Punta Fuego . let's go!

MANILA, Philippines - If you only have the oh-so-brief weekend to get off work and you want to go away without really going far away, where do you go?

Answer: Go to Punta Fuego in Nasugbu, Batangas! Like we did one simmering Saturday morning, packing our little travel-worn overnight bags, stuffing the back of our SUV with bottles of mineral water and bags of junk food, and buckling up and quieting down a couple of hyperkinetic kids.

After a hefty lunch in Tagaytay and a little sightseeing along the way, we were at Club Punta Fuego in barely two hours. Our restless six-year-old Andre and nine-year-old Mico couldn’t wait to hit the water. But with so many kiddie pools and beaches to choose from at Club Punta Fuego and the nearby Terrazas de Punta Fuego (yes, where Regine Velasquez and Ogie Alcasid recently sealed their wedding vows with a song in their hearts), our little guys would soon find themselves making a really big decision. Meanwhile, our Filipino-Canadian balikbayans Chito Yorro and Jowie Jucal couldn’t wait to check out the golf course (the Nelson & Haworth-designed nine-hole executive golf course). As for me, I couldn’t wait to check into my room and sink into the warm sheets for a much-needed shut-eye. Check this out: My spacious bedroom also has a spacious bathroom with unglazed tiles leading to a pocket garden. On top of that, it’s got a view of the sea — as far as the eye can see!

Home sweet hacienda: Located in Tiaong, Quezon, Hacienda Escudero is inspired by everything that is truly Filipino.

A little historical trivia: Located in Nasugbu, Batangas, Punta Fuego (read: point of fire) was the scene of battle between the Spanish galleon San Diego and the Dutch battleship Mauritius in 1600. Originally part of the Roxas family hacienda, this 88-hectare flame-shaped land mass juts out to the South China Sea, sheltering 12 beach coves.

Now we know where our favorite dining place — San Diego restaurant — took its name. Today, it’s the culinary playground where the innovative executive chef Mikel Arriet Arruiz wields his magic ladle to churn out a feast fit for the Spanish king. Yes, Mikel, a sucker for soccer, is from the Basque province of Spain. Also lending his expertise in the ever-bustling Cocina de Mikel is Filipino executive sous chef/resident chef Cefri Avinante. Hail to the chefs!

Especially for his Manila guests, the gracious Chef Mikel cooked up a storm (if there was really a storm brewing, we really wouldn’t mind getting stranded in his kitchen). On our first night, he laid out a spread of the best of his Spanish specialties plus a turkey carving station (it being Thanksgiving Day in America). Esta delicioso, Chef Mikel!

Life’s a beach and more: Playa Calatagan, the country’s first tourism estate designed around a beach community in Calatagan, Batangas, captures the best of nature, culture, and history for a perfect holiday every day.

After so much delicious food, the guys craved a little drink and a little music. A few steps from the San Diego Restaurant, the Club’s main restaurant featuring European fine dining cuisine, there was a little band playing, much to our hearts’ delight. The guys ordered some peanuts and drinks, and savored the music while kicking off their shoes and getting a feel of the grass without a care in the world.

For our degustation lunch the next day, Chef Mikel dazzled our taste buds with a scintillating set menu consisting of: salmon tartar salad for starters; French onion soup for a bracing warm-up; a hot entrée of Surf & Turf (grilled medallion of beef and prawns robustly sitting on top, mashed potato and pumpkin, and a bouquet of green vegetables); plus a symphony of desserts (cheese eruption with nuts and vanilla ice cream) for a cool, not-soon-to-be-forgotten ending.

Now, having stuffed ourselves to the gills, the girls’ big question was: How do we fit into our teeny-weeny bikinis?

Surely, Chef Mikel loves to pamper his guests, including the little ones. Little Andre and Mico had more than their share of fish and chips. And for the chocoholic Andre, a hearty slice of the most delicious chocolate cake on the island!

Expect nothing less from a property developed by Landco Pacific Corporation (Landco), founded in 1990 by the visionary Alfred Xerez-Burgos Jr. who dared to dream and made his dreams come true. Now in its 20th year, Landco has become a major, multi-product real estate development company engaged in high-end leisure urban and hometown communities, hotels and resorts, malls and commercial business districts, and memorial parks.

Worth paying a visit, too, are Landco’s other leisure destinations. Count ’em: Canyon Woods, the country’s first residential resort that revolutionized the second home industry; Terrazas de Punta Fuego, set amid a lush terraced landscape smack in the middle of Nasugbu’s best beaches; Leisure Farms in Lemery, Batangas, the first hobby farming community and “agritainment” site, and a haven for the weekend farmer; Ponderosa Leisure Farms, a Mexican-Spanish-themed flower garden residential development in Silang, Cavite; Playa Calatagan, the country’s first world-class residential and leisure tourism hub housing hotels and resorts, restaurants and cafes, and retail shops; Playa Laiya in San Juan, Batangas and Playa Azalea in Samal Island, Davao; Hacienda Escudero, the country’s first plantation resort town promoting Filipino culture and heritage; Tribeca Private Residences in Sucat, Muntinlupa, a 15-tower urban residential condominium project offering the convenience of city living with premium resort amenities; Woodridge Garden Village, a premium hometown community in Zamboanga City, among many others.

 Landco properties now span the country from north to south: Batangas (Nasugbu, Calatagan, San Juan); Quezon (Tiaong); Laguna (San Pedro, San Pablo); Central Luzon (Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Pangasinan, Pampanga); Visayas; and Mindanao (Davao, Zamboanga).

Now, wouldn’t you want to go to Punta Fuego, too?

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For more information, call Landco Pacific Corporation at 836-5000 or visit www.landco.ph.