10. MARIBAGO BLUEWATER BEACH RESORT (Mactan Island, Cebu)

10. MARIBAGO BLUEWATER BEACH RESORT (Mactan Island, Cebu)

The most logical thing to do, of course, is to lie down on  one of them beach-front lounging chairs, get a tan, order some drinks, swim a bit, build a sand castle, read a book, and generally just waste the day away. That’s what beach-bumming families do.  You can do that, of course, but the more go-getter of families need not worry about running out of things to do at Maribago.

Maribago offers all sorts of water contraptions that would get you speeding and skimming over the ocean from waverunners and jetskis to aquabikes and banana boats. If you want to go into the deep, they’ve got snorkeling and diving excursions as well. If you want to be romantic, arrange for a tour of outlying islands and have picnic at an isolated cove. If you’re all stressed out, check in at the Amuma Spa and experience the relaxing and healing powers of massage. Don’t worry as babysitting services are available.

But you won’t be having problems with the kids anyway. Kids love the water and, apart form the beach the resort also has two lagoon-shaped swimming pools  and the Marine Wildlife Lagoon, where they can feed black tip reef sharks at 4 p.m. At night, take the whole family to the Sunset Cove Live Seafood Restaurant, dine on the freshest catch, and reminisce about the day’s many adventures.

More on my next blog....

9. MERGRANDE OCEAN RESORT (Bago Aplaya, Talomo District, Davao)

9. MERGRANDE OCEAN RESORT (Bago Aplaya, Talomo District, Davao)

If you’re looking for a resort that can cater to a lot of summer activities in one place, check out Mergrande Ocean Resort in Davao. Explore the 8.8 hectare beachfront property starting with an early morning swim in the warm ocean waters, or making sand castles with your kids using the fine black volcanic sand on the shore. 

Kids and tweens will surely enjoy the pool with its four big slides, the fairy tale-themed playground, and the basketball and tennis courts. Teens and older kids, meanwhile, can go play billiards and darts. Mom and dad can bond while teeing off at the 18-hole mini-golf course, or go fishing at the “Catch me if you can” fishing village. For lunch, head on to their in-house restaurant by the seaside and enjoy home-cooked Filipino dishes.

8. FORT ILOCANDIA RESORT HOTEL (Barangay 37, Calayab, Laoag City, Ilocos Norte)

8.  FORT ILOCANDIA RESORT HOTEL (Barangay 37, Calayab, Laoag City, Ilocos Norte)

Why does Fort Ilocandia considered as “the” family-friendly vacation spot? It’s simple! There’s plenty of time to spend with the family! Just the whole day’s drive alone provides you with lots of opportunities to give the kids lessons on history, marriage, and family. For a super busy mom, it was the perfect captive audience!

At the hotel, everything is big: the rooms are huge, the meal servings can feed a whole family, and the swimming pool is Olympic-sized. The beach sand dunes stretch endlessly and make for the perfect family playground. The only thing small here is their mini zoo, and that still has an extensive bird collection. For big families, Fort Ilocandia is the best, because there’s plenty of room for everyone.

7. CLUB PARADISE RESORT (Dimakya Island, Coron, Northern Palawan)

7.  CLUB PARADISE RESORT (Dimakya Island, Coron, Northern Palawan)

Animals never fail to delight children, and there’s no better place in the country to do that than in Club Paradise Resort. The exotic fauna of the ecologically-rich northern part of Palawan is one of the resort’s top draws. Emerald doves or pink-necked green pigeons occasionally dart around the cottages. At night, guests can espy a Pied Fantail or an Asian Glossy Starling from their windows. A trail along the hill that forms the backbone of the island, perfect for a short hike to its highest point, affords a panoramic view of the 19-hectare Dimakya, the sea, and the outlying islets.

The resort staff collects the eggs of the rare Hawksbill turtle, and guest families with children are enjoined for hatchling send-offs at sunrise or sunset. When snorkeling around the Dimakya waters, guests can chance upon fully-grown turtles as well as other reef creatures. For more exotic animals, Calauit is just a boat ride away. The resort routinely arranges excursions to the wildlife reserve, where guests can see African animals like zebras and giraffes running through the grassland.

Back in Club Paradiese, there are no TV sets to distract. Instead there are indoor games and a library of books. Occasionally, the resort sets up a big screen on the beach for a makeshift family movie theater amidst swaying coconuts.