Paradise overlooking the Pacific

MANILA, Philippines - As the waves rush towards and against the brown sands of Sabang Beach with the sun setting in splashes of red orange across the sky, a visually dramatic scene is often seen in Baler, Aurora. It is as dramatic as the historical background of the place. But when you’re in a place like Costa Pacifica at 80 Buton St., Sitio Labasin, Barangay Sabang in Baler, you find all of your life’s dramas floating away and sinking into the bottom of the Pacific Ocean before you.

Managed by the Raintree Group, this heavenly spot is a quirky five-star paradise teeming with a vibrant contemporary feel that is young, carefree and fun. It’s like a hang-out place transformed into a hotel. The hotel entrance beckons you to come closer, to look around in splendor, to sit down, to eat, to swim, or to simply unwind. By the lobby, Bird’s Nest ferns burst in bloom atop a long wooden table adorned with big tribal drums and tree trunk stools. Directly above the table is what looks like a giant transparent beach ball hovering over. Both sides of the lobby hallway have twin pillowed sofas facing each other with a round black modern lattice coffee table. These lounge sofas are actually everywhere! Surrounding the jacuzzi air jet pool are many cushioned divans spread out on a grassy lawn with white umbrellas that provide a comfy shade. Nearby, the adult pool is a shallow kiddie pool with hammocks tied to palm trees. On the farther side of the lawn is a set of six wooden fish lounge chairs in monochrome lavender, pine green, orange, vermillion, red and brown sitting steady by a kindling of wooden planks all set for a bonfire.

The numero uno reason to head to Baler is because it is steadily becoming one great surf capital. The Sabang Shore is where an average of six-feet waves crash. Surf season is at an all-time high from October until February. The waves are friendlier for beginners from March to May. From October to December and even in January, the waves are really huge because of amihan. Intermediary to pro-surfers would go crazy over these types of waves. Other than surfing, you may go jet-skiing, mountain climbing and even spelunking. Baler is all about good vibes and clean fun.

The whole chill out lounge vibe extends to the music at the main restaurant, Beach House, where delicious is an understatement. Reading the dishes aloud already makes the mouth drool — for pica-pica try the pan con tomate (wood-fired crostini with fresh garlic and roasted tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil and chili salt) and spicy sweet sesame-crusted chicken wings (with black pepper gorgonzola dip); for main course, you can have chicken binakol (chicken cooked in buko juice simmered with buko meat, ginger, lemongrass and sayote) and the famous ensaladang pako (native fern salad with salted egg, tomato, onion and bagoong Balayan dressing). You may also choose the old reliables like fish and chips, wood-fired pizza and the excellent oven-roasted sweet miso butter salmon. To cleanse the palate, it would be best to grab a refresher such as mango lemonade or a cocktail in the likes of a frozen calamansi margarita. It’s so laid back that you can even play foosball by the bar while waiting for the feast to arrive on your table.

If you’re not in the mood for some summer sun, you can always have your food brought in the room. Even though there are no artworks framed on the white-washed walls, all 106 fully operational rooms have bright-hued, hand-painted ferns (pako), if not hibiscus (gumamela), in yellow, orange and turquoise. If you prefer more privacy and solitude, the Casita de Bahia units, on the other hand are further away from the resort lobby and beachfront. They are contemporary and modern bungalow-type rooms with light and dark wood furnishing and views of the swimming pool and jacuzzi.

All rooms have air-conditioning, hot and cold showers and cable TV (not that you need it). “It’s very open and spacious. All the rooms have balconies or verandas,” Costa Pacifica general manager Randy Salvador boasts of the resort. The resort makes use of a lot of natural lighting, with sliding glass doors and glass windows blending the outdoor environment indoors.

The classy Costa Pacifica was constructed under talented architect Ed Calma, who, by the way, marks a milestone by accomplishing his first resort. Overall, the place is dressed down, quite Zen-like but with surprise accent pieces and accents of bold colors. The architecture of the hotel is modern, but there’s an infusion of a lot of local material. The wood (malapututan) from some of the furniture and even in the structural improvements is indigenous to the area from the mountains of Baler. The beautiful light orbs that hang above the lobby and the Beach House Restaurant are award-winning designs by Ed Calma.

You can’t help but be overwhelmed by nature’s pulchritude in Baler. Seeing the shades of blue in the skyline and the aquamarine glistening water that contrasts with the lush greens of the Sierra Madre mountain range is enough to soothe the nerves and the mind. And to calm down a weary city-dweller. Baler has a 70-percent forest cover and 328 kilometers of pure coast.

In Baler can also be found the world-renowned Charlie’s Point, Cemento Reef and two waterfalls in San Luis — the Caunayan Falls and Ditumabo Falls. With a land blessed with such environmental treasures, it is no wonder that the people fought hard not to lose it when the Siege of Baler happened. A placard by the door of the Church of Baler recounts the event, “A Spanish garrison of four officers and 50 men was besieged in this church by Filipino insurgents from June 27, 1898 to June 2, 1899.” Among the numerous bitter defeats the Philippines has experienced in its long history of succumbing to colonizers, the Siege of Baler is one that stands out as a testament to Filipino victory. Katipuneros won against both the Spanish and the Americans. The brave-hearted katipuneros even captured an American contingent sent to rescue the Spanish.

Randy points out, “Baler has a lot of history in its backbone. That’s why Baler is infused with Spanish influence as observed from the rich flavors in the food, the Baler houses and churches. And (former president) Manuel L. Quezon was born here.” The resort is a quick trip from town where you can visit Museo de Baler and across it, Doña Aurora Quezon’s house, the ancestral home of the country’s former first lady, the wife of President Quezon.

Cultural history is just a small facet of  Baler’s richness. Baler is that sacred space where you can journey inwards through nature, and Costa Pacifica is just that luxurious haven that keeps intact every urbanite’s needs.

Photos by Luis Espiritu Jr.,

Rita Marie Abiog and Denise Roco