Places | Empress Of Drac, A Cebuana Blogger

Let’s Escape to Hidden Valley

Posted by empressofdrac
Categorized Under: CBS, Cebu, Places
Comments: 4

Photo by Wantet

Tired of the sandy and sunny beaches? Wanted a total relaxation away from those noisy beach goers and drunk party animals? Then, you have an alternative escape - Hidden Valley Mountain Resort.

Hidden Valley Resort is one of Cebu’s untarnished mountain destinations.  It is located in Barangay Lamac, Pinamungajan, which is about 2 hours from the city. It is 8 kilometers away from Lutopan, Toledo and 14 kilometers away from Poblacion, Pinamungajan.

Hidden Valley is surrounded by mountains and forests, which made it an ideal vacation spot for people who yearn absolute relaxation and peace of mind.

Photo by Wantet

The resort is managed by Lamac Multi-Purpose Cooperative (LMPC).  For bookings and reservation, please contact 032 516-0450.

N.B.: Hidden Valley is the official resort of Tsinelas Associaton and Cebu Bloggers Society Inc. Computer Literacy Outreach this coming 24th and 25th of April.

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Let’s Party to Paradiso!

Posted by empressofdrac
Categorized Under: Entertainment, Events, Fun, Holidays, Places
Comments: 3

Can’t get enough of summer?  Here’s another summer event that would surely get you wild and wet.  PARADISO: The Ultimate Summer Kick-off and Outdoor Dance Party.  This ass-kicking summer gig will be happening this  17th of April at Tambuli Resorts- East Wing, Mactan, Cebu.  Gates will be open by 1PM and the party will start from 3PM onwards.  There will be a Sunset Chill-out Session, BBQ Party, VIP Area, Activity Booths, a Visual Show Arts by 9PM, and a lot more.  Invite your friends now and get get ready to rock your summer!

PARADISO is summer’s ultimate outdoor and dance party. Last year, Paradiso 2009 set the standard. This year, don’t miss out as we raise the standard higher. We are kicking-off the beginning of summer this April 17, 2010 (Saturday) at the Tambuli Resorts-East Wing.

Feel the vibe and bring out the energy of Cebu’s clubbing scene to the beautiful shores of Mactan with the mixes of Encore and Natural Born Klubbers’ BOMBI “The Bomb” Balquiedra, Manolet Dario and Chico Cristobal on live guitars and Fusion recordings and The Suite’s FUNK AVY. Let loose to the mixes of Cebu’s own Lady DJ Nikki Taylor and VUDU’s resident DJs Maxie Perez and Marlon Orellano, with live tribal beats by DJ LEANDRO ZAYCO and The Patiqueros featuring the Hutaru Flare Troupe.

PARADISO beckons the collective vibes of beach and partygoers. Brace yourselves for massive sound, lighting and visual effects. Allow your senses to be captivated by a visual show that will embark you on an epic journey into a higher dimension. Be there and ascend to the island’s ultimate beach and dance event

PARADISO is presented to you by PLDT myDSL Beyond Broadband. In cooperation with Tambuli Beach Resort, Cebu Beach Club, Metrografix,Sunstar Daily,Sarmeinto Construction, San Miguel Corporation and Department of Tourism. Also brought to you by Y101-Always First, Havaianas, Proctor & Gamble , Nescafe, Nestea Fit, Island Souvenirs and Island Banca Cruises. And in part with Ila Puti, Cebu Central.Com, Kumpara 63.com. This event is powered by A. Salonga. For inquiries and ticket reservations, email paradisoevents@gmail.com or contact 0932.779.8689 or 0915.438.7351.

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Be Enamored @ Be Resorts Mactan

Posted by empressofdrac
Categorized Under: Cebu, Holidays, Places, Reviews
Comments: 9

The beach front

I’ve never been to a resort here in Cebu wherein you can instantly see the beach front even if you are still standing at the entrance door of the main building.  It is only at Be Resorts (formerly known as Microtel) that I immediately see one, spruced with Greek-like architecture, carpeted with man-made white sands.

Be Resorts’ main reception area is covered with glass walls and lavishly decorated with Kenneth Cobonpue’s artworks.  Yeah, you read it right.  Kenneth Cobonpue’s.

Despite the affordable rate, which by the way, is now as low as Php 3000 (net twin sharing with breakfast), I think Be Resorts put justice in the word grandeur.  From their cool activity center, executive function rooms, comfortable and refreshing bedrooms,  enticing pool to limb twisting kayaking (which I enjoyed a lot), it is one great beach destination here in Cebu especially if you wanted to feel like you are in Greece. (:

Kayaking

Be Resorts is nestled in Punta Engaño, Mactan Island.  It is located minutes away from the Mactan International Airport and easily accessible via the Marcelo B. Fernan bridge.  For booking and reservations, contact the Cebu Sales and Reservations Office, Punta Engaño Road, Mactan Island, Cebu 6015, Philippines.  Telephone: (6332) 2368888 local 8800 (Sales); local 8832 (Reservations).  Fax: (6332) 236 8088.  Email: sales-mactan#beresorts.com.  Website: www.beresorts.com.

N.B.: The Php 3000 net twin sharing is a local summer promor rate.  Limited rooms only.

Photo Credits: Edcel Ceniza and Doyzkie Buenaviajie

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La Belle Aurore, Newest Bookstore in Cebu

Posted by empressofdrac
Categorized Under: Books, Cebu, Places
Comment: 1

Are you a self-confessed book maniac and page-turning addict who can’t live without molesting hundreds or thousands of bound leaf pages as part of your daily routine?  Do you intentionally confined yourself in your room and promised a six-dimensional non-living matter that you will stick with it through  thick and thin (the pages, of course)?  Then, you might want to meet “The Beautiful Dawn” aka La Belle Aurore.

La Belle Aurore is the newest opened bookshop in Cebu, located at Hernan, Mandaue City (just beside Jade’s Court).  This bookshop is owned by JB Lee, a self-confessed book lover, who believes that books must be well circulated so that it will attain its worth and value.  With currently over 3, 000 available titles being displayed in the shop, JB is still planning for an expansion.  He plans to occupy the 2nd floor of his shop to display a wider variety of affordable books.

La Belle Aurore’s books are way more affordable compared to 2nd-hand bookstores like Booksales and Cagnaan.  Book prices range from 70php and up.  Store hours is from 10am-9pm.  You can contact them at 0923-357-9159 or telefax 2380154. Email is labelleaurorebooks@yahoo.com.  You can also visit their multiply site to place orders and check titles.  Check the store’s sketch below.

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Enjoy Maribago Bluewater for Free

Posted by empressofdrac
Categorized Under: Places
Comments: 0

Photo by PinoyWorld

Yes, you read it right.  One of Cebu’s finest beach resorts is inviting again another batch of bloggers all over Philippines to have an all day stay in their blue water and white sand paradise.  And the key word here is, it’s for free.  You should check PinoyWorld’s post for the detailed guidelines.

If I will be asked what makes Maribago Bluewater totally different from other beach resorts I’ve known, then, my primary answer is definitely the way they market their services.  It’s actually the very first time that I heard of a high end resort that utilizes the credibility of bloggers, using their online power to reach international target markets.  This is one thing that lots of establishments haven’t realized yet.

Anyways, if given the chance, it will be my second time going there.  I went there last May with CBS, and we really had a great time together. Maribago Bluewater is a beach paradise carpeted with beautiful white sands; decorated with glorious pool bars, restaurants, royal bungalows; liven up with various leisure activities like  scuba diving, snorkeling, live entertainments, etc.; and crowned with Alegro Island, the spectacular 1.1 hectare man-made island which added charm and harmony to the whole resort.

For your convenience, below are a few Maribago Bluewater resources that you should check before you’ll go there.

For more details about Maribago Bluewater Cebu, you can visit their website.  Happy Blogging!

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CBS Castaways stirred Sumilon Island’s Silence

Posted by empressofdrac
Categorized Under: CBS, Events, Fun, People, Personal Rantings, Places
Comments: 4

Where could you find a group of sociable cyborgs who has this “cam-whoring” personality disorder, but were courageous enough to play with big waves and survived a sandstorm?  They are a group of unique and happy individuals who love even the pettiest of things, and laugh at the cheapest and lamest of jokes.  Well, I’m referring to my fellow CBS barkada, the second main reason why I enjoyed our Sumilon Bluewater Island trip last 1st of August.

The main reason is of course, the island resort itself.  Sumilon Bluewater Island Resort is one of the finest Cebu destinations that I’ve been to, so far.  We were picked up by their three caravans at SM for a two and half hours of land trip to Oslob.  The road trip itself didn’t take so long because I didn’t notice the time since we were so busy with our chit chats and nonsense talks inside the van.

We arrived at Sumilon’s port area twenty minutes after we toured the whole island (in a pump boat) .  I noticed how raucous the whole gang every time the ocean waves carelessly wobbled the whole boat.  They screamed, laughed, shouted at each other, and others were amused looking at other people’s reactions.  A few were too busy capturing photographs and did some sight seeings at the upper deck.

And, at the very moment we set foot in Sumilon’s 24-hectare virginal island, the calm and still surroundings of the place was disturbed (I was the only one who noticed all these.  Hehehe).  The meek white sands sensed something is not all right, the old Ipil-Ipil trees bent their slender trunks to investigate, the white seashore waves moved closer to the seashore’s end to take a peek, the beautiful water in the infinity pool wanted to jump out to greet us, the kayaks at the small river’s end were nervous, the snorkels were optimistic, the delectable foods served on top of the table were scared, the famous white sandbar was unaffected, and the sandstorm had something deadly in mind…And wait, the innocent, chinky-eyed Koreans were dumbfounded. LOL!

Well, the rest of this careless, I mean carefree bunch of cyborgs was not aware of all these commotions.  They were too awed with the resort’s beautiful attractions, unaware that there were other creatures watching us, checking our every moves, listening to our thoughts (creepy).

Nothing can stop our giddy spirits.  It’s because when we entered the resort’s Island Pavilion (the building that houses the resort restaurant that serves delectable fare of local and international cuisine), a few heads turned, chairs and tables murmured at each other, and the mouth watering foods on the buffet table turned pale.  Once again, all of us (except me), noisy androids, were totally unaware how our presence affected the creatures around us.

After the resort background briefing, and after consuming our mid-morning snacks, we proceeded to check and to take photos of the island resort’s deluxe rooms.  And as expected, the harmonies of the cozy private verandas, comfortable lounge bars, privacy of the toilets and showers, and the coolness of the rooms’ mini bars, were soiled by the our unending “cam-whoring” sessions.

Famished after over an hour of whoring our bloody faces before our lowly and poor cameras, we voraciously  attacked all the mouth watering foods that were served on the buffet table.  These foods got no time to faint because they were already consumed before they could react.  Acid filled stomachs were their final destination.

Full and ready to ramble, we tried every possible island activity.  From snorkeling, paddle boating (kayaking), hiking (trekking) to skim boarding, swimming, and playing with the big waves (in the sandbar).  It was during our fun-filled-challenge-the-waves moment that we encountered the mischievous sandstorm.  While we held each other to face the big waves, we were surprised by a sudden violent rush of wind, and it only took us a few seconds to discover that we were already hit by a sandstorm.

It was like rain of tiny bullets were fired toward us.  The intensity of the ocean wind served as a momentum that ignited the fiery white sands to ambush us unexpectedly.  An angry current violently squashed us as we ran with all our might toward the safety of the caves at the seashore’s end.  It was like  a tragedy is unfolding on our very eyes as we ran for our lives, forcing our legs to run as fast as it can.  A few minutes later, we found ourselves groggy, tired, out of breath, and full of red patches.

Still not satisfied from our sandstorm encounter, we jumped in to the very relaxing water of the resort’s Infinity Pool.  There, we tried to relax our tired bodies and feed our eyes with the beautiful island sceneries.  From the magnificent ocean below the pool, the graying sky above us, the chirping of birds in the nearby tress, the salty humid air that caresses our tired senses to the “delectable” pretty Koreans squealing and playing at the other side of the pool…  It seemed like we were in paradise.

We ended the escapade with warm cups of tea and palatable plates of carbonara.  Thank you very much to Sumilon Bluewater for the very great and hospitable accomodation.  That trip was indeed one of our most memorable island adventures.

Photo Credits: Bryan, Atty. Ouano, Tiborsho, Xerxes, Mikyu.  Dili na nako maidentify ang uban.  Sori jud au.  Huhuhu.

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Maribago Bluewater - A Recall

Posted by empressofdrac
Categorized Under: CBS, Personal Rantings, Places
Comments: 12

Obviously, this is not my first post about Maribago Bluewater, but it was my first time going there last May along with my co-blogging cyborgs.  For all those people who don’t know, Maribago Bluewater is one of the finest beach resort here in Cebu.  Its world class amenities and high quality customer service made it one of the most sought tourist destination worldwide.

Maribago Bluewater Beach Resort was established on July of 1989.  The establishment has a 50-50 recruitment process, that is, they hire employees 50% from agencies and another 50% from independent applicants.  Their target market is mostly foreigners, and the Japanese chinks topped their list of regular customers. These are few of the information I learned after the small conference they held.

One of Maribago Bluewater Cebu’s main attractions that captivated my interest and awed me a lot, is their man-made island.  I’ve been to a lot of resorts here in Cebu and outside the province, but I never seen such kind of attraction.  A man-made island a few meters away from the main beach is just simply terrific.  It’s just too bad we didn’t able to explore the place because our time was limited.

Anyways, there’s another good news.  Once again, the Maribago Bluewater management in cooperation with PinoyWorld, invite another batch of blogging cyborgs to visit their Sumilon Bluewater Island Resort.  This beach resort is located in Sumilon island, a 15-minute boat ride from the town of Oslob, Cebu.  For more information about this tourist destination, you can check their Sumilon Bluewater blog, or you can also watch the Maribago Bluewater video.

Photo Credits: Michelle

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