When going to a foreign place, where you rest at night is just as equally important as how you get there. That’s why, when we planned our trip to Marinduque we made sure that we were able to book the best accommodation possible. After combing through various resorts and hotels – we called and texted each one of them – we finally settled into the one who was the most hospitable and accommodating with even just a phone call.
We didn’t plan to stay at Buenavista. We planned to originally stay at Torrijos then thought it best to be at Gasan or Boac. But I must say we were not wrong in selecting our resort in the laid back town of Buenavista. Most travel blogs advised to get hotels near Boac where all the action is located or in Torrijos where the white sand Poctoy Beach is located, but we defied them and choose a resort in a town that no travel blog has ever mentioned.
Blue Castle Beach Resort is charming in its own way. It is your usual resort with the usual amenities – pool, rooms, a beach front – but what set it apart if the hospitality we got from its owners, particularly Mr. Rey Salvacion. Truth be told, he offered to fetch us from Cawit Port so that was really our target port to go to. However, Cawit Port was under repair so we had only one port to land in – Balanacan Port. Because of the distance, we had to travel almost 2 hours to the resort. We were jittery that maybe the jeepney won’t know where the resort was located. But we realized we had no reason to worry. Mr. Rey was in communication with us the entire time, despite the ungodly hours (we were travelling during the wee hours of the morning).
Upon arriving at the resort, he welcomed us warmly and showed us to our rooms. We originally choose the two nipa huts by the beach front which can accommodate 3 persons per room at P1400 per room. The nipa huts already had a restroom inside and had an electric fan for cooling off. Mr. Rey offered us the dormitory room which would allow us to have private access to 3 restrooms and was more spacious than the nipa huts we choose. For P3,000 per night good for more than 6 pax and with airconditioning – it was more than what we bargained for.
Need I mention that we also have free breakfast every day courtesy of the resort? And our breakfast was heavy and fulfilling that we can last until noontime without eating another bite.
Mr. Rey was also very hospitable and accommodating and helped us figure out our itinerary. He polished our rough itinerary with what is logical and feasible. Originally, we planned to go to all these places without even really knowing the logical order (or the time efficient one) by which we can all visit them. He was also accommodating enough to fetch us from Gasan whenever we were out late into the night and had difficulty getting a ride back to the resort.
On our second day at Marinduque, he acted as our tour guide and helped us explore the entire island and the nearby islands of Maniwaya and Mongpong. His stories and words of wisdom were a treat as it further reflected the warmth and hospitality of the people of the island.
Blue Castle Beach resort had one feature unlike other resorts – it had a very deep pool. The shallow part of the pool was 5 feet (way higher than me) and the deep part was 10 feet. I swam in the pool but really, I just stayed by the access stairs which I can easily handle.
The view by the beach is also magnificent – I believe all the more in the mornings since from there I can already view the nearby islands of Gaspar, Melchor and Baltazar on one side and the majestic peak of Mt. Malindig on the other side. It was a sight I can easily get used to waking up in the morning.
On our last day at the resort, Mr. Rey made sure we tasted the delicacies of the island. He served us puto and suman along our usual breakfast fare. It was a treat to taste a different version from the usual ones we have at home. Indeed, we were fortunate enough to find our piece of home away from home in the beautiful island of Marinduque. We’ll definitely be back.
You can contact Mr. Rey Salvacion at this number: 09391723869 or visit their Facebook Page.
Read My Other Blog Entries About My Trip Here:
- Getaway: Marinduque, Philippines
