Enchanting Siquijor (Part 5); Dining at Coco Grove Beach Resort

What I love most about traveling is that I’ve got to try different cuisines while enjoying a fantastic view of things I adore (read: sun, sea, sunset). And at Coco Grove Beach Resort, satisfying your cravings is effortless with its two signature restaurants: Sunset and Salamandas. 

Sunset Restaurant, from its name, is al fresco dining that has a perfect view of the sunset. It serves Filipino and International cuisines. Booking a room at Coco Grove Beach Resort usually comes with a free ala carte breakfast for two at the Sunset Restaurant. 

The restaurant can extend up to the poolside area where you will find some tables perfect for a romantic setup. You can ask their friendly staff to reserve a table for you in advance.

Come four o’clock in the afternoon, make sure to reserve a seat at one of these tables, to catch a glimpse of the captivating sunset. You can have some drinks like fresh fruit shakes and some pica-pica. Extend your stay until dinnertime and order their specials.

Their fruit shakes are made from fresh out-of-the-counter ingredients. Look at those mangoes! They look so yummy!

The tables I showed earlier turns into a romantic rendezvous when the night unfolds. With candles lit in the dim, a good tasting wine will complete the entire mood. A lot of engagements had happened on this  spot already. No wonder.

Since we did not order dessert, I decided to just order a Coconut Shake. This is the best Coconut Shake I’ve tried so far. It tastes like ice cream on shaved ice. A serving is not enough for me that I almost finish it even before our food was served.

The specials for that night was Mahi-Mahi in Beurre Blanc and Grilled Chicken. However, we decided to order other dishes as we crave for something “hot”.

And by “hot” I mean sizzling hot! We ordered Sizzling Squid, which they served literally sizzling on the spot. 

Hubby loves the squid because he’s the type who wants squid that is white and clean. I, on the other hand, wants squid that’s black and “inky”, like Adobong Pusit. Nevertheless, this was a good one. The gravy compensated for the “inky” taste I’ve been looking for. Serving-wise, it’s good for two.

Hubby’s definition of “hot” is different. He wants soup, and so he ordered Shrimp Sinigang (appetizer size). When it was served, we were surprised that it came with garlic bread, a first time for us to see the kind of combination. From the looks of it, I can say that the Shrimp Sinigang appeals hearty. It has generous amount of veggies and shrimp. Serving is good for one pax.

The next morning, we headed again to Sunset Restaurant for our breakfast. Here is a long shot of the resto.

To start the day right, we chose mango and watermelon, paired with apple and orange juice. The mangoes are sooooo sweet. Hello glycemic index!

Hubby ordered American Breakfast consists of bacon and 2 sunny side eggs, and beans side dish. He requested though that the bread be replaced with garlic rice (proud to be Pinoy!)

On the other hand, I ordered Flipino Breakfast consists of garlic rice, grilled Mahi-Mahi, and two eggs which I requested to cook one sunny side-up and another, scrambled.

We also had Earl Grey tea (my favorite) and tried  to mix it with milk, resulting in a yummy milk tea concoction!

That breakfast really made our day! It was so hearty and heavy!

Here are some snapshots of Coco Grove Beach Resort’s other resto, Salamandas, which offers a wide variety of seafood and international dishes.

Enchanting Siquijor (Part 4): Sunset at Coco Grove Beach Resort

Aside from taking photos of pristine beaches and surreal underwater scenes, I also love capturing the sunset on stills. Its vivid colors are just so romantic and warm. I can just stare at it the whole time and think of nothing else. Sunsets put me into trance.

So when I learned about the captivating sunsets in Siquijor, I made sure I’ll catch a glimpse of it. When I saw that the skies were starting to darken already, I tagged my hubby and Akisha to the beach and waited for the sunset to get more vivid.

Akisha practicing how to use our point and shoot camera. Is she going to be a blogger like mom soon?

Since earlier that morning, the skies were not really sunny, we expect that the sunset will not be as vivid as the ones during summer. Lo and behold, we still waited and voila! Here comes the sun!

The sunset starting to unfold over Apo Island

Though we were not  able to see the full sunset. like the ones you see in postcards, I can still say that indeed, sunsets in Siquijor are enchanting. It’s so beautiful.

I wanna go back in summer!

The sun and the sea are just too mesmerizing to look at. Wonderful creations indeed.

Up next, gastronomic delights!

Enchanting Siquijor (Part 3): Tubod Marine Sanctuary

A visit to Siquijor is not complete without having a glimpse of the famous Tubod Marine Sanctuary, a 7-hectare protected enclave right in front of Coco Grove Beach Resort. 

When I went to the dive shop to borrow some lifevests, Rene, the staff from Coco Grove Resort, patiently answered my queries. I asked him where is the best spot to snorkel, and he undoubtedly pointed to this floating bar. Though technically this is beyond the buoyed area of Tubod Marine Sanctuary, he said that there are more corals here. So I asked him, how do I get there if do not know how to swim? He said take a kayak! The good thing is, the kayaks are for free! Yey!

So hubby patiently maneuvered our kayak while I hold on to Akisha, who obviously enjoyed her first ever kayak ride. While getting closer to the floating bar, we already saw blue starfishes and some corals along the way. The water was sooooo clear, and the waves were so tame.

When we finally reached the floating bar, hubby tied our kayak so that we can get off. 

The floating bar was so refreshing! It has beach beds where you could just lay down and enjoy the panoramic view around.

The best part of the floating bar is this…it has a ladder! Now I CAN snorkel! Just a brief background, I do not know how to swim, and even with a life jacket, I still get afraid of the water, except when I know there’s something I can hold on to just in case. So this ladder is a winner for me! Yey!

The water, as I have said, is so clear, but unfortunately, fishes were not abundant in that particular spot. And for the first time, we saw a blue starfish!

Here are some underwater shots at Tubod Marine Sanctuary. 

All for now. Ciao!

Enchanting Siquijor (Part 2): Coco Grove Beach Resort

After having lunch in our room, we did not waste time and went around Coco Grove Beach Resort. The entire resort is a paradise. It is very quiet, serene and relaxing. All we could hear was the bustling waves of the sea and the breeze.

The reception area is so cozy. It has comfy chairs and a parrot named Macky.

We went to the beach and saw a very nice stretch of white sand. If you have been to Bantayan in Cebu, the sand in Siquijor is very much similar, though the waves are tame here.

The sand may not as powdery as Boracay, but the water is clearer! And since the waves are tame, you can go kayaking to roam around the Tubod Marine Sanctuary.

Coco Grove Beach Resort also has boats that traverse the sea towards Apo Island Beach Resort, an island famous for diving that they also own.

The mountainous part on the right side of the photo is Dumaguete City. This was taken from the veranda of Sunset Restaurant. I swear, I can just lounge on this veranda and like write forever while staring at the majestic view. It supercharged my creativity that way.

Still from the Sunset Restaurant, Apo Island Beach Resort is already visible. See that small island? That’s where the famous dive spot is. I wish I could go there this year. I wanna see turtles! The boat ride to that island will take around 1-2 hours from Coco Grove Beach Resort.

We lounge at these comfy beach beds for awhile. We can’t get enough of the beach view so I kept on taking photos while Akisha and hubby are having a dip. Beaches and Sunsets are my favorite subjects. I just love them.

After bathing in the sun, we went to one of the resort’s swimming pool and lounge at these posh beach beds. You can order drinks and snacks at Sunset Restaurant while chilling out here, or you could just bring a good book and laze around.

This is the smaller one of the two pools they have. It is suitable for kids because it has a shallow part.

We also checked out the resort’s souvenir shop – Island Treasures. It offers clothes perfect for our country’s tropical climate, accessories, and other pasalubong items.

I wanted to get one of these accessories, but when we checked out of the resort, we were in a hurry because the van was leaving already.=( Too bad, I was not able to buy even a ref magnet to add to my collection. (I always buy a ref magnet that has the name of the place engraved on it and display it on our fridge to mark that “we have been here”).

Coco Grove Beach Resort shirts in vivid colors!

Another thing that I wanted to buy but missed out was this – paper wallets. I am a big fan of paper wallets as I find them convenient and space-saving. I always buy the ones in Davao, or any part of Mindanao. But these ones are different! The style and colors are wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy betterrrrrrrrr. 

As I have written in my previous post, there is fishermen’s village in the middle of the resort. It is a public place where local boatmen dock their boats. Safety is not an issue though, because the resort has security staff here. Though if you are afraid of the dark, this area might be scary for you at night. From the front desk to our room, we need to pass through this site.

This is the resort’s gate from the fishermen’s village. It reminds me of the book “The Secret Garden”.

So after passing through the fishermen’s village, you will see the dive shop and the Olympic-sized pool. This is more adult-friendly than the other pool.

It has a poolside bar where you can enjoy beer and cocktails until midnight.

We saw this while passing by the dive shop. If you have time, I suggest to avail the glass bottom boat ride so that you can appreciate the marine life at the Tubod Marine Sanctuary. As I have said, the water here is so clear, and the corals are so beautiful. You might be lucky to spot a sea turtle!

You can also borrow a kayak at the dive shop for free. What we did is borrow a kayak and life jackets, and paddled around Tubod Marine Sanctuary. Akisha enjoyed kayaking so much! 

Coco Grove Beach Resort also has a beach-side stage where they occasionally hold cultural nights, This is also perfect for weddings and other celebrations.

Just across the Royal Orchid Building is Salamandas Restaurant, the resort’s seafood and international cuisine resto. It serves lunch and dinner. You can also order some refreshing desserts and shakes while you are at the comforts of your beach bed.

These cottages can be turned into a romantic beach-side dinner venue. Just book in advance!

This is the part of the beach nearest our room. What can you say? Who wouldn’t want a paradise like this? I can just have a nap here the whole day! So relaxing!

Enchanting Siquijor (Part 1): En Route to Coco Grove Beach Resort

After spending a night in Dumaguete, we woke up early the next day to catch the 9:00 AM Delta Fast Craft to the island of Siquijor. Since we already bought our tickets (Php 160.00/pax, children 2 years old and below are free of charge) the day before, all we have to do is pay the terminal fee (Php 15.00/pax), register at the manifesto, and board the ferry.

The port of Dumaguete is walking distance from Hotel Nicanor. It is just across Silliman University. The port of Dumaguete is one of the cleanest ports I have been to.

I thought that this big house-like floater was the ferry (silly me!) but it turned out it was just Delta’s pre-departure area where you will be asked to sign on their manifesto. It is very important to logyour names on their manifesto so that when something unpredictable happens (knock on wood), you are on their records.

Here is the small air-conditioned ferry. Honestly, I was a bit scared to ride in it. It’s a bit old.

When we got in, we were tumbling side by side against each other as the water was a bit bumpy that time. The interiors of Delta Fast Craft is old, musty and cramped. I just feel that when emergency happens, I will just die insideit  because I will not be able to get out before the ferry sinks. I think the Jaylann Ferry is newer than Delta, but has fewer time slots. If you have the extra moolah, just let the resort take care of your transfers. Coco Grove Beach Resort, for example, has their own boat that you can charter. There are also chartered flights to Siquijor Island. Whatever means of transportation you choose, always keep safety in your mind.

When we arrived at the Siquijor port, two lovely staff from Coco Grove Beach Resort (in their Filipiniana attire) greeted us and led us to the resort’s van. They have this cute blackboard with our names nicely handwritten on it. So sweet. Jessa, the resort’s representative was so friendly and accommodating. 

Siquijor Island is a small island 45 minutes away from Dumaguete City. It has 6 towns: Siquijor, Larena, San Juan, Lazi, Maria and Enrique Villanueva. Yes, there is a Siquijor town within Siquijor Island, just like a Cebu City within Cebu Island.

Coco Grove Beach Resort is in the town of San Juan, Siquijor Island. It is the biggest and most luxurious resort in Siquijor.

Our room was located near Salamandas Restaurant, a bit far from the front desk, but near the Tubod Marine Sanctuary. Here’s the building where our room- Royal Orchid 8 – is located. Our room was at the second floor and has a very nice view of greenery.

At the first floor, just beneath the staircase is a lounge area.

Whoever made the interior design of this resort, I adore you. I usually prefer plain interiors like black, white, neutrals. But the interiors of this building caught my attention. It has vivid colors of red, yellow, black, and a lot more, but I like it! Very Filipiniana indeed.

So here’s our lovely room:

The room is new and very spacious. Perhaps 4 pax could fit comfortably here. It has a flatscreen TV, aircon, cozy queen-sized bed, an extra bed, some cushioned chairs and a veranda. Royal Orchid room rate is Php 5,500/night inclusive of breakfast for two at the Sunset Restaurant.

I love the layout and design! Who says Filipiniana is just about old and rustic? It can be chic, too!

When my baby saw this small bed, she immediately claimed that it is HER bed. Cute!

The room also has coffee and tea-making facilities and a fully-loaded mini bar.

Unlike other hotels, the drinks inside the mini-bar are not over-priced. A bottle of San Miguel Beer for instance costs only Php 35. Just like when you drink beer at Gerry’s Grill. So for that, another thumbs up!

The veranda is my favorite area in the room. It has two comfy chairs and a table where you can have your coffee or just chill out while looking at the vivid flowers and the bright skies.

The bathroom is so clean and spacious since the room is new. It is one of the latest addition to Coco Grove Beach Resort’s roster of more than 50 rooms. And the good news is, they are still expanding as they will launch the Golden Orchid rooms in April 2012.

I also like the scent of their shampoo and conditioner. It smells fresh!

Tips: 

Book in advance. Coco Grove Beach Resort is a premiere resort in Siquijor, thus, many people have been wanting to stay in this resort. So make sure to book a room in advance, especially during peak season. 

Choose a room near your area of interest. If you are into water sports and diving, choose a room near the dive shop. If you are the type who loves to have some beer and cocktails at night, choose a room near the bar, as there are some parts of the resort that are quite dark at night, especially the fishermen’s village (a public space in the middle of Coco Grove Beach Resort where local fishermen dock their boats.). 

Be nice to the locals. You might have heard of spooky stories about Siquijor, but I tell you, the people in the island are the nicest and friendliest I have encountered. And during the time that we were there, we did not experience anything extraordinary. Let the folklore remain a folklore and move forward. =)

Travel Plans for 2012

Influenced by the back-to-back action planning at the office, I was inspired to do my own planning for one thing I love – travel. In the year 2011, I, hubby and Akisha have been to different places across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Most of our travels are of course, courtesy of the local airlines’ promo fares. I wish promo fares now are still the same as last year. I remember I was able to book my whole family (6 adults and 1 child) for only P1.4k via Airphils. Now, P1.4k is not even enough for 2 pax. 

Anyways, in 2011, we’ve been to several places, mostly islands  and beaches, in the Philippines, including Bohol, Coron, Davao, Subic, Tagaytay, Pangasinan, Caramoan and Cebu. Next year, guess what? We are still on an island and beach phase!

First on our list is Dumaguete and Siquijor. I’ve been hearing good reviews about Siquijor and how romantic and serene  it is. So without a doubt, during the Cebu Pacific piso fare recently, I booked a ticket to Dumaguete, the gateway to Siquijor.

Coco Grove Beach Resort is perhaps the most famous beach resort in Siquijor. Based on the photos and the reviews I read from GTalk (a forum), the place is perfect for honeymooners. It is quiet and romantic, contrary to the nyth that it houses mythical creatures like Aswang, etc. It has a view of perfect sunset.

Photo from http://www.cocogrovebeachresort.com

After a laid back day in Siquijor, we plan to go to another famous destination in Dumaguete, Apo Island.

Photo from http://www.cocogrovebeachresort.com

Based from what I’ve read, it is in Apo Island where you could see pawikans. So I am sure I will enjoy snorkeling here.

Photo from Apo Island Beach Resort Facebook account

A trip we plan to share with the whole barkada is a Masbate escapade. Though Masbate is not as popular as Boracay or Coron, I’ve read that it also has pristine beaches and a majestic falls. 

Our first stop would be Bontod Reef, a sandbar about 15 minutes away from Masbate City. We plan to stay at the Rendezvous Hotel and rent a boat (I was told it is P500/boat) to Bontod Reef where we will spend a day of picnic lunch and beach bumming.

And what is a Masbate trip without a glimpse of Catandayagan Falls? It’s a falls that “falls” into the sea. 

Photo by earlouismd

We will also have an island hopping tour of Ticao Island where the famous luxury resort Ticao Altamar is.

My friend also wants to do whaleshark interaction in Donsol, which is about 3 hours by boat from Masbate City.

At the middle of 2012, we will set foot into the island of the world’s sweetest mangoes – Guimaras. We plan to stay in La Puerta al Paraizo or Raymen Beach in Alibuhod.

Towards the third quarter, we will finally have a glimpse of the wonders of Sablayan, Mindoro Occidental. Since we are only two, we might tag other friends or joiners so that we can save on boat rental which is P6,500 at a minimum, going to Apo Reef, the next thing to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.

Photo by PinoyCaravan

Here’s a sneak peak of the underwater world in Apo Reef.

Photo by PinoyCaravan

And finally, we will stay for a night in the solitary Pandan Island Resort.

I hope we could still get tickets for El Nido, Siargao, Cagayan de Oro or Laoag towards the end of the year or early 2013. Of the four, i highly prioritize El Nido, which has long been a dream vacation of mine.

edit: Finally, we have tickets for El Nido!