How Are You : Catanauan Cove

Sometimes, it took me months ( even over a year ) to find and reply  comments in my old posts cos I don't get to read them right away, unlike those who comment using blogger account. I would only find them when I get to revisit my old posts. Nevertheless, however late and futile already_ I still reply.



Like_ just today I found this almost a year old comment (above screenshot) in my Catanauan Cove  post. The resort post itself is already almost three years old (2010). I thought of doing a sort of update about the resort which brought me back to  my old post. There I found the comment which I replied right away.

Well, the sad part is the comment is full of disappointment about the resort and quite contrary to what I was claiming in that post. The difference is I came to visit Catanauan Cove in its earliest phase. In its almost virginal state.

Personally, I've long wanted to revisit this private resort in Bondoc Peninsula (Quezon Province). I wanted to see how it progressed since my visit in 2010 when it was still relatively undergoing construction and found it to be a paradise of a beach. If only I had not gotten negative feedback from one of my bestfriends when she & family came to experience the place last Nov. 2012. I would have had revisited it by this time. Above photo was actually hers, taken during her visit. Oh well, I stole it from her FB and the rest of the photos coming below, haha. She'll never find-out anyway. She doesn't read my blog, haha.

this infinity pool, overlooking the ocean, was not yet there during my visit. nice!




I don't remember the resort having this area either, I guess it wasn't there yet too.

But I remember there were already activities for rent like kayak even then.

From this view, seems the beach is perfectly alright..




Not quite obvious with this photo of the beach she took, the reader's comments above, echoed and reaffirmed my friend's disappointments towards the resort. She exactly told me that the water was dirty and full of jelly fishes. I actually felt a little of guilt here cos I highly recommended the place to her. Expecting that the place must be more beautiful by that time cos of added structures like the infinity pool and whatnot. My friend also added the isolation she felt with fear cos she & family was the only overnight guest that time. It was a holiday in November. They stayed in a cottage by the beach.

I feel a little sadness here cos I truly feel concerned. I was happy when I discovered that there was a high-end resort in my home province (Quezon), I also love the proximity of it from Manila and that it's only takes a short  road trip. I really thought I would come to frequent this resort on its full blast.. but well, hearing these low maintenance buzz..




I wonder why the resort can't get motivated by their tree.. imagine 130 years old and still strong and beautiful. The resort is barely three years and already maintenance is an issue. Catanauan Cove is I think going for members only when it reaches its full capacity and temporarily open to the public.

Sad :(

Pueblo por la Playa : Wet Beach

Pueblo por la Playa is H-U-G-E !!!! It's 12 hectares! Now I'm confused where to start.




Alright, let me start with the beach, where I spent the shortest time. It was the weather's fault. It was as uncoordinated with the beach like my swimsuit, haha.




Well, the weather was not that totally heartless.. the rain would stop for like 15 minutes then pour again for continued 20 minutes. The cycle went on for less than an hour we spent on the beach.

At first drops, we would run to the shades...

sniffing negative ions, the secret for looking young, hahaha!  feeling!!! I hope not to sniff- in acid rains instead :)))

I'm not sure if it was only because of the rain, but I'd say the beach was not the resort's best asset. It's best assets I'd say are the infinity pools and the villas.




The sand showed up its true colors when it got wet.

Secret Paradise

I was invited by a friend and she insisted _ I must bring my family !, to her newly acquired private beach resort. For now, she wanted the details to be kept secret but encourage me to blog about my visit, so long proper names wouldn't be mentioned. The rich overseas husband didn't know about it yet.

one of the prettiest clouds I've ever glanced above

would these tall coconut trees give away the secret location ?

So we drove not so far from Manila but the sceneries were rurally green, one would have thought it was so far away from the city.






The private resort was pretty perfect ! Composition was complete _ the sea, the sand and the colors of green which dominated the place.

There was even a bonus of heritage/history. She chose to preserve the old house of the former owner which seemed to be a century old. I was not sure but . . .






Most aspects of the house were vintage looking if not antique. I read somewhere that antique is 100 years old and above, while vintage is below 100 years. Anyway, it seemed everything there was old but beautiful.
In contrast the main house where we stay during our visit was modern and looked so new. I didn't take any photos of the main house to maintain the privacy my friend deserved. Fronting this house was a large pool. My friend had 5 growing years old kids.



Bianx and Kyla easily got acquainted with these sweet kids. They didn't waste a minute and stayed in the water with them until the sun got tired of them and decided to take a rest.



It was already dinner time when the kids decided to get off the pool. Well, kids are like mermaids. They love to stay in the water.




Dinner was served al fresco, by the ocean. We enjoyed the day's fresh catches from the sea. I was hungry and excited to taste each dish and decided to stop taking photos on the second plate and succumbed to the call of all delicious foods on the table.

We retired happily that night and early morning we had to go back home. Things were pretty hectic. I kissed my friend goodbye with a promise to go back soon and stay longer.

Thankyou so much bff for sharing your paradise with me.



Oh God, thank you for my friends who mostly are wealthy now but stay the same as they were when we were younger when friendship was the most valuable thing. They are still as down to earth as when they were not yet this rich today. Love, love them. They still love me eventhough I'm definitely no longer on the same level with them. God bless them more.