Summer is More Fun at Island Cove

We've been at the Island Cove for three or four  times  already but never had a chance to explore much of  the resort mainly because we  just want to  dip ourselves into the pool and have some rest inside our room.  Last Thursday was a different experience. We explored the whole resort,  dined in different restaurants, toured at  their sports and recreation facilities such as Oceania Water Park, Fishing Village,  Interactive Game Room, Table Tennis, Airsoft and  Paintball Field.

What you want in a getaway is there in  Island Cove not to mention  the location  which will only take you about 15 minutes  from MOA via Cavitex  that  wont give you  too much stress.  With just a few minutes drive from Manila,  you would feel like you are separated from the rest of the world. 

We left Manila  at around 7am  and reached the place  just in time for our breakfast served by  iCafe  which deserves a  separate feature.  The food totally  made my day.  Our lunch was held at  Fishing Village and snack at Sangley Point which will  also be posted in another entry.  Each restaurant caters different dishes. I can describe the food in three words;  YUMMY AND TEMPTING!


We  were greeted by True Colors Band with old classic songs.  I did not let the chance pass without  a  photo op with them.   And that's how I want to start  my blog   not  a selfie or look-up  but a photo with a band to jump start my post. :)

That's me with a guitar feeling like a musician.

iCafe, Sangley Point and Fishing Village offer different kinds of dishes;  mouth watering Filipino and international food at affordable selections.  Let me just give you a teaser of what we had during our meals.

Breakfast at  iCafe

We had our breakfast at iCafe. I'm leaving you  an array of food on the  buffet table.  It offers delicious Filipino food, cakes and pastries.

I concluded my meal with brewed coffee.  I will post a review soon and link here when I'm done  so you know what overwhelmed me.  I already emptied my cup when I remember to take a photo of my coffee. :)

Lunch at  Fishing Village

Delight in Filipino dishes while dining in one of the native huts at the Fishing Village.

Enjoy your meal and don't count the calories.  I tell you, I tasted the crunchiest and tastiest lechon   in my  life that is Lechon sa buho.  I could hear the sound  cracking while eating.  Okay,  these are just a few at the table.  Wait till I post the complete lunch with  Seafood, Dessert, Filipino Dishes and more.

So you think it's only the food that will make your day?

Well, that's just  icing on the cake!   At Fishing Village,  guests can do fishing and the ambiance will  make them  feel relaxed  during their  stay.

How about  refreshing yourself with some buko drinks?

Sangley Point

Sangley Point serves  international dishes such as Pizza and Garden Salad.   The restaurant is proud of their homemade salsa which I promise to blog later.

Look here, a very classy recycled jar!   

 
Garden Salad

 

Yummy Pizza!

Accommodation

Island Cove offers a selection of  accommodations depending on your needs.  They have hotel rooms, villas and more. 

For a family or a large group, they have Dormitory type or Cabana with two or four bedrooms. They have dormitories that can accommodate 16 pax or more.

One of the many paintings I captured on the wall that shows the hotel pool.

At the hotel lobby, one can just sit down and relax.  This is my  favorite area for my online business. I was here last summer with another friend. We blogged the experience right  on the spot.   There is a strong wifi at the hotel and on most of the parts of the resort.

Souvenir items are also available near  Sangley Point. 

Oceania Water Park

The first time I heard of Island was many years ago  and 16 years after,  it still has the best facilities that attract both local and foreign guests.  They  maintain the cleanliness and  the level of  quality and service,  and facilities were more improved.  They just opened  (or should I say  about to open)  the Splash Park which is another added attraction this summer that will thrill  kids and adult alike. 

Splash Park

With my curious mind,  I actually touched the flooring of the  Splash Water  which is soft and  rubberized.   The water coming from the splash is purified.

 

The giant slide, kid's pool and more pool.

I wanted to jump at that moment, right there with the clear water  that's calling me but I  guess  the  kiddie pool  is  just  perfect  for me   where I can swim safely  and have fun with the  kids.  Haha.

 

 

 

Island Cove is a perfect venue for family weekend getaway,  celebrations like baptism & weddings, corporate functions,  team building  or company outings.

The  resort  has  several function rooms with quality audio-visual equipment for meetings and presentations.  

This is the only photo I can provide. The other function rooms that we visited were occupied at the time of our tour so I didn't bother to take some.  You may check the website I provided below for more photos and info.


Bayside KTV

Sing your heart out at Bayside KTV located beside the Fishing Village.

At  KTV,   "I did it my way"  and  showed off  my  singing prowess.  Because I was behind the camera,  I have no photo here. I hope the video while I was singing wouldn't   make a viral  hit  in  You Tube.  You can choose from more than 3000 songs of different languages.  Bring it on.  I can sing different varieties  of musical genre,  it's just that I don't hit the notes.  Okay, I am seriously kidding here.  I am just a videoke addict. :)

Adventure

You may explore the island on a bike or a horse.  For those with a spirit of adventure, there is a  Paintball Field  and Airsoft Site.   Are you ready for more adventure?  Then put on your military game mode  or  challenge yourself  at an obstacle course.  You may also opt to explore the island on a bike or a horse. 

 Paintball

Airsoft Site

Enjoy the beauty of nature at Animal Island.

We walked around the Animal Island and took  a few shots of  the beauty of nature.

Some of my friends took the opportunity to have photo with the tiger but I dare not do it.   No way.  It just scared me a lot.  Cats are not my friends. I'm a dog lover. :)

Alright!  That's  me with  an  ostrich's egg.  I think I am safer here.  I just moved a little bit farther because I sensed that  the ostrich wanted to snatch the egg from me. :) Let me segway my way,  I forgot to put on my SPF lotion so I used my shawl to cover myself from direct sunlight.   

The biggie python which I can only imagine hanging around my neck.

I asked the staff  how many crocodiles are residing at Animal Island but I couldn't remember it now.  I was busy on the other side looking at the monkeys begging for some bananas. Ooh carefree monkeys.  You may ask the management  if  you want to feed the animals.

There's a lot more to do;  Maze Challenge, Giant Outdoor Chess, Billiards, Tennis and more.  My   friend took only about a minute and a few seconds at the Maze. You may want to try it and face the  challenge.  Who knows you find the route easier and make a new record.  

Playground

Interactive Game Room

You may want to play golf or tennis here..

Wellness Center

Island Spa and FIT Club is located right beside the Hotel

I want to try  Island Spa soon which I've long been wanting.. I deserve it right.

Overall I was quite impressed with how the management maintains the resort to its condition now.  In sixteen years in the business, the features and the level of quality of service are  even more improved.    Some of the areas are being renovated but they do it  one at  time,   because the  guests  are coming in especially this time of the year that is  summer.

Island Cove Hotel and Leisure Park  is  ISO  certified and accredited as a triple "A" resort by the Department of Tourism.  

Did I mention Island Cove is  environment-friendly and if you are just like me who can't leave my  pet alone in the house, then worry no more,  because the resort is pet-friendly too.

About the resort's safety,  their  first aid  and life guards are certified by Red Cross.  They have  clinic and have doctors on weekends. At any given time, they have two or three knowledgeable staff  to do  CPR.


I can't wait  to go back  and  bring my family at the resort.   There's a lot more to do,  so  get ready with your summer gear,  hats,  sunglasses,  sun block  and yes,  just have fun under the sun and feel the heat of summer.  Please check the website because they have special discount which will last till March 31.




Island Cove
Binakayan, Kawit Cavite
www.islandcovephil.com
Cavite:   046.434.0210
Manila:   02.810.7878
inquiry@islandcovephil.com

Puzzle Mansion Bed n’ Breakfast -- Home of World’s Biggest Puzzle Collection

Nestled in the Tagaytay hills is a well-kept secret -- a bed and breakfast with a special magnetic attraction : the biggest collection of rare and popular puzzles of a wide range of sizes, genres, sources, subject matter and art forms.

The rooms themselves are a strong come-on : each one is well-appointed, with first-class furnishings and amenities. Each high-ceilinged haven is meticulously put together, down to the bed sheets, art work and colourful topiaries that adorn many rooms.

 

 

Spread over a more than one-hectare property, this new tourist destination in Tagaytay City also has a 400-square meter function room that can accommodate 400 guests, a spa, an infinity pool, a 24-hour café, cable TV connections and a wifi hot spot for net activity. All these are set against a scenic backdrop of grass and a colourful riot of wild flowers growing in abundance. And of course, there is the cool, kind weather of Tagaytay.
 

But the heart of this new bed and breakfast is its huge puzzle collection. Already a shoo-in for the Guinness Book of World Records, the puzzles are a labor of love of the owner’s mother, Georgina Gil Lacuna, and the inspiration for the place. Each day the collection grows, as Ms. Lacuna, lovingly fits hundreds of tiny pieces together to complete an art work. The result is an art gallery of puzzles with over a million pieces – many of which are of art whose originals can only be found in the Louvre, the Prado and other world famous galleries.

The Bed and Breakfast, by the way, is aptly named : The Puzzle Mansion. Because of its homespun but classy charm, the Bed and Breakfast is expected to be booked solid (there are 3000 beds-and-breakfast in Tagaytay), but the puzzle gallery itself will be the main attraction that will draw visitors to Puzzle Mansion.

  

Over 300 jigsaw puzzles make up the collection in the Puzzle Room. It still grows by the day, as the puzzle hobbyist continues to add new and bigger pieces to challenge herself and make a bid for Guinness Book of World Records recognition.


 Puzzle Mansion was launched to the media on May 24, 2012 at an afternoon garden affair at its location in Cuadra St., Bgy. Asisan, Tagaytay City. The launch had a unique highlight : the unveiling of young designer Jessica Gallegos’ new floral fashion collection for her brand Wear Charlie. The floral prints and summer colors of the collection were inspired by the blushing hues of the Tagaytay blooms and named after the Rooms at the Puzzle Mansion : Lilac, Cosmos, Marigold, Gardenia, Passion Flower, Water Lily, Tulip, Sunflower, Sampaguita and Zinnia.

 

 “The Bed and Breakfast is now open for occupancy. We also invite schools, offices, groups and individuals to visit our Puzzle Museum for something nice and different,” says Gino Orda, Puzzle Mansion owner.






Puzzle hobbyist and Puzzle Mansion Owner  Ms. Georgina Gil  Lacuna is currently working on a 32,000-pieces puzzle, the largest-size jigsaw puzzle worldwide. Her closest competitor, also a woman, is based in Brazil, with 238 jigsaw puzzles in her collection.
  For more information about Puzzle Mansion and the puzzle collection, visit www.thepuzzlemansion.com or its Facebook page at  www.facebook.com/PuzzleMansion.