Showing posts with label mindanao. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mindanao. Show all posts

Friday, May 27, 2016

Feature Friday: Wow Panaon!

Feature Friday highlights businesses, people, fashion, and basically anything under the sun!

Panaon, Misamis Occidental is a budding municipality located north of Ozamiz which is only three quarters of an hour ride through private transpo.  However if in public, an additional of 15-20 minutes won't break your neck 'coz there's never traffic jam here in our laidback province.  With that, I'd like to be called as a probinsyana (dreaming of Coco as my probinsyano).  Hehe.....  Anyway highway, enough about him and just allow me to start raving to you a place that surprises me this summer!  

Sideway, I never thought that my first write-up on Panaon's Punta Meriam would be such a hit!  Even after a year and a half, it's still on my popular posts list and I do get a lot of queries every now and then about it.  Some of my readers also asked other resorts they could visit in the area so I thought that I must do a follow-up post on it.

To start with, we checked into La Playa Azul (formerly Regalado's).  It just changed management so renovations are still on going.  Honestly, we found the place unwelcoming to guests because the staff was not accommodating.  Sorry to tell you this but I have to since I don't want to mislead people by "all praises" on this blog.  However, we understood and considered since the owner is not from the municipality and is residing in Cebu.  And when the cat is out, the rats always play, right?  So that's understandable.  But aside from the poor staff administration, the resort doesn't serve food too.  There's no resto so you better bring your own food.  The restrooms are also far from the cottages which is rather inconvenient.  Though the garden is still under reconstruction, the pools are not well-kept.  Hopefully the next time I'm gonna visit the place, renovations are done, personnel is already trained and prepared, and amenities and facilities are complete for the convenience of the guests.  Because with all honesty, we were not happy for the price we paid during our visit ('coz every move = price to pay).


      
In spite of that, we still enjoyed our day 'coz we went on a banana boat ride and island hopping!  Banana boat was P85 per pax and the pump boat ride to an island was P800 round trip.  But we waited for an hour for the captains of the ship to arrive.  The manang still had to call for them 'coz there's nobody on standby.  You can't also make bookings ahead of time as we inquired.  Tsk tsk.....  Actually, I got a little impatient 'coz I was only doing the outing on my 9 AM - 5 PM MWF class break.  Gladly, Rio was a speedy driver so she sent me back to school on time!



On the other hand, we also checked into Dela Paz Beach Resort.  It's a public one and it's just like Rama Beach in Clarin, another municipality in Misamis Occidental which is adjacent to Ozamiz.  The only entrance fee here is P10 for whatever car you're bringing including all passengers inside.  If by foot, you're not gonna pay for anything.  It's open to all so the beach is crowded.  The place is not really clean as expected but there are lots of water activities that are already in waiting.  There are more banana boats and pump boats with the additional kayaks and jetski.  However, they said that the jetski was privately owned and who knows you could talk to the owner to have a ride.  Haha!  Additionally, they also have this ride wherein you cling on to a big salbabida on your stomach and face down then you'll get tugged by a fast-moving motorized banca.  The ride was hilarious and would surely give you adrenaline rush.  My cousin Matoy even stopped the manong for she couldn't move forward clinging on to dear life anymore.  This ride was P100 per pax for an hour and oh, by the way, the pump boat ride to the island was only P20 per head here roundtrip so I guess La Playa also charged us more than the ride actually cost.  I feel like they snipped a big chunk of the P800 we paid.  Poor banca owners....

Now here are quick vids on what to expect of the water activities!  



With prices affordable at Dela Paz, our little cousin and nephew did the island hopping twice-thrice during our outing last Sunday for JP's birthday.  Everybody really enjoyed swimming with the fun water activities that are plenty in the place.  So there's no need to go to Boracay for white sand (though the island here is not as white) and watersports 'coz we already have 'em here in our nearby town, Panaon.  I just hope that one day, they're gonna also add parasailing.

So this is my local summer adventure!  I never thought I could experience summer this year for our school's second semester also covered April and May.  I am just glad that Panaon gave summer to me so hail to the municipal government officials for making the place a tourist destination!  Let's explore Misamis Occidental further, friends!  #tosomfeatures   

P.S.  Follow @exploremisocc on IG here! :)


I Heart Panaon!
(c) Rio

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For questions, invites, and collaborations, direct message me on Facebook.  For updates on my whereabouts and whatabouts, follow me on Twitter and Instagram! :)

Friday, October 17, 2014

Feature Friday: Punta Meriam Beach Resort and Spa

Feature Friday highlights businesses, people, fashion, and basically anything under the sun!


Celebrating my birthdays for two consecutive years outside Ozamiz had been helpful for me to forget that it's my birthday on that day.  Last 2012 was in Albay and last 2013 was in Iloilo.  I did that 'coz I wanted to forget my special day so I won't feel lonesome in any sense.  And since we (JCI-Ozamiz Red Rose) missed NatCon this year, I ain't got a birthday destination but I'm beyond glad to have had celebrated the actual day of my birthday with my family. 


So with this, my birthday for this year deserved another destination!  And I'm happy that there's Punta Meriam Beach Resort and Spa which is only a 40-minute drive away from Ozamiz.  There's no hassle bringing kids over for we don't have to endure a very long drive with kulit ones.


Punta Meriam Beach Resort and Spa is conveniently located just a few meters away from the public market of Panaon, Misamis Occidental.  It is accessible to any vehicle because the road leading to it is not bumpy.  Right from the hustle and bustle of the highway, you'll enter a tranquil place where you can see a vast expanse of the sea.



Aside from the beach, Punta Meriam also has a swimming pool for the kids to enjoy.  For swimmers out there, you won't like it because you can't have a fill of it.  It is only good for kids and for pictorial purposes.  


Since I'm into much pictorial, I enjoyed the place quite pretty well for its rustic design.  I love the details of their wood works and they are Instagram and Pinterest worthy.



Other amenities are the resort basics - a function hall, clean toilet and bath, cottages for day use and rooms for overnight use.  However, since the name says "Beach Resort and Spa", we haven't found any spa at all.  And when we asked the staff about their massage, they simply replied that there's no hilot available.  Hehe.  Maybe the hilot is on call.  

Function Hall
Massage Area
Cottages
Anyway, they also have beach volley, boating and island hopping to a sand bar which we haven't tried anymore.  But the kids enjoyed their kayak session spearheaded by cuzzy Rio.


And what I like about the resort is the safety they give to their guests.  The life guards are so strict in looking closely to each child in tow.  With that, you don't have to keep watch all day so you can also have some time to catch up with the others, have some me time to do muni-muni, or take a nap while enjoying the calming sea breeze.


If the kids enjoyed, then that makes a happy tita!  Tag along the whole family for a fun-filled day at Punta Meriam Beach Resort and Spa.  I suggest that you bring your own food and beverage because it's corkage-free so you don't have to buy inside the resort.  Food inside costs an arm and a leg, you know.  Visit their FB page here for more information!

For questions, invites, and collaborations, direct message me on Facebook.  For updates on my whereabouts and whatabouts, follow me on Twitter and Instagram! :)

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