Bucco Bali Beach Resort (May 2016)

Planning a trip is never easy. You have to make sure that everyone agrees with the date and location as well as which hotel you will choose to stay or what amenities you might need.
Rule of the thumb: Do not decide on your own unless you're travelling alone.

We honestly had a difficulty looking for a pet-friendly hotel/villa that could accommodate a total of 9 people or more and infront of the beach. From Batangas to Zambales and Subic, most are sold out online. Some do not allow pets. Until we reached Bataan which is a good destination as well.

Note: It's best to have your own means of transportation because it will take you around 3-5 hr. drive from Manila to Bataan depending on the traffic. And, I don't see any buses or jeepneys going to this hotel.

What I love about Bucco Bali Beach Resort:

1. The front desk is very accommodating! I do send her inquires almost everyday and she replies faster than a speeding bullet.

2. It is a pet-friendly resort. They allow pets inside the room as long as it has leash and pet owners are responsible.

3. On the beach and there's an outdoor pool! Just few steps away from your door.

4. The beds are very comfortable! It has a double deck with 5 extra mattresses and a pull-out sofa bed. Enough for a group of 15.
(Check out the photos below)

5. They have nipa huts available for the guests without any fees. Some resorts will charge you around 500 pesos for that.

6. The villa is very spacious and we spent less than 10,000 pesos for a night.

Photos can be deceiving and I did my best not to use filters.

Cropped. The name of our villa.

Left door is for bathroom. Then, there's a mini table but no microwave or coffeemaker or anything on the other side.

 

Bathroom with hot/cold shower.

 Just a small table. I'm not sure but maybe in the future they may add something more essential here.

Sofa bed.

That's my sister (just ignore her).
Airconditioned room.

Pool Area.

We've got our own space.

Low tide. Beach Area.

-----------------------------------------

I missed the sceneries and the fun that we had when we stayed here last last month. Not all the time you can have family bonding activities. We get busy and have different priorities. I personally don't see my family, not literally though. In BPO industry, you must be flexible. We always have shifting schedules. When I get home, my father and siblings are in the office and school. When I wake up, preparing for work, they are already sleeping.
No time for small talks.

I'm grateful that I got a chance to have a time with my family even just for a night. Thank you Bucco Bali for being a part of it!

-------------------------------------------------
For inquiries:
Please contact Ms. Kate Ignacio.
+63 9399277382
Visit: www.buccobalibeachresort.com/

Rizal: Pililla Wind Farm and Tanay Church

Pililla Wind Farm is situated in Brgy. Halayhayin, Pililla, Rizal. The first time I saw windmills was when I had a tour in Ilocos with my college friends.

I guess the one in Bangui is taller but they have numerous visitors everyday.

Great place to take pictures and learn about wind energy!

This is the only view we had but I've read on some sites that other tourists were able to go up and see the sunset at Laguna de Bay. 

Pililla Wind Farm doesn't require any donations or entrance fee.

Feel free to drop by anytime with your love one.

Last destination before going back to Manila.

Travelling for me won't be complete without visiting a church. Saint lldephonsus de Toledo Parish known as the Tanay Church is located in Plaza Aldea Tanay, Rizal. It was declared as a National Cultural Treasure along with 25 churches in the Philippines.

Always remember to thank God for having a safe trip. 

Pray not because you need something, pray because you are thankful for everything.

Rizal: Parola

Tanay's Parola is not included originally in our itinerary but we were glad the driver recommended this to us. 

Yes, it is blessed to be in a perfect spot. Say hi to the largest lake in the Philippines (Laguna de Bay)!

View from the top. 

I was inspired to travel more and see the uniqueness of each places we visit.

Countryside.

I found tranquility here.

I remember one of my guest from another company said that I should live outside the box and learn to explore the world.

I'm starting to do it now!

Rizal: Batlag Falls

Never forget to visit Batlag Falls once you are in Daranak. It's just few steps away or no more than 10 mins walking distance. Entrance fee here is 100 pesos. 

Compare to Daranak, Batlag falls is less crowded and water is a bit clear, though it doesn't seem like in the photo. We were able to swim here without renting a table, just kept our bags near to us. Very relaxing!

I find it charming and magical especially the rock formations. I hope people would avoid destroying our treasures.

Let us love and protect our nature.

Rizal: Daranak Falls

Our second destination after Calinawan Cave. 

Daranak Falls is also one of the most visited attractions in Rizal. It is only 25 minutes away from the cave which you won't notice since the surrounding is very relaxing and close to nature.

Right?

Photo above is updated until now (July 2016)

Follow their policies so you won't have any problems. Like Calinawan Cave, it is also a budget-friendly spot in Rizal. We did not rent a picnic shed or table because we just want to take pictures. And as expected, it was super crowded that time.

People were having fun. I've heard many good things about Daranak it's just that we came at a wrong time. No chance to enjoy it's clear and cool water like the one I used to see on Instagram. Some parts of the area has a brownish color which I'm afraid of. 

I would still prefer to go back because I know there's something majestic behind its crowded and unpeaceful appearance.

Spelunking #1: Calinawan Cave

Going East of Manila. Exploring the green province of Rizal! Calinawan Cave is located in Brgy. Tandang Kutyo, Tanay, Rizal and served as a house of Filipino revolutionaries during the Second World War. It is one of the most visited attractions in Tanay and very accessible from Manila.

We travelled around 1-2 hrs. from the terminal in Shaw Blvd. going to Tanay, Rizal. You may either take a jeep or FX for less than 100 pesos (I forgot the exact amount!)

Here in Rizal, you don't need to bring tons of money in your pocket especially if you are travelling with your friends. Before you enter Calinawan Cave, there's a mandatory fee of 20 pesos per person and 200 pesos for tour guide (which you can divide to how many you are in a group).

I was exhilirated to see the entrance of the cave and it is my first time in the world of spelunking!

This cave is best for newbies like me. I believe they have a total of 5 layers. These layers are a bit challenging but fun to explore. There's one layer where you need to crawl and get your hands dirty but it's worth a try.

The sexy way! Try this layer and prove to me that you are sexy. Just kidding! Always remember that being sexy is not just about having curves, it's about having a positive and good attitude. Be humble and love yourself! I can assure you, this one will be easy.

Counting glittery spots

Heart-shaped formation

Have fun while you're young. Try those things that scares you and never stop travelling (don't forget to save though). 😅

Calinawan Cave's Exit

It may not be as extreme as the other caves that we have here in the Philippines but if you are a nature lover or an outdoor enthusiast, you will definitely love this place. Let's keep the history alive!

By the way, there is one concerned citizen who offered us a cheap ride around Rizal. We only paid 200 pesos each person and he took us to Calinawan Cave, Daranak and Batlag Falls, Tanay Church and Parola. 

You may contact Kuya Elmer: 

+63 9484857705

Travelbook PH Experience

One of my colleague introduced Travelbook to me because she saw me looking for a hotel near Manila Ocean Park. Most of the website I saw requires a credit card upon booking the room, but I don't have one and never will. My experience booking the first hotel I've been to was very smooth and pleasant. I never encountered any problems until we checked out.

Booking on a third party website usually saves you a lot of money than going directly to the hotel itself. I tried comparing prices before, in Travelbook, the rate is around 2027 pesos for two nights with taxes and deposit fee is waived. I called the hotel directly and their rate that time is 1500 pesos per night plus a security deposit. Big difference!

I have screenshots of how it looks like on mobile phone.

You can install it on your phone. It's for free! Sign up or Create your own account to earn points whenever you book. The App is very user friendly.

This is the main page.
Enter the name of the hotel or you can put the city as well and it will give you listings of hotels on that area.

This is the third button on the upper right side of the main page. What's good about TravelBook is that, you will earn points whenever you book. Click Rewards, you will see the points you have earned and pending points that you will earn after you check out as well as your transaction history. FYI, points can be used to lower down the rate of the hotel. Right now, I have earned 411 points. Total of 3 bookings.

You can send an eGift card to someone also. I haven't tried it but you can go to their page or just hit the eGift button on the app. Value starts from 500-50,000.

 If you need assistance, you can always call them. They are open 24 hours. I have tried calling them last week, Cj assisted me on my concern. He gave me a great customer service. Very friendly! He recommended some hotels in Bataan for me. Ms. Valerie called me twice also, super friendly and approachable. She's getting surveys from your previous stay.

WHY I ALWAYS CHOOSE TRAVELBOOK

Very easy to use!

Once you typed-in a specific place, it recommends nearby cities or areas which is actually great if you still can't decide where to go. Not all are familiar with the nearby areas on that location.

It gives you discounted rates and shows how many points you will earn.
 You will be able to see if the hotel is on the beach, has a pool, pet friendly, offers wifi and parking etc. without clicking it. Each hotel has its own star rating, under the star rating is the location then next to it is the important amenities of the hotel.

Hit Map button, and it will show you the hotels on that area or how far away they are from each other.

Filters all the amenities you would want to have in a hotel.

It provides photos, shows how many person can stay inside, if there is a breakfast included as well as the cancellation policy. If you need to modify your date no need to go back to the previous page.

Sometimes we tend to call the hotel directly to get some information about their property. Here in TravelBook, they already have the details on what's inside and additonal charges. Very convenient for us!
Map is ready!

Before purchasing a product, it's best to check reviews first from others. This is the same when it comes to hotel reservations. In TravelBook, you can easily read the reviews from different travellers either for business or leisure with the help of TripAdvisor.

WHAT I LIKE MOST!

Choose a specific room type and you'll see what is inside the room itself and maximum occupancy plus the charge for extra guest. Even the check in and check out time is there. Payment options and cancellation policy is indicated. 

Every peso counts!

Some websites doesn't include the fees that you are paying for. Here in TravelBook, it has the breakdown of the total rate without the discount and after the discount was applied. You are eligible for a certain amount of points depending on the total rate.

 Guaranteed no hidden charges!

  AND WHAT'S BEST!

Payment options.

I always choose to pay through 7-Eleven because it was very easy and the transaction is faster. Not everyone has a credit card. Here in the Philippines, we always prefer to pay in cash or over the counter. Once they recieved your payment, they will send you an email confirming your reservation. What you need to do next is to send an email or call the hotel directly to confirm that you are already on their list.

This review is based on my own experience with TravelBook.

You can visit their website at http://www.travelbook.ph/