Tagaytay Picnic Grove Hinging on lip of an active volcano

TAGAYTAY CITY � There�s something in Tagaytay Picnic Groves in barangay Sungay, East-end of this city that makes it a favorite tourist destination.

The "Special Interest Resort," situated literally on the lip of the Taal Volcano, offers a variety of choices.

Its rolling land area of 13.5 hectares that overlooks the coastal towns of Batangas, features various facilities such as cottage accommodation, viewdeck with conference room, restaurant and picnic areas.

What makes family bonding exciting at the picnic grove is the newest addition to its list of activities, the Eco-trail. It is a 500 meters cemented trail lined with various species of flowering ground orchids. Constructed amid a natural park with a commanding view of Taal Volcano, the scenic walkway hugs the rugged terrain of the Picnic Groves, giving a magnificent view of the island-volcano of Taal. Its winding and rolling pathways provide visitors a challenging stroll and leisurely walk ideal for nature lovers.

The best feature of the trail is the 25.30 meters hanging bridge which slightly moves when you pass. The trail had 232 steps. For people who wants to sweat in a cold weather morning, the eco-trail is the best place to jog.

The Tagaytay Picnic Grove which is managed by the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) under general manager and chief operating officer (COO) Robert Dean Barbers is headed by its resident manager, Alice Jane Jarabe.

In a good day, according to Jane, resort�s manager, visitors reached 5,000 as 10 to 15 buses unloaded students and picnickers in groups from as far as Central and Northern Luzon or even Bicol and Tagalog regions.

These crowds, specially on weekends and holidays linger around the resort�s picnic areas or sheds of different sizes. Students usually camp at the resort�s wide grasslands as others lost themselves in the eco-adventure rolling trail.

Other favorite recreational sites include: The butterfly sanctuary, skating rink, biking lane, and horseback riding. Parking is no problem because it has pay parking areas.

Among guest services offered are barbecue pits where guests are permitted to grill their fresh seafoods or meat. To keep the whole area clean, garbage receptacles are placed in strategic locations. Resort staff constantly picked up garbage recklessly thrown around by visitors to teach them cleanliness culture.

The resort has a conference hall with maximum of 100 persons in a theater setup with conference equipment.

It offers facilities such as function and dining halls like the Alamat Restaurant where one can order a la carte Filipino and international cuisine done by their seasoned cooks.

For accommodations, the Picnic Grove has eight duplex cottages with a view of the Palace in the Sky when the fog is kind enough not to cover it.

They have all sorts of activities for the children and for the adults as well. The young ones will enjoy biking or skating, while toddlers would be excited to play at the children�s playground.

The moms, on the other hand, may shop for souvenirs at the souvenir shops available in the Alamat area, a salakot shape structure in the center and stalls near the entrance.

Jarabe launched last May 2005 the Adopt-A-Tree for Life project. It aims to maintain the luscious green environment of Tagaytay and protect it by planting trees. The management, therefore, encourages individuals and establishments to adopt-a-tree for a fee of R500. It will entitle them to a free entrance good for one to Tagaytay Picnic Grove until December 2005.

For people who are starting to shop for Christmas. The Picnic Grove will hold a pre-Christmas bazaar that will run until Dec. 20. Fifteen stalls will be selling a variety of gift items and Christmas decor.