Bellarocca Island Resort and Spa is located in Marinduque, Philippines. The island could be accessed directly via private helicopters. There are also chartered flights and luxury yachts from Manila to Marinduque. Our group however took the cheaper route and hopped on a commercial flight to mainland Marinduque.
From the airport, we were transferred to the town of Lipata, where Bellarocca is located. Our flight was delayed by a few hours but the guest service staff were patiently waiting with water, cold towels, and our private vans when we arrived.
After around 40 minutes, we arrived at the marina where we got to have our first view of Bellarocca which literally translates to “Beautiful Rock”. One could immediately see the resemblance of the design to Santorini.
We then had to board a speed boat for a brief 5-minute ride to the island. On the dock were more hotel staff waiting for our arrival. We were welcomed with a beautiful local song and leis made out of indigenous materials.
Then we were whisked off on a golf cart to the resort’s front desk where a refreshing drink (and more cold towels) await us. A personnel gave a short briefing of the island and its amenities, and which amenities come free with our accommodation.
After the orientation, we were led to our rooms where a personal note and fruit platter welcomed us. We were in four separate rooms and I was bunking with Anna. I loved our bed, especially the soft pillows.
After settling down, we went to the restaurant to have our lunch. While waiting for our food to be served, we wandered around and checked out the entertainment area. We played a couple rounds of intense Foosball until our hands felt bare from all the twisting and turning. We also saw DVDs that are free for guests to borrow – I got a copy of The Beach as I actually haven’t gotten around to finishing that movie.
Soon after, we went back to the restaurant for our lunch. Every meal at Bellarocca starts off with their bread rolls which we loved so much, but sadly I do not have a photo of. I shared the grilled seafood platter with Neri and it filled us up nicely. The food in the resort is priced higher than usual restaurants but that is to be expected in a luxury resort.
After our lunch, we jumped back on the golf carts (no, we didn’t get to drive 😦 ) for a tour of the island and other private villas. We stopped at a villa where John Lloyd Cruz apparently stayed before. It had its own private pool with a sweeping view of the surrounding water. I especially loved the bathroom which is equipped with a jacuzzi. Fancy!
We moved on to the seaside swimming pool where lots of water activities could be availed. We mostly just checked out what it had to offer and planned to go back the next day.
We circled back to the hotel and decided to swim in the lap pool while having a drink and some chips. We were hoping to catch the sunset but failed terribly because the view was obstructed by the hotel LOL. The sky was pretty though.
When it got cold and dark, we retired to our own rooms to wash up for dinner. The restaurant is beautifully lit at night. I cannot find other food photos so I do not remember exactly what we had. But I’m sure we still enjoyed the rolls haha. After dinner, we convened in one room and played charades til wee hours of the morning.
The next day, we asked to be dropped off at the seaside pool where we lounged and swam to our hearts’ content. We also asked our lunch to be served at the seaside pavilion so we do not have to drive to the hotel restaurant and back to the pool again. After siesta and some drinks, we kayaked and snorkeled until we got all wrinkly from staying in the water for so long.
As if that was not enough physical activity, we decided to climb up the highest point of the island. At this point, two of our friends begged off and retired to their room to rest instead.
Our dinner was an indulgence because it was our last main meal in the island. We had a repeat of the delicious Crispy Pata which we loved during lunch and a number of other dishes (incomplete photos again).
After dinner, we retired to the cigar room for some drinks and karaoke! There were two other groups when we got there which was quite a surprise since we barely ran into other guests during our stay. Guess everybody loves karaoke, eh?
The next morning, we had to bid our goodbyes to the beautiful island and the very attentive hotel staff. A group of staff event sent us off with their now familiar friendly waves.
I loved our brief stay at Bellarocca and if given the chance (and budget), I would go back to the island in an instant.
Poo Repository 