Lure of Bamboo Beach

The year was 1942, at the height of World War II, the American and Filipino forces defending Bataan and Corregidor were in dire need of food. A young soldier by the name of Colonel (then Captain) Jose Razon, on a special mission approved by President Manuel L. Quezon, sailed by banca from Corregidor to Nasugbu to gather supplies for his beleaguered comrades. According to local lore, the place where Colonel Razon landed and hid his banca was Bamboo Beach.

"Colonel Razon was an executive at the Central Azucarera Don Pedro and had an intimate knowledge of Nasugbu’s coastline. He knew how to safely navigate through it and avoid areas heavily guarded by the Japanese navy patrols," said Kawayan Cove President Jose Razon Puyat III.

"Bamboo Beach’s lush vegetation hid his banca, the townsfolk, who staunchly resisted the Japanese forces, helped him gather the supplies that were needed by the soldiers," he added.

For his heroic deed, Colonel Razon was awarded the Gold Cross Medal, the second highest decoration of the Philippine Army.

Back in civilian life, Colonel Razon was elected president of both the Reserve Officers Legion of the Philippines (ROLP) and the Veterans Foundations of the Philippines.

The tranquility of Nasugbu’s seaside offered respite and relaxation to Colonel Razon and his friends. Thus, he and his friends Enrique Brias and Jose de Mendezona purchased some land adjacent to Bamboo Beach, knowing that it was the best swimming beach in the area.

"Colonel Razon fell in love with Bamboo Beach because it was a refuge for people desiring a natural retreat. The lush vegetation, the pristine water and the spectacular view of the expansive sea often lured family and intimate friends to the Beach. The twin promontories also provided a unique sense of privacy," shares Puyat.

Several generations went on to celebrate nature in this rustic retreat. The Bamboo Beach experience was an escape from city living, to a place without electricity, where food was kept in ice coolers and gas lanterns were lit at sundown. One slept to the lullaby of rhythmic waves lapping at the shore and woke to the chirping of birds and the crowing of cocks.

The fact that there were no roads to Bamboo Beach did not hinder people from spending time there. While most of the visitors used small, motorized bancas to go to the beach, some had other ways of getting there. Visiting from his Calatagan ranch, Enrique Zobel once landed his helicopter right on the beach. Andres Soriano, Jr.’s yacht, the Seven Seas, often dropped anchor within the cove. On occasion, afternoon mass would be celebrated under the coconut fronds by a priest whisked from town aboard the twin-engine speedboat of Don Eduardo Roxas, who maintained a cozy native-style rest house on land he was leasing from Mr. Brias. The Roxas family owned thousands of hectares in Nasugbu, including coastal lands, but Don Eduardo preferred Bamboo Beach as his weekend retreat.

Over the years, Colonel Razon’s youngest daughter Bingle, acquired the hillsides around the cove. Bingle’s husband, Jose Puyat, also bought the portion of the property that was previously owned by Jose de Mendezona.

Today, Kawayan Cove is a 65-hectare seaside community that completely surrounds Bamboo Beach. It is the only beach property in the area with its secluded white sand beach exclusively its own, with no neighboring developments sharing the coastline.

The family has undertaken deliberate efforts to keep Bamboo Beach looking just the way it did when Colonel Razon first saw it. Thus, six decades later, the same characteristics that motivated him to acquire the property are the same characteristics that entice people to Bamboo Beach.

"We want Bamboo Beach to be enjoyed by future generations. Thus, we are developing Kawayan Cove with a deep respect for nature and the environment," Puyat added.

And just as Colonel Jose Razon and his descendants had fallen in love with Bamboo Beach, more people will surely be lured to Bamboo Beach as it opens its shores to residents who wish to experience nature at its pristine best.