Mount Sea Grand Resort:  Hidden paradise in Cavite

Spend all week talking about your weekend.

At the recently concluded “Singles Getaway” event organized by Victory Christian Fellowship, I realized that a weekend of games, fun, camaraderie and fellowship in an exquisite resort just outside the city can be a life-enriching experience.

Driving through the streets of Kawit and Binakayan in Cavite and passing by the ancestral home of Emilio Aguinaldo, many thoughts came to mind. This province embodies a revolutionary past and teems with natural attractions, from spectacular waterfalls to glorious beaches. However, Bacoor and Tanza seem to be extensions of cosmopolitan Manila, peppered with several factories, the PEZA zone, refineries and neon lights. Further south, beach resorts in what were once shipbuilding towns — Noveleta, Rosario and Tanza — cater to city slickers.

Who would ever think that in the middle of this somewhat urban jungle of Barrio Capipisa, Tanza, there would be a refreshing oasis, a sanctuary called Mount Sea Grand Resort?

As I entered the lobby, I felt transported to an exhilarating world of luxury. I thought I was daydreaming as I explored the resort wedged between the mountains and the sea. Feeling like Mona Lisa, I embarked on an ocular inspection of the fabulous haven. My eyes gazed upon the safari-themed pool area, which included well-landscaped pools, challenging water slides and various life-sized animal carvings like crocodiles, gorillas and other reptiles. It has tortoise-shaped inflatable trapeze beds, a hut in the middle of the pool, cascading waterfalls plus exquisite caves in a hidden lagoon that resemble the lodgings of Banak and Dyangga in the Dyesebel movies of my childhood. It all seemed so surreal like being in an African safari where images of the Big Five of the African bush and thatched rondavels bear a tribal heart-thumping beat.

No wonder, international star Jang Dong-Gun, the star of the Koreanovela series All About Eve, enjoyed staying in this new hotel resort. Honestly, I never expected Mount Sea Grand Resort to be so beautiful. It is a hidden paradise in the middle of rustic Cavite. Replete with its verdant landscape, the resort has panoramic views of the sea, sunrise and sunset.

The main building itself is a monumental work of art, conceived with a world-class hotel in mind. The hotel has 124 guest rooms, with all the deluxe facilities including white linens and soft duvet. My roommate Nikki Joy Real and I were awed by the sheer comfort of our room that had a view overlooking the sea.

According to resort PR manager JR Mercado, Mount Sea Grand takes pride in being the only resort in the Southern Tagalog region that has a duvet in each guest room. This comforter-cum-blanket provides supreme relaxation during the guest’s stay.

We had a hearty Filipino breakfast at the superbly appointed Yang-tze restaurant, which serves what’s perhaps the best Asian fusion cuisine this side of town. The fine-dining setting, painted in exotic green and adorned by bakawan branches, radiates a cozy relaxed ambience and represents a return to nature.

Dishes from mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and other parts of Asia are prepared by the resort’s master chef. JR excitedly shared that Korean celebrity Jang immensely enjoyed a variety of dishes, most especially the sizzling seafood. Some of the house specialties are Hunan-style beef, golden mushroom soup with crabmeat, fried spareribs in spiced salt, Mount Sea shrimp ball, and fish fillet with toasted garlic. One of the most notable and in-demand dishes at Yang-tze is the uniquely tasty stuffed broccoli (broccoli flower stuffed with mashed shrimp and back fat), served with a special wine sauce.

The hotel staff beamed with warm Caviteno hospitality as they assisted the delegates at the Amazing Race obstacle games to foster camaraderie, sportsmanship and teambuilding. Other facilities of the resort include aqua sports, kayaking, water trampoline, speedboat, and jet skiing. They also have an Internet room, karaoke, darts, billiards, beach volleyball and more.

It was definitely a treat to have our singles getaway weekend in a lovely paradise. In the well-appointed function room of the posh resort, we listened to dynamic VCF pastors and learned that the three most important relationships are with our families who give us unconditional love, and real friends who are like highways that guide us where we desire to go and above all, an intimate connection with God as we surrender our dreams to Him.

Hollywood Night reigned supreme as the participants donned their choice outfits to resemble their favorite Hollywood star. Vibrant and talented delegates shined as they performed music numbers spoofing Jessica Rabbit, Reese Witherspoon, Snow White and more. What brought the house down was the karaoke singing contest wherein your “triumph” would be measured by the loudness of your voice. Never mind if you couldn’t carry a tune. It was simply hilarious. Delectable chocolates were generously given out as prizes to everyone.

Mount Sea Grand Resort is truly a perfect sanctuary not only for fellowship groups but also for corporate affairs, conferences, family outings, romantic honeymoons and weekend getaways like what I joined.

It was an invitation to celebrate life and our uniqueness. To have surroundings that match your imagination, to be ushered into spacious rooms with the scent of lavender and eucalyptus, to experience a private sunrise waiting patiently outside your scenic window, to welcome the day enveloped in unquestioning joy and contentment.

I am so glad I accepted it.

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For inquiries about Mount Sea resorts, call its Manila sales office at 301-0530 local 285 or 290 or log on to www.mountsearesorts.com.

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E-mail the author at miladay.star@gmail.com.