There is a reason why I put off going to Splash Island, which is located in Southwoods, Biñan, Laguna. Although it is only a few minutes away from where we live, I never had a compelling reason to want to go there. I have heard of the resort’s features, like a big wave pool, and all those different other rides, but I did not really take much notice. Apart from the expensive entrance fee (P500 per head for adults; P400 for kids), I have always thought that it’s just there so anytime we want we can actually just go there…until I saw the 50% discount offered via MetroDeal, an e-coupon site which features nice deals you can take advantage of.
And because the resort’s reopening day coincided with the eve of my birthday, I decided to purchase nine tickets, all at 50% off. I thought it would be a chance for us to unwind and celebrate my birthday in advance, but more a chance for the kids to enjoy after weeks of illness. With everything that happened to us in the recent past, we all needed a break. Or so I thought.
We arrived at Splash Island close to lunchtime already. The park opened at 9am and would close at 6pm that Saturday (Feb. 19) Since guests aren’t allowed to bring in food, and the website actually lists an impressive array of restaurants, I thought it would be ok to just eat there. So off we went: Me, Bong, Ate Kara, Jeremy, Cassie, my sister Anne, her boyfriend Onid, and our two Ates: Cris and Weng.
When we got there, the first order of the day was to present to the admission staff the vouchers I printed from Metro Deal. Ok na sana, except that the two ladies took more than ten minutes to verify the vouchers I presented. Why? Because they only had one hard copy of the list of all vouchers issued by Metro Deal! Who said anything about using computers, at the very least, MS Excel so the codes could be easily verifed? Certainly not the staff of Splash Island. So the two ladies in the guest relations/admission area had to flip pages several times in order to verify one voucher, and repeat the same procedure for all the other vouchers. Oh, and have I told you I bought nine vouchers?
Ok, so after more than ten years minutes without any queue before us (there was no other person in the area but us. Ganun kakonti ang tao), we were given our tickets, and then allowed entry to the resort after our bags were checked by their security personnel. I wanted to put our things in a secure place, so before going inside, I inquired about renting one of their airconditioned cabanas. I was told that we just had to go to a cabana and wait for their staff to approach us so we could get in and pay, at the same time. Ok, fair enough. After asking around, (they didn’t give us a map of the place. We were told they ran out of maps. Already, I thought. To think they had just reopened the place that day), we were able to find the cabanas. There is no telling what cabanas were already occupied as there were no marks whatsoever. But the really awful thing was, there wasn’t anybody around from Splash Island to approach so we could rent one of the cabanas. Again, after walking aimlessly (two of the staff we approached repeated what the guest services staff told us, that one of their personnel would approach us for the payment) Bong and I decided to go to the guest services office to complain. (Imagine, it was very very very hot that day, and we had not eaten lunch so we were already pissed off). A small guy in black hurriedly came out of the guest relations office bringing with him the acknowledgment receipt for the cabanas and apologized as the person in charge, according to him, was on a break and there was no reliever around. So why the hell did they give us the runaround? Beats me.
Finally, we were able to pay and get settled inside the very very small and cramped cabana. We left our things and decided to find a place to eat. I did not anticipate the problem of finding anything decent to eat because the website gives you a detailed list of all the restaurants/food carts available—Shakey’s, Kenny Roger’s Roasters, Mini Dampa, and 21 other food stations. Besides, if you are running a resort that prohibits bringing in of food, then it is only reasonable for your guests to expect that there won’t be a shortage of anything to eat, right? Wrong, because we later found out that there were no food establishments other than the ones (methinks are) managed by the owners of the place—two grill stations and another station for chichirya and drinks, all situated in their food court. The only other food stall we found was the hotdog stall which ran out of buns before the afternoon was over. So imagine the line of impatient, hungry people who wanted to eat so they could go back to swimming. Because we did not have any other choice, we bought two small bilaos at P400 each. One bilao contained chopsuey (bland), pork adobo, a piece of fried chicken (leg), salted egg, a tomato and green mango. The other bilao contained about 4 pcs of pork barbecue (because there was no more grilled tilapia), grilled liempo, grilled eggplant, salted egg, a tomato, and green mango. Both came with four cups of rice each. We bought extra adobo for everyone and drinks from the beverage section, and were somehow able to eat.
The obligatory photo op where the resort's name is located. Can you still see my little boy? 
After eating, it was decided that Ate Kara, Bong and Jeremy would all try the zipline. Ate Kara went in first and Bong and Jem next. Ate Kara had done it previously in Bulacan so she was excited to try it. But I was really proud of my little boy because he was all smiles as he and Daddy went from one end to the other, giving me and Ate Kara a thumbs up sign when it was over.
Ate Kara trying out the zipline
The little boy being prepared for his zipline experience is all smiles =)
Daddy Bong and Jeremy preparing to go up for the launch
Daddy and Jeremy as they fly for the first time
Close up shot. Ang pogi ng mag-ama ko ah!
Later, because we were with the kids, and we later found out that not all resort attractions were open (because we were told nobody would man the other attractions) and the ones that were open had schedules when they could be used, we just decided to stay at the Agos Grandes and Water Wahoo areas which are very near each other.
Nakakaquota na sa pics si Jem ah. So now we know who Daddy Bong's favorite photography subject is. =)
enjoying the waves
Ate Kara and Anne, my sister
Bubbles, bubbles, bubbly bubbly bubbles...
Much later, Ate Kara, Daddy and Tito Onid tried the Tausug Trails. We did not try the Balsa River because water there was very very dirty. Actually, there wasn’t any place you could call really clean, to think it had just reopened that day.
Tausug Trails with Ate Kara and Tito Onid
But I guess what was important was that the kids enjoyed our little outing. We took photos and you won’t realize how disappointed we were with the whole experience because the kids enjoyed the two attractions we stayed in. Cassie, as expected, had the most to drink. Haha! In fact, she was doing it deliberately in the end. That girl! I almost would have a heart attack every time she did so. We stayed until their closing which was at 6pm. Jeremy and Cassie actually did not want to leave so we had to pretend we were leaving them so they’d finally leave with us.
Mama and Cassie enjoying the waters
Bakit kaya parang naughty ang smile ng little boy?
ang mga cute at isang pa-cute. sino yung pa-cute?
My verdict of Splash Island? Please don’t go there if you want to have real fun and enjoy the day. Either spend the day on the beach, or go find a private resort to ensure water is clean and you have the area to yourselves, not to mention so you could bring your own food. But maybe you could also find a nice and decent public pool which does not charge the exorbitant fees Splash Island charges its hapless and unsuspecting victims visitors. Oh, and they charge separate fees for the zipline, and the wall climbing. Splash Island Management, we were told is new, or so, that’s what their website says. But then I guess the new owners haven’t learned their lesson. Unless they do something to improve not just their facilities, but also their services, and how they manage the place, I am pretty sure it wouldn’t be too long before it closes to the public. Again. But this time, it might just be for good.
So now what? I am already 35, that’s what it all is about. Belated Happy Birthday to me. And to you all who took the time to greet me here, or via text and/or FB, thanks so much! Life still has so much to offer and I say, bring it on!
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“ Pati tuloy ako nagtatampo na. Pano kasi, feeling ko, nagpakita ka sa kanya sa panaginip, samantalang sa akin, hindi. May favoritism ka ‘no? Pero siguro, yun ang paraan mo nang pagsasabing nandiyan ka pa rin at hindi magpapalimot.
