My mother been infected with “wandering virus”, she is always the first one who will tell us to do road tripping, if she found something new to visit around our island she will surely be the first one to get ready. My father had been telling us not to wander alone because he worries that we might meet bad people or accident along the way and there will be no one to help us. To ease this worry, my mother decided to asked our second cousins to travel with us so in case we have  a flat tire along the way there will be someone to help us find a vulcanizing shop so we let them used our other bike.

Our destination? The beach resort that went trending in Facebook because of the long bridge going to the ocean which is  made of bamboo. Yes, it is Loveland Beach Resort in the Municipality of Ferrol, a private residence, but however people are welcome to visit the beach and the pier.

It took us less than one hour from Odiongan, the road going to the resort isn’t concreted, it is mixed of rocks and mud, it will be a bumpy ride but it will be worth it.  When we arrived there were men working, we asked them, where to go, if there will be an entrance fee or sort of things to do, but it looks like there were none because they just tell us to go.

At the entrance, you’ll read Pier 68 and a welcome sign. You will pass along the mangroves before seeing the beautiful view of the ocean and the sturdy bridge. It looks like Libertad Mangrove Forest was inspired from Loveland Beach Resort.

There are two men busy working along the bridge, they are changing the old bamboos to a new one.  Nearing the end of the bridge there are two shades that could be used for swimming haven and when we visited there are a set of kids who swam like fish and a foreigner enjoying the water.

When you walked farther, you will end up in a closed door, but behind that door was like a private hall that could be used for a barbecue party, there was also some boats in docked.  We really didn’t take long, we just snap some photos and walked back to the entrance, it was scorching hot because we visited the place mid-afternoon.

With the scorching heat of the sun, humidity,  limited supply of water and without rain for a longer period of time it is definitely summer time. Some of our relatives went home when my aunt dies and my older cousin’s and her kids stays for short vacation and last Saturday it was agreed by many to have a dip to ease the warm weather.

The clan decided to do family outing at SATO Beach Resort which is just in a neighboring barangay, initially I am not attending since my family doesn’t want to go because my father isn’t in a good mood and he is at work, my mother thought if we tagged along he will not like it. My family offered to drop me at the beach resort but I declined since it feel awkward to be alone without them but when an older cousin came to our house and asked if we are not tagging along, my family pushed me to go and since I would like to visit the place that I have been only hearing from other people I went with them.

SATO Beach Resort was located in Brgy. Batiano, the resort was just a few meters away from Odiongan port it is overlooking the port and a beach shore but the main attraction was the large pool and slides. There are plenty of people on their family outing and there was also a wedding reception taking place at the main hall.  SATO Beach Resort has a pool for adult and a pool for kids to enjoy, the large pool was huge, the water is salty and the chlorine is very strong to the extent that it smells like Zonrox bleach for clothes,  the moment that my cousins dip in the pool they complaint that they felt itchy and keep scratching their skin same with the kids with us, I didn’t feel itchiness so I have told them maybe skin is thick like carabao skin and wasn’t so sensitive like theirs. I didn’t dip longer in the pool and just dip when it is cloudy, I just dip three times in short period of time but turn very dark easily like everyone, wasn’t sure if it was because of the salty water, the sun or is it a chemical burn from strong smelly water?

Browsing online here’s what I found from ask.com – According to clorox.com, chlorine levels in the water should not exceed 3ppm (parts per million) as measured by a pool testing kit. To reach these levels, very little chlorine is needed. For example, if a circular pool has water 3 feet deep and is 15 feet in diameter, only 5 cups are needed to reach the appropriate chlorine levels. Although liquid bleach and chlorine tablets both contain the same chemical, it is extremely important to know what other chemicals are contained in both products. Do not ever put chemicals in the pool that are not recommended for use in pools, and do not substitute products such as cleaners with bleach for plain, liquid bleach. Know the type of filtration system in the pool, and be sure to avoid chemicals that can react with other cleaning chemicals and cleaning systems. Always test the pool water with a pool testing kit before entering, and do not enter the pool if chlorine levels are above 3ppm. Wait until the sunlight breaks the chlorine down, and test the water again.

My aunts rented two cottage but was given a free one for renting two, I have forgot to ask how much does it cost for each cottage but the entrance fee cost ₱50 per head (adult) and ₱30 per head (kids) and ₱40 for senior citizen. The cottage was good but since the resort doesn’t have too many trees and it is overlooking the beach it was very open and not shady like it should be.

Anyway, I didn’t take long and went home early with our grandmother leaving everyone to enjoy on their own. I have informed our distant cousin that everybody went to SATO beach resort and I have informed the salty and strong smelly water, he seconded about it and says it was the reason why they didn’t went in the outing because they had a batch reunion less than a month ago in the said resort so they knew how the pool was like.

SATO beach resort is very spacious, good location since it is overlooking the beach, the downside not enough shade to enjoy and the water has a strong smell of bleach not sure if it is because the pool is using salty water unlike other pool around.

SATO BEACH RESORT
Pier, Batiano, Odiongan, Romblon
Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/satobeachresort/
Mobile No. – (042) 567-6279 / 09473421701 / 09353574631

Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post. Above written post was my own personal experience and opinion and might be different from yours.

Now a days, it is wiser to have a  catered wedding reception than cook at home for the guests. A week ago was my older cousin’s wedding and after the wedding ceremony the reception follows at Hiland Beach Resort. It was my first time to visit the place but I have heard already that the resort is quite small to accommodate a lot of people and it was indeed very small for hundreds of guests but quite big enough for more than 50 people; the reception hall wasn’t well ventilated  there were only few stand fan around that the guest can’t eat properly and enjoys the cold food in the table,that’s right the food in the table were already cold because I guess they were served in the table before the guests arrives since the serving of sweet and sour meat balls was already being feasted by black ants who are known to infest sugar jar in most homeowner’s table, we have to return that particular food to the food server.

The groom family was the one responsible for the reception venue since the bride was the one responsible for other wedding details, church and etc. Anyway, Hiland Beach Resort reception hall was too  narrow to move around freely, the tables and chairs were too near into each other that it was even hard to get out if you seated in the middle of the long table. I think their yard and car park was more spacious than the reception hall.

The more I look at it the hall looks like a bigger breakfast hall for a hotel. Anyway, there was plenty of food left in the table I think because it was too uncomfortable to eat, it was quite hot and it is hard to move around with their table arrangement shown above and below.

What is also disturbing is the column in the middle of the reception hall that if you are seated farther back you can’t see what’s happening at the front where the groom and bride and their respective parents were seating. There’s not much space for the newly wed to make the first toast and traditional cake cutting.

Hiland Beach Resort has a longer hall but not spacious enough, it is a good wedding reception venue if you only have a small guests but if you are planning to invite 200 guests think twice about it. The lightning wasn’t that great too where the newly wed couple was seated, it is quite dim I wasn’t sure if it was because of wedding theme or simply because there was no enough light coming from the outside. The food was nice and tasted good the only down side they were not warm when we have them.

Wedding reception wasn’t the only one being catered at Hiland Beach Resort, they also accept bookings for birthday, school acquaintance, reunion parties and other special event you would like to be celebrated with your friends and families, their beach shore is ideal for beach wedding as well. You can reserve a booking at –

HILAND BEACH RESORT
Brgy. Budiong, Odiongan, Romblon
Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100005710756471
Mobile No. –  09395477009 or 09219908806.

Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post. Above written post was my own personal opinion and experience and might be different from yours.