Sand, Sea and Mid-Week Chill at Daan Bantayan

Another one of those last minute decisions. A nod to my spontaneous spirit. Of all things, a mid-week adventure in our small slice of this paradise called Daan Bantayan.

A motorbike trip some 140 kilometers from home. Our vacay was short, but we live for these moments. 

Left at 3:50 AM

And arrived there at around 8:00 am, just in time for my partner's volleyball game in celebration of Teachers' Month.

While my gf played volleyball, me and my son chilled at a small resort called Praya de Arriez.

It was a small family-run resort we just discovered that same day. We were supposed to stay at Paradizzo Beach Resort in Medellin, but we didn't make reservations so we went on and asked every beach resort on our way to the volleyball game venue until we found this. 

Homey Huts!

The biggest decision factor for me was the air-conditioned huts, they had three in the resort, all of them available.

We were offered a tent for ₱ 750 per night Paradizzo. At ₱ 1,400 per night with aircon, electric outlet and a very comfy mattress, this hut was no doubt a better choice.

Paradizzo doesn't have a secure place to store our stuff if we decided to spend the night in a tent. I didn't want to be having fun under the sun with my valuables at the back of my mind, let alone carry all our bags with us while we joyride, so the extra ₱ 650 was definitely worth it!

As usual, I brought work with me. Praya de Arriez was a small resort with a private beach front. The size was just enough not to give me an anxiety while working, being able to take a quick look at my son every now and then while on the laptop.

Cat tax. Caught this cat chilling at the eatery.

The resort had a grilling area and serve food by request. I was in the mood (and my wallet was too) for home-cooked carenderia meals.

Interestingly, there were no eateries and restaurants nearby, so we had to take a 5-minute ride going back to Kawit through a tricycle at ₱ 15 each and had breakfast at a nearby eatery.

After filling our bellies, we were ready to have fun and enjoy the beach!

It was a silent morning-- no other sound heard other than the waves, gentle splashes and the occasional hum of a distant fishing boat. The tide was also about to go low mid-day, so the waves were calmer.

If you're looking for a lot of stimulation, Praya de Arriez might not be for you. There's not a lot of beach activities... just peace and quiet. There was a karaoke machine waving at me in one of the cottages, but I decided not to let hell break loose today.

There's still a lot of things going on in this little piece of heaven. You can dip your feet in the waves, tinker on the curious little hermit crabs or just satisfy your senses while sitting at the beach.

Late in the afternoon, Lora arrived from the game and we decided to take a quick stroll at the town center. There wasn't anything remarkable that wasn't found in my hometown, so I didn't bother snapping pictures of the Jollibee and 7-Eleven we went to, just a 10-minute ride from the resort. 

When we got back, I let loose all the hell I've been suppressing.

We rocked the solemn night with a round of karaoke. 

This place is definitely one to return to. Next time we'll bring our own fish and meat to grill, chase the high tide and maybe a couple of snorkels to really call it a day-- or hopefully a weekend.

I only had 2 hours of sleep when we decided to leave home for Daan Bantayan and even on the last minute I was still contemplating on whether I should go or not. Laziness and sleepiness kicked in at 3:00 AM and we have just moved to our new home. I was still tired.

But something inside me told me that I should go. "We're made for these times," Rev Michael Gott's words echo in my head.

I live for these times.

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