macoymejia.com

Ilang beses ko nang naririnig na maganda daw sa Potipot… but It never pushed me to go there because of budget constraints.  And sa maraming reason… isa na dun kasi hindi ako beach bum na mahilig mag beach.  I prefer landscape and historical sites… with action-packed activities than swimming sa beach. Idagdag mo pa na medyo paranoid ako kapag nasa beach… ang dami kong kinatatakutan… 1) Open seas; baka hilahin ako sa gitna ng china sea.   2) Sea Creatures; baka may shark, baka may jelly fish, baka may sea urchin… 3) Darker Skin; Baka masunog ako…. mahirap mag paputi hehe.

After several invites from a friend, and lacking of new ideas for the coming romantic Valentines date… I texted my friend who have a Tours and Travel business called Leisure 28 to book me for two for their Feb 12-13 Potipot trip. Two days, 1 night… transportation and accommodation included… And the journey begins…

We meet-up at Shell gas station, corner Ayala-Mckinley, Makati. Sobrang aga namin ng girlfriend ko sa call time so we wait for a bit… then tsaka nagdatingan na yung mga kasabay naming trippers and yung van.  From Makati to Candelaria, Zambales… we are suppose to get there around 12nn… but mga 1030am kami dumating sa Sun Bloom resort… nababagalan pako sa driver namin at first kasi parang gusto kong agawin yung manebela… pero sabi ko nalang.. maingat lang sya mag drive.

Nagpahinga kami for a while, nag photo-ops sa over-looking see side (Balcony ng resort).. and after that… we ate lunch at own expense… and we ordered Beef Sirloin with Rice for about 100+ each meal… na surprise kami na bagong bukas lang pala yung restaurant na yun that day… and they gave us complimentary “peach halves”… After eating lunch we prepared for a boat ride going to Potipot Island na…

A paranoid person like me, I always make sure na I have enough tools to survive in case of “sana hindi mangyaring” events. So I packed our wallets and cellphones using Ziploc and syempre yung camera to capture moments.  And thanks to Leisure28, so thoughtful to lend us their tent to use sa island… kaya kasama din sa check list…

After a quick boat ride from resort to Potipot island… I found out that Potipot is way way far beyond my expectations… Sobrang linis and sobrang ma aliwalas… and kahit saan pwede kang mag tayo ng tent mo at maligo… pili ka lang kung anong side gusto mo… Philippines is truly pearl of the orient…

Halos lahat ng side ng island pwedeng liguan… may beach front facing china sea… may side din na facing Zambales… I prefer yung Zambales side hehehe…  may safety net din para sa mga maliligo… for me… napaka fine nung sand and malinis kahit sa water na… wala kang makikitang palutang lutang…  Maraming din puno sa island, and makikita mong may mga bagong tanim for vegetation… May enough deep well para sa mga mag re rinse off and mag si CR na hindi nga lang fully maintained… and hindi sya crowded like Boracay and Puerto Galera…

Setting-up our tent and walking half around the island is not exhausting… But medyo nag crave ako to eat and drink something… unfortunately… walang tindahan with-in the island sabi nung mamang nakausap ko na taga dun.  So kapag pupunta ka na pala dun sa island, dapat dala mo na yung mga chibog at drinks mo… Pwede naman daw mag pabili sa mga tumatawid na nag ba-bangka… pero mas ok kung may dala ka na para hindi ka na mag hintay. Sa isang banda… yun siguro yung reason kung bakit malinis yung island… kasi walang source ng kalat…

By the way, Naitanong ko rin sa manong… kung sino na ang may ari ng isla… ang sagot nya… dating DPWH secretary during Glora Macapagal-Arroyo administration.  tionkz! ang yaman nya ha… naka bili sya ng island?

We swam for about 2hours lang siguro… then mga bandang 530pm bumalik na kami sa resort.  Nakaka bitin pero pwede narin… baka kasi magpakapagod kami sa kaka swim eh wala kaming dalang water and food hehehe…

Sun Bloom and Leisure28 deserves commendation… Yung driver nga nilibre pa kami ng extra rice… and may libreng unplanned stop-over pa sa Jollibee, duty free ng subic at public market sa Zambales… Thumbs up din ako ang mga staff ng Sun Bloom resort… nag set-up pa sila ng bon-fire for us to make our Valentines date more romantic.. ayiyiii!!!  and napaka approachable nila and pwede kang mag pa assist anytime. All-in-all, satisfied ako sa Potipot Island Valentines date namin … I’m planning to go back and bring my family dun kapag nagkaroon ng chance.

Potipot Island is one of the 7,107 islands of the Philippines na siguradong maipagmamalaki natin.  Marami pang iba na not expensive and madaling puntahan tulad ng Potipot Island. Lets patronize our local tourism and lets help each other to preserve it.