by Erica Jahn

Celebrating Life at Avilon Zoo in Rodriguez, Rizal

May 1, 2017

About Avilon Zoo

Currently the largest zoological institution in the
Philippines in terms of live animals groups, this 7.5 hectare facility is located
in Rodriguez, Rizal and houses more than 3,000 specimens of exotic wildlife
representing more than 500 species of birds, mammals reptiles, amphibians,
freshwater fishes and invertebrates. The zoo has a diverse collection of
Philippine native and endemic fauna, most of which have been bred successfully
in captivity through AVILON’s ex situ conservation programs.

Here are some photos I snapped from our visit to Avilon Zoo:

How to get to Avilon Zoo:

From Makati/Mandaluyong/Pasig:

Take the MRT to Cubao station.

From Aurora Blvd. or Farmers Market, ride an FX to Montalban. Tell the driver you are going to Avilon Zoo, and ask him to drop you off at Eastwood Greenview Subdivision, after the TOTAL Gas Station.

From the entrance of Eastwood Greenview Subdivision, ride a tricycle to Avilon Zoo.

From Manila:

Route 1: LRT-2-FX-Tricycle

Take the LRT-2 to Araneta Center-Cubao station.

Take the South Exit.

From Aurora Blvd. or Farmers Market, ride an FX to Montalban. Tell the driver you are going to Avilon Zoo, and ask him to drop you off at Eastwood Greenview Subdivision, after the TOTAL Gas Station.

From the entrance of Eastwood Greenview Subdivision, ride a tricycle to Avilon Zoo.

Have you been to this zoo? What zoo do you like the most?

Author

Erica Jahn

Erica is a former PR pro turned entrepreneur. Her greatest joys are family, blogging, music, skin care and social justice. As a Muay Thai enthusiast, Erica prides herself on working with increased focus, humility and diligence. She believes in living a fit life doing everything with a flair of creativity and love! Stalk her social channels @thegirlwiththemujihat

View all posts | Website

Saltitude Dive & Beach Resort in Mabini, Batangas — Review

In Airports, Featured, Travel, Uncategorized, Video

August 27, 2019

I only stayed one day, but I can already tell the Saltitude Dive & Beach Resort in Mabini, Batangas is a place to fall in love with. If you don’t mind paying a little extra for great food, hospitality and unique experience, then you should definitely allow this place to get you fully smitten.

I have visited several resorts in Batangas now and I know that standard accommodation in this area range from Php1500 – Php8000 depending on the type of room and the property in general. Deluxe rooms at Saltitude Dive & Beach Resort start at Php4,999 inclusive of breakfast. The property has no swimming pool nor a stretch of powdery sand along its private beach but has that “extra something” that makes it worth the price.

Find my full review of the Saltitude Dive & Beach Resort below. For added visuals, watch the video clips I took around the property posted on my YouTube channel and embedded right above the article heading. It’s worth noting that this resort allows day trips, walk-in guests for weekend BBQ and dining. Currently, they offer all-you-can-eat buffet-style brunching on Saturdays at Php699 per person. I was invited to try and review this brunch buffet but as usual, all views I share here are my own.

[message]

Contents of this Post

☑ Accessibility

☑ Accommodation

☑ Activities

☑ Food & Dining Facilities

☑ Saturday Brunch Offers

☑ Resort Services & Facilities

☑ Estimated Budget

☑ How to get to the Resort

☑ Contact

☑ Book a Room

☑ Parting Words

Admiring the beauty surrounding me in the hammock

Accessibility

Saltitude Dive & Beach Resort is conveniently located along Mabini Circumferential Road, about 2.5-hour drive from Manila Airport. It is accessible through public transportation—via provincial bus to Batangas, then jeepney from the bus stop to Mabini and then tricycle from Mabini crossing. The resort also offers a shuttle service from the Airport to the property for Php5,000/14pax. If you are a group of divers staying in this resort, best to coordinate with the resort about the shuttle service. The property has spacious, secure, and free parking in case you plan to go via private transportation.

For guests with dietary restrictions, mobility issues, or travelling with youngsters or elder family members, the resort remains accessible. There are ramps for guests on wheelchairs, common lounge room with family entertainment, kid-friendly buffet, customized meals for those with allergies or strict meal plans.

Unfortunately for those who travel with their pets, the resort doesn’t welcome them.

My happy face inside the FALL IN LOVE room

Accommodation

I described my experience in Saltitude on my social media posts as “a beach getaway with an attitude” mainly because of the owner’s careful attention to the overall experience their guests have—manifested in the creative and unique room designs, for one.

You can see from the video and photos, each room has a story to tell—with themes properly executed without compromising the comfort and cleanliness guests have come to expect.

Guests can enjoy taking photos inside their rooms as much as they enjoy sleeping in. The bed is comfortable enough. The linens smell fresh. The restroom is spotless and clean-smelling too. There is a bidet in the toilet.

View from the balcony just outside the Fall in Love room

Most rooms have a balcony with a view but the best room is the Let’s Fall in Love room (Php 5,699/night) which has a view of the beach.

For group travellers, the Party Room is perfect (Php10,000/night) which occupies a maximum of 10 guests.

Posting my dive photos soon but for now, let me share my afternoon yoga

Activities

Saltitude Dive & Beach Resort combines the best elements of a quick beach getaway to escape the harried life in the Metro. A wide range of water sports is offered including scuba diving, snorkelling, sailing, paddleboarding, kayaking, jetskiing, and kitesurfing.

For seasoned divers, there is a comprehensive schedule of scuba and free diving.

For those who wish to get their diving certification, the resort also offers a 3-5 day course at about Php25,000 fee. The owners are divemasters themselves and underwater photography enthusiasts. If you train with them, there is so much to learn and talk about!

For the landlubbers, I would also recommend a sunset trek to Gulugud Baboy. You can also rent a car and get around the nearby towns and visit some famous attractions in Batangas.

[message]

ACTIVITY PER PERSON

✓ Snorkelling – Php500
✓ Intro Scuba Diving – Php3,499 (Inclusions: gear, lunch, use of resort facilities)
✓ Intro Wind Surfing – Php3,499 (Inclusions: lunch, use of resort facilities)
✓ Intro Free diving – Php2,999 (Inclusions: lunch, use of resort facilities)
✓ Kayak – Php350
✓ Paddle board – Php350
✓ Sunset trek to Gulugod Baboy – Php350 (Inclusions: drinks and snacks)

marvelling at the clear sapphire water

[message]

DIVING GEAR RENTAL RATES

✓ BCD – Php350
✓ Regulator – Php350
✓ Wet Suit – Php250
✓ Tank – Php250
✓ Booties – Php150
✓ Fins – Php150
✓ Mask – Php150
✓ Full Gear – Php1,200
✓ Flashlight/ torch – Php350
✓ Dive computer – Php500

canton, carbonara, bacon

Food and Dining Facilities

Although much of what happens here at Saltitude Dive & Beach Resort revolves around the reefs underwater, dining is also a highlight of the resort experience. Guests can indulge in traditional local dishes and delicacies. I highly recommend you try bulalo, bihon and sisig.

On Saturdays, both in-house guests and walk-ins can enjoy a sumptuous all-you-can-eat buffet-style brunch. The selection is wide so there is definitely something for every palate, even for the pickiest eaters like my kid. The menu changes weekly too. You would have something to look forward to your next visit.

While enjoying any food inside the dining area or al fresco, you can also socialize. In the “friendly” restaurant aptly named “Mingle“, you’d be impressed with the resort’s congenial and hospitable staff. If you have the chance to meet the owners, you’re in luck for a more entertaining feast!

Thanks for this photo of me brunching by the beach, Jen of Sandundermyfeet

Brunch by the Beach at Php699/person

In Tagalog, we use the word “sulit” for things worth your money or generally a good deal for your money. Brunch at Saltitude Dive & Beach Resort is sulit! With three different cuisines and at least 25 dishes to choose from, you can indulge from 6AM till 12:30PM.

During our visit, we had Asian, Mediterranean, and American dishes. I ate a lot of california maki, pancit canton, fried rice, clams, roasted chicken, aglio olio and carbonara, pancakes, siomai, fish, and the bread with salmon toppings. You can see from my photos (and video above), I ate a lot!

The food tastes really good. The dishes are well-prepared and the presentation is well-thought of. The buffet table is already appetizing judging from the food set-up. Again, kudos to Ms. Malou, the owner of the resort, who personally prepared the buffet set-up.

The newly renovated dining area is also worth mentioning. It resembles a rustic Filipino country house made with “sawali” or interwoven splits of bamboo walls, with high ceiling and wide open-air windows. Inside is a simple bar counter with high stools. Opposite the bar counter is a corner dining with nautical pillows and plain round tables.

I told you I ate a lot

Other dining tables have tiled tops that look elegant and gorgeous. They remind me of Mexican Talavera stencils. Especially when the blue and mustard yellow plates were placed on top of our table.

This table looks gorgeous!!!

[message]

AVAILABLE CUISINE:

✓ Asian
✓ American
✓ Continental

DRINK OFFERS:
✓ Tropical drinks
✓ Very good coffee
✓ Alcoholic beverage

Sample food and drinks cost:
✓ Sisig – Php149
✓ Lechon Kawali – Php269
✓ Buffalo wings – Php289
✓ Garlic sausage – Php279
✓ Chips – Php79
✓ Cocktails – Php179
✓ Beer – Php89
✓ Fruit shake – Php149
✓ Iced Tea – Php99/PITCHER
✓ Canned Soda – Php69
✓Pasta – Php249
✓ Pizza – Php499
✓ Calamares – Php249
✓ Bulalo – Php389
✓ Bihon gisado -Php199

Caught selfie-ing by Tina in one of the resort cabanas

Resort Services and Facilities

[message]

✔️Private beach area
✔️Garden with cabanas, hammock, and beach lounge chairs
✔️Themed rooms
✔️Restaurant
✔️Bar
✔️Shared lounge
✔️Diving certification (more details below)
✔️Saturday Brunching (more details below)
✔️Shuttle service to/from the airport
✔️Free WiFi
✔️Massage service
✔️Room service
✔️Car rental
✔️Spacious parking area

Saltitude Dive & Beach Resort garden

Saltitude Dive and Beach Resort cabanas

SUNBATHING AT Saltitude Dive & Beach Resort

Estimated Budget

DAY TOUR: PHP 999/PAX

You can visit this resort on a day trip. The resort is open 8AM to 5PM Mondays to Sundays.

Day tour inclusions:

✓Lunch

✓Use of resort facilities

OVERNIGHT STAY FOR 2 PAX: PHP6,000*

*Reservation is required if you opt to stay overnight.

How to get to the resort

Saltitude Dive & Beach Resort is located at 131-A Sitio Lagundi, Barangay San Jose, Batangas, 4202 Mabini, Philippines. The travel time from EDSA Shaw is about 2 hours and 17 mins if the flow of traffic is not heavy.

[message]

1) Take Epifanio de los Santos Ave/C-4 to S Luzon Expy/Osmeña Hwy/Pan-Philippine Hwy/AH26/R-3 in Pasay
2) Follow R-3 and Calabarzon Expy/STAR Tollway to Bauan – Batangas Provincial Rd/Diversion Road in Batangas
3) Take Palico – Balayan – Batangas Rd to Bauan – Mabini Rd in Mabini

Contact

You may reach the resort by phone:

+043 410 1857

+63 927 422 0428

+63 939 088843

Or email: info@saltitude-anilao.com

Connect with their social media channels:

Website: www.saltitude-anilao.com/

Facebook: facebook.com/Saltitude-Dive-Beach-Resort

Instagram: instagram.com/saltitude_dive

Book a Room

CLICK IMAGE TO RESERVE A ROOM

Parting Words

With all the competition for tourists and divers along Batangas beaches, resorts must have superb facilities and services to stand out. My type of resort is the one that’s able to give even the smallest conveniences to let the guest feel they care about their comfort and happiness. For those families, couples, group of travellers who wish to experience this (and more) can do no better than stay at Saltitude dive & Beach Resort.

Have you visited any Batangas beaches? What do you think about this resort? Would you like to visit this place? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below! If you find this post useful, please do share! Thank you so much! Happy travels!

BASE Jump from Kuala Lumpur Tower

In Uncategorized

August 19, 2016

Dare to jump from the KL Tower observation deck?

If you cannot wait until November to skydive in Cebu, try
participating at the Kuala Lumpur Tower International Jump Malaysia (KLTIJ) 2016.

This annual event lets experienced BASE jumpers to plunge
into the earth from the Kuala Lumpur Tower, Wisma Sanyan Building, Gua Damai
Cliff on dates September 30th – October 3rd, September 21st –
September 25th, September 27th – September 28th respectively.

BASE jumping is another extreme sport similar to skydiving, only with relatively lower altitudes of “jump”. A BASE jumper uses a parachute or a wingsuit to jump from a building, antenna, span or cliff.

If you are interested in joining the BASE Jump event, please refer to the details below:

If you are a qualified BASE jumper and you absolutely want to take part in the said event, send an email to Mr. Gary Cunningham at GaryC71@gmail.com

Not a qualified BASE Jumper but still want to participate in KLTIJ 2016?

If you are not a qualified BASE jumper but still want to join the international event, you can try sitting on the tower ledge.

For a fee of PHP 1500 (RM 128), you can sit on the tower ledge, watch the BASE jumpers free fall, and challenge your head for heights by looking down a view of 300 meters below.

Are you up for it? Reserve your tickets as early as now.