Pinamungajan: Hidden Valley Beach Resort

Check out for updates: https://travellingandbeyond.com/

LOCATION:
Tajao, Pinamungajan, Cebu

FEES: (as of May 2016)

ROOM TYPE
Family Deluxe Room (good for 5 persons)
          Day Use (2,000.00)
          Overnight Stay (3,000.00)
Superior Deluxe (good for 2 persons)
          Day Use (1,400.00)
          Overnight Stay (2,000.00)
Extra bed with breakfast (300.00)
Function Hall (good for 50 persons)

Room Amenities:
          - free use of swimming pool
          - free entrance to the beach
          - 24 hours cable TV
          - WIFI ready
          - toilet and bath ready
          - food and beverage room service

All guests for overnight stays are entitled to continental breakfast servings.

DAY TOUR
Use of Swimming Pool
          Adult (11 years old and above) (80.00)
          Kids (3 - 10 years old) (40.00)
Kiosk (Nipa Hut) Cottage (2,000.00)
Duplex Type Cottage (600.00)
Beach table with 4 chairs (250.00)
Extra Beach table (no chairs) (150.00)
Sun Bed (200.00)
Corkage (per menu) (50.00)
Corkage for whole lechon (250.00)
Rental of videoke (per hour) (150.00)

SPECIAL PACKAGES
(for groups minimum of 10 persons)

PACKAGE A: (1,225.00/person)
Inclusions:
          3 meals (family style = 2 main dish + side dish + soup + fruits with drinks)
          2 plated snacks (AM /  PM snacks)
          Family Deluxe fully air-conditioned room (2 rooms)

PACKAGE B: (1,940.00/person)
Inclusions:
          Overnight Stay @ Hidden Valley Beach with fully air-conditioned Family Deluxe Rooms
          2 Family Style meals & 1 plated snack @ Hidden Valley Beach
          1 Family Style meal & 1 plated snack @ Hidden Valley Wave Pool
          Free entrance and use of pool both wave pool & mountain resort
          Free 1 native cottage @ Hidden Valley Wave Pool
          Van Transfer from Hidden Valley Beach to Hidden Valley Mountain Resort to Cebu City

(no beverage allowed to bring inside the resort except for resorts display)

CONTACT DETAILS:
email : hiddenvalleybeachresort@yahoo.com.ph
telephone number: (032) 468 8025

Murcia: Mambukal Mountain Resort

Check for updates: https://travellingandbeyond.com/

LOCATION:
Murcia, Negros Occidental

FESTIVAL:
Mudpack Festival (June 23 or 24) (third week of June)
Tinabuay Festival (December 8)

FEES: (as of June 2016) (check their website for rate updates)
Entrance Fees   (Adult 50.00; 11 yrs old and below 20.00)
Entrance Toll Fees   (Light Vehicle 15.00; Trucks or buses 30.00)
Rooms
          Villas
                    Matrimonial (1700.00)
                    1 Single & 1 Matrimonial (2000.00)
                    4 Single Beds (2400.00)
                    Extra Bed (200.00)
          Family Cottage (4000.00)
                    Extra Foam (100.00)
          LGU Cottage
                    Good for 2 persons (900.00)
                    Good for 4 persons (1200.00)
                    Good for 6 persons (1500.00)
                    Extra Foam (100.00)
          Tourist Lodge
                    Ordinary Room (600.00)
                    Deluxe Room (750.00)
                    Family Room (1000.00)
          Dormitory (good for 20 persons) (2000.00)
Camping Fee per person (30.00)
Picnic Huts   (big  600.00; small  300.00)
Tables with 4 chairs (100.00)
Additional Foam (100.00)
Conference Halls (2500.00 - 12000.00)
Ofuro Hot Spring (100.00)
Swimming Pools  (adult  50.00; 11 years old & below  20.00)
Slide for Life (50.00)
Boating (30.00)
Butterfly Garden Entrance (25.00)
           Souvenir Items (30.00 - 500.00)
Wall Climbing (25.00)
Spa Fees (300.00 - 1500.00)

OTHER PLACES TO VISIT:
Twin River Resort
Hilltop Restobar
Pandanon Silos Mountain and River Resort
Barangay Sta. Rosa Monument
Hacienda Kaftrees
Kahulihoha Herbal Garden and Serenity Park
CasaMia

A nature lover's dream!

Murcia is a first class municipality in Negros Occidental. It has 23 barangays, one of which is Brgy. Minoyan where Mambukal Resort is nestled.

According to the resort's official website, Mambukal resort serves as a gateway to Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park. It was originally designed as a bathhouse and picnic garden by a Japanese architect, Kokichi Paul Ishiwata in 1927. It's total land area reaches 23.6 hectares.

Mambukal has bats as a tourist attraction. Three species are found in the resort; the Philippine Flying Fox, the Philippine bare-backed fruit bat, and the Little golden-mantled flying fox. The hot sulfur springs boast its medicinal waters.

A lot of activities can be enjoyed in the massive property. There's a zip line for the thrill-seekers. There's a wall climbing activity for those with super duper upper body strength (which I obviously lack); a  boat ride on this lake can be quite an exhilarating experience too. There are many activities to choose from.

The canopy walk has been damaged and will be temporarily inaccessible.

The trek to the falls was exhausting. Unfortunately, swimming at the first to the fifth level is not allowed. The sixth level I find too narrow for everyone to enjoy. I wasn't able to reach the seventh. It was too far and had too little time as we were to head home that day.

Take note that booking a room at Mambukal should be a month before your preferred date. The resort is always booked. In case you do not receive a confirmation of your booking, bring a tent for camping. There are available tents for rent ranging from 400.00 to 600.00, but it would be too costly - VERY VERY COSTLY  (there are rooms of the same rate as that). The camping area does not have a comfort room which makes this tent rental fee too much. These tents are owned by the employees of the mountain resort.

Talisay City: Campuestohan Highland Resort

Check out: https://travellingandbeyond.com/

LOCATION:
Talisay, Negros Occidental

FESTIVAL:
Minulu-an Festival (September 10)
Pasidungog Festival (February 11)

FEES: (as of May 2016)
Fast Craft fare from Toledo City to San Carlos (est. 200.00)
Lite Ferry fare from Toledo City to San Carlos (est. 150.00)
Van Rental from San Carlos to Talisay City (est. 3500.00)
Bus fare from San Carlos to Bacolod (est. 120.00)
Entrance Fee to Campuestohan (150.00)
Cottage (good for 20 persons) (1000.00)
Cottage (good for 12 persons) (600.00)
Umbrella Hut (good for 6-10 persons (500.00)
Rooms
          Indian Village Teepee Hut Family Room (good for 6 persons) (5000.00)
          Bonita Hut (good for 4 persons) (2500.00)
          Log Cabin (good for 3 persons) (3000.00)
          Log Cabin (good for 4 persons) (4000.00)
          Log Cabin (good for 5 persons) (5000.00)
          King Kong Room (good for 6 persons) (6000.00)

Room Amenities:
          - airconditioned
          - free entrance and use of the pools
          - free breakfast
          - hot and cold shower

Rides
          Zipline (200.00)
          Rope Course (200.00)
          Sky Bicycle (one way) (100.00)
          Horseback Riding for 15 minutes (150.00 per person)
          Hamster wheel (one way) (100.00)
          Grand Carousel (30.00)
          Mini Train (30.00)

OTHER PLACES TO VISIT:
Balay Negrense
The Henares Garden and Resort
The Ancestral Homes
Spa by the Sea Resort
Bamboo Spring Garden and Leisure Farm
Natures Village Resort
Statue of Andres Bonifacio
The Ruins

So high!

We were so pumped up to see Campuestohan. So many people. So many rides. So many things to do. Planning our summer activity was always the thrilling part, and this year's summer plan was worth it. The buildings were well-built, the furniture explicit, the recreations well-thought.

teepee huts (air-conditioned room; good for 6 pax)

Hamster Wheel

Obstacle Course

We arrived at Campuestohan and marveled at the scenery - the whole of Talisay City in Negros. No need to rest, so little time, so much to do, so we headed to our teepee hut inside the Indian village. After a couple of minutes, we roamed the resort and enjoyed what we saw. 

 

We stayed at the highland resort for a night. The morning walk was very relaxing. The early morning breeze in a highland area made it feel rejuvenating. A filling meal was served in the morning. I rode the hamster wheel which was obviously nerve-racking (not for the faint-hearted), spent an hour checking the site (the pools, the infrastructure, the rides, the spa center, the pavilion, the huts, the food kiosks, the photo kiosks), took a swim at the fun wave pool. All was well. We checked out of the resort at 2.00PM and headed for Bacolod.

It was one h*ll of a summer.

To arrive in Campuestohan, it is best to rent a van or any vehicle. But if you are from Toledo City, you will have to ride the fast craft or ferry boat going to San Carlos. From San Carlos terminal, you will have to ride the bus bound for Bacolod City. From Bacolod City Terminal, ride a taxi or the Campuestohan shuttle. Taxi fares range from 400.00 - 500.00. The weekend shuttle service at Villa Angela Arcade Parking costs 100.00. It leaves Bacolod at 9.00AM and returns at 4.00PM. It can be rented for 3000.00. The resort also has a van for rent at 1500.00 for the day trip, and 2500 for an overnight use.

Source: Campuestohan Highland Resort Official Website

Talisay City: The Ruins

Check for updates: https://travellingandbeyond.com/

LOCATION: 
Talisay, Negros Occidental

FESTIVAL: 
Minulu-an Festival (September 10)
Pasidungog Festival (February 11)

FEES: (as of May 2016)
Fast Craft fare from Toledo to San Carlos (est. 200.00)
Lite Ferry fare from Toledo to San Carlos (est. 150.00)
Van Rental from San Carlos to Talisay City (est. 3500.00)
Bus fare from San Carlos to Bacolod (est. 120.00)
Entrance Fee in The Ruins (adult 95.00, child 40.00)

OTHER PLACES TO VISIT:
Statue of Andres Bonifacio
Campuestohan Highland Resort
Natures Village Resort
Bamboo Spring Garden and Leisure Farm
Spa by the Sea Resort
The Ancestral Homes
The Henares Garden and Resort
Balay Negrense

Summer not ruined!

Upon arriving at The Ruins in Negros, I never intended to leave the vehicle because I am not one who enjoys walking around a ruined mansion, plus, the scourging heat of the sun was unbearable. But even with the van's air-conditioning system running, it wasn't able to keep the summer heat out of the vehicle. So I got off the van and thought it would be such a waste not to witness this talked-about mansion.

Upon seeing The Ruins, it would seem like all the other architectural ruins in the country. But it wasn't that. 'The Ruins" has a story of its own.

Like the Temple of Leah in Cebu City and the Taj Mahal in India, The Ruins was also built as a symbol of a husband's undying love for his wife. It was built in memory of Maria Braga - wife of Don Mariano Lacson.

The mansion is of Italianate architecture. The initials M (Mariano) and M (Maria) can be seen on the mansion's posts - such a romantic gesture by Don Mariano. It became his residence along with his unmarried children. Unfortunately, during Second World War, it was reduced to its skeletal frame when the mansion was set ablaze by the guerrilla fighters and US armed forces. It was done to prevent the Japanese from using it as their headquarters. What is left are the mansion's thick skeletal frame - a strong foundation, which was believed and was known to be an A-grade mixture of concrete. Like most churches built in the same era, the walls of the mansion contained egg whites.

The mansion's fine, strong structure was the result of the continuous pouring of the concrete for twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days a week. It was a method to prevent air from mixing with the concrete - the result turned out magnificent, an architectural masterpiece.

Many couples have used the premises for their wedding receptions. Its garden is landscaped with a fountain that adds beauty to the ambiance. The 'romantic feel' is what makes it popular among lovers for picnics and tours. It is open from eight in the morning until eight in the evening.

Aside from the mansion, there is also a restaurant within the premises and food kiosks which offer sugarcane juices and other snacks.

To get there, if you are from Toledo City, it is best to ride the fast craft which is an hour and a half to two (1.5 - 2) hours going to San Carlos. It is a lot less hassle to find car rentals in San Carlos. We had one which picked us up and brought us to 'The Ruins'.

It would be practical to first search for 'The Ruins' location online, but you may ask the locals. They will definitely guide you to where it is situated. From the PEPSI plant, head east and seek the Rose Lawn Memorial Garden at about 6 kilometers away. From there, follow the road ahead and check for signs that will lead you to The Ruins.

For details, contact (+63) 9178326003, (+63) 9392985657, or (+63) 34 4764334