(SPOT.ph) Zambales, a province north of Metro Manila, is home to one of the Philippines' most beautiful and longest coastlines. It boasts a beach strip flanked by the West Philippine Sea and rows of pine trees that surprisingly grow on sand. The Zambales Mountains on the eastern size not only bring in cool breeze, but also make for gorgeous landscape photos. This enchanting setting is what makes Kwentong Dagat, a vegan-friendly resort in a small fishing village in San Felipe, Zambales, a peaceful respite away from the busy city life. It opened in April, but you can still see new additions every time as construction continues.
"We believe what sets us apart is how we designed our cottages and the food that we serve. We drew inspiration from our travels abroad from and we wanted to create a space that was a fusion of the local and global culture," Daryl Co, one of the owners of Kwentong Dagat, tells SPOT.ph.
With farms just a stone's throw away, vegan food is at the center of a traveler's Kwentong Dagat experience. They make vegan versions of your Pinoy favorites, such as tortang talong, escabeche, Bicol express, and lumpiang shanghai. Of course, mangoes—which Zambales is famous for—are always part of the menu. There’s also something for the meat-eaters—don’t worry!
The resort also wants to make the most of its natural surroundings by doing away with cemented buildings and similar infrastructure. Instead, it has air-conditioned nipa cottages that can fit up to six people. Room rates are at P4,000 per night on weekdays and P4,800 on weekends. This is inclusive of breakfast (coffee and bread), use of outdoor kitchen and grill, use of communal bathroom, and toiletries (natural homemade soap).
Camping is available for those who want to go for a full-on outdoor experience. Entrance fee is at P250 per person, and you can rent a tent or pitch your own.
Apart from nourishing your body, Kwentong Dagat is also in the business of nourishing your soul. They offer retreats and workshops that can easily relax your exhausted mind, such as sunset and sunrise yoga sessions, meditation, arts and crafts, plant-based cooking classes, and surf programs. You can also book tours to visit Anghalo Falls, a local art hub called Casa San Miguel, or neighboring coves and islands such as Capones and Anawangin.
Kwentong Dagat is in Sitio Liwliwa, San Felipe, Zambales. For more information, visit Kwentong Dagat's website.
