Summer Getaway

The scorching heat and searing temperatures may cause some tempers to flare. But for many Filipinos, these signal only one good thing: Summer is finally here.

As the month of March ushers in the hottest days of the year, a lot find themselves looking for that perfect getaway that will fit their fancy, hobbies and budget as well.

For those urbanites and young groups who have so little time to spare, or those who do not look forward to flights or boat rides can check out Club Balai Isabel in Talisay, Batangas—a resort that can be had for a mere two-hour drive from Manila.

A residential resort development by Techno Asia Construction and Development Corp., Club Balai Isabel is built right on the shores of the famed Taal Lake.

Unique resort

According to Techno Asia president and chief executive officer (CEO) Nelson M. Terrible, what makes Club Balai Isabel a unique resort is simply its picturesque setting that guests can enjoy from the lake. The scene, by itself, is already an enthralling experience, he says. Also a come-on is the resort’s proximity to the Taal Volcano.

Upon entry to the resort, guests are welcomed by lush greenery and vegetation as the resort is built around a century-old coconut and mango plantation, which Terrible claims to still be standing to date.

“When I started developing (Club Balai Isabel), I said to myself that I would only develop 30 percent of the land and leave the 70 percent untouched to preserve the trees and the natural condition and terrain of the area,” he notes.

Centerpiece

Terrible stresses that the centerpiece of Club Balai Isabel’s development is nature.

“We would like people to appreciate nature. What we offer are not manicured lawns like other developments. Here everything is free-flowing where people can appreciate fruit-bearing trees and nature,” he explains.

“We even have 150-year-old trees here and we don’t want to destroy it. The natural terrain of the land is respected and we ensure that our waste don’t go to the lake,” he further says.

In fact, Club Balai Isabel is being touted as the perfect eco-tourism destination for environmental enthusiasts, who will be doubly glad to discover that the resort does its best to do its part in conserving and preserving nature.

Amenities, facilities

The 10-hectare Club Balai Isabel, however, is not just about greens and the lake as it also offers a number of options that would suit the active lifestyle of vacationers, given the number of amenities and facilities it has put up within the resort.

These amenities allow guests to also enjoy food served at the Terraza Café, take a refreshing dip in the pool, hang out in the cabanas, enjoy more active pursuits such as kayaking and sailing, or take a boat ride and get a closer look at Taal Volcano’s crater on horseback or on foot.

“We have a number of facilities and we offer different water sports. Our large guest capacity with over 200 rooms plus 12 function rooms makes it an ideal place for company activities and family gatherings,” Terrible enumerates.

“The resort has three big pools, different food outlets, a spa and we also offer different activities like wellness seminars and detox programs,” he adds.

And with a number of other outdoor activities like beach volleyball, basketball, tennis and badminton available, guests are assured that they can always do something inside the resort.

“We are expanding a bit and we are coming up with other sports activities like wake boarding facilities and we’ve also started building a zip line. It’s going to be the first that’s located from end to end of the lake and it’s going to be 7 stories high,” Terrible reveals.

“The tower of the zip line would serve as a lighthouse that would house an executive suite, also each tower will have a guest house,” he adds.

Given all these activities lined, not to mention the number of improvements on the pipeline, it is thus not surprising that Club Balai Isabel, which was conceived only in 2006, is now being considered as one of the fastest-growing resorts at the south of metro.

(We welcome summer with a series on summer getaways. These are alternative summer destinations that we can schedule for the family or the gang.—Ed.)