wounded or getting stubbed. The soft, powder-fine white sand is consistent over a large area of Boracay's shore. Its sand also stays cool under the heat of the sun.

Bolod Beach's sand isn't as fine and as we strolled the stretch of the shoreline in front of South Palms Resort and Bohol Beach Club, it is obvious that the quality of the sand varies. It tends to get coarse and rocky towards the end of the resort (the one nearing the cliff that separates Bolod Beach to Alona Beach); the best part is in front of Bohol Beach Club and the adjacent half of South Palms Resort. The sand also warms up as the sun peaks.

Bolod Beach is beautiful, no doubt about that - the water is crystal clear and everything about it looks pristine - but I guess I just expected too much. Even my husband was a little disappointed.

But then, a surprise came the next morning. We weren't planning to stroll the beach anymore but when I looked outside our villa, I saw a band of blinding white sand that had appeared a few meters away from the shore. A mini-sandbar!

 

 

 

 

 

You need to get past the mini coral garden to reach it, but the water stays knee-deep. On the sandbar, I found the super fine, milk-powdery white sand that I was pinning for the day before. I'm not sure if this sandbar is temporary as I haven't read anything about this. But it sure was a treat for us. From this vantage point, everything we look at was simply marvelous.

However (there always seems to be a catch), as I was scrubbing myself with the sand, I noticed a tiny worm wriggling on my sand-covered skin. I was reminded of that show "The Monster Inside Me" where small parasites get inside a human host and the worst things happen. So immediately, I rinsed myself in the sea and went back to our room to have a proper bath.

Despite that, I still had fun in the sandbar. I just hope that no worm got inside me. *Crossing my fingers*
 

 

 

And because of this sandbar in Bolod Beach, we were able to enjoy and had a wonderful beach experience. I hope we will see it again the next time we visit Bohol.

Place: Boracay Island

My husband and I were Boracay virgins until we decided to celebrate our one-year-delayed-honeymoon-slash-1st-wedding-anniversary in this island last February 2 to 5. And to say that we were excited was an understatement. We were exhilarated.

The days leading to our first Boracay trip were spent scouring shopping malls and buying the things that we will need: traveling bag, swimwear, toiletries, pasalubong (for my husband's relatives whom we will visit in the nearby town of Nabas, Aklan), accessories, etc. I also did a thorough research on the internet for the most practical accommodations, places to eat and water activities to make sure that we'll have a blast without burning deep holes in our pockets. (I will review these 'finds' in the succeeding posts.)

When everything looked set and covered, I braced myself for this:

Arriving at Boracay, I was surprised to find that it pretty much resembles some cities in Metro Manila. Except maybe for the terrain, the locals speaking in their native dialect and the density of foreigners, everything feels the same: sprawling establishments, busy crowd, honking vehicles, etc. I remember thinking, maybe it's because we're not yet at the beach area. So I waited for that moment.

Our tricycle dropped us at the entrance of the infamous D'mall. D'mall also turned out to be a surprise because I was expecting it to be like the "usual" souvenir shops area, with meager stalls displaying their goods. But no, it is a mini shopping mall (except that it's open-spaced) where both high-end brands and local wares can be found. The ground is paved on most parts and the whole area looks like a posh market plaza.

When we emerged from D'mall to the beach front, I was no longer surprise to see that the whole stretch is littered with different sorts of business establishments. Boracay is like someone having an identity crisis who has, so far, successfully managed to stay sane. The white, powdery sand and clear blue water will remind you that you're far from the pollution of the city, but the shops and restaurants that lined up the beach will make you feel that Boracay is a city in itself and you're right smack in the middle of it. Rest and relaxation meets comfort and convenience. The best of both worlds, as they say.

I only have one complain though. For people like us who were traveling on a budget, I find the foods in Boracay horrendously expensive. And this is despite the fact that I've listed all the supposedly affordable but still decent restaurants and we've exerted efforts to locate them. I found a few but still, at the end of every meal, I find myself trying to justify the amount we paid for the food that we just ate. Cheap by Boracay standards, but not necessarily cheap by mine.

Expect for this however, everything is perfect. The place, the people and the atmosphere. Different kinds of people from all walks of life will find something that they will enjoy in Boracay. It may be the beautiful beach, the laid-back ambiance, or the engaging vibe, the great parties, or the many things that one can do in the island. Boracay will be happy to cater to everyone.

Surely, Boracay had me smitten and it had planted a longing in my heart--a longing to go back. I'm sure it's not the most beautiful beach in the Philippines and it is no longer the pristine island that some people hoped it to be. But it has a different charm that makes people come back to it again and again. And I am one of those people. Yes, I have resolved to go back there again.

Till then, Boracay.