I’m a true blooded “probinsyana”. I was born and raised in Bataan and just moved to Manila for college and stayed here for work. Whenever my city friends ask me to bring them to my hometown, I always offer to take them to this one place. About 5 years ago a friend took me to this place we came to love and consider as our not-so-secret nook whenever we want to escape our toxic everyday lives.

Welcome to Stella Mariz Beach Resort, Bagac, Bataan. 😊

How to get there: The place is 2-3 hours away from Manila depending on traffic. You can take your private car and drive through NLEX and take San Fernando exit. From there take the old highway until you reach Ala Uli, Pilar, Bataan intersection. Turn right and drive straight until you see Stella Mariz sign. Road signs are quite rare, you can ask Waze for help, it’s reliable.

For commuters, you can take buses bound to Balanga like Genesis or Bataan Transit. They have terminals in Avenida, Pasay and Cubao. Choose the one which can drop you off to Balanga Jeep and Bus Terminal. Fare is 200php. From there, catch an ordinary bus to Bagac and ask the conductor to drop you off at Friendship Tower and hail a trike to Stella Mariz Resort.

Amenities: It’s a private beach accessible to the public for a minimum entrance fee of 50php for day tour and 100php for an overnight stay. The place is perfect for camping with abundant Agoho trees all over the property which provide shade and ventilation. You can rent one open hut or table for you to dine at and just pitch your own tent to get the feel of camping by the beach. You can set up hammocks by the trees too for a space to lounge while enjoying the fresh sea breeze. A few closed cottages can be rented for a night too if you are not in the mood to rough it up and just be with nature. Resort is equipped with concrete toilet and bath with decent running water. Disclaimer to those who are sensitive with bathrooms when choosing accommodations: It’s clean but not fancy.

The beach: Unlike the usual crowd favorite white sand beaches of Boracay and Palawan, sand in Stella Mariz is grayish white and turns quite dark when wet. But the clear waters and the overall ambience of the place defy that imperfection. Shoreline is not rocky and sand is fine. Waters are quite deep and a common spot for skimboarding and surfing. For me, one caveat of this place is that the shore is too wide and far from the shades you might need to rethink playing beach volley at 12NN.

Swim, surf and sightsee: If it is not pretty much obvious, it’s a beach resort so swimming is one given activity a guest should try and enjoy. Water is clear but not as pretty as Boracay or Panglao. Tide is not that usually calm. You may find yourself fighting with the big waves while trying to savor the sun and salt water. This place has been a popular spot for local surfers just recently, next to Zambales and Baler. Waves are perfect for surfing or skimboarding around June. If you are not into waves that much, you may opt to go island hopping and check out nearby cliff diving spots and a few white sand beaches. Boat rentals are around 1200-2000php depending on destination and headcount.

Boodle fight by the beach: Bataan is known for its fresh seafood produce. Crabs, prawns, oysters, humongous fishes, name it, we have it. There is a local market nearby where you can buy fresh seafood for consumption. One time, we were able to buy an octopus for lunch fresh from harvest of local fisherman walking by the shore for 300php! And having a seafood boodle fight along the beach is appetizing and very filling. I guess almost everyone reading this would agree. This activity is one thing me and my friends never miss out. The resort is equipped with grilling stations. We just bring charcoal and few cooking utensils. I am so fortunate I have camping enthusiast friends I never worry about these stuff.

Rest & rekindle with nature: This activity is my favorite whenever I go to the beach. Who wouldn’t grab the chance to bask by the beach and forget all your troubles even for a day right? This resort has a pleasant ambience very conducive for relaxation. Rest in your hammock, lay down on a blanket by the sand, jam with friends, enjoy a bottle of cold beer or just share happy stories with your friends while savouring the fresh sea breeze and the gift of nature.

Sunset and bonfire: After a day of beach activities, slow down by watching the gorgeous sunset. Trust me, it is breathtaking. Before hitting the sack, set up a bonfire and grab a bottle of beer. Reflect on how blessed you are and enjoy the rest of your night.

Why I love this place:

• Accessibility from Manila
• Relatively cheap but satisfying
• Astonishing ambience
• Wonderful sunset
• Not so crowded
• Perfect for retreat and relaxation

I hope you find this post and this place interesting. Try visiting the resort this summer for a budgeted but copacetic beach experience.