AZUL ZAMBALES: PRIVATE BEACH HOUSE WITH A VIEW

Looking for that perfect place for a summer getaway? Here’s one of the places I’d definitely recommend. Azul Zambales — a private beach house located in Cabangan, Zambales.

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Most of the people I know have not heard of this town but I consider it the town with the most beautiful shoreline in Zambales. (It’s definitely my favorite!) Azul Beach House gives you the best of both worlds — view of the West Philippine sea in front and a calm river with a picturesque view at the back. What more could you ask for?

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I also like the Greece-like theme of the beach house — everything Blue & White.

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Here is the receiving area.

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On the side is a bench and a storage for shoes/slippers.

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Inside the bedroom is a double-size bed, sofa bed, aircon unit, flat screen tv, cabinet, 2 side tables and a bathroom.

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At the back of the house, there is a kitchen and dining area. The kitchen is equipped with a stove, refrigerator, rice cooker and kitchen utensils

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For bigger groups, you can also rent the kubo at the back. It’s also equipped with an air conditioning unit.

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They also have a mini kubo where you can hang out and enjoy the view.

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Or if you prefer the view of the beach, you can choose to stay in front. They have 2 sets of wooden tables & chairs. They even have extra mono-block chairs stacked on the side.

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There are also 2 hammocks in front of the house. Soooooo relaxing!

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And of course, here’s the beautiful view of the beach.

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LOCATION 
> Felmida Road, Club Monet Beachfront Resort Complex, Cabangan, Zambales
 
HOW TO GET THERE
> Private Transpo
-Go to Subic
-Exit at Kalaklan Gate, then turn left at stoplight after crossing the bridge
-Follow the road to Iba, Zambales (Olongapo-Bugallon Road)
-Turn right at San Narciso intersection (huge beach signage)
-Follow the road all the way to Cabangan
-After the Cabangan Municipal hall, turn left after 5 km at Brgy. Felmida-Diaz arch
-You’ll see several resort signages after a small suspension bridge, just follow those signs and turn left at the end of the road
 
or enter on Waze
 
> Public Transpo
1. Ride a bus going to Iba
3. Go down at Cabangan town center 
3. Ride a tricycle to Felmida beach road in Brgy. Felmida-Diaz
 
AMENITIES
> Air conditioning
> Cable TV
> 5 gallon water dispenser
> Essentials (towels, bed sheets, soap, shampoo & toilet paper)
> Kitchen
> Hair dryer
> Flat Iron
> Wifi/Internet
> Emergency lights
> Rechargeable fans
> Small generator
 
ACTIVITIES
> Swimming
> Bonfire
> Massage (250/hour)
> Inflatable pool  (300/day)
> Kayak (250/hour)
> Fishing (bring own fishing gear) 
> Bamboo river rafting (tip)
 
CHECK IN & CHECK OUT
> 1 PM & 12 NN
 
TOURIST SPOTS
> San Felipe Waterfalls
> Historical churches of Botolan & Iba
> Island hopping to Anawangin, Potipot etc
> Mount Pinatubo (through botolan)
 
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
> The house can accommodate up to 16 guests
> Parking can accommodate 2-4 vehicles 
> Beach is in front of the villa, river is at the back 
> Smoking inside the house is not allowed
> Pets are allowed as long as you clean up after them
> Tap and water shower are salty during non-rainy days
> There may be brown-outs, Emergency lights, rechargeable fans and small generator are available for use
> If you need assistance, just ask the caretakers Manang Josie and/or Manong Roy  
> Volleyball net is owned and maintained by the neighbor resort, but can also be used by beach house guests 
> Caretaker’s balsa can be borrowed (just tip them)
> Inform the caretakers if you are already checking out/leaving the premise
 
HOW TO CONTACT THEM
> Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/12477325 
> Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZambalesBeachHouse/
> Instagram: zambalesbeachhouse
> Email: richard.bascos@gmail.com
> Phone: 09175378373
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CASA ANGELINA: NEWLY OPENED RESORT AT CABANGAN

When you say Zambales, people automatically think of San Antonio, San Narciso or San Felipe. What they don’t know is, Cabangan, the town after San Felipe, also has its own stretch of beach resorts.

Two of the resorts I highly recommend here are Casa Santa Luzviminda and Casa Angelina. Both are located in a small fishing village on the coast and are owned by Roy and his wife, Joanne.

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Roy is originally from the U.S but he decided to settle down here in the Philippines with his lovely wife. They host a local Sunday school and also feed the kids every week. It’s also nice to see those kids help entertain guests in the resort.

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Roy and Joanne are two of the most accommodating hosts I’ve met in my life. They always ask us if we needed anything and they treat their guests as family. No wonder they have a five star rating on Airbnb.

The resorts are family oriented. They don’t allow parties and events with loud music because they simply want to keep the quiet and peaceful vibe of the resort.

So basically they have 2 resorts: CASA SANTA LUZVIMINDA & CASA ANGELINA

CASA ANGELINA

Casa Angelina just opened this May 13. They have 4 cottages; 2 ocean view cottages and 2 garden view cottages.

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I love the fact that it has just 4 cottages. It keeps its peaceful and quiet vibe and does not become too crowded. It’s perfect for a quiet weekend getaway or for soul-searching.

This is the ocean view room. It has a set of wooden table and chairs and is wheelchair accessible.

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And my favorite part of the resort.. The IG-worthy bedroom!

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The room comes with towels and toiletries.

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This room includes one queen bed, 1 bunk bed and 1 double loft bed. It can accommodate up to 6 people.

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Here’s what the CR looks like.

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In front of the ocean view cottages are chairs where you can sit and enjoy the view of the beach.

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They also have a public shower in front of the cottage.

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And at the back, they have a kitchen for cooking and grilling (free use).

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And wooden tables and chairs for eating purposes.

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This is the open parking BTW.

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CASA SANTA LUZVIMINDA

Casa Santa Luzviminda is technically the home of Roy and Joanne. The 2 kubos are located in the backyard. This is perfect for those who want to unwind and experience basic kubo living in front of the beach.

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This is kubo 2 (bedroom, fan, open sitting area). It’s good for 4 pax.

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This is kubo 1 (bedroom, fan, open sitting area). It’s good for 2 pax.

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The restroom is located beside kubo 1. They also have a nice veranda/view deck where you can hang out, chill or eat your ordered meals.

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This is the view from the veranda/deck.

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They sometimes set-up a hammock in the deck for guests.

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Here’s what we had for lunch, dinner and breakfast. Joanne is the one who cooks all the meals ordered by guests. For lunch, we had Chopsuey and Crispy Pork and Melon Juice. The serving was very generous and the food was good. They really take their time to prepare these dishes to their guests.

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For dessert, it was similar to Mango Bravo (with nuts on top).

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For dinner, we had Maya Maya and Pork Sinigang, The fish was tasted fresh and I love the pairing of the fish with the Tomato-Wansoy salsa that Joanne made. It was very refreshing. For the Pork Sinigang, the pork was very tender and good.

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For dessert, we had brownies topped with cream and nuts. It had the right amount of sweetness and it’s not “nakakaumay”.

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For breakfast the next day, we had longganisa, eggs and pancakes with mangoes plus juice and coffee. The longganisa they served was from San Felipe. It’s similar to the ones in Vigan (garlic taste). I also love what Joanne did to the pancakes. It adds more taste to the pancake. It’s indeed a beautiful way to start the day!

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And of course, a trip wouldn’t be complete without swimming.

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The beach is perfect for swimming (not surfing) as water is calm. It has no seaweeds and corals. The sand is gray. All in all, it’s perfect if you just want to swim and relax under the sun.

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Til our next adventure!

LOCATION
> Casa Angelina, Purok 1, Laoag Cabangan, Zambales

HOW TO GET THERE
> Private transpo
> Private transpo
1. Head on to NLEX and take the San Fernando Exit
2. Take J A Santos Avenue
3. Take Rizal Avenue going to Subic
4. Follow Olongapo-Bugallon Road until you reach Cabangan
5. From this point, just use waze because the roads don’t have names anymore

> Public transpo
1. Ride the bus from Victory Liner to Iba, Zambales
2. Get off at Anonang stop (midway between San Felipe & Cabangan town)
3. Ride the tricycle going to Casa Angelina/Call the owner (Roy) to pick you up

ACCOMMODATIONS
📌 Casa Angelina
> 2 ocean view rooms (w/ one queen bed, 1 bunk bed, 1 double loft bed and a beach view veranda – 3000 for 2 pax (+500/person, max of 6 pax) 5000 for 6 pax
> 2 garden view rooms (w/ one queen bed, 1 bunk bed, 1 double loft bed and a garden view veranda – 2500 for 2 pax, (+500/person, max of 6 pax) 4500 for 6 pa

📌 Casa Santa Luzviminda
> kubo (bedroom with fan and open sitting area – 1750 good for 2 pax)
> kubo (bedroom with fan and open sitting area – 2270 good for 4 paxw)

CHECK IN & CHECK OUT
> 2 PM-9 PM
> 12 NN

ACTIVITIES
> swimming
> stargazing

AMENITIES
> free parking
> free use of kitchen
> free use of grill
> eating area near kitchen
> cottages are wheelchair accessible

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
> all rooms have aircon
> pets are allowed
> smoking is not allowed inside the rooms
> no music after 10 PM
> no food inside the room
> rooms have towels and toiletries
> they offer breakfast, lunch and dinner by request (250/meal/person)
> if you have special requests/food preferences or allergies, let them know
> guests are allowed to use the veranda of the main house for purchased meals and relaxation
> you can book them directly or through Airbnb

HOW TO CONTACT THEM
> Mobile: 09194946909
> Facebook: facebook.com/casaangelinaamores
> Email: royjgrimm@gmail.com
> Airbnb: Casa Angelina

FOLLOW ME ON
> Instagram: eattravelstylemnl
> YouTube: Eat Travel Style MNL

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APLAYA CAARUSIPAN BEACH CAMP & RESORT: AN UNDISCOVERED HAVEN IN PUNDAQUIT

I’m not a fan of crowded beaches. I think it ruins the point of why you go to the beach. Well, for me, I make it a point to go to the beach as often as possible to unwind and chill. Hearing the sound of waves and feeling the sand on my toes automatically relax me.

When I feel like going to the beach, my choices are always Batangas, Quezon and Zambales. Why? Beaches here are beautiful and, most importantly, accessible. So when I found out about this hidden and quiet resort in Pundaquit, I was really excited. I’m always at Pundaquit but it’s the first time I heard of Aplaya Caarusipan Beach Camp & Resort. There were not much photos and information on their Facebook page about the place so I couldn’t really imagine what the place looks like. I was also supposed to take this trip with my boyfriend but he could not make it so I invited two of my guy bestfriends to go with me on this trip. They automatically said yes and they were thrilled to see how Aplaya Caarusipan looks like.

Fast forward to the morning of ur trip — my friend (Pancho) and I went to Victory Liner to ride a bus going to Dau since we were meeting our friend (Kristopher). But from Victory Liner, there is already a bus that can drop you in San Antonio. The bus ride from Cubao to Dau costs 139 pesos/person. From Dau, there were no buses going to Iba that time so we rode a bus going to Olongapo (140 pesos/person).

We went down at San Antonio Market to buy our food and dropped by 7-11 to buy some snacks. Then we rode a tricycle and told the driver to drop us at Aplaya de Caarusipan. The whole ride costs 120 pesos (40/person).

Upon arriving, we checked in right away and paid for our accommodation. We also had a glimpse of the beach.

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They led us to our accommodation, the kubo torre. The kubo torre was just beautiful. It was like we were playing bahay-bahayan. Plus points — it was cozy and well-ventilated.

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On the first floor, it has benches, a table, light and a socket.

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On the 2nd floor, it has a banig, fan and a socket.

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Other accommodations are the bahay kubo, palapala with bankomesa and tents for camping.

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They also have a public restroom/shower room.

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After taking photos of the place, we went to the kitchen to cook our food. If you didn’t bring cooking utensils, you can rent theirs for 200 pesos. They also have an LPG gas stove for rent (250 pesos).

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We ate liempo and kikiam. Thanks besties for cooking!

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After eating, we went swimming in their pool. I want one like this at home!!!

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After swimming in the pool, we transferred to the beach.

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We spent the whole afternoon swimming, talking and of course, laughing. It was a good day! Thanks besties! Til our next adventure!

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LOCATION
Canonizado Street, Pundaquit, San Antonio, Zambales

HOW TO GET THERE
> Private Transpo
1. Take NLEX and take the San Fernando Exit
2. Head Southwest to Olongapo
3. Before you reach Olongapo town proper, there is a shortcut route
that will take you inside Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority which you
may want to take to bypass the traffic and a few winding roads pass
Olongapo’s busy street.
4. As soon as you exit SBMA, head Northwest and you will pass by the
towns of Castillejos, San Marcelino and San Antonio
5. Once in San Antonio, best way to get to Pundaquit is to ask the
locals as it’s a bit complicated having no street signs. Locals are
familiar with the resorts if you mention the name.

Or just type Capones Vista on Waze (Aplaya Caarusipan is just beside
Capones Vista)

> Public Transpo
1. Ride a bus going to Iba (Victory Liner,
2. Go down at the San Antonio bayan/market
3. Rent a tricycle going to Aplaya Caarusipan

ACCOMMODATIONS
> Bahay Kubo – 2500 – overnight | 2000 – daytrip
> Kubo Torre – 2500 – overnight | 2000 – daytrip
> Camping – 350 (2 pax)
> Palapala with bankomesa – 1000

CHECK IN & CHECK OUT
> Daytrip – 10 AM | 5 PM
> Overnight – 10 AM | 9 AM

AMENITIES
> Kitchen
> Swimming Pool (2)

ACTIVITIES
> Camping
> Swimming

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
> There is a 100 pesos entrance fee (regardless if you already got a kubo/kubo torre)
> Daytrip is from 8 AM to 5 PM
> No corkage for food
> You can rent their LPG stove (250)
> You can rent cooking utensils (200)
> They sell drinks

HOW TO CONTACT THEM
> Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aplayacaarusipan/
> Mobile: 09187320960

FOLLOW ME ON
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eattravelstylemnl/
Instagram: eattravelstylemnl
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCozQjTQAUQE_ws9CxmjFumQ
#eattravelstylemnl

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CLUB MONET BEACHFRONT RESORT: SANTORINI-INSPIRED RESORT IN ZAMBALES

Looking for a quick getaway? Club Monet Beachfront Resort is one of the places I would definitely recommend. First is because of its proximity. Second is because it’s not mainstream. When you think of Zambales, automatically what comes to mind is San Narciso (Crystal Beach), San Antonio (Canoe Beach, Capones Vista), Subic (By The Sea, White Rock) and the like. Club Monet is hidden in the coastal town of Cabangan. It’s peaceful and laidback vibe is what makes it different from the other resorts in Zambales.

Club Monet is one of those Santorini-inspired resorts in the Philippines. I like the interior of the resort. It’s well-ventilated and very Greek-ish. I just realized, Blue and white is very relaxing to look at.

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Upon arriving, we were greeted by the staff. Reservations are managed properly and we were able to check-in right away. The staff were very accommodating and courteous. Customer service, I can say, was excellent.

Rooms are located in the 1st and 2nd floor. The room that we stayed in has its own bathroom, 2 towels, tissue and soap. Our room was located at the 2nd floor.

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The rooms are named after the Greek Gods and Godesses. Ours was Hemera.

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It has its own balcony with the view of the beach and a set of table and chairs.

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Outside, there are cabanas that you can use. However, it’s on a first-come, first-served basis. It has a table with benches, power outlet and two of the cabanas has a hammock.

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There are also beach chairs perfect for sun-bathing.

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Best seats in the house to watch the sunset. What a lovely day!

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Til our next adventure!

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LOCATION
Brgy Felmida-Diaz, Cabangan Zambales
 
HOW TO GET THERE
> Private Transpo
1. Take NLEX
2. Exit at San Fernando
3. Take J A Santos Avenue
4. Take Rizal Avenue going to Subic
5. Follow Olongapo-Bugallon Road until Cabangan
6. After Apo-Apo Elementary school turn left at Marie Fishing
7. Turn left again and the resort would be on the left
 
Or just type Club Monet Beachfront Resort in Waze
 
> Public Transpo
1. Ride a bus going to Iba. Go down after Apo-Apo elementary school at Cabangan
2. Walk/Rent a tricycle going to Club Monet
 
ACCOMMODATIONS
> Camping
> A/C rooms
 
CHECK IN & CHECK OUT
> 1 PM
> 12 NN
 
ACTIVITIES
> Camping
> Swimming
> Bonfire
 
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
> No corkage for food
> You can rent their kitchen for 500 (kitchen has condiments, ref, stove, cooking utensils)
> Signal for globe is not that strong
> They have wifi
> Overnight guests enjoy free breakfast
> Free use of cabana
> Pets are allowed
 
HOW TO CONTACT THEM
> Instagram: clubmonetph
> Mobile: 09177278652
 
FOLLOW ME ON
Instagram: eattravelstylemnl
#eattravelstylemnl

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