There's no place in the outskirt of Manila today like the Island Cove
Resort and Leisure Park in historic Binakayan in Kawit, Cavite.
This is what I discovered when I drove to the place with my family last
weekend.
Just a 30-minute drive from breezy Coastal Road which is actually the
extension of Manila's tree-lined Roxas Boulevard, the place as its name
connotes is a small island in the cove of Manila Bay.
A mini Golden Gate-like bridge links the island to Binakayan mainland. At the
entrance of the bridge is a monument in mural sculpture honoring the heroes
of the Battle of Binakayan, half of the two-pronged attack by the Spanish
Forces of Governor General Ramon Blanco against the Filipino revolucionarios
of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo. The second was Calero in Noveleta where hundreds
of Spaniards were killed.
The Spanish forces in Binakayan, about 5,000 soldiers all armed with
high-powered guns and bayonets, were the biggest ever encountered by
revolucionarios of General Aguinaldo. The Filipinos won this battle.
There's a footnote to this battle. Somewhere around the bank of the river which
separates the now Island Cove to Binakayan proper, Gen. Candido Tria Tirona,
one of Aguinaldo's top generals was resting under a tamarind tree after the
success of the Battle of Binakayan, where a Spanish straggler, chancing upon
him, pierced Tironas's forehead with a bayonet, killing him instantly. This
tragic incident saddened Aguinaldo no end and cast a pall of gloom upon
Binakayan campaign.
Leisurely driving over the elevated bridge, I could see lush vegetation all around
dominated by tall coconut trees.
After crossing the picturesque bridge, a cluster of pavilions built over a
mini-lake on the east side greeted us. On the west area of the island is the
130-room hotel and elegant duplex structures. We checked in to one of the
cottages that like all Island Cove Hotel suites offer amenities such as aircon
rooms, hot and cold water, cable TV, 3-channel piped-in music, phones with
NDD & IDD, deposit boxes plus a swimming pool and a jacuzzi for exclusive
use of hotel guests.
Situated right at the center of the island is Oceania, covering 2,978 sqms.
Swimming pool and four towering giant slides, a kiosk and a gym.
Right behind the Oceania are: Giant outdoor chessboard, mini-golf course,
video arcade, a souvenir shop, concert park, an outdoor mini-zoo and the
fishing village consisting of nipa houses on stilts where one can fish with
bamboo rod and have his catch cooked any way he wants it. A secured
boating facility will soon be added to let visitors boat and fish at the same
time.
A stone's throw from Oceania is the Island Grill that boasts of its native dishes
aside from its international cuisine. Separate banquet rooms are available for
all types of celebration, like birthday, anniversary, baptism and wedding
parties.
The Island Cove, the newest and nearest island resort destination in the
metropolis, is accessible from anywhere in Metro Manila that boasts of
elegant and fully-equipped seminar halls and function rooms to handle all
types and sizes of meetings, conferences and banquets, be it for a private tea
party, a convention for a thousand persons or even cocktail reception for 2,000
guests complete with lights and sound facilities.
Added attractions include: bowling, billiards, darts, disco, KTV, bingo and
ballroom dancing.
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