The Foodinista: Summer

Potipot Island, Zambales: A Quick Weekend Getaway

Thursday, March 30, 2017

Potipot Island

My friends and I decided to spend a quick weekend getaway to Potipot Island, Zambales. I've seen a lot of affordable coupons in Metrodeal so I decided to purchase one for me and my friends. The promo I got was around P499 per person so all we had to spend for were the food and transportation.

The package we got already includes boat transfers.

How to Get to Potipot Island Via Commute

From Cubao catch a bus to Iba Zambales. The jump off area is the Iba Town Prope, there are buses to Sta. Cruz that passes bu Uangco, ride a tricycle going the narrow backstreet, there you will see boats that would take you to Poitpot for around 10 min.

Island View from the Boat

Potipot Island is also known to be the Little Boracay of the North cause of its fine brown sands as powdery as the ones in Boracay. Upon arriving i've noticed that there were very few people going here so it's just a perfect place to rest and chill under the sun. You can walk on the whole island for around 30 min to an hour, that's how small it is.

For guests who are in a day trip, they charge P100 but if you plan to stay overnight there is a P300 fee. There are a lot of nearby hotels in the area so if you don't want to camp out, you have a lot of other options to choose from.

Sample Package

POTIPOT ISLAND Overnight Camping Package
Php 699/person (if 5 Participants)
Php 750/person (if 4 Participants)
Php 850/person (if 3 Participants)
Php 950/person (if 2 Participants)

PACKAGE INCLUSIONS:

✔ Overnight Fee at Potipot Island
✔ Boatride to Potipot Island (2 way)
✔ Tent Accommodation
✔ Cooking Utensils
✔ Drinking Water, Ice and Charcoal
✔ Parking fee for your vehicle

NOT INCLUDED: ✘ Van Transfer and ✘ Food

My friends

CAMPING

This is an ideal place to spend overnights. Just bring your own tent to set up, sometimes there are caretakers who offers tent rentals. You can set up your own bonfire, better bring light cooking wares so you can camp and eat out during the night.

What I like about Potipot is that it has a lot of trees that serves as shade for overnight campers.

There is no electricity in the island so better bring flashlights and camping gears with you, all ready before the sun sets.

Tent Set Up

BBQ Ihaw

FOOD & WATER

It is a MUST to buy food and water before heading to the island. There is nothing that can be bought in the island. Most people who visits here already bring pre-marinated meats and barbecues, some bring their own charcoals for cooking and drinking water.

This is such a perfect place for couples or barkadas who just want to escape the noisy streets of Manila. If you are looking for an island where you want to take some time and reflect on your life, enjoy the peaceful ambiance and hear the sounds of nature, this place is perfect for you.

Leisure

Piña Colina Resort, Tagaytay

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Piña Colina Resort

“Piña Colina” is a Spanish phrase that translates to "Pineapple Hill". As the name implies, this new Tagaytay hideaway is located atop a hill largely surrounded by pineapple plantations. Apart from the lush greens, Pina Colina also features a panoramic view of Tagaytay's landscape and its neighbouring mountains.

Piña Colina offers quality yet reasonably-priced accommodation ideal for family vacations, barkada gatherings and company outings. Their goal is to offer our guests excellent service at a very affordable price. They have units of varying sizes to suit your needs. Each unit is furnished with comfortable beds, clean bathrooms with hot and cold shower, a kitchen equipped with a gas stove, plates and cooking utensils, dining table and a television set.

Pool Area

Casita

Villa

Kitchen

Dining Room

ROOMS

STANDARD ROOM

Well equiped unit, a perfect place for large group getaways.
Good for 2 persons.

DELUXE ROOM

Spacious & comfortable that everything needed for a relaxing stay.
Good for 2 persons.

PREMIERE STUDIO

Ideal for work or pleasure, and the perfect settings for any couple.
Good for 2 persons.

TWO BEDROOM DELUXE

Enjoyable package great for families or groups traveling together.
Good for 2-4 persons.

CASITA

Great value w/ facilities, a popular for overnight or extended stays.
Good for 6 persons.

LOG CABINS, JUNIOR SUITES

We stayed in a Log Cabin since we're more than 20 people when we stayed here. I love how cozy this place is for families. We played games all nights, ate chips, had a few drinks, what a perfect time to catch up with the family. There's also a kitchen so it's ideal to cook and even has a dining are where everyone can join during meals.

Bedroom

Basketball Court

Playground

Villa at Night

Amenities at the Resort

Adult & Kiddie Pools

Use of the pools at Piña Colina is free for stay-in guests. The pools are open to the public, so you can use them for a fee if you aren’t sleeping over at the resort.

The adult pool is 4 to 5.5 feet deep, while The kiddie pool is 2 to 3 feet deep. Kids using the pool must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

Non-stay in guests may use the pool at ₱200 per person good for 5 hours only (additional charges for succeeding hours may apply).

Elevated Jacuzzi

The resort has an elevated jacuzzi that gives you a beautiful view of Tagaytay. It can accommodate up to ten people. It may be availed for ₱1,200 per hour and it can accommodate up to ten people. ₱800 for each additional hour.

The Function Hall

Perfect for weddings and parties, Piña Colina has a function hall with glass sliding doors and large glass windows featuring a 180 degree view of the Tagaytay skyline. The venue can accommodate up to 200 persons, and is suitable as well for seminars, team building sessions, and retreats. There are also a number of smaller function rooms available for meetings and private parties, so ask the team for more information on those.

Other Amenities

Piña Colina is currently beefing up its other on-ground facilites, including a game room with a billiard table, pingpong table, and video games, an obstacle course for team-building sessions, inflatables, a trampoline, as well as areas for basketball and volleyball.

PROS

I really love how large the resort is which is ideal for people coming in big groups or families, if not a perfect place for retreats! There are a lot of activities that can be done and it's quite affordable if you'll be coming in 20 pax or so. The place is peaceful at night and is a really good venue to unwind, relax and reunite.

CONS

The food in their restaurant isn't so delicious. The resort is also quite far from the main Tagaytay City which isn't ideal if you will just be commuting going to the resort. There aren't many restaurants and eateries nearby the resort.

HOW TO GET THERE

Public Transit

Via SLEX
1. From SLEX, take the Sta. Rosa exit. Turn right after the toll booths going to Tagaytay.
2. After 20 - 25 minutes, along Sta. Rosa - Tagaytay Highway, slow down after you pass by Ming's Garden on the right side of the road. Drive for about 350 meters more.
3. When you see the big, green Tagaytay Haven Hotel signage, turn right on the road just before the signage. There is a blue & yellow waiting shed on the corner.
4. After turning right on this road (Ulat road), go straight until you hit a road on the left. Turn left on this road. It's an uphill climb going to Piña Colina resort which is on the left side.