All I could remember from the night before was crawling to my upper bunk bed inside the cabin I shared with fellow travel bloggers Mujee and Joel. I recalled vomiting violently on the toilet—no thanks to losing consistently at our little drinking game that got a bit out of hand. Meaning: all us guys ended up wasted on the veranda while the girls stood victorious and the last ones standing, laughing at how squandered we looked.
Beach Hideaway: Fun Shindig at Crusoe Cabins and Aquaria Waterpark
I woke up on the wooden floor of the porch, somehow finding my way back there after I had laid down on my bed. The thing is, I found it very comfortable. I loved feeling the cool wind emanating from the open field, lush with meadow grass and a thick line of trees at the edge of the resort’s property.
If there’s a perfect place to get drunk and wake up with a hangover—I figured the location where Crusoe Cabins is situated is the right place to rouse back to consciousness.
Throbbing head and all, I staggered to the beachfront where I caught sight of a number of different bird species and felt my feet over the cold granules of the sand. I found rest on a bench under a tree blossomed with red leaves. “Can’t really find any fault with this place,” I once again told myself.
You see, Crusoe Cabins and its sister property, Aquaria Water Park—both sitting in the same location—scream of an ideal hideaway tucked along the long shoreline of Calatagan Beach in Batangas. It was the second and last morning of our stay there. Suddenly feeling sober, I recalled the many fun moments I shared with my friends, which all started the moment we arrived.
First things first, the water slides
We wasted no moment upon our arrival at Aquaria Water Park. After hurrying up with our late lunch and putting our stuff inside our assigned cabins, all ten of us quickly gathered at the pool and took turns sliding down the snaking water slide. Aquaria has a number of pools measuring from three, four, five, and six feet. The pool where the main three-story slide slithers through is five to six feet deep.
Riding on tandem inflatables, we took turns going up and sliding down into the pool like little kids.
Sunset Chill at the 360 Bar by the Beach
After our swimming session, we ordered some beers, cocktail drinks, and sandwiches at the 360 Bar located by the beach as we waited for the sunset—which directly sinks at the edge of the ocean across the shore of Calatagan.
The afterglow of the sunset created a fiery-looking sky reflecting beautifully over the waters. It was a cue for us to shoot portraits of ourselves against the stunning backdrop.
Bonfire Sessions ♫ Sa Ilalim ng Dilaw na Buwan ♫
Crusoe Cabins built a small dome structure for bonfires so as not to tamper with the shore elements along the beachfront. After our first night’s dinner, we gathered there under the super moon-lit night skies and sound-tripped to a few favorite songs in between humming the overplayed ♫ Sa ilalim ng puting ilaw, sa ilalim ng dilaw na buwan ♫ song.
Our bida-bida with a good cause friend Mujee took out his brand new phone and showed us its camera’s nighttime capabilities by shooting portraits of each of us.
Chill and Drinks at the Cabins
Crusoe Cabins provides two different cabin locations: the beachfront and the garden view. They have a total of thirteen cabins that can accommodate up to five to six persons. Each cabin is built in a container van type of space featuring a small bedroom, a living room, and a bathroom. While my other travel blogger friends transferred to a beachfront cabin the next day, I was glad my cabin assignment remained the same.
The cabin's veranda fronting the spacious field of meadow grass became my favorite spot in between our island hopping and swimming activities during the day, as I found the scenery very therapeutic. I even took a nap on the floor enjoying the cool breeze as the resort's resident cat lay beside me.
During our first night, we gathered at the porch of our cabin for a drinking game. Yeah, the infamous drinking session that got me and a couple of friends lying futile on the floor—and myself sending a few drunk messages to Mariane and a couple of girlfriends.
Sandbar Hopping
Don’t worry, you won’t suffer cabin fever or boredom while spending more than two days at Crusoe Cabins and Aquaria. There are a few side trip options nearby, so you must avail of the island hopping tour offered by the resort. Aside from a few snorkeling and dive spots, there’s the magnificent Calatagan sandbar stretching to almost five hundred meters that can be visited less than thirty minutes from the shoreline of Calatagan.
We went there the next day and just enjoyed frolicking under the sun in between strides toward both ends of the sandbar. While my other travel blogger friends videotaped themselves dancing over the fine white sands (for IG story content purposes), I opted to enjoy the crystal-clear waters by swimming at the other end.
You can rent a boat from the resort for four thousand pesos for up to fifteen persons, or four hundred pesos per person.
Another side-trip destination is the EZ Museum, located ten minutes away by land from Aquaria. The EZ Museum houses memorabilia and other interesting historical and cultural items collected by the late Enrique Zobel and his family, who all hailed from the town of Calatagan.
Overall, it was a pleasant experience just hanging out with old and new friends alike in a place I had never explored before. The beaches of Calatagan have plenty to offer, and with the remote getaway vibe of Crusoe Cabins and the fun activities you can enjoy at Aquaria Waterpark, you don’t have to find another place to spend a lovely long weekend with your family or friends.
- Want to see more beach destinations near Metro Manila? Click here
Click Image to book a stay at Aquaria Waterpark and Crusoe Cabins.
