Club Balai Isabel -- Chillax away from the Metro

Club Balai Isabel - Talisay Batangas - November 2011

I miss hanging out in Tagaytay - I miss the view of Taal.

That is why I find my way to get back there... with this great deal!

It was my first time to get this type of deal online... and I believed this is really a good deal!

Club Balai Isabel is one-of-a-kind luxury resort nestled outside of the contemporary stresses of our daily lives. This location makes it an amazing destination for people who just want relax and escape regular day to day life at work and at home. 

***

And we made it happen....

The good thing about this promo/voucher is.... we're the first to avail it on Club Balai Isabel, since the reservation start November 15 onwards, we decided to reserved the date for our BFF bonding since that is the only time we're both free.

So we go with our plan.  We're both excited but the weather is not with us that time....it was raining... 

we prayed that it's not raining there.

There are 2 ways to get to Balai Isabel - via Tanauan, and via Tagaytay.

And since we both love Tagaytay, we decided to take that route.

We left Manila early morning via Nasugbu/Mendez Bus in Baclaran.

(Which cost - 75PHP each up to Olivarez/Tagaytay)

**See my TAGAYTAY - BFF Bonding Post for more stories.**

We had our lunch at Leslie's -- and ordered Bulalo just perfect with the cold drizzling weather in Tagaytay.  After our lunch, we headed to the Talisay Terminal located inside the compoud of Tagaytay Public Market.

We're both excited to hop inside the jeep... but we're the only passenger, the driver told us that we have to wait for other passengers before we can go.... and so we have waited....and waited...eventually we found out that the usual 40 pesos is only if the jeep is full...but good gracious, there are only few people getting inside the jeep that time and it's raining and really cold... then again after waiting for almost 2 hours, the barker and driver started to haggle about the fare...

since we're only like 8 passengers inside, they started to devide the regular rate of the jeep if its full....say the jeep can accommodate 14 passengers (14X40 =560)

Going to Talisay from Tagaytay is supposedly less than 30mins, because the road is going down...  But due to the long wait time we got there late afternoon.

Here's our room with mini kitchen

we got there soo tired, their WIFI is NOT Free!  I have my lappy with me that time, and good thing I brought my Globe Tattoo stick too, which is by the way very LOW signal... in short my lappy was useless then.

The bathroom doesn't look like we're checked-in on a Php6000+ place, 

their shower is not impressive.

Yes, there is a kitchen, but NO utensils, Not even allowed to use it... so again, useless!

we had bulalo left over from our lunch, we heat the soup using their electric kettle... call it resourcefulness! hahaha

Early morning the next day, we decided to roam around the villa, and our first stop... their chapel....

and the view of all around the place...

view of Taal lake and Volcano - up-close from Balai Isabel

one of their swimming pool... my bestfriend tried the water while drizzling...

one of their villa....

the place for me is just so...so... and the place is better for couples, actually this place holds weddings and team activities, I guess better for group check-in.

And eventually the rain started to pour on our way to their in-hours resto Terraza Cafe

 ....and enjoyed our complimentary breakfast.

After eating, we headed back to our room, started to pack our things back, there's nothing much to do here... and it's raining.

Overall, overnight stay is not really enough here, specially when its raining.

...and for me, the place is over-rated.

Batanes -- Pangarap kna lang ba?

Batanes will always be part of my travel list.

Why is it soooo hard to reach YOU.... is it because you are at the northmost part of the Philippines? 

According to Wikipedia, Batanes is the smallest province of the Philippines, both in terms of population and land area.

But why is it so intriguing... I've heard several people dreaming to visit and explore this island.

Here are some of the interesting places in Batanes --- (I've got them from google)

Marlboro Hills

I am impressed with this place.... it looks like it's from another country....

 so green.... feels like so refreshing.

Ivatan House

Native house of Batanes - Stone Houses in Batanes made of limestones

Ivatan -- Native people of Batanes

One of the endemic clothing of the Ivatans is the vakul. A vakul is a headgear designed to protect the wearer from sun and rain. It is made from abaca fiber of the vuyavuy palm.

 Lighthouse

Lighthouse facing the Pacific Ocean on Mahatao Batan Island, Batanes.

Honesty Store/Coffee shop

Only in Batanes -- this stores expects your total honesty. 

According to the people who've been there, that whenever you get something from the store, you have to write down what you've got on a notebook and drop your payment on the box.

Cool huh!

Batanes Beach

And ofcourse, their Beach

But then again, will it be just a dream? Pangarap kna lang ba, Batanes?

I am just not sure, but it seems like going to Batanes is the most expensive local flight in the country. Accommodation and tour around the Island is very cheap though.

Batanes is accessible by air and served by the following airlines:

SEAIR (http://www.flyseair.com/destinations/batanes)

Sample flight details from Seair (for Feb 2012)

SKYPASADA (http://www.skypasada.com/)

Sample flight details from SkyPasada (for Nov 2011)

 

You see what I'm trying to figure out here? 

Imagine 16K or 12K airfare just for a local flight?! 

It almost cost like a cheap Hongkong Package with Airfare! (*sigh)

Seems like it doesn't fit my budget....

but surely, one of this days... I am going there!

Or maybe I need a Sponsor....Anyone? Hahaha

Hongkong 2012 - Early Bird Promo

Disclaimer: Again, I am not connected or related to anyone from Pab Star Travel and Tours - But since I have noticed a lot of views on this post, I guess I need to update the status of this promo and this Travel Agency:

I got an info from their management posted on Sulit:

PAB STAR TRAVEL AND TOURS

2/F Rm. 6, A.P. Bonifacio Bldg., Paseo del Congreso St.,

Catmon, Malolos City, Bulacan

June 20, 2012

Dear Beloved Clients;

I am writing you in behalf of

PAB STAR TRAVEL AND TOURS

in order to inform you of the real financial status of the said

company in consonance with the company’s commitment to serve you

better and to be transparent to each and every one.

At present, I regret to inform you that PAB Star Travel and Tours is

heavily beset with enormous deficit since January 2012 up to the present.

Resultantly, despite all earnest efforts exerted to solve the problem, the

internal operations of the company had been adversely affected and

financial stability unavoidably turned into financial declension.

That one of the insurmountable reasons that beset the company’s

financial difficulties is the foreclosure and folding-up of an Airline

Company, from which the company obtained cheap and affordable promo

fares. Since the closing out of that Airline Company, the company was

constrained and constricted to obtain fares from other Airline Companies

at a price thrice or even four times higher than the cost usually offered to

the company by its former Airline Partner. That this predicament was

even more compounded by the current spate of tensions between the

Philippines and China last May 2012 that cast fear to many company’s

clients to travel to Hong Kong and China, which affected company’s group

package contract to collapse. The cancellation of fare by a group of

clienteles would necessarily affect a group’s fare rate. Consequently, the

company cannot push through and continue purchasing costly and

exorbitant group travel packages which have skyrocketed since January

this year.

In light of the foregoing predicaments and tight spot besetting the

company, I would like to inform you that all clients whose travel or flights

that are due for the month of July 2012 onward will no longer push

through as scheduled and that the company will instead return all moneys

due them in full since the company can no longer meet the price of

obtaining costly packages. And the company hereby gives its sincerest

and full assurance to all valued clients that the moneys due them will be

returned in full, in due time and the company will not renege on this

assurance.

Read more: http://www.sulit.com.ph/index.php/view+classifieds/id/5846268/Travel+Information?referralKeywords=pab+star+travel+and+tours

******
(this was my post last year)

Hi Friends...

 

I would like to share this promo to those people who often check on my blog.

If you are planning for a Hongkong escapade for next year.... this is really a GOOD DEAL!

OK. Read on.....

Early Bird Promo for the month of 

JUNE , JULY , AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER 2012

is now open for RESERVATION!!!

 Hongkong Early Bird promo

-P- 16,000 Buy1take1 Promo!!

That only means that for -P-16,000 you and your partner/friend can tag along for this HK adventure!

Inclusions;

- 3days and 2nights hotel accommodation at-

Overnight stay @ Shenzhen China

Daily breakfast

(sample only) 

Half day city tour and complimentary Disneyland Tour

NOTE: According to Ms. Anne, you will need to give atleast 50% of the total cost for Reservation, then you can pay the other half after a month.

If you are interested on this early bird package

Please contact: Ms Anne Galman
PAB Star Travel & Tours

EMAIL ADD : pabstartravelntours@gmail.com
YM: koko_yellow@yahoo.com
Landline number:(044)664-6109
Telefax:(044)662-5274
Cell. #:  0917-7629211 / 0923-2436689

PS. I am not in any way related or connected to PAB Star Travel & Tours.

I just really wanted to SHARE this great deal!

(pictures posted here are from google)

Roundtrip airport-hotel-airport transfer and Roundtrip airfare via Hongkong Express. 

Dorsett Fareast Hotel or Rambler Oasis.

Corregidor - Invading Historical Island

Corregidor -- April 2008

Corregidor is a small rocky island in the Philippines about 48 kilometers west of Manila which is stragetically located at the entrance of Manila Bay. This island fortress stands as a memorial for the courage, valor, and heroism of its Filipino and American defenders who bravely held their ground against the overwhelming number of invading Japanese forces during World War II.  And it is also known as "the Rock" it was a key bastion of the Allies during the war.

We booked our trip there via Sun Cruises. You can also see their Package/Rates from here.

Sun Cruises offers Day Tour and Overnight Packages. We decided to avail the Overnight package to maximize the Corregidor Invasion. (Inclusions: Roundtrip ferry trnasfers; shrine, entrance and terminal fees; Guided island tour, (1) buffet lunch on day 1 and overnight accomodation at; Corregidor Inn)-- PHP2,000 + Lights & Sound Show - 150.00 Php and 300Php/head for the guided lateral tour/ghost hunting inside Malinta Tunnel, with sidetrip at the Army Hospital, also includes: Sunset and Sunrise viewing plus early morning easy hike going/passing through Japanese Tunnel.

Day Tour

Day Tour Tram

Day Tour is a guided Tour riding in the Tram -- and drop-off to the ruins of the WWII

Here are some of the highlights on our Corregidor Tour

The Big Guns of Corregidor

The Battle's Ruins

The Middleside Barracks

us @ Cine Corregidor

Cine Corregidor

Me @ one of the big Guns

The Spanish Lighthouse

The Lights and Sound Show inside Malinta Tunnel

Around 2-3PM the Day Tour is done - and the Day Tour peeps will sail back to Manila.  And for the rest who got the Overnight pass, we stayed at Corregidor Inn until the next morning.

And like I mentioned earlier on this post, we paid extra to maximize our experience in this historical island.

The MileLong Barracks

us @ MileLong Barracks

After the day tour, we rest for a while, and the call time for our extra tour is before 5PM -- we're not able to catch a good shot of sunset since it was a bit cloudy that time. Then, we dropped-off at The Army Hospital's Ruins, where I can felt goose bumps, we haven't seen any ghost in there, but.... I can feel them.

The Army Hospital

And we headed up to the Main Event that night --  The Night Lateral Visit at Malinta TunnelThis is done inside the tunnel's unexplored side. A 1,000-bed hospital area during World War II. A walking tour of the tunnel's unexplored side.

Our experience inside Malinta Tunnel that night was really FUN and scary at the same time. It was just the 5 of us plus 1 tour guide.

It was cold inside, not just because we're inside the tunnel, but it really feels like the someone was walking along with us aside from our tour guide

...and yet, it was an Experience!

We went back to the Hotel and grab something for dinner.

TIP: If you are going to get the overnight package to Corregidor, it's better to bring your own food, atleast like cup noodles,biscuits, or chips.... because there are only few stores in the Island, and their Cafeteria foods is quite expensive.

The next morning.... we were up really early to catch the sunrise

sunrise @ Corregidor

the tail of Corregidor Island

We also invade the Japanese Tunnel

some of our pics inside Japanese Tunnel

we found this Marine Boat docked in the Island that day

Of course to max out the Corregidor experience... we spent the rest of the morning under the sun and enjoyed the Beach in the island.

Overall, the Corregidor Invasion is worth it.

It feels good that somehow we're able to see and feel the Battlefield of WWII

...from our History