First-Time Travels
Menu
  • Home
  • About FTT
  • Contents and Countries
    • FTT Table of Contents
    • Argentina
    • Brunei
    • Cambodia
    • Canada
    • China
    • Hong Kong
    • India
    • Indonesia
    • Japan
    • Laos
    • Lebanon
    • Macau
    • Malaysia
    • Mexico
    • Myanmar
    • Morocco
    • New Zealand
    • Northern Mariana Islands
    • Palau
    • Philippines
    • Singapore
    • South Korea
    • Sri Lanka
    • Taiwan
    • Thailand
    • UAE
    • US
    • Vietnam
  • Contact FTT
  • Home
  • About FTT
  • Contents and Countries
    • FTT Table of Contents
    • Argentina
    • Brunei
    • Cambodia
    • Canada
    • China
    • Hong Kong
    • India
    • Indonesia
    • Japan
    • Laos
    • Lebanon
    • Macau
    • Malaysia
    • Mexico
    • Myanmar
    • Morocco
    • New Zealand
    • Northern Mariana Islands
    • Palau
    • Philippines
    • Singapore
    • South Korea
    • Sri Lanka
    • Taiwan
    • Thailand
    • UAE
    • US
    • Vietnam
  • Contact FTT

First-time in Kamana Sanctuary


By Claire Algarme | November 8, 2012 | Category Asia, Luzon, Philippines

Kamana Sanctuary

The photo of their Casitas was enough for me to agree to a weekend getaway during the long holiday in observance of All Saints Day and All Souls Day.

Kamana Sanctuary Resort & Spa was what I expected the weekend would be – full of relaxation and reassuringly stress-free.

SCTEX

Taking the SCTEX to Subic.

Kamana is tucked away in Subic, Zambales. Subic used to be a US Naval base and is now converted into an export processing zone. You will find Freeport Exchange and other duty-free shops around Subic. It has become part of the itinerary to stop by the shops going to and coming from Kamana.

Three hours away from Manila, Subic can be reached by land via the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX). For those who opt to bring a car to Subic, be careful to observe the strict traffic rules within the former naval base.

Subic Bay

Subic Bay.

Trying to beat possible heavy traffic in the tollways, we decided to leave Manila early morning. Still, we arrived in Subic just a bit early for lunch. Aresi was our choice because of its delectable Italian cuisine. Pasta and pizza sated us before we embarked on a short drive to the resort.

Kamana Sanctuary

The entrance of Kamana Sanctuary.

Passing through the winding roads of Subic, with monkeys to catch our attention along the way, we took a small road to enter Kamana. It was more like a trail and could fit a single vehicle. Trees and plants filled both sides of the road, bringing us closer to nature. Finally, we entered somewhat like an industrial area and Kamana’s entrance came into view.

Kamana’s open space. The white buildings blended well with the clear blue skies. Photo by Claire Algarme.

The clear blue skies and the clean, white painted buildings of Kamana were cool to the eyes. We checked in our rooms, which were just on the ground floor, and dumped in our belongings. The beds and pillows were soft and the room amenities were complete. Our room leads to a veranda where we could hang out and chat and view the beach and the common grounds.

Kamana Sanctuary

The large open space at the center of the buildings.

We took our rounds starting from the beach, which is clean and has a great view of the Casitas. The casitas are ideal for families who can take the villas as their temporary homes while in Kamana. Then we inspected the infinity pool, a lovely one but could have been better if it was built a bit bigger for safety and to accommodate many swimmers.

The infinity pool is enticing for a relaxing dip. Photo by Claire Algarme.

Since it was a long holiday, Kamana Sanctuary offered a Halloween buffet and Octoberfest party two nights in a row. We availed of the buffet, which cost P770, featuring grilled seafood, a roasted pig’s head, and some meat and vegetable dishes. We felt that with the price, the buffet can still be improved on, especially if this is a recurring endeavor.

Dinner al fresco. Photo by Claire Algarme.

The three days were spent swimming by the sea, with its clear waters. Just be careful of huge rocks. Because of the calm waters, it was great to just float and relax. Children built sand castles without any threat of waves to destroy them. We also tried the infinity pool. It was warm and great to cap the day, but with many swimmers in the pool, you cannot really swim around. Better to stay on the side and enjoy the scenic view of Subic Bay while watching the sunset on the horizon.

Our rooms are found in this building.

Our rooms are found in this building.

Kamana Sanctuary

The cabanas.

Kamana Sanctuary is a perfect place to seek refuge from the hustle and bustle of city life. It is accessible, thanks to the highways that made land travel more convenient. Also, since it is in Subic, there are other options if you feel you want an activity-laden trip. Zoobic and Ocean Adventure are within Subic’s vicinity. Shopping and dining out are also good options for the many stores and restaurants in Subic. Budget-wise, it is not too expensive because it gives visitors value for their money. True enough, Kamana is a sanctuary for those who are in need of recharging and rejuvenation.

Kamana Sanctuary

The beach.

 

Related

Spread the love
  • 16
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
    16
    Shares

Tags: blogsherpa, getaway, Philippines, travel, travel blog, Zambales

2 thoughts on “First-time in Kamana Sanctuary”

  • sherdy joiwin says:
    November 15, 2012 at 1:23 am

    This is what expert cruise counselors are looking for 🙂 .. Thanks mate for sharing this wonderful place.

    Reply
  • Nico says:
    November 15, 2012 at 10:09 am

    It looks like a nice place to go to, but also has thte feel of a weekend retreat for people from the big city in the way you describe it. A good place to recharge if you’re stuck in the city maybe.

    Nico recently posted… Unforgettable Things to do in Barcelona

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

The Blogger


Claire Marie Algarme: After two decades of living in the Philippine capital, she moved back to her quiet hometown where she now focuses on honing her writing career. More on her profile at the "About Me" page. Click on the photo above to take you there. - Finalist, Thailand Medical Tourism Blog Contest, 2010 - Winner, Globe's #Wonderful Blog Contest, 2016 - Cast, Kerala Blog Express Season 4, 2017. For collaboration and sponsored content, contact her at claire@firsttimetravels.com.

FTT is proud to be a


Top Posts & Pages


  • First-time in Balokon Spring Resort
  • Festivals of Negros Occidental
  • Korean Variety Shows with Travel Themes
  • 5 Heritage Landmarks in Siquijor
  • Jitaku Private Resort: In the Heart of Bacolod
  • Making a Difference: Preserving Cultural Heritage
  • Road Trip to Bacolod
  • Charitable Institutions to Visit in Bacolod
  • Contact FTT
  • A Ribshack Delight in Bacolod

Categories


  • Africa
  • Argentina
  • Asia
  • Australasia and the Pacific
  • Brunei
  • business travel
  • Cambodia
  • Canada
  • China
  • Europe
  • events and promo
  • food
  • heritage
  • Hong Kong
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Japan
  • Laos
  • Lebanon
  • Luzon
  • Macau
  • Malaysia
  • Mexico
  • Mindanao
  • Morocco
  • Myanmar
  • New Zealand
  • North America
  • Northern Mariana Islands
  • Palau
  • Philippines
  • Singapore
  • South America
  • South Korea
  • Sri Lanka
  • Taiwan
  • Thailand
  • travel guide
  • UAE
  • Uncategorized
  • US
  • Vietnam
  • Visayas
  • volunteerism
  • with locals
  • women travel
  • World travel
January 2021
M T W T F S S
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
« Nov    

Subscribe to my blog!

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Voted Top Travel Blog

Tripoto
Finalist in the 2010 Tourism Authority of Thailand Medical Tourism Blog Contest.

Support First-time Travels





My visitors:

Pages

  • About FTT
    • Contact FTT
  • FTT Table of Contents

Recent Posts

  • First-time at the Phaya Thai Palace
  • 10 things to see in Siargao
  • First-time in Chocolate Ville, Bangkok
  • Korean Variety Shows with Travel Themes
  • First-time at the Jim Thompson House & Museum
  • First-time in Wat Bang Kung
  • First-time in the Amphawa Floating Market
  • First-time in the Maeklong Railway Market
  • Chinese New Year celebrations around the world
  • The international cuisines at Vikings Bacolod

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Theme created by PWT. Powered by WordPress.org

← Free Freedom Island ← The Nutcracker at the Manila Hotel