Fijian Tales - Of Wailoaloa Sunsets and Meeting Other Filipinos (Nadi)

Four hours was enough sleep for me. I felt recharged like it was a new day. It was 4 PM. I was going to recover within hours from my impending sore throat which, for me, was usually a prodrome for the flu. From my 3rd floor balcony, Wailoaloa Bay looked serene. 

The gentlest of breeze blew from the west while I took a walk on the beach. I'd sit on the sand and just gaze contentedly at the expanse of the Melanesian ocean. This needed to be taken in. There wasn't a dramatic changing of hues from the sky but the scenery was calming.

Kumustahan with Filipinos

Then I met 2 Filipinos taking a walk. I noticed they were eyeing me on their stroll. On their way back, I nodded and smiled which started the conversation. Teddy and Marlon work as aircondition specialists at an ongoing construction for a hotel and mall nearby. They told me they were recently at upscale Laucala in Taveuni where cottages cost US$6,000 a night for the cheapest rooms, contracted out for their services. They were flown to the resort and back to install airconditioners. 

The resort's owner is the Austrian big boss of Red Bull. Oprah Winfrey stays there whenever she's in Fiji. Actor Richard Gutierrez stayed there too. 

They also told me about the scarcity of chicken in Nadi, and Fiji in general. Fish is their staple source of meat due to the vast supply provided by the Pacific Ocean. In Fiji, it is fish and vegetables; root crops particularly like the kava, spinach, sweet potatoes, etc. 

Before Teddy and Marlon went back to "camp", they recommended Korean-run Grace Road Kitchen for their affordable and delicious meals. Grace Road is located inland, near the highway, about 4 blocks from Wasa wasa Road. I took note.

I waited for the last rays of the sun as they gradually faded. The sea turned from dark blue to black. Dusk in the bay is usually heralded by golden sunsets. It may not have gloriously immaculate fine white sands, but its sunsets are as majestic as they get.

Common room of Tropic of Capricorn Beach Resort. There's a pool (billiards) room too.

Wailoaloa is a coastal property in the airport city of Nadi. This map courtesy of Beautiful Holidays Fiji.

#fiji   #nadi   #southpacific   #vitilevu

Discovering Miyukinohama Beach in Odawara City (Kanagawa Prefecture)

Miyukinohama Beach. Tongue twisting name. Situated along the coastline of Sagami Bay in the slumbering city of Odawara (Kanagawa prefecture), the not-so-popular city is 35 minutes by shinkansen and roughly an hour by car from Tokyo. It's a 79.7 kilometer ride that's easy to do when you have the extra time to spare. My Lonely Planet didn't have anything about Odawara. But the castle is worth the short trip from the capital, and deserves a page in my Lonely Planet.

Emperor Meiji. This photo from Wikipedia.

Its name was derived in reference to Emperor Meiji who, in 1873, visited the then-fishing village along with his wife. He saw fishermen hauling a lot of fish off their nets and called the place, "beach of bounty". 

These days though, there's not a trace of royalty in its surroundings. With a pebbly earth and grayish sand badly needing green space, this beach has nothing much to offer but the view of the sea. Not even a cabana, a bench or a waiting shed. I didn't even see any shop nearby. People fish here sometimes. An elevated highway runs parallel beside it. Under the rampway, you'll find some interesting street art with very few people to appreciate them.

The beach is 470 meters from Odawara Castle; an easy 15-minute walk through a residential zone. The way to the beachfront is under the elevated highway. I saw some guys throwing frisbee. Others were just staring out into the sea. If there was a vibe somewhere, I totally missed it. Too bad, because with a little sprucing up - maybe plant some ornamental palm, a little landscaping and gardening, this could turn out into a popular attraction. 

For now though, there's nothing much to do but take a stroll, throw the hook of your fishing rod, fly a kite. Or just gather your thoughts. 

That's what I did.  

In the mind of some artists, Miyukinohama Beach has lush gardens with green shrubs and pink trees.

Unicolor Beach Resort, Barangay Dawis, (Digos City, Davao del Sur)

At the eastern coast of the Davao Gulf, south of Digos City, is the burough of Dawis. People used to call the stretch of black sand as "Dawis Beach" stretching northward from the pier. Now it is just "Barangay Dawis". The more open area is the southern stretch. We found Unicolor Beach Resort.

If I am not mistaken, getting a cottage will cost you P300 (or was it P500). These is a contiguous row of concrete shacks, like holes in the wall, painted in reds and blue-greens. These shacks are completely enclosed except for the entrance, thus you don't have a view of the sea. At the center of the compound is a medium-sized function hall. There's ample parking at the entrance, framed by a "tindahan", that subs as an entrance booth.

The compound has available rooms for those wanting to stay for the night. I asked about the rates - P800 and P1,200; the difference is probably in the availability of AC. The beach is, however, a few steps away. Just mind the children as there are wandering dogs everywhere. I read an online page that mentions a swimming pool. This does not have one. There are no cabanas facing the beach either; just Talisay trees.

During my visit, I saw a family bring pots of food with them so it should be safe to assume there's no corkage fee for food and beverages brought in. The resort has a Facebook page. Please refer inquiries there; not here.

You can leisurely stroll from this resort to the pier which provides a more dramatic vista of the ocean. In the golden hour of the afternoon, the sun casts a milky green hue on the sea. The stretch of dark sand north of the pier seems more inviting, with palms swaying with the gentle breeze. Next post, we'll show you the northern stretch from the pier. You can take a tricycle from Digos City proper to get to Dawis, setting you back by P80. Agree on a fare before getting in the trike.

Function Hall

Mergrande Ocean Resort and the Idyllic Beach Scenery (Davao City)

I've been to Mergrande Ocean Resort twice before. This was my third. There's a bold sign that warns against swimming due to "Big Waves" but I do wonder if this sign is actually removed out of sight. I remembered this from my last two visits. To be honest, I was looking for evidence of these gigantic waves. They seem to have gone elsewhere.

A Caucasian guy had two of his huge backpacks laid on the floor of the restaurant facing the ocean. His laptop was on. Every 30 minutes or so, he'd leave everything there then he'd saunter off and take a dip in the water. I wondered if he was just passing through. Otherwise, he'd keep his stuff inside a rented cottage.

I visited on a Monday so the place was almost deserted. Almost. There was a Japanese guy with 3 friends lounging at the restaurant. I ordered a "pansit canton" (a noodle dish) for my snack. It looked as common as most cantons, but I was surprised it was actually good. A table facing the beach was a perfect spot for relaxing and watching the waves rush to the shore. There were guys frolicking with their skim boards, it was actually fascinating watching them slide over small waves.

Mergrande Ocean Resort is a lot of things. It's a beach resort, a convention center, and an events place for prom nights and birthdays. There's a neglected mini-golf area with a castle as its entrance. There's a pond with overgrown lilies. People could stay here overnight and rent out cottages categorized into four: Captain, Pirate and Fisherman - and then there's the Duplex/Quadruplex all ranging between PhP1,500 to PhP1700 a night, with 12 PM check out time. If budget is tight, there are 90 dormitory rooms worth a measly PhP100 per head per night. There's dart, basketball, tennis and a mini-golf. And there's a huge swimming pool with slides, but we'll feature that on our next post.

CELEBRITIES

Celebrities have been here, as documented by framed photos on the wall. Edu Manzano, Sam Milby and PBB's Cass; Angel Aquino's stepped on its grounds as well. There's a canteen and a sprawling restaurant with a very laidback waiting staff, I had to go up to their counter to order instead of them coming up to me. Overall, there's a languid atmosphere that fascinates me.

The place is big enough that you'd have plenty of areas to cover for a little stroll, 8.8 hectares to be exact. And for how much? Hold your breath, it's a measly PhP25 ($0.55). If you plan on using the swimming pool, buy a separate ticket worth PhP60 ($1.35). That's a total of PhP85 - and there's plenty of options for leisure. In fact, there's the actual possibility of exploration other than the beach. How much is it at Villa Carmelita Resort or the Japanese Tunnel's pool - PhP100? If I wanted my money's worth, this would be the better option hands down. I won't even blink on it. It's a no-brainer.

As mentioned, there are open huts for the day visitors: PhP200 for the small huts and PhP700 for the big ones. The beach officially closes at 6 PM. Pool schedule is from 8:30 AM to 10 PM. There's a lifeguard manning the pool compound. The better news is, videoke is not allowed here - so people who impose their noise are prohibited here. This allows a truly relaxing time. In fact, the city feels far away.

This is the Eye in the Sky!

The way to the beach.

Playground for the children.

Mini-golf course

Pond

Restaurant

Pansit Guisado will cost you PhP65 ($1.46). 

Swimming Pool. We'll have a separate feature on this pool area which follows this posting.

Open huts

Mergrande Ocean Resort is located in Bago Aplaya, Talomo, Davao City. If you're staying at the city center, it'd probably take you 45 minutes to an hour to get there, which is south of the center, considering traffic - and the ridiculous speed limits that the city has adopted. Please do not inquire in this blog for rates and reservations. Contact them at (063-82) 298-4100 or 298-4101. You may also email them at info@mergrande.com.  There's a corresponding corkage fee for each beverage taken inside the resort. I reckon you don't have to because food and beverages at their restaurant aren't resort rates. It's an inexpensive place for dining.

Visit their website if you require more information: http://mergrande.com/

Entrance to the resort