My husband enjoined me to go to Malaysia after his third IT seminar in Kuala Lumpur. I can’t sustain my excitement for two reasons: it was my first time visiting the country and the first time that I will get out of the Philippines alone. I booked my flight at Cebu Pacific through an online facility (8:55 pm flight) going there. My return flight was booked on Malaysian Airlines with my husband.
In front of the Pullman Putrajaya Lakeside Hotel
Batangas City is known for its beautiful beaches and stunning dive sites. And since it is near Manila, it is frequently chosen for company or group outings. For Shen’s fifth birthday, she wished for a family beach getaway which we highly favored. We are so happy because our little girl had overcome her fear of the sea. We chose Munting Buhangin Beach Camp in Barrio Natipunan, Nasugbu as it is three-hour away only from Manila and has a beautiful sea view.
Our first fun-filled water enjoyment in Splash Island was dated Feb. 25, 2000, in celebration of Paolo’s third birthday. The entrance fee at that time was P250 for the adults and P190 for kids below 3 feet. Fortunately, we have no photo souvenir because of a camera malfunction. But everyone especially Paolo had enjoyed it so much. Eleven years after, we’re back in the ultimate Water Adventure Fun Park in the Philippines.
this is our official receipt 11 years ago
We enjoined my brother-in-law Noel to go to Tagaytay for a Saturday escape from the stiff atmosphere in Manila. He’s been working abroad for so many years and before he leaves for another wonderful opportunity in California, we wanted him to see and explore some of our country’s exciting places to visit.
We chose Picnic Grove, the most visited park in Tagaytay City. We’ve been to this park so many times, but it’s nice to go back again and again because, in every visit, there is an exciting activity to indulge in. We had an exciting ride in zipline the last time we went here. The other new activity is the Cable Car which is ideal for a family ride.
Entrance fee was P50/head. Rion was free of charge since she is one year old.
Noel is from Baguio. The cool climate in Tagaytay was an ordinary thing to him. What awed him much was the breathtaking view of Taal Volcano and the lake. He got so busy capturing photos of every scenic spot that amazed him much.
Horseback riding is the oldest common activity in Tagaytay with the rate of P150 to P200 depending on the size of the horse. Since we already tried this activity in Baguio, no one wanted to do it again. So we headed down and occupied a picnic shed (P150) near the zipline station. We toured the eco-trail and just like our last visit, we enjoyed walking again to the concrete walkway with metal handrails. We savored the moment looking at the panoramic view of Taal Volcano. It took us twenty minutes before we went back to our area.
We let Noel roamed around at the lower part of the park where lots of people flocked to capture a better view of Taal Volcano. While sitting, we enjoyed watching those kites hovering in the blue sky. Later, what was left were those two big bat kites soaring freely and so mighty.
Since it was summer and weekend, the rate of zipline with photo and a mug with a photo too was Php500. Whew! What a price. It was only Pao and Miko who dared the ride again. We waited for their thrilling fly and cheered them up as soon as they were released into the air. Noel was scared to try it and so with my sister Gie. I guess it has something to do with age. Haha!
Everyone was starving when the two teens went back from their activity. We all sat together and eat our yummy snack. Bringing back the traditional picnic activity was really delightful. I was thankful that there’s a park like this that keeps family bonding so alive. An afternoon stay in Picnic Grove is indeed a relaxing family getaway.
There are lots of souvenir stores that sell t-shirts (Ph100 to Ph250), key-chains (Php35), table display (Php75), bags and coin purses (prices depend on sizes and designs). Of course for every visit, it’s a must to buy cute collections. There are also fruit stands where we bought pineapple and banana at affordable prices.
It was almost 7:00 pm when we finally bade goodbye to the park. Noel was very grateful to visit Tagaytay as he shared his valuable experiences on our way home. He appreciated the scenic view as well as the warmth of our family bonding.
I will never get tired of being the organizer in our provincial getaway because my heart is always filled with joy when we are all together in a beautiful place like this. Indeed, It is a rewarding threat to see their happy faces having fun. For the remaining days of my sister and her family here in the Philippines, we will bring them next to Boracay, Albay, and Sorsogon for a more meaningful adventure.
For our third time in Baguio, we will visit again famous places in the city with a highlight to Strawberry Farm which we never chance to visit because of limited time. We left Manila by 2:00 pm but were caught in a traffic jam on our way to North Edsa. We passed by at Sta. Rita, Bulacan for a snack and had a coffee break in Petron Gas Station along Marcos Highway.
My good friend Alma prided the beautiful beaches in her hometown in Bolinao, the third class municipality in the province of Pangasinan. With this, we opted to stay for the night in Bolinao after my son’s 13th birthday celebration in Hundred Islands. Pao and the kids enjoyed much the sun and water fun and are all excited for another beach getaway.
Clean and shallow waters, so safe even for the kids
The Hundred Islands National Park, the prime attraction of Pangasinan is the first national park and a protected area located in Alaminos. Of the 124 islands, only four are developed for tourism: Quezon Island, Lopez Island, Marcos Island, and Governor Island.
Shen is jumping for joy for another exciting beach getaway
Manila Ocean Park is the country’s first world-class marine theme park. It is one of the chosen field-trip destinations of schools for its marine life education. It is located near Rizal Park in Manila. There are offered packages for the whole family to enjoy.
The accounting team had finally set our Ilocos Norte getaway. It was Sir Alex, our boss who made the itinerary. It is a long journey by land going North. But I’m sure getting to the famed beaches of Pagudpud with my team, will surely be a worthy vacation for all of us.
Accounting Team
I was bewitched when I first saw the picture-perfect of Bulog Dos Island in Coron, Palawan as shared by a fellow blogger. Immersing in its crystal-clear water in solitude would definitely mean, “A taste of paradise” for me. Island hopping to Bulog Dos, Banana Island, and Malcapuya Island is part of our much-awaited exhilarating Coron adventure. All are part of the Calamian Islands or the Calamianes.
The captivating Bulog Dos
