#dot philippines

It's all about Geoffrey Bawa & heritage hotels on this vacation it seems. And when you combine the two, It's an overload.

Decided to splurge a bit - as in Php6,000.00 worth of splurge on www.agoda.com - and stay at The Villa Bentota around 1.5 hour drive from Colombo. 

Man. How can we compete with this? A Geoffrey Bawa heritage structure fitted up by the Paradise Road group (Think Firma and Sala but as a hotel chain using Leandro Locsin buildings) for less than the cost of a suite at the fricking Manila Pavilion on UN Avenue. Insane. Actually, the only local group I know who could compete with these folks are the good fellows at Discovery Shores. But they don't use National Heritage Structures. It's the added awe of history that gives these resorts it's edge.

And everything here is just correct. From the temperature of the food, to the density, to the attentiveness of the staff, and the surrounding sound of the ocean and clacking train every hour. The train actually sounds Zen. This combination of Bawa architecture and Paradise Road management shows that simplicity is the key to making a mark. Quality not quantity. The PH does not need to overdo crap to pull in tourists. We just need to do things... correctly.

inspired to be a BS TOURISM student (big credits to future).. hehe.. super inspired with this video.. DOT did the right move AT LAST.. n_n maganda ang "Tara na, Biyahe Tayo", pero mas maganda ito.. very catchy.. and STRAIGHT TO THE POINT.. PINAKITA ANG CULTURE, NATURAL RESOURCES, ETC.. NATURAL BEAUTY NG PILIPINAS.. EH YUN ANG STRENGTH ng PILIPINAS EH, kaya yun ang IPAKITA.. n_n

hopefully it can go FAR BEYOND the achievements of other countries.. like MALAYSIA, SINGAPORE, HONG KONG.. etc..