8 Things Not To Do For An Enjoyable Stay At Costa Pacifica In Baler, Aurora

View of the Pacific Ocean at Costa Pacifica in Baler, Aurora

It seems that the province of Aurora has been in every Juan's bucket list following the many great things written about it by those who have gone ahead to visit. Take your pick: the waves at Sabang Beach in Baler, Aurora which is every surfer's delight; the popular local fare of Baler suman and Nanay Pacing's peanut butter and coco jam for pasalubong; the inviting white sands and serenity of Dicasalarin Cove; the grandeur of the Sierra Madre mountains on the way to the province; cultural heritage sites: Aurora has a lot to offer for every Juan to explore.

My sister's family and I were fortunate to stay in the much talked about Costa Pacifica hotel when we visited the province of Aurora some two weeks ago, here are some tips that can make your stay more enjoyable and close to perfect when you choose to book at Costa Pacifica in Baler, Aurora for your accommodation.

1. Do not stay indoors.  I know that it is tempting to stay inside your air-conditioned room to sleep or catch up on your reading or watch an episode of an afternoon telenovela you are following but you will miss more if you do not go out and lounge near Costa Pacifica's main swimming pool.

My sister and I were surprised to be caressed with a cool breeze of air as we lounged in the area. We were prepared to feel hot and sticky like how we usually feel at the same time of day when the sun is scorching hot in other local beach resorts, think Boracay (wink, wink), but this unexpected cool breeze experience sure made its mark that it is something to return to when we think of where to go for a beach holiday.

The view of Sabang Beach from the main swimming area is also spectacular that you would wish that you could stay forever.

Outside our room at Casitas de Bahia in Costa Pacifica Baler, Aurora

 2. Do not regret taking Costa Pacifica's tour package. We had two options how we want to go around and see Baler and the nearby towns of Aurora. There were tricycle tours and the tour package offered by Costa Pacifica. The latter might appear expensive, P2,000 for the guide and P3,000 for the hotel van, but the price is value for your money especially when you are traveling as a big group.

The tour guide who brought us around Baler was patient, courteous and very accommodating of our questions and requests. He also safely led us as we crossed rivers, boulders and bamboo footbridges on our way to Ditumabo Mother Falls. 

It is on our way to the Balete Park and Ditumabo Mother Falls that we actually realized that we made the right decision to take Costa Pacifica's tour package instead of a tricycle tour because of the bumpy roads that need to be managed going there. The ride in the van provided the utmost comfort and convenience.

The Beach House Restaurant at Costa Pacifica Baler, Aurora

 3. Do not skip the pork floss, kimchi tofu, wood-fired oven pizzas and kiddie fish and chips in the Beach House's menu. While going through what the Beach House offers in their breakfast buffet, the pork floss and kimchi tofu caught my fancy as I looked at what I can get as toppings to my congee. I wondered at the pork floss because it did not look anyway near the pork floss I know, think Bread Talk pork floss here. ;) The Beach House's pork floss presented itself as thinly-shaved bagnet.  The curious and adventurous in me won in a brief moment of hesitation as I decided if I will try it or not.  And how I got hooked with it big time as I put it in my mouth! How can I not? It was crispy and flaky at the same time. Never hard that you will worry about your teeth falling off. Uuhmm, the chef did a great job with that.

The kimchi tofu lent the hint of hotness and spiciness to my congee, definitely a good substitute to the usual chili oils that you will find on congee bars. Their wood-fired oven pizza is not at all hype. It meets the 'high' expectations set by those who have tried and told about it first. One dish that really made me happy when in Aurora is their fish and chips. The fish covered with breading is fish caught fresh from the sea and not the farmed cream dory fillets that has penetrated the market here in Manila.

Try all of the above for a fulfilling meal when at The Beach House in Costa Pacifica Baler, Aurora. :)

4. Do not eat at The Yellow Fin Bar and Restaurant. The Yellow Fin Bar and Restaurant is located in the vicinity of Costa Pacifica. We always passed through this establishment on our way to our room in Casitas de Bahia. Do not eat in this bar and restaurant only if you do not want to smell like the grilled food that they serve and if you are allergic to smoke. Their grilling station is right below where customers are seated that the heavy smoke can be suffocating while waiting for one's order. But if the smoke does not bother you, then this is a go-to if you are on the lookout for budget meals and if grilled food is a favorite of yours.

5. Do not order Costa Pacifica's Halo-Halo. If there is one thing that disappointed us in a major way during our stay, it would be their halo-halo. We still tried it setting aside the reservations we had because of the unappealing way that it was served. There was a mound of coarse crushed ice in the middle of the glass swimming in melted ice with the other ingredients surrounding the mound and the milk served separately beside the glass. 

We started by pouring the milk and mixing the ice and then tasting the leche flan. The leche flan tasted flat and bland. My sister and I also had a hard time identifying a strange flavor which did not go well in the halo-halo and we decided that it must be cinnamon. 

Overall, their halo-halo did not deliver the way it was marketed in their menu. Sad.

6. Do not expect replacement of the toiletries. If you have the habit of getting the room's toiletries at the beginning of your stay, do not expect them to be replaced on the following day. Although this was not a real issue with us. I just thought of mentioning it for your knowledge. ;) But maybe they would if you asked, which we did not try.

A beetle turned into a grilling station at Baler Surfer Grill

7. Do not miss the best barbecue in Baler. The Baler Surfer Grill is one of the neighboring restaurants in the area of Costa Pacifica that we visited. This is a must-experience if you feel like trying something out of the ordinary and other fare besides that which is served in the hotel. The Baler Surfer Grill can be easily found at the Baywalk along Sabang Beach. We were delighted to discover that it is an easy walk from our room in Casitas de Bahia taking the Baywalk going to Costa Pacifica's main lobby.

Their special barbecue sauce is something worth going back to whenever you are in Baler. As in!

8. Do not leave without saying 'thank you' to Costa Pacifica's staff. Our stay was made relaxing, stress-free and enjoyable by the staff who made sure that we had no less than a pleasant experience. They always asked how we are without being intrusive which I find refreshing. They were also very helpful in providing directions where to buy Nanay Pacing's peanut butter and coco jam and Puno's ice cream.

Saying 'thank you' came naturally for us because the excellent service they extended is not difficult to appreciate.

Every stay in Costa Pacifica is unique in itself. Whether you stay there for a few days or longer, make your stay more enjoyable with a few things you should not do mentioned above.

TICKLE YOUR PALATE WITH THESE CHINESE GASTRONOMIC DELIGHTS

Photo taken from www.decorationroom.info

It is the year of the Chinese Goat! And by way of tradition, celebration (and eating) will still continue until the 15th day after. And when you talk about this big celebration among our Chinese friends, it only meant one thing - FOOD! (and lots of them!) This is my little way of paying tribute to my Chinese colleagues and friends for introducing me to their delicious and one-of-a-kind cuisine. 

Here's a photo blog of what I had savoured best....from the odd ones (and perhaps more for the adventurous types) to the best ones. I always kept coming back for more.

I did remember some of the places where you can find them so you can head out and try it out yourself. But to most, I simply indulged. 

Nevertheless you may want to keep the photo on site so the next time you are in China, you can just refer to it and point it out. These days, most Chinese are happy to post on blog sites as well as get recommendations from fellow critiques. So I am pretty sure you will be able find them. In any case, just go and explore whatever is available...all ready for the taking.

Have a feast! 

And here's wishing everyone the best in the year of the Chinese Ram!

China Hairy Crab - very seasonal and mostly available during October

Shrimp cooked in crab meat sauce - at the Chang Hong Lang restaurant

Delectable seafood for hot pot at the Faigo Hot Pot Restaurant. Thin slices of meat or pork and lots of different veggies can also be added to the hotpot (see below)

Snails stewed in soy sauce with sliced green onions - at the street food market in Chongqing China

Black gelatine - at the street food market - Chongqing China

Ma po tofu from Din Tai Fung

Classic ha kaw (shrimp dumpling) from Din Tai Fung

Stir fried kailan veggie in garlic at Din Tai Fung

Famous Din Tai Fung's xiao long bao - one of Shanghai's original so this one is a must-try

Deep fried pork

Classic Chinese pork soup in herbs and spices

Heading out to Wuhan, the centre of Hubei cuisine in China. Wuhan is actually the most populous city in Central China. Perhaps the development of the city had brought people in or maybe perhaps I wonder it is the enticement of eating something new, spicy and not so traditional.

Shrimp in mayo

Crab, glorious crab - slow down though

I don't know if the fish is saying hello or don't eat me! - steamed fish in light soy sauce

Crab legs meat with veggies

This collection of photos was from a place called Chongqing, one of the largest municipality in Southwest China. They are famous for their hot pot - from the most common thin sliced pork to the bizarre pork tongue...don't imagine and just dig and eat...

This is the main hot pot soup where it is served under a hot plate or burning stove - can choose either spicy or 'normal'

From the unusual veggie to common ones

Pork tongue...hmmmm.....

Pig intestines

Pig stomach lining

Thin tofu slices



Shrimp - baby ones -

Heading back to Shanghai before my final departure, I cannot simply resist to try more Shanghai food.

Happy eating! (and keep safe, always!)

5 MUST DO'S IN PARIS

Eiffel Tower at Night

Have you ever dreamt of travelling to Paris? Or have actually travelled there? Perhaps if you did, what kind of adventures did you take? Or how much fun and explorations did you have?

I may have travelled to Paris for work but never did it escape my itchy feet to explore the beauty of Paris. In the three times that I have been there, these are the 5 things that I feel a fellow traveler like me would recommend.

1 - Walk around the streets of Paris 

There's much to please the eye in Paris - from the most photographed Eiffel Tower to just walking along Champ Élysées. Climb to Mont Saint Michel to view the whole of Paris or take some city tours and be mesmerized by the city's history.

2 - Learn! 

For art enthusiasts, you can head out to the Louvre Musuem - one of the most fulfilling time for me because of my love for old European stories. There is just something magical about seeing the painting of  Leonardo Da Vinci's The Monalisa or  a massive oil painting by the late Renaissance or Mannerist Italian painter Paolo Veronese. It is the largest painting in that museum's collection. When I visited the Louvre in 2005, I had no digital camera yet and so would be difficult to scan a copy, so below is what I had saved and copied from Wikipedia. 

3 - Pamper your taste buds

No single doubt.  If you are a food blogger, a budding chef or simply enjoys food, Paris will definitely satisfy your food cravings. With close to a hundred Michelin star restaurants, you will be spoilt for choice. Hey, not all restaurants are too expensive. You can also choose to eat on the side streets and eat hot, freshly cooked churros or eat croque monsieur in a deli and you will surely have a happy and satisfied belly after. 

4 - Shopping! Shopping! Shopping! 

Fancy designer brands? You bet! Head out to Champs Élysées and be mesmerized with the best French brands there is.  Go to the iconic Louis Vuitton shop, the house of Guerlain which had been there since the early 20's in La Marais. You can also take the train and alight at Trocadero and there you will find the most luxurious designer French brands.

Shalimar 

5 - Indulge like Dukes and Duchesses 

and book yourself out for a stay in a chateau!

A Chateau is a manor house or residence of the lord of the manor or a country house of nobility. In simple English language you may also call this a vacation house. I had the privilege of staying in a chateau called Chateau de Guermantes for one of our global meetings. The place is about an hour and a half by land from the city of Paris. The castle was originally built in 17th century but of course renovation and re-development had happened and it is now mainly used to house guests for their meetings. There were a total of 66 rooms and an 80 hectare lot to boot for all outdoor activities. The feeling of staying in one makes you feel royalty and it is a welcome change for all the hustle and bustle in the city.

The room I stayed in



View from the main entrance of the chateau

So the next time you are in Paris (or planning to visit for the first time), do not forget including this on your list.

Happy travelling and keep safe!