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There is an island off the coast of Zambales that is undisputed to be one of the best places to enjoy a chill weekend with friends and colleagues. We got marooned on the island where we raised our flag, planned our defense and offense strategies, and fought our battles with burning pride. We did not have to deal with water cannons but we had to protect our territory with water guns. There was no territorial dispute but we had fun chilling out, ng walang pagdadalawang isip, on the island of Magalawa.  Enjoying the beauty and serenity of Magalawa Island. Magalawa Island is a 56-hectare island just 5 minutes away, by motorized banca, from Palauig in mainland Zambales. It is a popular beach spot with its calm waters and white sand shorelines. The island is part of the Masinloc and Oyon Bay Protected Landscape and Seascape that was declared a protected area in August 1993 by Former President Fidel V. Ramos. The protected area has been found to be the home of rare mangroves species, thriving coral reefs, and a nesting area of marine turtles. Tourism activities on the island are regulated to preserve its natural beauty. Here are 5 things that you can do when you are on a weekend chill on the island of Magalawa: Camp Out There are two beach resorts on the island - Armada Resort and Ruiz Resort. Both resorts are located on the northeast side of the island but have strict guest restrictions when crossing its boundaries. Our group stayed at Armada and I was lucky to have slipped through, unknowingly, to also explore Ruiz Resort.  Magalawa is one of the beach spots that offers a great camping experience.
The best way to enjoy a weekend stay in Magalawa is to camp out. Armada Resort has a number of accommodations to offer for guests, from aircon rooms to camping tents. We opted to get the treehouse and camp around it, giving us beach front access and a space where we conducted our team games and activities. There are basic facilities in the resort - restrooms, shower areas, and grilling areas. There’s also a store for last minute item that you need. In my case, I did set-up my hammock under the treehouse. I enjoyed a nice evening slumber with the sea breeze blowing in. It was relaxing to listen to nature’s evening sounds with an occasional laughter breaking out from campers enjoying the evening. Play and Let Loose We went to Magalawa Island for our annual team-building activity. We prepared a lot of activities that covered our first day. We had a huge open space for ourselves so we had fun working together and running around. We simply let loose and enjoyed the day. We got down and dirty with a dose of laughter.
Bring your own badminton sets, beach volleyball, and/or boarding games. Armada Resort has a sprawling space that you can use for these games. You can also rent these out from the resort, including a kayak, so you can let loose and have fun while enjoying the island. They even have a hoop if you are up to play a round or two of basketball.  It was a fun weekend with these gang. Magalawa Island offers a very laidback vibe that you get to watch the whole day pass. Without the usual distractions, you really need to find ways on how to kill time. This is the best time to let loose, get physically active, get those muscles going, play around, and enjoy real dirt fun. Catch the sunrise Magalawa has one of the best views of the sunrise that I have seen so far. This caught most of us by surprise when we saw the morning sun glaring in red rising on the horizon. It was mesmerizing and it had everyone glued to their seats enjoying the early morning show.  I caught the most beautiful sunrise, so far, for 2024.
The Magalawa sunrise was a great day starter. It was calming and hopeful. It was a perfect backdrop for pictures but its beauty just captured our attention. I cannot help it that I dropped what I was doing just to admire its beauty. Everyone did. Explore Marooned on a 56-hectare island, there are a lot of nooks and crannies to explore. The south side of the island is more rugged and interesting to explore while the north side is the more touristy side. Nevertheless with a lot of time to burn, you will have fun exploring the shorelines of Magalawa.  I spent my free time exploring the Magalawa Island. Trying to find a spot to catch the sunset, I was lucky enough to have crossed over to Ruiz Resort. I explored the adjacent resort where I also enjoyed its rustic ambiance. They also have a white sand beachfront but it felt more laidback. It was only when I went back to Armada that I found out that both resorts are “exclusive” to its guests. Armada Resort has a longer shoreline and has exclusive access to the island’s sandbar. From the sandbar, you get to see the 180-degree view of the Armada’s beachfront’s stretch and the length of the beach strip that stretch towards the island’s mangrove area. An old wooden fishing boat was converted into a bar is the main highlight of the sandbar. This was also a great spot to catch the colors of the sunset with the island in the foreground.  Capturing a Zambales sunset from the sandbar of Magalawa. I also took the time to explore the mangrove area on the south side of the island by following the island’s shoreline, beyond Armada’s port. A three-story DENR post was installed along the coast where it gives you a panoramic view of this side of the island and mainland Palauig. It was perfect spot to enjoy a few minutes of peace and quiet in the middle of nature. You would also see a sign that informs tourist to be mindful since the island also serves as a nesting area for marine turtles. I wonder when nesting season is on the island so I get to watch these sea creatures begin the cycle of life.
At the end of the beach strip is the mangrove area of the island. It was great to see how these mangroves are kept in its pristine condition and how new buds are growing out of the waters. Mangroves are important natural infrastructures that protect the coastline and serves as breeding grounds for sea creatures. The place was very calm and peaceful that I found myself under a shade of trees to enjoy being surrounded by nature and enjoying the distant sound of waves crashing off the coast of Zambales.  A Mangrove Forest is located on the southern end of the island. I was only able to explore one side of the island and there was still the other side to check out, the side that faces the South China Sea. I think there are trails that snake around the island but I think I would need a guide to navigate to the other side. Or I could try staying at Ruiz Resort next time so I can walk the beach strip on the other side. Beach Chill Magalawa Island is a perfect spot to chill out by the beach because it perfectly fuses the sun, sand, and sea. You can easily find your spot by the beach where you can lay down on your beach mat to enjoy the sun by the white sand shores. You can then head down its crystal clear waters to enjoy a quick dip to cool down.  Capturing my beach chill in one spherical shot. Magalawa is definitely one of those islands that has been under the radar for quite a while. You can enjoy the island whether you are going solo, going on a date, or going with family and friends. It gives you that “pantropiko” vibe where you can enjoy the beach by yourself and with friends. So read your favorite book or drink with friends. Let the island beach vibe get into you to enjoy the island. POST TRAVEL NOTES The island of Magalawa is just one of the many islands that dot the eastern coast of the country that is a perfect venue for beach gatherings or for solo travels. It gives you the rustic beach vibe that lets you consciously detach from the humdrum of your usual life just to give you that perfect relaxing weekend break. Makakahinga ka dito as you take in the beauty and calmness of the place and recharges you with nature’s bounty. Hindi ako magdadalawang isip na balikan ang Magalawa just to enjoy a day or two of that rustic beach vibe.  Where are we going next? Promoting local tourism has always been an advocacy that is close to my heart. This is the driving force why I create contents on social media to encourage more Filipinos to explore the Philippines more. I am happy that I am able to fuse my passion in growing people and discovering local destinations in one perfect venue. Like what I always say, we explore the Philippines one destination at a time, only this time with 45 other individuals. You can check out our Magalawa Island Youtube Travel Video here:
#MahalinNatinAngPilipinas Getting there: Our teambuilding activity was organized by FB: biyahisturista.phtravel . They have regular joiner weekend trips to Magalawa Island and they can also organize exclusive trips to the island. You can check out their FB page for your inquiries: https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=byahisturista.phtravel
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Marc del Rosario
I believe in education, entrepreneurship, and caring for the environment. 
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