Ocean Adventure

Experience :

Visited this place yesterday (5/28/2011) together with some friends. From Taguig, it took us around three hours including the breakfast stop at NLEX. It was raining ard that day and thought the park is closed for visitors but when we arrived, there are about a couple of hundred of people already inside. Actually, this year the park's 10th anniversary.

Ocean Adventure is an open-water marine park. From the center of Subic, it will take you about 20minutes. Upon entering main Subic freeport area, turn left from Petron. There are lots of signage that will help you find the place. You will pass through Subic airport and it's the same direction going to Zoobic Safari and about 5minutes from there.

The entrance fee for adults is P550. For children 12 years and below is P440 and Senior Citizen is also P440. Park hous is from 9am to 6pm daily but there are more visitors during weekends, as informed by one of the crews.

The main attractions of the park are the Dolphin Friends Show, Sea Lion Marine Patrol Show and the show at the Eco Theather. There are two aquariums also but not that big. You can also find there the most dangerous predator!

Inside the park, they have the Ilanin Bay Cafe for your lunch and the Ocean Treasures for souvenirs.

I enjoyed the dolphin show although I did not have the great view since I was standing just beside the main stage and that there a many people opening their umbrellas! Fortunately, I was able to catch some parts of the show while having our dinner at the Ilanin Bay Cafe. You can actually have a limited view from there.

Overall,  I think the park is worth visiting especially with your kids. As always, the shows are educational and teaches us to love animals and protect our environment. One of my friends even informed me that the show in the Sea Lion is better than what they had when the visited a Sea Lion show in Hong Kong!

More info of the park can be found here : http://www.oceanadventure.com.ph/index.html

Bohol Beach Club

Experience:

Visited this place last September 2005 and stayed at BBC for two days.

We flew with Philippine Airlines for about 45minutes from Manila to Tagbilaran City, the capital of Bohol. A van courtesy of BBC picked us up from the airport to the resort. The ride is about 30minutes or so since the resort is situated in what they call Panglao Island, few kilometers from the city.

The room and the facilities were OK but what I really liked in BBC is their food. And you will be serenaded by their in-house singers (I supposed they are the singing cooks)!

We did not swim at the beach since the wind was blowing hard that day. We just had a walk along the shore, around the vicinity of the hotel.

What is good in Bohol is that, aside from the beaches, they have lots of tourist sites that are really must-see. That includes the Baclayon Church - which is considered as one of the oldest churched in the country, close encounter with tarsiers, river cruise and of course the Chocolate Hills.

Bohol is really rich in natural resources, natural beauty. When you visit bohol, BBC is a good place for your stay.

Recommendations:

1. Check for cheap tour packages. We booked this trip thru Palakbayan. The air fare and hotel is included in the package. It was not that expensive. You can check more details here :

http://www.philippineairlines.com/tour_packages/Tours_TermsandConditions.jsp

2. You can avail the tour around bohol at BBC. The rate was not that expensive. It costs us about 1,200.00 pesos. That includes the transportation for just the two of us, riding a Toyota Corolla. The tour covers the visit to Blood Compact shrine, Baclayon Church, Loboc river cruise including lunch, tarsier watching, man-made forest and The Chocolate Hills.

Location:

Bo. Bolod, Panglao Island, Bohol 6340.

How to get there:
Direct flights from Manila to Tagbilaran City. Flight time is about 45minutes. If package tours, chartered van will pick you up from the airport to your hotel.

Site: http://www.boholbeachclub.com.ph/index.html

Dos Palmas

Experience:

Visited this resort on May 2008 and stayed for two days. A great company outing experience!

You can stay just outside your cottage while enjoying the beauty of the island surrounded by smooth sands and clear blue water. Or you can go snorkeling or scuba diving or perhaps have some adventures by kayaking around the resort. You can also visit other small islands nearby. Then savour their various delicious seafoods and have a relaxing massage afterwards.

I had the chance to visit this beautiful island with the celebration of the 15th anniversary of our company. We flew via Cebu Pacific to Puerto Princesa. Then rode a chartered bus to the port/shore going to Dos Palmas. The boat ride to the island took about 50mins or so. Dos Palmas staffs welcomed us with cold drinks as we arrive the resort. Spent the remainder of the day doing company activities along the white and smooth-sandy shore.

In the night, we had our company party while savouring the delicious foods prepared by the resort for us.

The next days were busy. Before breakfast, me and my wife with couple of our friends went kayaking and circling around the resort. It took as more than one hour before we reached our starting point! But it was a great yet tiring experience.

After breakfast, some went for scuba diving and some went snorkeling. A practice in the swimming pool is required though before they allow you to do the actual diving. I opted to go on relaxation so I went to the spa area for my "hilot". 

We went to a nearby island too riding a boat provided by the resort and ate our lunch there.

It was a great summer outing.

Location:

Dos Palmas is located among a group of islands and sandbars in Honda Bay, northeast of Puerto Princesa, the capital of Palawan.  Just 25 minutes overland takes you to Sta. Lourdes Wharf, where the outrigger banca awaits to ferry guests on a 50-minute boat ride to the resort.

How to get there:
• Direct flights daily from Manila to Puerto Princesa on Philippine Airlines, Air Philippines and Cebu Pacific. Flight time is 1 hour.
• Direct flights twice a week from Cebu to Puerto Princesa on Cebu Pacific

 

Site: http://www.dospalmas.com.ph/corporate_profile.php

Club Morocco

Experience:
Visited this resort and country club last May 2009.

You can enjoy the moroccan ambiance, the beautiful hills of Zambales, the swimming pool by the sea and lots of recreational/sports activities. Plus, it is just few minutes away from Subic Freeport where you can have your tax-free shopping spree!

Me and my wife together with her mom and her sister stayed for one night in this resort as a treat to my wife's mom's birthday. I drove from Manila via NLEX, SCTEX for about 3 hours. From Subic Freeport, it's about 30-minute leisure driving.

After checking in, we went to one of the recreational areas to play badminton. The gym is situated on a hill around 10-minute drive from the hotel. You can enjoy some scenic views of the hills of Zambales from that area.

Before dinner, we had a night swimming by the sea. The next day, we spent our time in the morning walking along the seashore. After checking-out, we headed back to Manila but after our stops at some duty free shops in the Subic Freeport area.

If you are looking for a good place to unwind while enjoying some sports activities, scenic mountain views and feel on go shopping and buying imported goods, then Club Morocco is one of the best places for you.

Location:

Cabitaugan, Cawag Subic, Zambales

http://www.asiatravel.com/philippines/clubmorocco/location.html

Site: http://clubmoroccosubic.net/index.php