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Ninety minutes. For a lot of people working in Metro Manila, that’s the amount of time required just to get to work. It’s about two episodes of your favorite Netflix series. And usually the difference between Filipino, and actual time. Fortunately, it’s also roughly the amount of time it takes to get out of the madding metro, and to the sprawling seaside sanctuary that is Pico de Loro Cove.
It was race weekend at Pico de Loro Cove at Hamilo Coast, and the third in a string of long weekends in the Philippines. I figured, judging from the muted brunch crowd that Friday at the resort, that people might have had their fill of getaways the past two weekends.
Apparently, I didn’t know anything about Aboitiz Tri – one of the country’s premier Olympic distance triathlon events.
Sure enough, after settling into our nook for the weekend – a lagoon-side room at Pico Sands Hotel – the lobby steadily increased in bustle, with the athletes and their families checking in, while tugging along an air of excitement in the lead up to the culmination of years of training.
Bond haven
With its unique location at the head of the Nasugbu, Batangas coastline, its rolling terrain that offers gorgeous views, and a multitude of leisure and recreational activities, Pico de Loro Beach and Country Club has become a popular venue for similar outdoor sporting and fitness events.

“Race-cations” have become an annual thing for triathletes and their families, with the recent Aboitiz Tri being the fourth year that such a race has been held in Pico de Loro, while the Hobbie Challenge has also become an annual event at the premier seaside development.
Apart from its natural gifts though, and perhaps, more importantly, the way Pico de Loro gives the athletes’ support systems a breadth of recreational activity options throughout their stay is what makes the residential resort village a haven for nurturing bonds.
Leisure and recreation trove
There’s Club Pico—a childproof playroom for kids; videogame rooms for those who can’t get enough of their screens; basketball, badminton, squash, and tennis courts, as well as a fitness center for the endorphin fiends; and bowling alleys, billiard tables, and music rooms for some good old family bonding time.
And that’s not even mentioning the outdoor options.
By the beach, you can kayak, jetski, or simply lounge by Pico Beach’s Reef Bar and Grill. A cove tour can be booked that would take you to some of Hamilo Coast’s 13 coves – including Santelmo, which has its own slice of white beach, and a trail for trekking.

At Pico de Loro, it’s almost like if you can whim it, you can enjoy it.
Pleasure in your leisure
Similarly, you have a healthy choice of accommodation options at Pico de Loro. There’s Pico Sands Hotel—a seven-storey, 154-room facility with spacious, and tastefully decorated guest rooms offering views of the surrounding mountainscapes and the tranquil manmade lagoon.

There are also eight mid-rise residential buildings (that have 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom units), which you can rent (through Airbnb), and are ideal for bigger groups.
There are dining options to be found whether you’re at the hotel, Country Club, or at the beach. Everything is within walking distance – all at your leisure.
 
By TIMOTHY JAY IBAY