NASUGBU: 01 - Punta Fuego

Exclusivity. I guess that is the best feature that this place could offer. Exclusivity, because of its rather obscure location away from civilization that you are assured your own spot at the beach because of the absence of a tourist infestation. Exclusivity, because the Internet tells me that one needs to buy shares worth at least a million pesos to gain access here, on top of a monthly membership fee.

 

No, I am not the shareholder. If I had a million pesos, I can assure you that would be finding me in a more obscure location like Antarctica or Greenland, not Batangas. This is not the first time that my cousins have invited me to tag along, but this is the first time that our schedules actually matched, and so I said fine what the heck. Let us hit the beach! Getting there took around three hours and getting back, another three. It really depends on your mode of transportation and how much you fancy stopovers. In any case, the Internet says that a bus to Nasugbu would set you back four hours at least.

I still have not figured out if Terrazas de Punta Fuego and Club Punta Fuego are one and the same, but I guess Terrazas pertains to those houses built on the zigzagging hills and Club, the one with the cabanas by the beach where we spent a lazy afternoon. The maroon wrist tags for guests and the green ones for members say so. Let us now move on to the amenities.

After the member registers on behalf of everyone at the reception desk housed in an open gazebo, you then proceed to the cabanas. I think they give out the number of the cabana you could occupy, but given the scarcity of warm bodies in this place, some of us found it easy to invade the neighboring cabanas without much resistance and drama. Some cabanas have hammocks while most have some sort of custom made sofa with colorful throw pillows. It seems as though you are in your own room in front of the beach. Wooden blinds provide some privacy when necessary, though I would not really count on that.

There is a bar in the middle of the cabana village where you find a cardboard suggesting you conserve water and drink liquor instead. Fancy. The beach is in front of you and it does glisten depending on the angle of sunlight, but in terms of aesthetics, this particular beach would rank pretty low. It is no Boracay, but hey, exclusive. If all you want is to burn under the sun in peace, then this place is just perfect for that. Oops, I forgot the touts.

They are the locals who live nearby who sell food and drinks such as live lobsters and buko juice. They usually stay at the beach area and are not allowed access to the club itself. Purchasing something from them does not seem to be forbidden, and doing so obviously helps them with their livelihood, unless they are part of some big syndicate we are unaware of. I doubt that though, they did not look like street children to me. Street senior citizens, probably.

Beach activity involves a banana boat ride, and a variation of that in which you board some sort of giant life buoy tugged to a speed boat. Kayaks were also visible at the beachfront. If you are not in the mood for salty water, then you could always laze in the pool, if only the water was not too cold. You know when the sun decides to hide for a while when it should be there having fun with you? That star could be bitchy at times. PMS, maybe. The pool's depth is, well not enough for you to drown, unless you have the same height as Mahal. Diving is strictly forbidden, and not without reason. Ask my cousin's driver. He has firsthand experience. Good thing he could still drive them home afterwards.

Wrap up! Is Punta Fuego worth it? It depends because we all have a different criteria. In my opinion, the place is more appropriate for retirees who would actually want to live there. Again, the buzzword is exclusivity. Almost all of the few houses on those hills seemed to be new and dsserted, and waking up in the morning in tranquility and knowing that the beach is just a few jogs away is something that most of us could only dream of. Still, we are young, and the lack of party atmosphere appears to be the deterrent here. Having said that, I recommend Punta Fuego for group excursions, lovebirds looking for a romantic weekend of solitude, and loners who love killing time by the beach.

NASUGBU: 01 - Punta Fuego