Kookoo's Nest

There is a hidden treasure in the Tambobo Bay area of Siaton, Negros Oriental, approximately one and a half hours away from the provincial capital of Dumaguete. It's called Kookoo's Nest. I've heard of this place long before, but I never got to check it out until last Friday. It was a holiday in the Philippines because of Eid'l Fit'r, the end of Ramadan (our population is 20% Muslim, after all), so a couple of friends and I decided to go on a road trip to make the most of the no-work day.

Kookoo's Nest is a beach resort tucked away beside a cliff. It is adjacent to the more posh and popular Antulang Beach Resort. It is a little out of the way, and one might consider it to be in the middle of nowhere, but it is such a charming and relaxing place that I would recommend it to anyone.

The resort has a white sand beach, clear waters, a quaint restaurant right by the water and bamboo cottages. It's perfect for a relaxing weekend getaway because it's quiet and private. You can sit by the beach admiring the view, or read a book or magazine from their ample collection.

Kookoo's Nest is also a place you can come to if you want to dive. If you want to go kayaking, you can do that there as well. But since my friends and I do not dive (yet!), and we didn't bring extra clothes so we couldn't swim, we contented ourselves with taking pictures and enjoying what I think is the best of Kookoo's Nest: the food!

Food at Kookoo's Nest is truly to die for! We had Pork Schnitzel, Filipino Coconut Chicken Curry, and Pork Kebab with Sate. All were amazingly delicious! They were pretty affordable, too, ranging from P150 to 200. For the food alone, I would go back there. If you plan to check it out, though, make sure you order the food immediately upon arriving, as it can take some time for them to prepare it. 

Needless to say, I'm quite happy to have made the trip to Kookoo's Nest. It's definitely a good road trip destination in this part of the Philippines. 

This entry is also posted at Everything Dumaguete.

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Siaton's Treasures

It's the middle of summer and I'm looking forward to a beach get-away this weekend. But before that, I'm reminiscing a day trip friends and I took around the same time last year that I have always wanted to blog about but was unable to.

Siaton, a town about an hour's drive south of Dumaguete, is always a favorite roadtrip destination of mine. It's got a lot of beautiful nature spots that people can enjoy. Last year, we spent a day in Tambobo Bay, one of the town's popular attractions.

Tambobo Bay (also known as Bonbonon Bay) is a natural harbor that is protected from storms, which makes it a good spot for boats to take shelter in. As a result, a lot of private yachts can always be seen there. The bay also has a number of resorts and restaurants. One of these resorts is Tongo Sail Inn, which we were able to visit. Tongo is located on a white sand beach, and it has cottages where people can stay. The food at this resort is amazing and affordable, so it's definitely worth visiting.

Here are some pictures I took during our trip to Tambobo:

Tongo Sail Inn

A huge plate of yummy spaghetti at Tongo

The beach at Tambobo

Yachts in the bay

If you are in the Tambobo area, it's also wise to check out Antulang, one of the best beach resorts in Negros Oriental. It's basically a resort atop a beach-side cliff. It boasts of an infinity pool (saltwater), a white pebble beach, and private villas with your own pool and jacuzzi! It's definitely top-notch, but some of the rooms are a little expensive for an overnight stay. Anyone can stop by for a day trip, though, for a minimal entrance fee (last I know, it was P200 per person, consumable).

A view at Antulang

Tambobo and Antulang are like two birds that you can hit with one stone--you can enjoy both in one day. To get there, take the south national highway from Dumaguete, and make a left turn right before the marker for kilometer 32 (in the town of Zamboanguita), where they've got a sign for Antulang. Take that road, and once you get to a Y, go left for Antulang, or go right for Tambobo, and follow the signs along the way. Both locations are approximately 30 minutes from the highway.

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