Michi Photostory

Eleven days to go and the first quarter of the year 2019 is over, time flies really fast. Few more days na lang, tapos na rin Recognition practice ng aking anak and finally summer vacation na. But before that let me share with you my  Althea Korea Ber-Months Haul. Three months ago na yata since my last post about beauty products, nalibang masyado sa food and travel post.


October Althea Korea Haul 

Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask P740
The Faceshop Herb Day Cleansing 365 Foam Lemon (170ml) P150
The Faceshop Herb Day 365 Cleaning Foam Aloe (170ml) P150
Innisfree Green Tea Mint Fresh Shampoo (300ml) P380

Anyway, last October I started buying my Christmas Gifts and some of my gifts came from Althea Korea. I love Korean products so why not, ipang-gift di ba? I bought The Faceshop Herb Day Cleansing 365 Foam Lemon last year and I liked the product. I said before that it will really last and until now hindi pa rin ubos ni hubby yung cleansing foam so naisip ko pwede pang-gift. All year-round nila magagamit.

Lasy July, I bought the Innisfree Camellia Essential Shampoo and I find it expensive for P290 (300ml) but after one month of using it, there is a significant improvement on my hair so bago pa maubos, bumili na ko. Unfortunately, it is not available of the day of my purchase so I settled for Innisfree Green Tea Mint Fresh Shampoo P380 (300ml). Waah! Mas napamahal pa ako.


Innisfree Green Tea Mint Fresh Shampoo is a sebum-control shampoo with a combination of Jeju Green Tea and Mint extracts. And because of the formulation, it will make you feel refresh after using. It is silicone-free so expect that your scalp and hair will not dry out. I like this shampoo but it is more expensive so I will go back to Innisfree Camellia Essential Shampoo.


I’m starting to love Laneige products so when I saw the 15% off of Laneige last October, I bought Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask. I always have dry and chapped lips but I’m lazy to apply lip balm so I want to try this Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask. It promised that it will soothe, soften and smoothen your lips. There is no significant effect after my first use and minsan nakakalimutan ko rin maglagay, so I’m not sure if I will repurchase this again. There are four fragrances that you can choose from, I chose Sweet Vanilla. Other variants are Sweet Berry Complex, Sweet Citrus, Citrus Green Fruity.

November Althea Korea Haul

Mediheal Vita Lightbeam Essential Mask EX 6 sheet P350
Elizavecca Gold CF-Nest White Bomb Eye Cream (30ml) P400
Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Nose Pack (6 patches) P150
Missha the Style 4D Mascara (7g) P170
Bubble Maker P50
Boomdeahdah Everyday Mask Set 10 Sheets P180

November came and paubos na ang ibang Korean Products ko so I ordered a face mask, eye cream, nose pack, mascara, and bubble maker. Boomdeahdah Everyday Mask Set and Missha the Style 4D Mascara are some old favorites.


I’ve been seeing a lot of good reviews about Mediheal mask so I bought Vita Lightbeam Essential Mask EX. This mask will soothe, pamper and brighten your skin complexion. The price is a little bit expensive compared to the other masks that I have tried but I love this. Actually, I repurchased this mask but I was surprised na may limit to one piece lang. Wow, bawal maghoard. I hope next time may promo ulit na 6 pieces/set.


I already have an eye cream and okay naman siya but I decided to try a new brand so I bought Elizavecca Gold CF-Nest White Bomb Eye Cream. What nice about this product is you can also use this in your forehead and smile lines, so multi-purpose din siya.

If you are familiar with Snail White Whipp Soap na marami foam sa face, nagtrending siya last year but I haven’t tried it yet. I bought Bubble Maker na lang so I can put my soap inside, for P50 only. It makes my life easier, sabay na lang pagsabon at pagscrub. Sometimes this is out of stock, so hoard na rin na good for one year.


I bought the Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Nose Pack for my husband pero hindi pa niya ginagamit. I will update this post after trying it.

December Althea Korea Haul



Pobling Mini Ion Applicator P700
Laneige Mini Sleeping Mask Set (+ Basic Sample Kit) P1240
Laneige Essential Power Skin Refiner (200ml) P1100
Calmia Oatmeal Therapy Cleansing Tissue (20pcs) P60
CP-1 Premium Silk Ampoule (20ml) P70

I’m part of Althea Angels and I received Christmas Shopping Rewards last December. Yey,  so before the year ends, I purchased my last Althea Korea Box for the year 2018. I bought Pobling Ion Applicator, Laneige Mini Sleeping Mask Set + Basic Sample Kit, Laneige Essential Therapy Cleaning, CP-1Premium Silk Ampoule, and an old favorite Calmia Oatmeal Therapy Cleansing Tissue.

Laneige Sleeping Mask is one of my Top 10 Favorite Products from Althea Korea site so I took advantage of the sleeping mask set and sample kit so I can try other variants of sleeping masks. I haven’t use the other masks but I’m planning to bring them on my future travels.

I love Laneige brand so even it is expensive, I’m still trying one product at a time and my new favorite is Laneige Essential Power Skin Refiner. I stopped using my toner and started using Essential Power Skin Refiner. It is different from other toners because the formula is thicker so it moisturizes and hydrates your skin down to deep layers.


 After using it for a few months, I can really see the improvement in my skin texture, fewer pores, bright complexion, and feeling ko ang soft ng skin ko. I don’t use cream anymore, since I always stay at home, ito lang gamit ko day and night. I use sunscreen and primer if I’m going out and pag night time, sometimes I add a sleeping mask, Vitamin C- Essence, or face mask.

I haven’t use the other products, I will just update this post next time. I still have two remaining boxes this year that I need to unbox. Naghoard na at matatagalan na naman ang next order ko.

Batanes is on my bucket list but I was hesitant to visit Sabtang Island because I’m scared to ride the Faluwa. My initial plan is we will just visit North Batan Island and South Batan Island but when we availed of the Tour Package of Bernardo’s Hotel, Sabtang Island Tour was already included so I was just praying that weather will cooperate on the day of our trip.


During our North Batan Tour, we visited the Naidi Lighthouse and a stranger approached us and asked if we already visited Sabtang and I said “Hindi pa”. He said, “Punta kayo dun, ang ganda-ganda dun”. He was really smiling while saying those words so nacurios tuloy ako lalo.

Read: Bernardo’s Hotel Review 
Day1: North Batan Island Tour in Batanes

Sabtang Island Tour Itinerary

5AM Wake up call/Breakfast
6AM Depart from the hotel to Ivana Port

Registration at the Tourism Office
Start of Tour

San Vicente Ferrer Church
Morong Beach and Mayahaw Natural Arch
Brgy Savidug Stone House
Savidug Idjang Natural Fortress
Sto. Tomas Chapel
Chamantad - Tinyan Viewpoint
Chavayan Vernacular Houses
Sta Rosa De Lima Chapel
Sabtang Weavers Association

11:30AM Picnic Lunch
1:30PM Travel back to Ivana Port
Back to hotel

Watch the Sabtang Island Tour video

We started the year 2019 in Batanes, we woke up early and we were ready by 5AM but the restaurant was still closed so we just waited outside. It was the first day of the year so puyat pa mga staff sa New Year’s Eve; 5:30AM na nag-open yung restaurant and 5:40AM na naserved yung breakfast, we just ate fast because we need to leave by 6AM.

Wherever you stay, the hotel, hostel or guesthouse adjust their schedule too so don’t worry because they will serve breakfast before your Sabtang Island Tour. Just don’t forget to inform them. We arrived in Ivana Port after 30 minutes, we just registered and waited for the boarding time. Finally, I saw the boat of Batanes “Faluwa”, so ito yung boat nila na walang katig or outriggers. #onlyinBatanes


At 7AM, we started to board and they gave us lifevest. This is it! Time to face my fears, I was really praying that our boat ride will be smooth. Our tour guide instructed us to sit in the middle which we did so we won’t get wet and avoid seasickness. Just in case you want to vomit, don’t worry because there are plastic bags inside the Faluwa.


We’re so happy when we docked at Sabtang Island after crossing the strong currents of the Pacific Ocean and West Philippine sea in 30 minutes. Upon arrival, you need to register at the Tourism Board, don’t forget to bring the flyers that were given to you when you paid the Environmental fee, they will look for that. I was expecting that we will have a tricycle tour in Sabtang but I was wrong, I was glad that we will ride a Crosswind.

The Sabtang roads are so narrow, minsan one way lang yung daanan pero dahil konti lang naman ang sasakyan, no traffic and nakakapag-adjust naman sila lahit nagkakasalubong minsan sa daan. The road also reminds me of our Sagada trip.

Brgy Savidug Stone House and St. Tomas Aquinas Chapel

Our first stop is Brgy. Savidug Stone House, we started our walking tour in the traditional village and we saw the famous Ivatan homes and St. Tomas Aquinas Chapel. There are stone houses on the North and South Batan Tour but Sabtang Island has more stone houses and they really tried their best to preserve these houses.

The houses are made of stone walls and cogon roofs. The cogon roof varies too, there are four sloped (maytuab), two sloped (Sinadumparan), and a combination of wood and cogon (jinjin) and according to our guide, the cogon roof really lasts for a long time.



You will enjoy your walking tour because it is your chance to have a glimpse of the simple life of Ivatan. Though Savidug is known as a traditional village, you will notice that some parts of the barangay have modern houses.

Chamantad-Tinyan Viewpoint

The next stop is Chamantad-Tinyan Viewpoint, I’ve seen this viewpoint in pictures and in movies but nothing beats the personal experience. It left me speechless when I saw the Chamantad-Tinyan view, it is indeed picturesque.

My two boys sa kabilang bundok

  

The wind was strong so walking on the hill was difficult for me. Kung nahirapan na ko sa Vayang Rolling Hills, mas mahirap pa maglakad dito sa lakas ng hangin. So there is a spot there where I just sit na lang and my two boys continued their walking tour without me. Hindi ko na kaya maglakad pa sa kabilang bundok so I just enjoyed the view where I can see the Pacific Ocean and mountains. Among the tourist spots that we visited on Sabtang Island, this is my favorite.

Chavayan Vernacular Houses 

Then we moved to Brgy. Chavayan where you can see other types of stone houses. Sabtang Weavers Association is located in Chavayan where you can buy or rent a vakul. Pay P20 if you want to rent the vakul (headgear) and kanayi (vest) for picture taking.

We also saw the house where Coco Martin and Toni Gonzaga stayed during their shoot for “You’re My Boss” movie.


You can also see the Sta Rosa de Lima Chapel. The chapel was built in 1951 and mass is every Saturday. Our last stop in Brgy. Chavayan is Chavayan Beach, then we went to our next destination.


On our way to Morong Beach, we passed the Sleeping Beauty Mountain and Idjang Fortress.



Morong Beach and Mayahaw Arch

I’m familiar with Morong Beach in Bataan and I have no idea that there is Morong Beach or Nakabuang beach in Sabtang Batanes too. This beach is much better compared to the other beach that we’ve seen in Batanes.



You can also see the Nakabuang Arch or Mayahaw Arch, the popular natural rock formation on the beach. This is our last stop so we spent most of our time here waiting for our lunch at Pananayan Canteen & Catering Services. We had chicken tinola, fried pork, fish fillet, vegetables, rice and bukayo for dessert.

San Vicente Ferrer Church and Sabtang Lighthouse 




Past 11AM and we were already back at Sabtang Port, we were so early for our boat ride so we went to San Vicente Ferrer Church, which is the national Historical landmark in Sabtang Island. It was built in 1765. You can also see the Sabtang Lighthouse from afar.

Surviving Faluwa Ride 

On our way to Sabtang Island, I was praying na sana okay lang alon para hindi kami magsuka. We docked safely naman and we enjoyed our tour. But after our tour, it started to rain and the waves were getting higher and stronger. I was thinking, tuloy kaya biyahe? Mag-overnight ba kami sa Sabtang?

Pero tuloy biyahe, we boarded the boat kahit takot. If Batan to Sabtang Boat ride was okay, going back to Batan is a different story. I was really scared. Riding faluwa with big waves is no joke. Rollercoaster ba ito? My son even said, mommy the boat is jumping. Ilang beses din kaming mga tourists napasigaw as we braved the waves. Maski yung gamit naglaglagan at nagmove from left to right. Nabasa na mga passengers sa unahan because of the waves. I was praying, “Lord, please calm the sea, ayaw ko lumutang sa West Philippine Sea”.

It was the longest 40 minutes of my life and I’m so grateful that we survived the Faluwa boat ride. Masuka-suka kami pero at least buhay. I did not imagine that I will start 2019 like this, they say Sabtang is a heavenly place but Faluwa boat is one hell of a ride. “Life is an adventure, take risks”

Dinner at Amboy’s Hometel 

We were supposed to eat at Cafe Du Tukon in Fundacion Pacita but because of what happened, we just ate dinner at Amboy’s Hometel. It was January 1, so our tour guide was not sure if there are open restaurants in Basco Town. This is just walking distance from Bernardo’s Hotel and we had an early dinner at 5:30PM. We enjoyed our Sinigang na Hipon and Grilled Liempo.

Read: Where to Eat in Batanes  

Sabtang Island Tour Package 

Our Sabtang Island Tour is part of the Tour Package at Bernardo’s Hotel, we paid P7200 per person for our 3 Days Batanes Tour, it is a private tour with a driver, tour guide, entrance fees, boat ride, and food. If you want to save you can read my How to Save Money for your Batanes Trip post. 

You can also save money by booking your tour at Klook, they have different packages according to your needs. The child’s rate is also available.

3 Days North Batan, South Batan and Sabtang Island Tour P5,500
2 Days North Batan, South Batan and Sabtang Island Tour P4,800
Sabtang Island Day Tour from Batan Island P2500

Read: Pasalubong from Batanes 

The best way to make your guests feel welcome is by offering him or her food or drinks. As a host, you need to make sure that you prepare delicious food on time. Making food can be quite exhausting, especially if it is for a large group of visitors. It would help if you considered buying some kitchen appliances that will help in the quick preparation of food. Go for the automated appliances, and you will not need any chef skills to prepare those tasty delicacies for your guests. This article highlights some of the kitchen appliances every household should have:


1) An Espresso Machine 

Freshly brewed coffee is one of the best beverages to offer your guests. With an espresso machine, you can easily prepare 5 to 9 cups, which is enough for a small group of guests. This affordable appliance goes for $80 to $650, depending on its features. Depending on the brand, espresso machines could be quite durable. Some require minimal maintenance. If you are not sure of the one to buy you can check out reviews of the best at home espresso machines from reputable platforms to help you make a quick, informed decision.

2) A Beverage Refrigerator 

You may have a standard refrigerator in your kitchen. However, the best place to store your drinks is in a beverage refrigerator. It keeps your drinks cooler and thanks to its small size its lower on energy consumption costs. Also, this unit is designed to hold cans and bottles s your drinks are intact. It keeps drinks at 30 degree, which is the perfect temperature to offer guests on hot days. This unit also makes the best place to store drinks for a party since it has a large capacity.

3) An Electric Food Steamer 

The electric food steamer is a healthier way to prepare food since the nutrients are retained. This is good for guests with a dietary preference for steamed food. There are steamers with more than one compartment so you can make different foods at once. Also, you can set different cook times and temperature for each compartment.

4) A Pizza Oven 

Instead of ordering pre-cooked meals, surprise your guest with a DIY pizza. This appliance is better than using your oven since you do not have to wait for it to preheat. If your guest visits on short notice, it will save you some time since it prepares pizza fast. Also, it spreads the heat evenly. Therefore, every part will cook. With this appliance, you will not need a pan saving you time that would have been spent cleaning.

5) An Electric Kettle 

If you are making soup, pasta, or tea, you will need hot water. An electric kettle is an appliance that quickly boils water. Most kettles can boil one and a half liters of water in less than two minutes. It comes with a jug where you pour the amount of water you want to be boiled. You then plug it in and turn it on. These appliances are smart in that they automatically switch off when the water boils. This appliance is a real time saver and requires little effort.

My mom lives overseas for three decades already so she doesn’t celebrate her birthday with us. From the time that she left, the only birthday celebration that I can remember was 6 years ago because I’m the one who prepared and booked for it. But this year, she had a weeklong birthday celebration. It started in Palm Beach Resort, then she had a small celebration/Despedida in Valenzuela and of course the birthday celebration at The Alley by Vikings.

It is not easy to plan kung biglaan especially if she has so many options like staycation in Tagaytay, hotspring in Laguna, adventure in Bulacan or eat all you can na lang. We ended up with buffet because the hotel and resorts that we wanted were all fully-booked on the day of celebration. For buffet restaurants naman, ang dami din choices but we settled at The Alley by Vikings.

Read: List of Buffet Restaurants in the Philippines
Since we are a group of 13 persons, my sister-in-law reserved a table for us and The Alley sent a Confirmation Message. My sister-in-law personally went there to check the restaurant and reserve but according to the SMS, for future reservations and inquiries, you may contact the hotline at 845-4647. So no need na pumunta pa sa restaurant, you can just call and reserve.


I haven’t tried The Alley by Vikings so when I saw the buffet rate, namamahalan ako. But my sister who already ate there said “sulit naman, marami food choices”. The Alley is different from other buffet Vikings restaurants that we have tried. They offer more or less 15 international street-inspired food stalls where diners can choose, eat and drink. So parang malaking food court that you can eat unlimited food, drink unlimited juice, coffee, softdrinks, and alcoholic drinks and pay a fixed rate.



Prior to our trip, I already checked the list of food stalls that I can choose from. There are several stalls and I’m pretty sure that I cannot taste everything so from the list, I chose Just Steak A Minute, Frituen Batsoy, Yatai, Atching Lilian, Nords Coffee Bar, and Street Wok.


Antipasto/Blud 
Just Steak a Minute 
Atching Lilian 
Frituen Batsoy 
Hegz 
Hunneycomb 
Buono 
Lost & Pound 
HaoChin 
New York Pizza 
Nords Coffee Bar 
O’Sean Eleven 
Street Wok 
Yatai 




Fast forward to the birthday celebration, we were there before 11AM and pang #3 na kami. The Alley by Vikings restaurant is big and I like the interiors, very Instragrammable. Each corner has different designs, even tables and chairs are not uniform. They started calling the number at 11AM and then we started our feast.


Watch the video here

We immediately went to Just Steak a Minute, you can choose from Beef Tenderloin Steak, Salisbury Steak, and Pork Tenderloin Steak. My husband and I chose the Beef Tenderloin Steak and my son chose the Salisbury Steak. I enjoyed my steak and mashed potato and I wanted to order for second round but my husband suggested, try ko naman ang ibang food stall so I did. Before we paid the bill, I went back to order Beef Tenderloin Steak but I was disappointed kasi bakit iba na lasa, hindi katulad nung una ko kinain so I was thinking, hindi ba consistent ang taste? My husband said, baka tira-tira na lang kasi patapos na e. Waah!


Next stop is Yatai for my ebi tempura and miso soup, then Frituen Batsoy for classic bagnet but you can also try Kare-Kareng Bagnet, Paksiw na Bagnet, Sisig Bagnet, Sinigang na Bagnet or Tsep’s Batchoy. From Atching Lilian, I only ate bopis. The Nords Coffee Bar offers drinks and desserts, I ate blueberry cheesecake and mango cheesecake while my son enjoyed his churros. From Street Wok stall, I enjoyed puto bumbong, taho and green mango with bagoong while my son ate fish balls. The Alley offers dirty ice cream and yung level-up na ice cream. May pakulo pa na dry ice sa gilid.








For birthday celebrants, mas okay ang pakulo nila compared sa ibang Vikings restaurants. May perfomance pa sila before giving the ice cream with a candle. My mother enjoyed her birthday celebration here. It was a treat from my mom so I have no reason to complain kasi libre naman but if I will pay for P932.40, hindi siya sulit for me. Maybe I will just go back pag weekday or birthday celebration din. Hehehe!

The food and service are good but I still prefer the other Vikings restaurants na mas gusto ko yung buffet spread. My aunt went back the following day with my other aunt's family and mukhang sulit sa pinsan ko at umupo na sa Hegz bar for alcoholic drinks. So kung umiinom kayo, baka sulit na sa inyo.

Read: Four Seasons Buffet & Hotpot City
Vikings Feast from the Sea
Tong Yang Plus by Vikings 

The Alley by Viking Rate 

Adult Rate 
Adult Weekday Lunch: 688 (+5% service charge)
Adult Weekday Dinner: 888 (+5% service charge)
Adult Weekends/Holiday Lunch & Dinner: 888 (+5% service charge)

Kid Rate 
Kids below 3 ft: FREE
Kids 3 ft - 4 ft Weekday Lunch: 188 (+5% service charge)
Kids 3 ft - 4 ft Weekday Dinner: 288 (+5% service charge)
Kids 3 ft - 4 ft Weekends/Holiday Lunch & Dinner: 288 (+5% service charge)
Kids 4 ft - 4 ft 4.6" Weekday Lunch: 388 (+5% service charge)
Kids 4 ft - 4 ft 4.6" Weekday Dinner: 588 (+5% service charge)
Kids 4 ft - 4 ft 4.6" Weekends/Holiday Lunch & Dinner: 588 (+5% service charge)

Operating Hours
Mondays — Sundays Lunch: 11:00 am - 2:30 pm
Dinner: 5:30 pm - 10:00 pm

Birthday Promo 

1. Birthday celebrant of all ages can be avail the birthday promo on the day itself and on their birthday month.
2. Celebrants can eat free on the day of their birthday on both lunch and dinner as long as accompanied by one full paying adult.
3. Celebrants can eat free for one month on both lunch and dinner per day, as long as it is within the month of his/her birthday and accompanied by four full paying adult.
4. Full paying adult/s is/are adult guests who will be paying full rate without any discounts.
5. Requirements for celebrants: Celebrant must bring an original and valid government issued picture ID with the birthdate imprinted on it, both local and foreign IDs are accepted for proof.

20 + 2 Promo 

1. Reservations with 22 full paying adults and above are entitled to a special deal. (20+2 promo)
2. For every 10 additional full paying adult, 1 other guest may eat free.

Party at The Alley 

1. Full paying adults who will dine in big groups are entitled to receive a special discount 25% off for 30 pax to 49 pax and 27% off for 50 pax and above.
2. Guests must pay 50% downpayment of the total discounted rate in advance, and settle full balance on the day of the event. Terms and conditions on payment, cancellation, and refund will apply.
3. This promo is not applicable on holidays and blackout periods (including Feb. 14 and the month of December) and may not be used in conjunction with other in-house promotions or discounts (including Senior Citizen Discounts)

* This promo can’t be used in conjunction with our current promotions or discounts.
** Special gift certificates to avail this promo is not honored.
*** This promo is available only in The Alley, Ayala Cloverleaf.

The Alley by Vikings
2nd Level, Phase 2, U.P. Town Center,
Ayala Mall, Katipunan Ave.
Central Diliman, Quezon City

My mom and all of my aunts were back in the Philippines because of what happened to my grandmother last month. I can’t remember the last time that they were complete, it’s been a long time so my mom decided to have a family outing with my aunts at bihira sila makumpleto. I only have less than a week to look for a resort so I was checking the resorts that we have visited in the past.

Read: Beach Resorts in Batangas 

Then I remembered Palm Beach Resort, it was suggested by one of my readers so I checked the rates online and I told my mom about it. My brother even said “Nakapunta na ko diyan, team building ng company”. Since I need to book for 22 persons, I asked my husband to call the resort if they still have available rooms but the staff informed him, “Down ang system nila so tawag na lang daw sa Manila office pero baka wala din sumagot kasi holiday so it is better to email na lang”. So I just sent an email and I was surprised when I received a reply after few minutes.


Fortunately, they still have rooms for 22 persons so I immediately reserved it and I was advised to pay the 50% downpayment to confirm the reservation. I only have 24 hours to deposit the payment (4PM deadline). Since it was EDSA holiday, the following day na ko nakapunta ng bank, I deposited the payment and then sent the copy of the deposit slip via email. After an hour, they gave me the confirmation voucher, important reminders and resort map. I was glad that booking and reserving a room is not difficult, mabilis sila sumagot kahit sa email.

This is the 7th resort that we have tried in San Juan, Batangas and I think this is also the farthest one, lagpas pa siya nga La Luz Resort. It is an advantage because there is a sense of privacy at hindi napupuntahan ng ibang guests sa ibang resort.

Watch the video here

Upon arrival, the guard will ask for your reservation then you can go straight to the parking lot. The shuttle service was already waiting for us at the parking lot so we brought all our stuff and the driver drove us to the reception area. I gave the confirmation voucher + deposit slip and they asked me to fill out a form.


If you have a driver with you, you can avail of their Driver’s Package at P1750. P750 for packed meals and P1000 for driver’s room. I gave the Senior Citizen ID and PWD ID for discount and paid the remaining 50% balance. We paid the P20/person Environmental Fee at the booth but they did not ask for it. Welcome drinks were provided upon arrival too.


The room is not yet available so no early check-in for us. It was only past 8AM and check-in time is still 2PM so we just stayed in the cabana, just in front of the Casa Isabel. The Cabana has two sleeping beds and hindi naman mainit ang pwesto namin.



The kids started to swim while waiting for our lunch. Palm Beach Resort is huge, that is the reason why they have a shuttle service for the guests. There is a separate area for day trip guests and overnight guests.

They have an infinity pool, swimming pool with slides, playground, and beach. Both swimming pools have a kiddie pool, jacuzzi, and lifeguard. There is a function room/chapel, climbing and rappelling wall and team building area.



With regard to the beach, the beach shore is a mix of sand and rocks so it is better to bring your own aqua shoes. The resort has complimentary use of Aqua Shoes but it is subject to availability. Since it was an impromptu trip, we were not able to buy new aqua shoes for my son, good thing may kasya na sa kanya dun. We usually buy aqua shoes for my son kasi pag kids, bihira may available size but now pang adult na rin kasi shoe size niya so no more problem.


Casa Isabel

Past 1PM, the housekeeping staff informed us that the room is ready so I immediately went to the reception area to get our keys. The staff gave me the five keys + printed “Important Reminders” per room also. I appreciate the reminders, at least hindi na ko mapapagod mag-inform sa mga kasama ko, magbabasa na lang sila.


What is nice about Palm Beach Resort is they have rooms for couples, family, and big groups. We were lucky that Casa Isabel was still available a few days before our visit so we were able to reserve the full unit for P38,000. Casa Isabel is good for 20 persons and a maximum of 25 persons but additional fees will apply for an extra person.

It has 5 bedrooms, 4 Casa Isabel Royale and 1 Casa Isabel Deluxe. The Casa Isabel Royale has 2 Double Bed + 1 Day Bed and Casa Isabel De Luxe has only 2 Double Bed. Each room has its own bathroom and each level has its own common area. There is a water dispenser on the ground floor so you don’t need to go to Dining Pavillion if you want to drink. A drying rack is available too. Isabel 1 is the biggest room and Isabel 3 is the smallest room among the 5 rooms.

* Additional P800/pax shall apply beyond the standard room occupancy regardless of age plus corresponding meal charges.
** Maximum of 2 children aged 0-6 per room is free of charge on meals & accommodation

For our family of 3, we stayed at Isabel 3 so this is the smallest room located on the second floor. Though we don’t have a view from our window there is a spacious balcony outside the room. The balcony is big so you can eat here, play board games or just lounge and enjoy the beach view.


I have no problems when we checked the room except that there is no double-lock. When it is time to take a bath, that’s the only time that we noticed that there is NO HOT SHOWER. Waah! According to the website, there is a hot shower but when we went there, no hot shower. We did not bother to call customer service to fix it because we don’t want to waste our time on maintenance.




In addition, we reserved the full unit that is good for 20 persons but the toiletries are good for two persons only. There are two soaps and two dental kits, for shampoo there is a shampoo dispenser na konti ang laman. How I wish, they provide the exact number of toiletries per person and sana at least half-full naman yung shampoo dispenser nila. No need to request na sana. Good thing, we had our own toiletries.

With regard to my brother’s room which is Isabel 4, the aircon is not working fine, hindi lumalamig. They did not bother to call the customer service din kasi feeling nila baka mainit lang weather, baka sa gabi malamig na. But it did not happen, good thing there is an electric fan in their room so tiniis na lang nila kahit hindi gaano malamig.

With Isabel 5 and Isabel 1, the TV is not working but since they have kids who like to watch TV, they called customer service to fix it. Among the 5 rooms, yung sa mother ko lang yata ang wala problem. Casa Isabel rooms are good naman but there are some minor concerns that they need to check para naman happy ang guests because the room rate is not cheap so I just hope they will maintain the rooms.

Food at Palm Beach Resort 

For overnight guests, we are required to avail of the Full-Board Meals because cooking and bringing of food is not allowed. The regular meal rate is P1800 which includes the pm snack, dinner, breakfast, lunch and unlimited water, and Batangas brewed coffee. P36,000 for 20 persons, 3 yrs old and 5 yrs old are FREE OF CHARGE.

Breakfast: 7AM - 9AM 
PM Snack: 3:30PM - 4:30PM 
Lunch: 12NN - 2PM 
Dinner: 7PM - 9PM 

For our group of 22 persons, there is no reserved table so kanya-kanyang hanap ng pwesto pala sa Palm Beach Resort. When we learned that, ang aga na namin pumunta sa Dining Pavillion so we can sit together and I can take photos din ng food na hindi ko nagawa nung lunch kasi late kami ng dating.


We just go to the Dining Pavilion every mealtime and we do not have food stubs except for the packed meals for drivers. For additional meals, this is the rate.

Breakfast: P440.00 
PM Snack: P200.00 
Lunch: P610.00 
Dinner: P610.00 

Actually, I was surprised when I saw their full-board meals rate of P1800 and I was shookt when I learned that 7 years above is also P1800. Wala man lang half-rate for kids so sa anak ko pa lang lugi na ako at ang hina kumain. And because of their rate, I was thinking na baka naman okay ang buffet spread nila but I was wrong, ang konti pala ng food options. Here is our menu.

Lunch: Meatball Soup, Green Bean Salad, Mixed Seafood Fried Noodles, Beef Caldereta, Steamed Fish in Light Soy, Fried Chicken, Pichi-Pichi and Seasonal Fruit.
PM Snack: Baked Ziti, Palmbeach Sliders, Sweet Potato Fries, Sago’t Gulaman and Brewed Coffee.
Dinner: Chicken Asparagus Soup, Buttered Vegetables, Pasta Station, Fish in Coco Cream, Spicy Pulled Pork, Roast Chicken with Lemon Grass, Butter Scotch Bar, Buko Pandan and Dalandan Juice.
Breakfast: Bread with Butter or Jam, French Toast, Scrambled Eggs, Boiled Egg, Sardines in Tomato, Sauteed Hotdog, Beef Tapa, Champorado with Dilis, Fried/Plain Rice, Seasonal Fruit, Orange Juice and Brewed Coffee.

I was hoping na each meal, may pork, beef, chicken, vegetable, and seafood dish na option. Hindi yung pork or beef lang so I was really disappointed kasi nagkapork dish nga nung dinner, spicy naman. My son only ate one chicken + rice during lunch and fish fillet (without the coco cream) + rice during dinner, e P610 ang rate ng lunch and dinner. Waah!

If I will not think about the food price, the buffet spread is good naman, it is enough to make you full. Yun nga lang, I can’t help but compare it to other resorts in San Juan Batangas that we have tried na mas mura at mas marami choices. Among the dishes that we ate, our personal favorites are beef caldereta, meatball soup, pichi-pichi, sweet potato fries, and champorado.

Palm Beach Resort Activities 

When I saw the beach of Palm Beach Resort, I felt happy because the waves are not that strong but I remembered na NO FREE WATER ACTIVITIES included in our package nga pala. Sayang! In Acuatico Beach Resort and Acuaverde Beach Resort kasi may FREE Kayak kaso naman maalon nung visit namin, dito okay sana kaso may bayad naman. Good thing my husband brought this small boat, so gamit na gamit siya pool or beach.

Paid Water Activities 

There are water activities that you can avail like Jet Ski, Fly Board, Fly Fish, Band Wagon, Twin Banana Boat, Single Banana Boat, Disco Boat, and Speed Boat. Last time, we tried the Dragon Boat in Laiya Coco Grove but during our trip to Palm Beach Resort, the kids tried the Disco Boat. P1500 for 2- 5 persons and P300 additional person (15 minutes). My son enjoyed this activity kahit puro sigaw daw sila.

Saturday Mass 

If you are a Catholic, there is an anticipated mass every Saturday at 5:00 pm at the Function Room.

Massage 

You can schedule a 1-Hour massage at P300 subject to availability (the latest schedule is 10PM).

Board Games 

You can borrow board games like a chessboard, scrabble, games of general, and UNO cards for FREE. Maximum of 4 hours from 7:30AM and subject to availability.


Check-out time is 12NN, we left before 12NN so we can eat our lunch outside. They will check first the room before they will give you the gate pass.

Palm Beach Resort is on the pricey side but if you have extra money, then book this resort. The resort and room are clean and spacious, it offers a beach and swimming pool, and the service is good. Inquiring and reserving a room is easy, hindi nakakastress. From the time that we arrived and left, everything was organized. Someone even called to remind us about the PM snack and they even gave a complimentary cake for my mom’s advanced birthday celebration. Despite some minor concerns, our family still enjoyed our early summer getaway. Thanks to my mom for the treat.