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Mike · Site Admin Joined: 07 Sep 2004 Posts: 4512 Location:

By JOANNA C. CASTRO

ISLA VERDE, Batangas City – After only a little over two hours of traveling from Manila, you feel as if you’ve been transported to an unspoiled, faraway tropical haven. Verde Island Resort is a peaceful and exotic 13-hectare resort nestled in Subukin, Isla Verde in the southern part of Luzon off the waters of Batangas Bay, south of Batangas City and north of Calapan, Oriental Mindoro.

Getting there begins with a fast, motorized outrigger pump boat ride from Tabangao Pier, which can get a little bumpy depending on the calmness of the sea. Each of us was given a towel to prepare ourselves for a wet and wild ride. During the 30 to 45 minute-ride, you can take a glimpse of Isla Verde’s dense foliage and rainforest greens in perfect harmony with gorgeous blues and aquas of surrounding waters and reef.

The whale-shaped island, which consists of six barangays, is said to have been named after a Spanish naval officer who discovered it in the 16th century, Captain Juan Verde. In the 1850s, the illustrious Pastor Family acquired over 100 hectares of property on the island. It was only in the 1990’s when Jose Ma. Pastor, a Pastor heir, invested a portion of the property to develop into a world-class resort and diving center in the region through their family-owned corporation, Verde Island Business and Leisure State, Inc.

We met Verde Island Resort president and owner Pastor through his charming PR lady Jenny Calma. Very amiable, down-to-earth, and young looking, he, along with his friendly staff, was there to welcome us like old friends. We were each greeted with a necklace of fresh flower lei. Upon crossing the wooden footbridge into the Grand Pavillion, the central hub of the resort operations, we were offered refreshing buko pandan juice.

After a few talks with the owner and his resident manager Vincenzo Capello, the resort staff escorted us to our cottages while giving us a tour of the resort. Facilities include a souvenir shop, parks and plaza for children’s playground, function rooms for seminars and weddings, karaoke, and just recently opened for use, the scenic inclined lift.

Back at the hub, Comida de Pastor Restaurant serves excellent seafood specialties, as well as a blend of continental, oriental and Filipino cuisine, while the Frapiche Bar on the active beach area serves popular drinks, mixes and cocktails.

All Verde Island’s cottages have veranda fronting the sea with wooden interiors, fully equipped with modern amenities such as air-conditioning, cold and hot water, and cable television.

Room categories are Villa Camaro, Casa Aplaya, and Casa Dahilig, which translate into big, bigger and huge in terms of interior space. The most highend of them has a twin-sized beds and a bathtub with a view of the pocket garden. But if you opt for a more rustic feel of nature, you can try the typical bamboo-made native huts with the "silong" (ground floor) situated very close to the shoreline.

Leaving the cottages area, we passed through gardens and walked up some stone steps to a gorgeous infinity pools for adults and kids accentuated by a tension edge facing the sea, which gives an illusion that the pool water overflows into the sea.

Island retreat

For us, the resort offered some cherished quiet time away from the busy city crowd and petty worries. What a relief!

The resort has 208-feet high viewing deck leading to a bamboo plantation, where you can get a bird’s eye view of the island and witness the postcard image of Mindoro’s Mount Halcon and the spectacular sunset on a clear day. Guests can do island trekking, bird watching, pony riding, mountain biking, beach volleyball, and camping. For idle hours, guests can play darts, cards, billiards and boardgames or just lounge on a hammock placed around the cottages or under shady trees.

Water sports are also big here, with all the old favorites represented: Snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking, and water-skiing. But for those who are not into this type, the resort has a glass bottom boat, peanut boat, and a local paraw boat for rental. Fishing and fish feeding are great options, too.

The resort offers diving lessons and rental of diving equipment. Scuba divers will be pleased to note that Isla Verde has 13 world-class diving spots nearby, with the three most popular of them include the Drop-off (0-300 feet), Mini Canyon (Washing Machine) and the Spanish galleon, which ran aground in 1620.

Day trips

Guests have the option to take different day trips around the neighboring islands of Isla Verde. After exploring the resort, we went boat riding for an hour and docked at Puerto Galera, Mindoro, which is just 2.5 kilometers away from the resort. Here we geared ourselves with the snorkeling gadgets we borrowed from the resort’s Aqua Sport and Dive Shop. Along with other marine enthusiasts, we glided our fins and bowled over colorful reef fishes, starfishes, and sea urchins. Others sat in the white sand beach as they watched us swim.

After snorkeling, the group took a leisurely stroll and shopped at the bustling Sabang for some good pairs of sarong, printed souvenir t-shirts, beads, and summer blouses. Then, we went back to the resort for some delightful cocktail dinner under the bright stars.

The next day, after a hearty breakfast, we proceeded to ride a glass bottom boat — a great way to view the coral reef without having to get wet. Afterwards, we spent two hours over the reef not too far from the island enjoying a gentle ride out to the reef system, where we view the amazing undersea life in the comfort of our boat.

For more information about Verde Island Resorts packages, call Lanny Esperanzate, Jessica Peñafiel or Anna Gonzaga at (632) 750-0466 or (632) 750-0470.
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