When I think of Alcoy, nothing else comes to mind but bright smiles, hearty laughs and fun moments. This town, which is the municipality right after Dalaguete (if you are traveling from Cebu City), comes highly recommended for its local beaches and lush greens that most city people find relaxing and inviting.
How to get there:
Bus ride from Cebu City South Bus Terminal (aircon and non-aircon buses are available)
Vans for hire from One Citilink Terminal (GT Express)
Tingko Beach
Pros: Beautiful sunrise, relatively white sand, convenient for team building in big groups
Cons: day trip cottages are quite costly for small groups, no view of the sunset
I first had the privilege of gracing Tingko Beach in 2008, 4th year college. After our exciting “Amazing Race: Christmas Edition” which ended in Carcar (and which we didn’t win despite the heavy preparation :P), we headed to Alcoy to culminate our class Christmas party.
When we arrived, the tide was high and I was not able to control myself - being the impulsive beach lover that I am. After putting my stuff where they should be, I directly jumped into the waves and enjoyed an afternoon of swimming with my classmates and friends.
Our class spent the night on the beach and we had fun singing songs under the stars. No one bothered us - the place was safe.
The second time I visited Tingko was with two of my closest friends. At that time, we didn’t sleep overnight. We just stayed for a couple of hours. After learning that renting a table by the beach cost 200php, we decided to spread a mat on the sand instead. What a shock we had when the owner told us that putting a mat under “their” coconut tree also costs 100php!
We finally decided to put the mat near the shoreline. We swam and had fun - even sang one song (videoke machines are available; 2 songs for 5php).
On the other side of the beach, there are beautiful honeymoon villas perfect for couples who want to get away from the busy city life. I’d love to stay there when the opportunity arises. :D
Bodo’s Bamboo Bar
Pros: calm atmosphere, clean and green surroundings, jacuzzi, good pizza, good for family activities, breathtaking view of the Pacific ocean
Cons: not for those who want to go people-watching, restaurant food prices not for the budget traveler
Thanks to my friend Chelledy, I was given the idea of visiting this place. A few minutes away from Tingko beach, Bodo’s Bamboo Bar, also known as “triple B”, is nestled atop a hill overlooking the sea. The place is beautiful! It looks classy, too.
Owned by a German and Filipina couple, Bodo’s Bamboo Bar is a perfect place to rejuvenate from the stressful environment you have back home. It is equipped with 14 rooms, a pool, a jacuzzi, pool bar and a dive center. Guests can connect to the internet with free broadband WiFi. The resort also has power generators in case of brown outs.
When my two friends and I arrived in BBB from Tingko, the waitresses had quite a laugh. They pointed out that our knees were still covered in white sand! Imagine, we rode a tricycle and walked a couples of minutes (even took pictures) with white sand on our knees without even knowing!
Aside from that, I would never forget my first BBB experience because it was the first time I went swimming in a two-piece bikini suit! hahaha! I didn’t plan for it, honestly. But I was out of options, because I did not have boardshorts with me and proper swimming attire was needed. So, there I went, swam in the pool in a 2pc suit, with fats and all.
Their pizza and beer was a match made in heaven. We went around taking pictures of the green grass. I really plan to go back one day, for an overnight visit. For more information on the rates, you can check their website: http://www.bbb-alcoy.com/
