Hideaway in Sibugan

What would have been a retirement house is now a blissful resort

By MICHAEL APOSTOL

A breathtaking view of the verdant forests of Sibugan awaits the guests of the Valle Verde Resort.

GUIMARAS, Philippines -- The property was the perfect place for its owners to retire. It‘s located on a hilly area of Sibugan in Guimaras, where the view of the forests and Lawi Bay is simply breathtaking. So on second thought, the owners felt the place is just too beautiful to be a mere retirement home.  As it happens to be located in one of the most popular tourist spots in the Philippines, they decided to turn the place into a resort hotel. Thus, the Valle Verde Mountain Resort was established and built.

The place is composed of several cottages that come equipped with all the amenities foreign tourists need and expect. The rooms can accommodate couples or even groups of 15 people. Each has a bathroom and veranda that offers a panoramic view of the tree-covered hills of Sibugan.And because of the chilly air, the place has been dubbed as “the Tagaytay of Guimaras.”

Cottages are ensconced on various spots of the sprawling garden. The sound of the flowing water from the natural spring situated at the foot of the hill seems to enhance the harmony in the property.

Resort manager Cristy Gadalanga (her sister  Luisa Gadalanga owns the place) says their foreign guests like the serenity and the privacy so much, they stay for more than a month.  So in a way, they’re using the place as a sort of retirement home. “It’s such a great place to breathe the cool and clean air. It’s a perfect place to relax,” she says.

The resort, however, isn’t just simply for relaxing and frolicking. The owners also hope to educate guests on what it takes to maintain a paradise-like property like Valle Verde. The owners hope to promote eco-tourism in Guimaras and it is their objective to preserve the natural beauty of the island. The resort staff is on hand to give guests a tour of the gardens, where fruit-bearing trees such as papaya, rambutan, and mango trees dominate the landscape. Yellow Bells, Birds of Paradise and Hibiscus are just some of the flowering plants that bloom in the resort’s colorful garden.

One of the main attractions of the resort is the guest tree house. Gadalanga says this tree house is the most sought-after guest house in Valle Verde. It’s been designed to resemble a studio and many foreign guests live there for so long, they act as if it was second home already.

Thus in a way, the Valle Verde Resort serves like a “temporary retirement home” for anyone who wants to de-stress or escape from the frenzy of the big city. It’s also serves as a symbol for eco-tourism, which is becoming a priority for many of the island’s residents.

When in Cebu City, please visit gregmelep.com for your retirement and real estate needs. 

For inquiries contact: 09187303446/ 09185940958valleverde_mtresort@yahoo.com.ph

valleverderesort@gmail.com