Peacock Garden | Around and About

We went to Peacock Garden just a couple of months after our trip to Bellarocca so we just couldn't help but compare the two. Of course, Bellarocca is a lot better in many aspects but Peacock Garden surely had its own characteristics that makes it special. 

First off is the bedroom. Its a studio unit with a fine choice of heavy wooden furniture. Each room has a 32-inch LED TV with cable and DVD player. The balcony opens to an amazing view of the sea. It has a small sitting area that's perfect for coffee in the morning, tea in the afternoon and beer in the evening. The marble bathroom looks clean and classy and also contains the basic amenities with not-so-special toiletries. 

The limited number of rooms in the resort makes it feel very private. Most of the guests only stay here after a tour around Bohol so there are barely any guests during the day. Day trippers aren't allowed by the pool area for additional privacy to in-house guests. Food and beverages could also be served anywhere in the resort for the guests to enjoy. 

The huge infinity pool stretches out to the view of the sea. The view in the pool at sunset is just stunning. There's also a game room and spa though we didn't get to try both. The well kept gardens and surroundings adds to the peaceful environment. And of course, what's a peacock garden without a peacock! There's a cage within the property that houses a beautiful but shy peacock. 

The best and most memorable part about our vacation in Peacock Garden is the food. Its probably the most expensive hotel restaurant we've ever been to but its worth every cent. The restaurant itself looks expensive with its heavy doors, large chandeliers and wooden furnitures. This fine dining restaurant is heaven for foodies and the like. Everything we ordered was superb, its like you can never go wrong with anything.This is actually where my boyfriend's obsession over salmon began. We kept going to different restaurants in Manila trying to find one that matches what we had there but nothing really came close. We'd come back to Peacock Garden even just for the food. Its definitely a must try.

Fine dining, tranquility and the best view of Bohol are just some of the things you'll find most wonderful and unique in Peacock Garden. It may not rest on its own island nor have a dozen infinity pools, but this enchanting resort will surely win you over like it did us. 

Till my next trip ;)

The Peacock Garden Luxury Resort and Spa 

Upper Laya, Baclayon, Bohol, Philippines
http://www.thepeacockgarden.com/

Tuggy's Travel

Contact Tuggy at +63 928 554 6564 / +63 2 892 4120
http://www.tuggystravel.com/
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Peacock Garden | Bohol Tour

Another deal with Tuggy Travels brought us to one of our best trips of the year 2012, The Peacock Garden Luxury Resort and Spa in Bohol. Its a luxury boutique resort located in Tagbilaran City with a European-inspired theme. 

Our package includes a 3 days 2 nights accommodation in a Deluxe Sea View Room with breakfast and roundtrip airport transfers. We paid an additional fee for a side trip to see the Philippine Tarsier and Chocolate Hills. 

I've also been in a backpacking trip to Bohol back in 2010 with a group of friends. As young as we were back then, all we wanted was to try everything the province had to offer. More details about this trip will be featured in a separate blog. :) 

Bohol Trip 2010

Our trip together in Bohol is different and more special because its his first time in Bohol and its my birthday! 

Upon landing in Tagbilaran Airport, we were welcomed by our tourist guide and driver. We scheduled the private tour first so we could spend the rest of our vacation relaxing in the resort. We headed straight to the Tarsier Sanctuary. We couldn't get near the little creatures because they are now resting in their natural habitat. The staff in the sanctuary just pointed them out so we could take pictures of them. The area is very well kept and although we saw only a few of the tarsiers, they staff said dozens of them are still around and kept unseen. 

Our next stop is the Chocolate Hills. It was already noon by the time we arrived so we ate our lunch there too. Everything was the same as I remember it except for the roof built on top of the stairs to the viewing deck. Its 214 steps to the top but it was all worth it once we saw the view of the Chocolates Hills that were colored green at the time. 

On our way to the resort, we passed by the man-made forest which is always incredible to see. 

After an exhausting city tour, we were finally brought to the resort and then immediately checked in to our room. More details about this part of my birthday trip on my next post!

The Peacock Garden Luxury Resort and Spa 

Upper Laya, Baclayon, Bohol, Philippines
http://www.thepeacockgarden.com/

Tuggy's Travel

Contact Tuggy at +63 928 554 6564 / +63 2 892 4120
http://www.tuggystravel.com/
http://www.facebook.com/tuggstravel

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Zubuchon: A Taste of Cebu Lechon

A trip to Cebu is not complete without eating the famous Cebu Lechon!

Our short vacation didn't include any side trips to nearby tourist attractions because we wanted maximize our time in Plantation Bay. But a lechon meal was something we just couldn't resist. 

There are two restaurants in Cebu that are known for their lechon: Zubuchon atnd CnT Lechon. We've already tried CnT Lechon back in 2010. As far as I can remember, there were lots of people in the restaurant because its lunch time and the lechon is really, really good. And just like any other restaurant in Cebu, they're main dipping sauce is vinegar. Yummy!

CnT Lechon back in 2010
Photo c/o a friend, Bianca Dizon 

Photo c/o a friend, Bianca Dizon

For this trip, we wanted to try the other restaurant people have been raving about, Zubuchon. The fact that Anthony Bourdain has tried their dish makes it even more interesting. It was also a more convenient option because they have a branch that's just a few minutes away from Mactan Airport. The good staff of Plantation Bay was kind enough to bring us there. 

As expected, the lechon was awesome! Especially the skin, its crispy and fatty and juicy as you bite. (Okay, so maybe I won't make it as a food blogger) 

Aside from the 1/2 kilo of lechon, we also ordered Ensaladang Talong (which wasn't that good because there were lots of ginger in it), fresh buko juice (that was golden in Plantation Bay) and Kamias Shake (which was surprisingly good). We also had leche flan for dessert. The best part was, our entire meal costs just around Php500!

When they say "pigs can fly", they mean it. They deliver lechons to Manila at a fairly good price. Still waiting for an occasion to have an excuse to avail this offer. 

In the end, I still couldn't decide which restaurant serve the better lechon. I'd try again both when I come back to Cebu!

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Plantation Bay Resort and Spa | Around and About

With all honesty and respect, I say the resort really looks old. It seems to be well maintained though. Maybe its the Filipino theme that makes it feel old. It reminded me of the environment in Pearl Farm, Davao. I still loved it though. Its peaceful and scenic nature was perfect for a laid back getaway. 

By observing the surroundings, you'd think you're not in the Philippines. Not because of the facilities and amenities, but because of the Korean tourists everywhere. The ratio between Filipino and Korean guests is probably around 1:10. 

The saltwater lagoons are huge and there's three of them so you don't have to worry about bumping into other guest while you're swimming. There are lots of beach chairs and gazebos for you to chill in or leave your things. You can also catch a ride with one of the free shuttles that go around the resort if you're too lazy to walk. Its a huge resort and for someone like me who's not a fan of walking, this is a great feature. The freshwater pool is probably my favorite because of the jacuzzis located at every corner. There's nothing special about the beach though. Its a small stretch of kinda-white sand and a lot of sharp rocks by the shore. 

The package didn't include any meals, just welcome drinks. There's a corkage fee if you bring any food but they don't really check your bags. We were able to sneak in a few snacks but that was it. I wish we brought more because the food and drinks here are really expensive. A liter of distilled water costs Php100 and a can of soft drinks costs Php150. I didn't even consider drinking fruit shakes or beer. There are 4 different restaurants in the resort and we got to try 3 of them. All of them offer expensive and plain menus. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't that great either. We paid an average of Php500 per person per meal. That doesn't include drinks and dessert. They have a strict "no tipping" policy. They come after you if you leave even a single peso on the table. For real.

The Kilimanjaro Kafe is like the main restaurant of the resort. Its right at the center by the freshwater pool. It looks like a modern version of the Parola in Pearl Farm, Davao. Its open 24 hours and serves "international" cuisine. Their not-very-appealing breakfast buffet costs Php750 per head, there's also an a la carte breakfast menu that's around 300 to 500 per meal. They also serve lunch and dinner buffets with the same price. Not very appeal as well. Some of the items in the menu are good for sharing. 

The Fiji Restaurant by the beach has fairly good food. They serve seafood and asian cuisine for lunch and dinner. The ambiance is great for a quiet dinner date. 

The Savannah Grill is beside a small freshwater pool in the far corner of the resort. Its actually perfect for families with kids but I can't say the same for couples like us. This restaurant has the most limited choices among the three restaurants that we've tried. The menu consists of burgers, hotdogs and barbecue.

There are lots of (expensive) activities available in the resort. Of course, there's the spa that we didn't try. There's a tennis court, wall climbing and firing range on one side. And on the other side, there are diving and island hopping packages that are just great and expensive! The more popular choice among the guests is the kayak within one of the swimming lagoons. For simple, laid back and cheap people like us, swimming and hanging out by the pool was enough to spend an entire vacation in Plantation Bay. 

Plantation Bay Resort and Spa 
Marigondon, Mactan Island, Cebu, Philippines

http://plantationbay.com/

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Plantation Bay Resort and Spa | Touchdown

We had a very early flight to Cebu, as in 4am! Our original flight was cancelled for some reason that's why we were moved to an earlier flight. Fortunately, Cebu Pacific offers web check-in so we just had to be in the boarding gate 30 mins before the flight. Its very easy and convenient I encourage everyone to take advantage of this feature. No more lines in the counter for itineraries and ID's, just present your boarding pass at the entrance and your good to go. 

Another airport facility we were able to utilize that morning was the overnight parking at terminal 3. I don't know about you guys but this was the first time we tried it and it was awesome. Super cheap at Php50 per night. No more begging friends and families to pick you up when you arrive. No more haggling with taxi drivers in the departure area for a ride home. Its just a few steps away from the entrance and fairly safe. 

Okay, enough promotion.

We landed in Cebu after an hour flight from Manila. Since the package includes round trip airport transfers, we just had to send our flight details via email to confirm our pick up that morning. There's a small reception booth in Mactan Airport for Plantation Bay guests. We spent a few minutes there while the staff waits for other guests to arrive. When he probably realized that no one else was coming anytime soon, we were led to the car that would bring us to the resort. 

The ride from the airport to the resort was less than 15 minutes. We arrived at the resort at 6am. Too early for anything. The staff were still cleaning the pools and lagoons. Other guests were nowhere in sight. Check-in time is 2pm. We hoped for an early check-in but it wasn't available at the time. The receptionist asked for our contact number instead and said they would call us if a room becomes available. We took this time to roam around the resort and take lots of pictures. 

When a couple of guests finally checked out, the receptionist called us and gave us an option to choose among the available rooms. Luckily, one of our choices included the one we've been eyeing the entire time. Its on the building near the East Saltwater Lagoon. It was perfect because its near everything that's interesting in the resort. 

The room is very simple. It has two queen sized beds and a cable TV. The bathroom has my dream mirror with a shower and a tub. The best feature of this room is definitely the balcony that has a direct access to the lagoon. You don't have to walk far to take a swim. 

We spent the rest of our vacation swimming and walking around the resort. There's just so much to see and I don't think we even got to visit them all. 

More details about the restaurants, facilities and other stuff about the resort on my next post. :) 

Plantation Bay Resort and Spa 
Marigondon, Mactan Island, Cebu, Philippines
http://plantationbay.com/

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Year End Getaway 2012 - The Plan

It has been our tradition to go on a vacation before the year ends. These trips are very important to us because this is where we actually sit down and carefully plan our goals for the following year. We could do it anytime, anywhere else but there's something about out of town trips that make it special and more meaningful. 

For this year, we wanted to keep the "luxury" vacation theme and decided to go to Plantation Bay Resort and Spa in Cebu. Its simple and laid back atmosphere is perfect for what we had planned. 

We've had a backpacking trip to Cebu back in 2010 with a couple of friends. Like any other backpacking trips, it was fast-paced and budgeted, so naturally, Plantation Bay wasn't in the itinerary. Details of this trip will be blogged in the near future. *wink wink*

Cebu Backpacking Trip 2010
(photos c/o friends Bianca Dizon and Grace Garcia)

With one of Cebu Pacific's seat sale earlier this year, I grabbed the chance to book a roundtrip flight for 2 to Cebu for only Php2500. After that, it was just a matter of choosing among the line-up of luxury resorts available in Cebu. We also considered Shangri-La Mactan, Maribago Bluewater Beach Resort and Crimson Resort and Spa but Plantation Bay just won us over. We booked a Lagoon Side Room through HotelClub.com and got a fairly good discount thanks to my Citibank PremiereMiles credit card. 

And just like that, our year end trip has been planned. 

Complete details about this trip on my next post. :) 

Plantation Bay Resort and Spa 
Marigondon, Mactan Island, Cebu, Philippines
http://plantationbay.com/

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El Nido | Budget vs Luxury

As a kid, I used to think people named El Nido after my favorite powdered milk, Nido, because the sand there is as white and fine as the powdered milk I love drinking. Its been my dream to go there since then.

Photo Courtesy of El Nido Resorts Website

El Nido is famous for the luxury resort chain, El Nido Resorts. There are currently 4 resorts in the different islands of Palawan under their management. Each are internationally recognized and multi-awarded for its eco-friendly design and luxury. But of course, luxury comes with a price. For more budget conscious tourists, a trip to El Nido could be as equally fun and exciting with the affordable island hopping activities that are available. Bacuit Bay in El Nido features beautiful islands with white sand beaches, lagoons concealed in limestone walls and rich marine life that are perfect for diving and snorkeling. So its just a matter of preference and, of course, budget. 

There's a small domestic airport in El Nido, however, only the charter airline of El Nido Resorts fly there now and they offer guests round trip airfares for about Php13,000++ per person. Seair no longer offers direct flights to El Nido Airport since early this year. A more affordable alternative is to fly to Puerto Princesa airport and ride a bus or a van to El Nido. Another option is to ride a boat. I'm not a fan of long boat rides so I won't even explore that option.  

Thanks to one of Cebu Pacific's promo fares, my friends and I were able to book a round trip flight to Puerto Princesa, Palawan for only Php1115. I was able to contact Fortwally Shuttle Service and they offered us round trip private airport transfers to El Nido for Php 1100 per person. Its a 5-hour ride so I really hope its a comfortable van. 

The next question is whether we'd go for budget traveling or luxury vacation. For easier decision making, I made two itineraries with projected expenses each. 

Luxury El Nido Itinerary

March 2 (Sat): Day 1 – Arrival

4pm        Departure: NAIA Terminal 3 

5:15pm   Arrival: Puerto Prinsesa Airport

               Van to El Nido

               Dinner

1am        Arrival at El Nido

               Check-in at El Nido Town Hotel

March 3 (Sun): Day 2 – El Nido Resort

9am         Check-out El Nido Town Hotel Transfer to El Nido Resort

10am       Check-in at El Nido Resort

                Water Sports Activites (Hobie Cat, Windsurf, Kayak, etc)

                Standard Resort Guided Activities/Tours (snorkeling, island-hopping, etc)

March 4 (Mon): Day 3 – El Nido Resort

               Water Sports Activites (Hobie Cat, Windsurf, Kayak, etc)
               Standard Resort Guided Activities/Tours (snorkeling, island-hopping, etc)

March 5 (Tues): Day 4 - Departure

12pm      Check-out El Nido Resort Lunch

               Transfer to Puerto Princesa 6pm Arrival at Puerto Princesa

               Dinner
8:10pm   Departure: Puerto Princesa Airport

9:25pm   Arrival: NAIA Terminal 3

Budget El Nido Itinerary

March 2 (Sat): Day 1 – Arrival

4pm        Departure: NAIA Terminal 3 

5:15pm   Arrival: Puerto Prinsesa Airport

               Van to El Nido

               Dinner

1am        Arrival at El Nido

               Check-in at El Nido Town Hotel

March 3 (Sun): Day 2 – Island Hopping

9am        Island Hopping (Tour C) 

5pm        Return to El Nido Town Hotel

               Rest, Dinner, Nightlife

March 4 (Mon): Day 3 – Island Hopping

9am        Island Hopping (Tour A) 

5pm       Return to El Nido Town Hotel

              Rest, Dinner, Nightlife

March 5 (Tues): Day 4 - Departure

12pm      Check-out El Nido Town Hotel Lunch

               Transfer to Puerto Princesa 6pm Arrival at Puerto Princesa

               Dinner
8:10pm   Departure: Puerto Princesa Airport

9:25pm   Arrival: NAIA Terminal 3

We still haven't decided on where to go just yet. But its definitely going to be fun either way. 

Till next time ;) 

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Arrival at HK

August had one of my longest vacations this year. Lucky me was able to take a leave from work for 10 days. I spent half of that in Hong Kong and Macau.

We arrived at the HK International Airport at around 8am. I must say, this airport is really huge! The plane had to run on wheels for about 30 more minutes after it has landed as if looking for a parking space. Unlike any other airports that I've been to, the immigration in HK Airport comes first before claiming the baggages. I didn't know this at the time so our group was running around in the airport like little kids looking for the next stop. The immigration and baggage claim went on smoothly after that. As advised by most bloggers, we took a lot of free maps and brochures from the airport. These helped us a lot in our adventure on the days that followed.

Our next challenge in the airport was to find the counter that sells Octopus Cards. Since HK's primary mode of transportation is via trains or MTR, the Octopus Card became very useful especially for travelers like us. It can also be used in buses, 7/11 outlets and others. There are several types of Octopus Cards available. We bought the Airport Express Tourist Octopus card for HK$ 220 which includes the following:

Airport Express One Free Single Journey + 3 days unlimited travel on MTR + $50 deposit + Stored value $20

We also found the China Travel Service (CTS) counter at the airport. This travel agency sells discounted entrance tickets to HK's tourist attractions. We were able to compare the rates before we left for HK so we already know how much we're going to save. Its not much, but when you're out of the country, every penny counts.

Comparison of Original and CTS rates

Once all the purchasing was done, we located the train station for the Airport Express. The Airport Express is a bit more expensive than the regular MTR rides. This line is only dedicated to 3 stations from the airport unlike the other lines with frequent stops. The train is also equipped with its LED lights and screens that indicate the location of the train as it reaches the next station. The seats are more comfortable and new too. After a few minutes, we arrived at Kowloon Station. From there, we had to transfer to the shuttle bus (also free with the Octopus Card) that would bring us our final stop near our hostel at Tsim Sha Tsui.  

Inside the Airport Express 

Hop Inn has made its name in the HK Hostel Industry as one of the best in its league. It has received several awards and praises from the hotel review website: Trip Advisor, as well as in the online booking websites - Hostelworld.com. This hostel is famous for its painted walls and decorations that feature local artists and illustrators. Its a bit more expensive than the regular hostels in TST area but the amenities are at par with 3 star hotels. Check out their website for more info: www.hopinn.hk

It wasn't hard to find the Hop Inn building once we've arrived at our bus stop. The map and directions provided by the hostel admin upon booking was very direct and easy to follow. We arrived at the hostel earlier than the check-in time. There wasn't a vacant room available yet so we just left our luggages by the corridor which the receptionist assured was completely safe. All payments for the rooms were made upon arrival. The reservations didn't ask for any deposits or downpayment upon booking. 

After all the our luggages and payments have been settled, we left the hostel for our next destination: HK Disneyland!

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