The Batam View Beach Resort Experience

After a day out in the mall, we finally checked in to our room at Batam View Beach Resort. 

The room itself is old but clean. The wooden floor looked tired. Our room has the view of the sea and ongoing construction of Montigo Resort – the new place to be in Batam.

It has the basic necessities like cable TV, mini fridge, tub and bath, hot and cold shower, hair dryer, and safety deposit box.

The best thing about the room is the bed. Sure, the whole room may look somehow old but lying in hotel bed is the most relaxing thing to do after a day of walking.  What I loved most in staying in hotels is sleeping in its huge and firm bed.

We explored the resort when it wasn’t hot outside anymore. We checked the beach but it was lowtide. We decided we’ll just lounge by the pool.

The weekend crowd were all in the pool but it was big enough to accommodate everyone. We found an available beach bed and got our towels and spent the rest of the afternoon by the pool until sundown.

We also played in the trampoline. It was fun jumping high but my legs got tired from all the bouncing after a few minutes.

For dinner, we had our take away food from Ayam Penyet Ria. The chicken was good and    the spicy sauce was really hot but  I love spicy food anyway.

We decided to hang out at the Islander Lounge and have some cocktails after dinner. There was a live band playing music and everyone was just enjoying the night.

I had Batam View Punch and I liked it. It was a refreshing drink with a strawberry fruit flavor and a kick of alcohol plus a cherry on top. Erick had Bintang beer which was too bitter for my taste. We also ordered calamari to go with our drinks. We stayed and just chatted all night long. 

We woke up around 8AM the next day and proceeded to the Wangi Melati Coffee House for our complimentary breakfast. We thought it was continental breakfast of bread and coffee so we didn’t rushed. We found out that it was buffet! We could have gone there earlier. Anyways, we were still able to get and try all the dishes from the buffet.

After breakfast, we went to the beach. The beach sand was brownish in color and the water looked green. It was clean though. The water was cool enough to beat the morning heat.
 

By 12nn, we checked out . It wasn’t until 2:30pm Indonesia for our return back to Singapore. We waited in the hotel lobby and waited for our transfer to the ferry terminal. The Batam shuttle brought us to Nongsa Ferry Terminal. I saw a Polo store but it was too late to buy something since we were already lining up in the immigration. 


It was time to go back to reality! Our Batam weekend was short, sweet, fun! And yeah cheap too. Overall, our experience was good. Although the hotel was old, the staff are friendly and accommodating as well as attentive to your needs. There are also plenty of activities to do like biking, fishing, massage, and they even have a Kinect room to entertain you.

I made a photo collage of our Batam vacation :D

Day Out in Batam, Indonesia

During my 13-day trip in Singapore, we squeezed in a weekend trip to Batam, Indonesia. Batam is one of the largest islands in the Riau archipelago in Indonesia. It’s just a 40-minute ferry ride from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal in Singapore. Batam is popular to Singaporeans looking for a short weekend getaway close to Singapore. There are a number of luxury hotels and golf courses and shopping malls here which sell cheaper items compared in Singapore.

Two weeks before my trip to Singapore, we booked an overnight Getaway package at Batam View Beach Resort for SGD 236 for two persons. This include roundtrip ferry transfer,  seaport taxes, land transfers, one-night superior room accommodation, buffet breakfast, free use of gym facilities and pool, and a sea sport activity. Erick and I wanted to get away from Singapore for the weekend without burning a hole in the pocket and this was the cheapest travel deal we got.

We arrived at the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal at 8AM and collected our ferry tickets at the counter of New Century Tours Pte Ltd. Our departure cards have been filled up based on the information I provided them through email. Our ferry bound to Batam will be leaving at 9AM and we will arrive there still at 9AM. Indonesia time is 1-hr behind Singapore.

The ferry ride was smooth and fast. Within 40 minutes, we are already in another country – Indonesia! I sometimes wish that Philippines is near to its neighbor countries so we can country hop from one to another. But then, I love the fact that Philippines is kind of isolated from the rest of Asia. It makes the Philippines a must-travel destination.

Upon arriving at Nongsa Ferry Terminal, we were welcomed by the hotel staff who got our passports for fast immigration clearance. It was good since we didn’t have to queue for immigration anymore. But I just didn’t like that they kept our passports during our whole stay in Batam. We only got them back when we checked out.

Another 15-20 minute ride and finally we are arrived at Batam View Beach Resort. From the look of the hotel building, you know that the hotel is old and was probably one of the first resorts in the island. It is already past its glory days. But we already expected this based from the reviews we read at Trip Advisor. Since it was still early for check-in, we requested the front desk staff for a cab to bring us to the Nagoya Hill Shopping Mall. There’s actually a free shuttle for SGD 5 roundtrip but the reservation is full. We paid SGD 20 for one-way taxi fare. 

It didn’t take long maybe just 40 minutes and we were already in Nagoya Hill Shopping Mall around 10am. It was the so-called largest shopping mall in Batam. If I could describe it, it’s like Greenhills Shopping Center in Manila with all the gadget and clothing stores. It has a supermarket – Hypermart where you can go grocery shopping a lot cheaper compared to Singapore supermarkets. We tried to look for the Polo outlet store but we failed to see it. We scoured the whole mall but there was none. Suprisingly, Adidas store was the only popular clothing brand we saw in the mall.

Here are a few things we did.

I’ve been reading in forums that A&W used to be a popular fastfood chain in Singapore but it  closed. So we ate there just to see what’s the fuss all about.

Their chicken meals are actually good – in terms of fastfood standards.

And we loved the rootbeer float too!

We also bought donuts from J.Co. Half-dozen donut only costs Rp 34,000 (Php 150+). Cheap but good! I loved the Japanese matcha green tea donut. I know that they recently opened a branch in Megamall but I haven’t been there lately. 

I wasn’t really keen in buying anything until I saw the Wacoal store and with 50% off sign, I didn’t think twice to get in. I bought some really cute pair  - bra and undies at half the price.  Yay! I think it I only bought it for Php400-500.

We also checked Matahari – a leading department store in Indonesia and I bought another Wacoal. It was around Rp 110,000 or Php 500+.

We bought some snacks in the supermarket like the much-raved Chitato chips and kue lapis. I also bought one tub of Purbasari lulur. Read my Batam shopping finds here.

It was past 1pm when we decided to go back to the hotel. We just bought take-away food from Ayam Penyet Ria to eat at the hotel. We hailed a cab outside and agreed to pay equivalent of SGD 20 for the one-way fare.

 A day out in the mall in Batam was tiring but fun because of our good eats and great finds.  Our Batam View Beach Resort experience coming up in the next post :)

Singapore so far

Hey everyone! How was your weekend? I am blogging in Singapore right now where I am having a really great vacation.  I arrived last Thursday and was greeted by a rainy weather, exactly the same weather when I left Manila. But thankfully, everytime that we're out the weather was always cooperative.

This long vacation is turning out exactly as I didn't plan which is actually GREAT.  I had no itinerary at hand but Erick and I never run out of things to do while I am here in Singapore. I've just been here for four days and so far here's what I did.

Buffet steamboat dinner at Chinatown

We had a buffet steamboat dinner with some friends at Chinatown. Definitely good because it's been awhile since I had buffet!

Merlion i Light Show

We caught the last night of the i Light Marina Bay 2012 which featured the Merlion, among the many other structues along the bay. The event is a sustainable light art festival which made use of energy-efficient lighting and created awareness for energy-saving lighting technology for the urban environment.

Lazy Sunday afternoon

We spent our Sunday afternoon strolling around and just lazing around the Singapore Botanic Gardens. We brought some snacks for our mini picnic in the park.

IKEA feels like home :)

 We went to IKEA at Alexandra Rd. and Tampines. Erick bought a full length mirror and a side table for his almost bare room. We love IKEA food especially the Swedish meatballs and chicken wings.


Shoe haven at Charles and Keith outlet

 We checked some outlet stores in Anchorpoint Mall in Alexandra Rd. I only promised to shop if it's on sale.

Reunited :)

And spending time with each other everyday is priceless. Yihee :) I still have 9 more days to go in Singapore. I wish my vacation won't end.

Take me to the beach!

Summer is officially on! I can’t help but daydream about going to the beach these days, just daydreaming because I really haven’t got any plans to hit the beach this summer. Erick and I will be on a quick beach getaway when I visit him in Singapore this coming Holy Week. *fingers crossed*. Well that’s another story.

I’ve always been a budget traveler and I've been to many beaches here in the Philippines but most of them are on a budget trip. But of course, given the moolah and all, I would love to explore some of the luxury beaches in country. After all, the best beaches in the world are here!

Here are some beaches I am dying to go to:

El Nido Resort, Palawan

When I hear the word "Palawan”, pristine beaches are the first things that come to my mind next to the Puerto Princesa Underground River. I’ve been to Puerto Princesa, Palawan and we have toured the Underground River, Honda Bay, and Sabang Beach. This beach vacation with the family was super relaxing and fun that I want to go to back to Palawan, but this time in the luxurious El Nido Resort. For budget-conscious travelers, staying in El Nido town and going on island hopping is an option but I want to experience the white sand, blue waters, and luxury accommodation El Nido Resort offers.

 

El Nido Resort have combined a luxurious hotel experience and a private and secluded beach. Most upscale resorts provide the best accommodation but lacked in beach quality. When visiting in El Nido, you can choose from the four island resorts in which you will stay in: Apulit, Lagen, Miniloc, or Pangalusians islands or alternatively you can choose to stay 1 night on each of the island. How beach lovely is that!

Palawan is truly a paradise found!

Bellarocca Island and Resort Spa, Marinduque

 

Bellarocca is located in Marinduque and sits on an island with an overlooking view of the blue sea and clear skies. I first came to know about Bellarocca when an exclusive deal site offered a very tempting deal for a 3D/2N stay. Upon seeing the resort pictures, I was awed by the Santorini-inspired architecture of the resort. After all, it’s not often that you find a Greek inspired architecture here in the Philippines.

The accommodations are really lovely. Private villas have their own infinity pool and outdoor jacuzzi. Who can resist the charm and privacy offered by Bellarocca?

I'm not completely sure if the beach is recommended for swimming. I heard that the beach is rocky. There are water sports activities to try though such as windsurfing, jet ski, water skiing, etc. Or you can just lock up in your room and laze in the king-size bed or better yet lounge in your private pool as you sip your cocktail and enjoy the view of Mt. Malindig. This is the life!

Club Tara Beach Resort, Siargao Island

Siargao is known as the Cloud 9 for its humungous surfing waves. I guess every surfer wannabe dreams to go to Siargao. I heard there are surfing spots for beginners which is cool. Well aside from being the surfing capital of the Philippines, Club Tara Beach Resort is also found in Siargao.

The resort is located in one of the Bucas Grande Islands also known as the Sohoton National Park. The islands are a hidden gem with some white sand beaches undiscovered and wonderful snorkeling spots.

The cottages stand on the water surrounded by 6-8 islets. Staying in one of their jacuzzi villas would be so relaxing with the view of the green sea.

                                    

    Misibis Bay, Bacacay, Albay

A Bicolana myself, it’s a shame that I haven’t gone to Misibis Bay which is dubbed as a luxury island playground. To be quite honest, I didn’t find the resort enticing at first because I knew that the white sand beach is artificial. Hehe Beaches in Albay are all black sand because of Mt. Mayon.

However, the resort has been in the spotlight since it opened which made me curious. After all, having born and grown in the province I want to know what this little island has to offer. A beach trip could be planned, it's just an hour trip by land and ferry transfers anyway.

Take me to the beacccccch! 

PS: All the photos are taken from each of the resorts' websites.

Ilocos travel series: Ilocos - good until it lasts (day 3)

Knowing that it was gonna be our last day in Ilocos, I woke up a bit early. I had a good night’s sleep after drinking basi, a locally-made Ilocano wine. It was unfortunate that I wasn’t able to keep awake the whole night to join the gang in the all-night drinking spree. It may have been due to basi or I was just dead tired from the whole day of activities. 

Our itinerary for the day included a whole morning of beach bumming in Pagudpud, a visit to Patapat Viaduct, Bangui Wind Mills, and Cape Bojeador Lighthouse, and then merienda at an authentic Ilocano restaurant, and some souvenir shopping in the public market.

Good morning Pagudpud!

After breakfast, we spent all morning in the beach. It was our last hours in Pagudpud so we wanted to made the most out of it.

Happy beach time :)

After lunch, we went to Patapat Viaduct which is still in Pagudpud. It is basically a highway bridge that connects Ilocos province to Cagayan Valley. It is fondly called as the “French Riviera of the North”. While cruising along the highway, you will be amazed with the view of the sea and the mountains. 

Patapat Viaduct

The scenic view from the bridge can really pass for a movie shooting location where the man chases the love of his life when she tried to run away by taking a bus. Haha.

We stopped for a while and took some photos as if there were no passing cars.

with kaladkarin friends

And finally, I saw Bangui Wind Mills for the first time. The famous wind mills have been on much exposure in Philippines tourism ads and commercials. You will be awed to see that these wind mills are actually huge. From afar, you’d wonder if the blades are actually moving. Wait till you get close to it. You could hear the sound of the wind as it smashes against the turbines.

Bangui Wind Mills

The Bangui Wind Mills are more than just a tourist attraction. It was built to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases which causes global warming. The 20 wind turbines help in accelerating the rural electrification of the province as it also provides power supply in the Ilocos province.

Really huge fan

We stopped by Cape Bojeador Lighthouse which is also known as Burgos Lighthouse. The old lighthouse used to guide safely ships entering the Philippine archipelago from the north in the rocky coast of the town. 

The lighthouse is tall at 65 ft. and it was breath catching to climb it up to the top. The view was definitely worth is as you can see the view of the province as well as Bangui Wind Mills on a clear sunny day.

View from the lighthouse

We drove to Laoag City in mid-afternoon. Our flight back to Manila was at 6PM and we wanted to spare a few hours in the city to buy some souvenirs and savour Ilocano dishes. We had merienda at Saramsam Café.

Saramsam Cafe

We also stopped quickly at the Sinking Bell Tower of Laoag which used to be a tall bell tower. It was said that it sank through time because the of the sandy foundation of the bell tower. It is something not to be missed as it is located upon entering the city proper.

Sinking Bell Tower

Any trip wouldn’t be complete without any pasalubong. Our tour guide brought us to the local wet market for us to buy cheaper pasalubong. Of course, I didn’t miss to buy bagnet, chichacorn, suka, and bagoong.
 
Times flies fast when you’re having fun. At 6PM, we boarded the plane bound for Manila which brought us back to reality. I’m glad I made this trip with my closest travel barkada. We all agreed that this was our most sulit trip to date – sightseeing (check), friendly tour guide and comfy van (check), foodtrip (check), nice hotel and resort (check), BEACH (check), drinking session (check), pasalubong (check) and most of all budget (check). What can I say? This trip had it all.
 
Fun time in Ilocos (check)!

PS: Some of the pictures from my Ilocos blog entries were from my friend Gyles. Thanks Gyles! :)

Ilocos travel series: Ilocos Norte and more (day 2)

As much as we wanted to stay longer in Java Hotel for its unique ambiance, the second day of our northern exposure trip meant more sights to see. 

I <3 Ilocos Norte

On the second day, we toured Ilocos Norte and its nearby sights. Our first stop was Marcos Mausoleum but taking photos of Marcos' preserved corpse (if it really it was) was not allowed.  We had the chance to view the late President Ferdinand Marcos' refrigerated corpse and it kinda looked like it was made of wax.  The nearby Marcos museum was closed for renovation so there isn't much to see. 

Marcos' presidential plate numbers

Paoay Church is one of the grandest churches I’ve ever seen. If I were an Ilocano, I would probably want to get married here someday. From every angle, the church exudes a very elegant and grand façade. Paoay church is included in the UNESCO World Heritage list and known for its unique combination of baroque, gothic, and oriental designs. 

Paoay Church

Best travel barkada :)

A short walk from the Paoay Church is Herencia Cafe which serves one of the best pinakbet pizzas in the province. We ordered one for take-out. When in Herencia, the view of the church is really amazing. I can imagine people dining in the café and eating their pinakbet pizza while enjoying the view of the church after the Sunday Mass.

Herencia Cafe

Then, we drove for another 30 minutes or so to Malacanang of the North. It is locally called ‘Malacanang ti Amianan’.  The Malacanang of the North is the official residence of the late President Ferdinand Marcos in Ilocos. It was constructed on a land projecting the Paoay Lake. 

Malacanang of the North

in the grand staircase

We toured around the house and saw the many rooms of the Marcos clan. I was surprised to know that the the former first couple has separate bedrooms in the house.

Marcoses matrimonial bed

After touring most of the major sites in Ilocos Sur, we travelled to Pagudpud after lunch. We trekked to Kabigan Falls in 30 minutes and dipped in its very cool water and enjoyed our take-out pinakbet pizza from Herencia Cafe. 

Kabigan Falls

And finally, we headed to Pagudpud which we were all looking forward to..beach!!!! We stayed at Hannah’s Beach Resort in Blue Lagoon (Maira-ira Beach). 

Blue fishing boats in Pagudpud

Since everyone was so excited to hit the beach, we waited no longer to swim in Blue Lagoon’s inviting water. We owned the beach to ourselves. 

Chillaz by the beach

The beach is just perfect as well as really intimate and perfect for those long walks in the beach, if you get what I mean :D Blue Lagoon is actually a beach cove so you can walk from one end of the cove to another.

:)

We’d stop to appreciate the serenity of the place as well as the interesting rock formations. I don’t know, maybe we were just there on an off-peak so we had the beach to ourselves which is not bad at all.

If you're looking for a serene and white sand beach in the North, Pagudpud is the beach to be.