There are so many places around the country that we have visited but this is the first time we visited a place literally named in the very sense of the word. "Bakasyunan" is the local translation for the word "Vacation". The owner must have really had a very difficult time thinking of an appropriate word to name this place. Now it can be told that for every person who had visited this place, one would be confused when during a conversation whenever the name of this place will come up and the one who he is conversing with will always ask what's the name of the place when in fact the name has already been mentioned. Talk about being deaf or stupid, but this is probably what would happen if you converse with someone who has not visited this place. A pleasant moment happened upon our arrival when we crossed paths with my former Biology student "Hannah" who is with her family on vacation as well.
We have visited Tanay on several occasions but for today's trip, we took the route going up to Tanay on the coastal road along Laguna Bay. Travelling along this route was a big mistake because it took much of the time due to the traffic when passing thru several town squares of Rizal province especially the town of Morong. I wouldn't recommend anyone to take this route because of the many road constructions along the way. I suggest taking the upland route from Antipolo and go downhill thru the zigzag roads of Teresa. Better yet, take the Marcos Highway route for a more scenic drive in the countryside.
The town of Tanay is divided into the lowland and upland areas. One would start the uphill drive beginning from the junction of the highway bypass. This is the one and only road going to the highlands in the past but since the opening of the Marcos Highway beginning in Masinag, the highland towns of Cogeo, Jala-Jala, Baras, Tanay and Infanta can now be easily reached. In the past, the only well-known establishment up there is Camp Capinpin, a military camp, to check and control the insurgent activities of the Communist New People's Army. When insurgent activities were finally neutralized, developments soon began in the place and new establishments were built such as the resort of Past President and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada and now the newest site is the Regina RICA, which is the biggest statue of the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The all-time most popular tourist destination in Tanay is still of course Daranak Falls. The visit to that falls will be written in another blog.
Our primary destination was a hotel and conference center at the top of Tanay. While ascending about three-fourths to the top, we came across a sign which one would not be able to miss because of the very familiar word that describes the out-of-town purpose of every individual seeking recluse from the hustle and bustle of city life. The sign that dotted several posts along the way bears the name "Bakasyunan". It was the first time we have seen this sign because the last time we went to Tanay on February last year, we didn't notice it. Curious about the name we decided to check it out when we finally passed by the entrance of the resort.
What greeted us when we reached the clubhouse was a fantastic view of Laguna de Bay from afar with a gleaming and inviting swimming pool in the foreground. At the edge of the pool is also a big sign of "Bakasyunan" that provides a perfect photo opportunity for just about anyone who arrives in this place for the first time.
We proceeded to the reception office and once again used my time-tested story. "We would like to inquire about having a company outing for a group size of 100 persons." Sure enough the receptionist's face lit up seeing an opportunity in the making. Immediately they were very accommodating and we requested for a quotation be done. Actually, we were really on an ocular trip for an upcoming summer outing, but "Bakasyunan" was not yet in our itinerary of places to visit. Serendipity got the better of us since we had already a resort in mind to visit. Discovery of Bakasyunan was purely accidental. We were told to wait for a while for them to prepare the quotation, so we decided to snoop around. As serendipity was still waving its aura of coincidence, we came across a former student of mine Hannah Celendro and what a surprise, she was with her family on a vacation right in this very resort. We exchanged pleasantries with each other and found that her family just lived in Taguig and can easily visit this place via the C6 highway. Such meeting truly makes this a small world indeed!
While waiting, we also decided to check out the restaurant. The interior and dining furnitures project a cozy, wooden architecture that fits the countryside atmosphere where there is no need for airconditioning these days because of the cold weather.
Since we really do not plan to eat a heavy meal here, we opted for a clubhouse sandwich complemented with a cold vanilla frappuccino and a hot capuccino to the cold. The artwork on the foamy capuccino was truly cute and inviting! Most of all, it was delicious!
There are moments in life where you need to just sit back and relax and simply enjoy the moment especially when drinking capuccino in a place you just visited for the first time together with your lovely wife. Just savor the moment and let it go. We rarely take a close up picture of the food we eat, so as soon as the waiter laid the clubhouse sandwich platter, we started picking on it right away and soon it was all gone! Ha ha ha ha!
After eating, a resort staff arrived and we started the tour of the place. The first stop was the poolside rooms. The architecture was modernly square with glass panel doors and windows.
The interior of the room was clean with shiny floor tiles and well- kept bed, clean toilet and bath. Artworks adorn the wall, cable TV, airconditioning and a refrigerator truly will make a guest very comfortable and relaxed throughout the duration of their stay here in Bakasyunan.
Next, we were led to another row of similar-looking lodges and come to think of it, a drunk or sleepy guest coming from the pool or merry-making have a high probability of entering the wrong room and end up becoming sober in the face of embarrassment. I hope it rarely happens here in Bakasyunan. Actually, I remembered when I was in the Middle East, the houses in the suburban villages all looks the same that one can easily get lost in the desert country because the streets have no names and signs that you just have to rely on the stars, the moon and sun. Just kidding! you just have to a good memory when visiting those countries or you might end up in trouble with an Arab or any foreign neighbor.
The rooms here are a little better because it has a balcony at the back that gives you a good view of Laguna de Bay.
However, sometimes every good thing always has a bad thing in exchange. I'm really a nature lover and would prefer to see less anthropogenic structures in the surrounding. Viewing Laguna Bay from afar becomes less inviting especially when you are distracted by the reflection of the roofs of the rows of houses underneath. Not to mention that these roofs also reflects the heat towards your eyes. It's a natural photobomb for a nature-loving person like me. The good thing about this house though is its close proximity to the swimming pool. No hassle going back and forth.
The best room for us is this one which is adjacent to the 2nd swimming pool at the base of the resort. It still gives a glimpse of Laguna Bay from afar and an enticing view of the swimming pool below. The balcony would be a cozy place to hang out especially when there's a pleasant view displayed by avid guests who like to show off their hardware or software whatever you prefer! ha ha ha!
We proceeded to the reception office and once again used my time-tested story. "We would like to inquire about having a company outing for a group size of 100 persons." Sure enough the receptionist's face lit up seeing an opportunity in the making. Immediately they were very accommodating and we requested for a quotation be done. Actually, we were really on an ocular trip for an upcoming summer outing, but "Bakasyunan" was not yet in our itinerary of places to visit. Serendipity got the better of us since we had already a resort in mind to visit. Discovery of Bakasyunan was purely accidental. We were told to wait for a while for them to prepare the quotation, so we decided to snoop around. As serendipity was still waving its aura of coincidence, we came across a former student of mine Hannah Celendro and what a surprise, she was with her family on a vacation right in this very resort. We exchanged pleasantries with each other and found that her family just lived in Taguig and can easily visit this place via the C6 highway. Such meeting truly makes this a small world indeed!
While waiting, we also decided to check out the restaurant. The interior and dining furnitures project a cozy, wooden architecture that fits the countryside atmosphere where there is no need for airconditioning these days because of the cold weather.
Since we really do not plan to eat a heavy meal here, we opted for a clubhouse sandwich complemented with a cold vanilla frappuccino and a hot capuccino to the cold. The artwork on the foamy capuccino was truly cute and inviting! Most of all, it was delicious!
There are moments in life where you need to just sit back and relax and simply enjoy the moment especially when drinking capuccino in a place you just visited for the first time together with your lovely wife. Just savor the moment and let it go. We rarely take a close up picture of the food we eat, so as soon as the waiter laid the clubhouse sandwich platter, we started picking on it right away and soon it was all gone! Ha ha ha ha!
After eating, a resort staff arrived and we started the tour of the place. The first stop was the poolside rooms. The architecture was modernly square with glass panel doors and windows.
The interior of the room was clean with shiny floor tiles and well- kept bed, clean toilet and bath. Artworks adorn the wall, cable TV, airconditioning and a refrigerator truly will make a guest very comfortable and relaxed throughout the duration of their stay here in Bakasyunan.
Next, we were led to another row of similar-looking lodges and come to think of it, a drunk or sleepy guest coming from the pool or merry-making have a high probability of entering the wrong room and end up becoming sober in the face of embarrassment. I hope it rarely happens here in Bakasyunan. Actually, I remembered when I was in the Middle East, the houses in the suburban villages all looks the same that one can easily get lost in the desert country because the streets have no names and signs that you just have to rely on the stars, the moon and sun. Just kidding! you just have to a good memory when visiting those countries or you might end up in trouble with an Arab or any foreign neighbor.
The rooms here are a little better because it has a balcony at the back that gives you a good view of Laguna de Bay.
However, sometimes every good thing always has a bad thing in exchange. I'm really a nature lover and would prefer to see less anthropogenic structures in the surrounding. Viewing Laguna Bay from afar becomes less inviting especially when you are distracted by the reflection of the roofs of the rows of houses underneath. Not to mention that these roofs also reflects the heat towards your eyes. It's a natural photobomb for a nature-loving person like me. The good thing about this house though is its close proximity to the swimming pool. No hassle going back and forth.
The best room for us is this one which is adjacent to the 2nd swimming pool at the base of the resort. It still gives a glimpse of Laguna Bay from afar and an enticing view of the swimming pool below. The balcony would be a cozy place to hang out especially when there's a pleasant view displayed by avid guests who like to show off their hardware or software whatever you prefer! ha ha ha!
Because of the steep incline of the resort where most of its cottages are perched precariously on the slope, it creates a very "roofy" appearance of the houses. But despite these all, we are still considering this place to celebrate Valentines' Day this coming February!
The centerpiece of the resort is still the swimming pool. With its glisteningly clear water reflecting the blue sky above. I wouldn't be surprised if the reason to visit this place is due to the ambiance of the pool because not only does it provide you with a refreshing dip, it also gives you a picturesque view of Laguna de Bay.
Time to make the posterity pose by the pool! No one does it better for me than my lovely wife over there! Hi hi hi!
But for that spectacular jumpshot, no one does it better than yours truly! This I name the "Solar Jump"! Definitely, this is one for the books! Hmp!
Our traditional hug wraps up another successful expedition in discovering this new place in Tanay. Although the resort is actually only 3 years old, It still looks new and definitely will still be frequented by the ritzy urban crowd longing for a relaxing vacation in the cool highlands of Tanay.
There are actually many outdoor activities that can be done here in Bakasyunan. Obviously, they have a mini golf course here, but aside from that they have an obstacle course, wall climbing, an ATV course for the avid rough rider, a skywalk, and a zipline to top it all. With the sprawling area of the resort, you can basically just stroll around and enjoy the serenity of nature and the clean country air of the Sierra Madre countryside.
Today's story is probably a teaser for the Valentines' Day celebration this February. But unfortunately, that story is for us to enjoy in exclusive privacy. After the recon that we did today, we can pretty well say that Bakasyunan is definitely the place to be in Tanay,especially these days when the cold weather adds up to the already cold climate of this mountain town of Rizal.
The centerpiece of the resort is still the swimming pool. With its glisteningly clear water reflecting the blue sky above. I wouldn't be surprised if the reason to visit this place is due to the ambiance of the pool because not only does it provide you with a refreshing dip, it also gives you a picturesque view of Laguna de Bay.
Time to make the posterity pose by the pool! No one does it better for me than my lovely wife over there! Hi hi hi!
But for that spectacular jumpshot, no one does it better than yours truly! This I name the "Solar Jump"! Definitely, this is one for the books! Hmp!
Our traditional hug wraps up another successful expedition in discovering this new place in Tanay. Although the resort is actually only 3 years old, It still looks new and definitely will still be frequented by the ritzy urban crowd longing for a relaxing vacation in the cool highlands of Tanay.
There are actually many outdoor activities that can be done here in Bakasyunan. Obviously, they have a mini golf course here, but aside from that they have an obstacle course, wall climbing, an ATV course for the avid rough rider, a skywalk, and a zipline to top it all. With the sprawling area of the resort, you can basically just stroll around and enjoy the serenity of nature and the clean country air of the Sierra Madre countryside.
Today's story is probably a teaser for the Valentines' Day celebration this February. But unfortunately, that story is for us to enjoy in exclusive privacy. After the recon that we did today, we can pretty well say that Bakasyunan is definitely the place to be in Tanay,especially these days when the cold weather adds up to the already cold climate of this mountain town of Rizal.
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