Cruising

By Pinky Concha Colmenares, Photos by Anjo Perez

CURRIMAO Green Nipa Beach Front

Five hundred kilometers – or about 10 hours on the road, with two meal stops – is a driving exercise that needs a very good destination. Currimao, a small town with a population of 15,000 people (as of 2005 census) – is a good reason to drive that far! For most people who’d rather fly, Currimao is only about 40 minutes leisurely drive from the international airport in Laoag City. It is through that “door” where Currimao is being discovered by thousands of tourists whose number easily tops the local population. One of the resorts, the Currimao Green Nipa Beach Resort, recorded 12,000 guests in 2007. (According to the local tourism office, Nipa Resort had 54,484 arrivals since 2005!)

When we drove into Currimao last month, we were only aware of that municipality in Ilocos Norte as an emerging tourist haven from the town’s webpage. We were impressed about one resort, Sitio Remedios, a slice of an Old World neighborhood put together by a doctor, stories of which we had read in the papers. And we had the name of a new resort – Playa Tropical – as our ‘home’ for the weekend event of Honda Cars Philippines. During the day, we discovered that Currimao had six first-class resorts, most of them so new, the construction workers were still at the site.

Playa Tropical and Pangil Beach Resort opened only early this year. Both already have workers making way for expansion wings. And Sitio Remedios which opened two years ago, is fully booked until December.

Playa Tropical is a Balinese-inspired resort sprawling on a wide beachfront. Its unique accommodations are the fully-airconditioned casas which can house a family at the mezzanine floor and a room on the ground floor adjacent to the living area. What makes this place truly luxurious is a private pool at the back of the cabana! Room rates are from P2,000 to P5,500 for hotel rooms, and from P6,000 to P8,500 for the casa.

Familiar resort rooms are also available at the main building which replicates the old Spanish structures in that part of the north. A major attraction that unfolds every afternoon on a clear day is a magnificent sunset over the resort’s infinity pool. Pool attendants are so small-town hospitable that they even serve you food and drinks while you are in the water – how can anyone not enjoy the view?

Along the same beach front is the Old World charm exuded by Sitio Remedios. When you watch the sunset from there, an extra-strength nostalgia envelops you when the old structures turn yellow to golden to amber. If you had spent many days in your grandmother’s house, you will remember the warm feelings that come with the end of the day, when play ends and family time begins.

The charm of this old neighborhood starts when you enter the large wooden gate and walk through the garden alley leading to the town center. A theme-park-sized Spanish church is at your right, a fountain in the middle of a plaza is in front of you, and a row of old Spanish houses are lined further ahead. But I shall not attempt to bring the mood of that sitio into this story. Ethel Soliven Timbol has allowed us to reprint her article on that beautiful place that lives in many memories. That is the same article that captured my curiosity to visit this place. (Read: A Heritage Village by the sea)

Signs

The largest, and most popular resort in that town is the Currimao Green Nipa Beach Resort, owned and managed by Taiwanese investors. Valen Ranale, the assistant manager, said the resort welcomes groups of 100 to 150 tourists from Taiwan twice a week. Only 10 percent of their guests are locals coming from Manila and Laoag City. Aside from the strong Taiwanese market, Green Nipa Beach Resort is also visited by owners on a time-sharing package, who are residents of Canada and the U.S.

The resort, which opened in 1999, has a hundred rooms with the usual resort amenities – large swimming pool under palm trees and overlooking the beach; beach huts; outdoor sports gear (jet skis, bancas), restaurant, videoke bar, disco place, billiards hall, and spa. Entering the gates of the resort brings you to the familiar world-class busy resort which you must have experienced in one of the resorts in Cavite, Batangas or Cebu.

Pangil Beach Resort

Pangil Beach Resort is located a few kilometers from the town center and cluster of resorts. Its concrete structure faces the South China Sea, a vantage point that was used in designing the main hall which has a wide door opening to the vast blue horizon. Opened in April 23, many workers are still doing construction work around the grounds. But the main building is fully completed, and a huge function room tells us that Currimao can expect a celebration from its visitors.

Its 28 rooms open to a view of the sea, with high-tech gadgets for in-room entertainment, like 32-inch LCD tv sets, and hot and cold water in the bath. An infinity pool and kiddie pool are in the garden, which when we visited, was being landscaped by local gardeners. Room rates start at P3,500 a day.

The other resorts in Currimao are:

Go Lucky Hotel & Restaurant is located in Barangay Gaang, and has 20 air-conditioned rooms. It has facilities to entertain the guests who want to explore the beach and the sea, game rooms for billiard and videoke, and picnic sheds. Room rates are from P1,000 to P2,500.

Kadilian Beach Resort has four air-conditioned rooms with rates starting at P2,500. Its facilities are a swimming pool, conference hall, beach huts, picnic sheds. Its regular guests are locals and balikbayans.

Subli-Subli Beach Resort is located in Barangay Salugan. It has ordinary and air-conditioned rooms, with facilities for locals out on a day-trip. These are picnic sheds, beach huts, billiard hall and function hall.

Go’s Beach Resort is a private place which can be used by special permission for free. It has four air-conditioned rooms and several picnic sheds.

Currimao is a good place to stay when you are touring Ilocos Norte. There are many historical sites located in neighboring towns and the well-paved road system makes traveling comfortable. Ask for assistance to get a tour guide from your hotel. Among the historical and man-made sites you should visit are the Marcos Museum in Batac, the Cape Bojeador lighthouse in Burgos, the giant windmills in Bangui, the Patapat Bridge and the famous white sand beaches in Pagudpud, the Paoay Church, a World Heritage Site, and the famous lake, in Paoay town. Tourists set a day for exploring Laoag City, the capital of Ilocos Norte, starting with the Museo Ilocos Norte, the Sinking Bell Tower, St. William’s Cathedral, Sta. Monica Church, and the Tobacco Monopoly Monument.