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After New Year’s Day, the second of January 2009, I took a trip to Montemar Beach Resort in Bagac, Bataan to attend the wedding of my good friend Joey Zamora and his wife Geri.

I drove up to Bataan from my home in Paranaque, leaving home just a bit after breakfast at around 8am. The drive through EDSA in Manila was pleasant enough, and thanked the holiday season for not making it the congested traffic hell that Metro Manila is known for.

The drive along the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) all the way to the end at Tarlac was also easy, and of course I really enjoyed the long straight drive along the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), which leads directly to Bataan via the Dinalupihan Exit.

After the exiting the SCTEX, it’s roughly another hour to an hour-and-a-half of winding roads that eventually lead to Montemar Beach Resort. What’s interesting is that the roads to Montemar follow the path of the historic Bataan Death March and also provides a great view of Mt. Samat. But anyway, that’s how to get there. It’s a long drive, but as long as you follow the explicit directions to get to Montemar Beach Resort, you really can’t get lost. Well, not really.

Anyway, Montemar Beach Resort has been around a long time, and it has gone through some renovations to keep it rated AAA by the Department of Tourism. The beach itself is awesome, covered with mocha-colored powder and receiving a cool breeze from the South China Sea. Very little rocks and corals around the beach, which makes it perfect for wading and comfortably lounging around. The ocean’s pulse also sends shallow waves, which offers a good opportunity for skim boarding, but not strong enough to suck a wader out with an undertow.

Montemar Beach Resort also has a very cool lagoon pool, and an awesome “backyard” that is abundant with green shade and a well-maintained garden landscape. In fact, I really admire the manner with which the Montemar staff constantly busy themselves sweeping off dry leaves to uphold the pristine cleanliness of the resort.

The rooms of Montemar Beach Resort are very spacious. I was given a basic room with a double bed and a balcony overlooking the resort backyard with the sound of the ocean surf  just hypnotizing a few meters away. Montemar Beach Resort even has huge inns that are capable of hosting families.

All in all, the Montemar Beach Resort experience is very relaxing. The only complaint I had was the breakfast bufet. I don’t know if it’s because of the meal pass that came with the wedding guest deal, but when I went down for breakfast at the main cafe and restaurant, there was a delectable spread of awesome breakfast dishes – beef tapa, pork tocino, salted fish, salted egg, scrambled eggs and longganiza among others. I was about to choose around 2 viands, but was told that I could only pick one among the many offered. That was a bit disappointing. I just wish they could give the entire option for the breakfast buffet instead of relegating the guest to just one viand. But then, maybe that’s the deal for the wedding guests and might not apply to the “regular” customers, but still… It’s the only setback I faced despite a near-perfect on everything else about Montemar.

Sunrise At Montemar Beach Resort

What I found interesting also about Montemar Beach Resort is that their beach is actually a nesting ground for sea turtles, or what the Filipinos locally refer to as Pawikan. Sea turtles come to the shores of Montemar to nest their eggs. Once they hatch out, the sea turtles go back to sea, roam around the oceans to wherever, and return again to the beach once a year to nest once again.

The sea turtles nest every November, which prompted Montemar Beach Resort to come up with the Grand Pawikan Fest, which is held annually every November. Apart from witnessing the spectacle of the sea turtles in their nesting grounds, audiences are also informed on activities and ecological concerns of the sea turtle. As part of Montemar’s Eco-Tourism and Eco-Conservation efforts, a team tags the turtles and also raises funds through those who would wish to adopt sea turtles. Not that they get to take them home, but just that they get to name one and have a tagged turtle that bears their patronage.

In any case, the Eco-Tourism aspect of Montemar Beach Resort is something that I laud. It’s different and unique, and really offers something more than just what comes with just being a beach resort. Plus the fact, that Montemar Beach Resort really takes a step further in the conservation of the sea turtles is an admirable cause.

Anyway, for more information on Montemar Beach Resort, you can visit their site.

Popularity: 22% [?]

Montemar Beach Club lies where the mountains meet the sea in a private cove, abundant with lush flora and fauna, pristine waters and white sand beach. Montemar Beach Club aims to be a leading beach resort, both locally and globally, ensuring members and guests maximum satisfaction and excellent delivery of products and services.

Montemar Beach Club landscape setting is like a paradise that lies in a rocky, wooded cove with a long beautiful beach surrounded by a garden of bougainville, flame tree, travelers’ trees & coconut palms. In this beach resort, tourists and visitors will enjoy the wonders of nature and will have a complete relaxation.

The resort offers guests a choice of accommodations, from deluxe rooms, garden rooms, gallery rooms, premier suites and executive suites. It is inclusive of set breakfast. Activities to be had at the resort are aqua cycle, banana boat rides, quad bike rides, jet skiing, badminton, billiards, boat rides, bonfires (exclusive set-up), chess, darts, golf, kayaking, KTV, lawn tennis, mahjong, pony rides, scrabble and table tennis.

Montemar Beach Club is involved in the protection of sea turtles. The pawikan Conservation Project fights to protect endanged sea turtle populations in ways that meet the ecological needs of the sea turtles and the oceans and the needs of the local communities who share the beaches and waters with these gentle and beautiful creatures. There are a wide variety of threats to the continued existence of the Pawikan or Marine Turtles, which is now teetering on the verge of extinction. Montemar aims to help as much as possible to make a difference between extinction and recovery for the pawikans. As one of the activities of the resort, the guests are encouraged to join the adopt a pawikan project.

Montemar is accessible through land, sea and air transportation. By land, it is a 2 ½ drive from Metro Manila. By sea, an air-conditioned ferry boat, swiftly and conveniently takes the guests across the Manila Bay to the port of Orion, Bataan in approximately 55 minutes, then a Montemar van picks up the guests for a short 35 minutes ride to the resort. By air, it takes approximately 25 minutes from Manila. A helicopter pad facility is available.

Popularity: 20% [?]

The great attraction of Montear Beach Club is its accessibility from Manila. Without taking a plane or even your own car, you can reach it in two hours by ferryboat and then by van.

Montemar is a good place for relaxation. It is set in a rocky, wooded cove with a long beautiful beach surrounded by a garden of bougainville, flame tree, travelers’ trees and coconut palms. The resort was completely renovated in 1996.

The rooms are in long, white, two-story buildings with red tile roofs. Curved balconies enclosed by railings, overflowing with flowers, pleasantly break the monotomy of the facade.

The deluxe rooms are spacious and bright due to a large bay windows. These open onto a private balcony with red flooring and a garden drawing room, some of which have direct access to the swimming pool. The gallery rooms in the building near the reception area are ideal for families as there is a lotf accessible by staircase. There rooms also have a balcony.

There is a relaxing, cozy atmosphere in every room. Everything is in soft, pastel tones, including the walls and the floral bedcovers. Bamboo furniture and handmade lamps make you feel at home. In the evenings, wooden shutters secure you in a snug cocoon.There is also a beautifully tiled bathroom with marble sinks in every room.

The two restaurant have pleasant settings although catering is not a strong point at Montemar. El Meson is the house restaurant on a paved terrace in the garden near the sea. Its white arcades, curved wooden windows, pretty red floors and bamboo furniture give it a warm, Spanish ambiance. The tables are set outdoor, under a large tree lit by little bulbs. It is pleasant to dine here in the evenings and enjoy the sea breeze. The other restaurant, El Patio, is also good for outdoor dining. Both restaurants offer Filipino and international cuisine.

The clear sand beach of Montemar is attractive, deck chairs and parasols are made available. The resort also has two swimming pools – the Garden poolfor day-use guests, surrounded by coconut, bougainvillea and palm trees quite far from the rooms, and the Blue-Tiled pool with its circular bar the the surface of the water for the in-house guests.

While Montemar, you can drive up to the summit of Mount Samat located near the resort. The area does not have any special attractions, but it does offer a scenic view of the Bataan Peninsula.

How to get there

By land (3 hours), 154 km from Manila. Take North Expressway at Balintawak and get off at San Fernando Exit 66. Take the Gapan-San Fernando-Olongapo road passing through Bacolor, Guagua and Lubao. After the “Welcome to Dinalupihan” sign turn left at the junction (you will see statues of the soldiers). After kilometer 22 sign, turn right following the “Junction to Mt. Samat 3 kilometers” sign. From there, follow the signages of Montemar Beach Resort.

By sea and land (2 hours). One hour by Mt. Samat airconditioned ferry from the PTA Bay Cruise Terminal, CCP Complex, Roxas Blvd. to Orion, Bataan. Thirty-five minutes by van from Orion pier to the resort.

Popularity: 21% [?]