A Land of Sunsets and Fiestas

Dancers with their balsa performance (photo by RUDY LIWANAG)

Fiestas are as much a part of Filipino life as rice and adobo. Each province, city, town, barangay, even subdivisions have their own versions of fiestas. And from the biggest stage to the smallest nooks, the amount of time and effort spent on these celebrations are all out. The scale of the festivities never gets compromised and it’s worth every moment.

And it’s precisely this festive atmosphere that local and foreign tourists long for when they visit town after town, city after city. It’s the feeling of being one with the community as they celebrate life and all the joy it holds.

This year, Calatagan, Batangas, plays host to a year-long party, as it brings all the celebration into Golden Sunset Village Resort and Spa. For 2010, its jubilation week after week as the resort lights up the mood for its guests.

“Tourists don’t need to travel around the Philippines, in Golden Sunset Resort guests are treated to a fiesta every week,” says Ricky Reyes, celebrity and owner of Golden Sunset Village Resort and Spa.

It starts off with the roving musiko stirring up the morning air to get the guests up for breakfast. After the morning meal, everyone is treated to a balsa presentation, where performers showcase a spirited island dance aboard a raft for everyone to see.

From that point the pace picks up as guests get ushered to the playing grounds where a live band conjures up festive tropical beats that simply makes everyone pick up themselves and giddy up to the rhythm of the percussions.

The grounds come alive as performers armed with tailed fabric poi, an equipment that simulates fire dancing, and fish mascots dance their hearts out along with sultry drum beats. Guests are encouraged to participate and interact with everyone which really captures the barrio fiesta mood of togetherness.

While guests and entertainers party with the music, different fiesta games are also available for everyone to join in. There is also an area for agawan baboy, complete with a pen and a piglet for the guests to catch as well as other traditional palaro like palo sebo, pabitin, and hatawan ng palayok.

After the party on the grounds, it’s straight to another party, this time it’s on the streets of the facility. The critter parade, made of various marine wildlife mascots, make their way around the facility. The parade was topped off by a float full of beautiful mermaids completing the under the sea theme of the show.

Much like everything around the resort, the food was a feast fit for big appetites. Native delicacies and a lechon, which is a must have in any salu-salo fill the buffet table.

As the events of the day wind down, the ambiance is set for the best part of the day. The festivities move to the baywalk to catch a full view of the sun setting in the horizon. As the outline of the sun becomes clearer as it lowers itself into the far off mountain ranges of Mindoro, everyone freezes and takes in the beauty of the landscape. It is a priceless moment forever captured.

[ Golden Sunset Village Resort and Spa Wiki ]