Work has brought me to Iloilo a number of times, usually staying at the City Proper district as it is equally close to either Barotac Viejo in northern Iloilo and Mambusao in Capiz. These are the two river irrigation systems we are monitoring for NIA-JICA TCP2, the joint project of Philippine and Japan governments that I am working with (more info at my personal blog).

Since Iloilo is such a big city, with seven districts covering 180 barangays, expect that there is relatively much hustle and bustles especially in the City Proper. If you are on vacation and you want to stay away from it all, you might want to head in the Arevalo District and enjoy some beach scenery (though it’s not a very attractive beach) and relatively fresher air. Well, I wasn’t on vacation but we still went to Arevalo because this is the location of Punta Villa Resort, the venue for the test run of a training manual for farmer leaders.

The website’s homepage has this introduction: “Located in the one of the city’s coastal towns, away from the crowds, is a place where old world elegance still exists. In this modern age of square structures and modern lines, Punta Villa Resort stands out as the only place where old and new elements meet. You can just imagine ladies wearing magnificent gowns and men in coat tails dining under the glittering candelabras.” True enough, every time I go to Punta Villa (this was my 3rd time), I always get transported in the time of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy in Derbyshire and to Victoria and Albert’s palaces and gardens. Continue reading Punta Villa Iloilo: a garden estate away from the city (Part 1) →