Thirty-seven (37) Photos That Probably Would Make You Book and Go Now to Coal Mountain Resort

 

Just recently, PAG-ASA declared that summer has officially hit the Philippines. Summer means hot weather — time to go somewhere to cool the warm summer breeze.

You are most likely hitting on the beach now, right? That would be a good idea to beat the summer heat. But why not try a resort not along the seashore but on the top of a mountain? YES, you read it right, a resort located at the top of a mountain — away from the muddled sight of a city and tucked on a mountain bounded by beautiful landscapes of Argao, surrounded by verdant scenery that will surely give you peace, fun, thrill and most importantly the refreshing coolness that will vanish the scorching hotness of the sun.

And these are the photos on how our friends slayed this summer hot madness in Coal Mountain Resort.

*How to get there, estimated expenses and tips for your trip can be gleaned at the last part of the blog.

The Ride

1. The habal-habal ride took us almost an hour. It was a long ride but the view along the road of Argao’s geographical landscapes was amazing. I enjoyed looking at the scenery while going through the mountain top heading toward Coal Mountain Resort.

At First Sight

2. When we arrived at Coal Mountain Resort, the first thing that we saw was this horse statue that probably greeted us and everyone else with its salute. Neigh!

3. Another statue, a statue of a couple, the owners of the resort, I guess…

4. Then this kidney-shaped pool with its 4-ft deep of water perfect for children’s dipping and swimming area…

5. Argao’s mountains as background of these Euphorbia flowers… Beautiful, aren’t they?

Lunch

6. Lunch time! The only drawback about the food was that it took time to prepare it. We waited for about 30-45 minutes, nevertheless the food was great. We enjoyed a lutong-bahay kind of food here. Nom nom!

Karaoke

7. While waiting for the food to be served, we killed the time by singing our hearts out with the karaoke.

Demo Tunnel

8. The next activity was exploring the tunnel of the resort and experiencing what it feels like to be a miner. Guests are advised to wear boots, helmets and to use headlamps.

9. This tunnel is just a replica of the real mining spot. This is just for tourists who are curious about how it feels like to enter a tunnel of a coal mine. The staff said that the real mine is just located nearby. Anyway, it was muddy, dark and hot inside the tunnel.

10. It was a 10-minute walking and almost crawling adventure until we reached the light at the end of the tunnel.

11. Idas is caught on cam finally relieved after touring inside the tunnel and laughed her heart out after conquering her fear of darkness. *Naaaaks!

12. Here’s a sample of a coal.

At Second Sight

13. After the tunnel adventure, we snapped around again and saw more flowers in the resort. I think these are dancing lady orchids. Such a beauty!

14. Beautiful mini bridge and guess what’s under that bridge.

15. Under that bridge is a pond and there are a number of kois, huge kois swimming in it.

16. There’s a mini zoo in the resort. I personally don’t like zoos, but if you wanna see them, there are rabbits, birds, ostriches, monkeys, reptiles, snakes, etc.

17. One of the favorite photos I captured here is this one. The place is just peaceful and beautiful.

 

      18.What I love in this resort is the variety of flowers where your eyes can feast upon.

19. Statue of Mother Mary

Night Came

20. When darkness started to envelope the sky, we had night swim at the heart-shaped pool. But don’t be deceived by this heart because this is a 7-ft deep pool, so deep that you might get drowned if you don’t know how to swim. *Hwag magmadaling magpaloko ng puso,” haha!

 

    21.  There are two huge carabao sculptures near the pool, a simple reminder  that this place was a carabao grazing ground before— the rustic past transformed into an extraordinarily beautiful resort. *Hala ang kabaw!”

Dinner

22. After swimming we had dinner in the terraces under the star-filled sky with the cold breeze whispered by the mountains on summer nights. *This is life!!!

Stargazing

23. Actually, the network signal here is weak or nothing at all. There’s no Wi-Fi but I love the disconnection. I love being away from social media and the distractions of technology because I got the chance to relax and enjoy the tranquillity that this resort offers. So what else is there to do but star gaze! *Kanindot nalang jud!.

Slumber Time

    24 .It’s sleeping time and this is our deluxe room with its soft and comfy bed. *Goodnight…

25. A mini fridge full of snacks and food

And It’s Morning Time

26. First taste of light in the morning. Such an amazing sight…

27. The thing I missed during this stay was viewing the sunset and the sunrise. The sun that sets and rises is blocked by the Argao Mountains. The visible signs of its rising and setting are the colors splashing in the firmament.

28. Our kind of breakfast

Hanging Bridge

29. The first adventure that awaited us was walking on the hanging bridge as it swung here and there. Lol. Haha, It was fun!

Another Swimming Pool

30. At the end of the hanging bridge lies a swimming pool and the water comes from a fresh and unspoiled spring. The water is very clear and clean. That’s why  I really, really love it here.

31. You will definitely love spending your summer outing here alone.

32. Or with a company of friends or loved ones.

33. Because the deepest part of this swimming pool is 16 ft, one can go jumping from a high platform ranging from 15 ft.  to 25 ft.

 

Zipline

35. Another activity that we did after swimming was zipline. The zipline was amazing while viewing the green scenery of nature.

Food and Halo-halo

36. Before heading home we ate again another set of lunch. Delicious!!!

37. Never miss to eat halo-halo here. Aside from being yummy, it’s a perfect way to beat the heat, too.

These are the photos I snapped during my weekend stay in the resort with my friends. Personally, my favorite experience was jumping from a high 15ft platform to the 16ft deep swimming pool because I conquered my big fear of jumping. It was  crazzzzy. Lol!

 

How to get there?

• Ride a bus at South Bus Terminal bound for Argao. The fare for the air-conditioned bus is Php 95.00 and for the non-aircon is  Php 84.00. Drop off at Argao Town Proper.

 

• Look for habal-habal that will take you to Coal Mountain Resort. The fare is  Php 120.00, no need to haggle since its  already a fixed rate.

 

Tips and Reminders

• Plan to take your bus trip early to avoid heavy traffic, save time and have a chance to maximize your trip.

 

• The habal-habal ride will take almost an hour to reach the destination, so better wear something to cover yourself to avoid the sun’s hottest rays or to prevent getting wet in case of rain. Some parts of the road are rough, not cemented and dusty, so you better cover your nose and face.

 

• Plan and negotiate with your habal-habal driver if you want to be fetched for there are no public transportation in the area near the resort.

 

• The resort has three swimming pools, the  4- ft kidney- shaped pool , 7-ft heart-shaped pool and the 7-16-ft pool which is the largest. Life vests are provided for those who desire to use them.

 

• The coal mining demo stretches up to 145 meters long and is 70 feet below the ground. Have no fear of being trapped or being in the dark. Be wary of your surroundings and behave properly while exploring the tunnel.

 

• Always observe cleanliness.

 

• Never ever try to feed the animals.

 

• Bring extra money for emergency purposes.

 

• If you plan to go camping there, you may pitch a tent in a specified area.

 

• Since its location is at the top of a mountain expect that during night time the temperature drops so you better bring a jacket.

 

• There’s no Wi-Fi and signal from networks is very weak or none at all.  Just enjoy the disconnection.

 

•  For bookings and other resort information,  contact  0918-965-6081.

 

•  Prices may change without prior notice.

 

 

Rates and Prices

 

Php 100.00 – Entrance ( Adults 12 Above)

Php 50.00 – Kids ( 4 to 12 years old)

Free – (0-3 years old)

 

Php 30.00 – Demo Tunnel

Php 50.00 –  Tunnel Gear

Php 150.00 – Zipline

Php 150.00 – Cable Car