November 2019 - Dogs are indeed a man's best friend.

Meet our adorable, huggable and lovable little pal, Jaru.

Everybody loves Jaru for his friendly features.  Who would have thought that our furry friend would be an excellent tour guide and a great companion in times of boredom. 

Every morning, he would be running enthusiastically towards approaching guests,  welcoming them with his wagging tail and a cheerful bark.  He could be seen visiting the units of every guests to check if they are doing fine. And by night,  he would be joining you by the campfire under the presence of the moon and stars.

Jaru is a stray dog  and is adopted by the son of the resort owner, Hikaru. He is found wandering aimlessly on Tabangao port on October 2018. As an afraid little puppy, he is very hesitant to meet people.  Weak and hungry,  he simply approached Hikaru and gently frolicked at his feet,  waiting for Hikaru to return the gesture to him. Feeling pity towards this creature,  Hikaru picked him up and brought Jaru to the resort, raising it as his own.

Jaru is raised and fed by Jaja, one of the resort's employees. Jaja gave the puppy an extended unconditional love that it learned how to show care and attention in return.  Thus he is named Jaru,  as a combination from the name of his caretakers.

Jaru is always present on photo ops on guests and a shout out in their reviews. He is known for his expressive eyes, that reflects his warm emotions. He is also known for his energetic stamina of accompanying guests in the village tours and for taking a  tireless swim with them on the shore.  His charming smile is something worth remembering and you would enjoy taking selfies with. Just don't forget to give him a bag of doggie treats as a tip for his extensive service.

Your Isla Verde experience would not be complete if you did not encouter this happy creature. Surely,  he will give you that perspective that animals are great companions and their love and affection is something that could really comfort us, especially on times of solitude and loneliness. 

A Bigger Room for Big Groups

Since we began receiving guests in 2013, Islaverde Tropical Friendly Resort has not just been a popular place for families and couples, but also with groups for meetings and bonding sessions.

As the resort has become more well known we have added more kubos and units, and even camping facilities. 

Some time ago, To cater to small groups and families, we built what we call our 'Japanese Style' unit, which accommodates small groups on sleeping mats instead of beds.  We have been surprised by how popular this has become with our business guests.

Because the island experienced fully booked reservations in the summer, It was difficult for business groups to find accommodation on the Island.  So Isla Verde Tropical Friendly resort decided to offer another level of service to our business guests by offerring a special accomodation for larger groups.


So we took advantage of the start of the rainy season to expand out business and groups offering.

Introducing our latest project, our 'Group Fortress', a Japanese Inspired Room that could fit a maximum of 20 people.

The project started early August and in September 2019 it is still a work in progress, with hopes of completion around early October. It is located in a vacant lot next to the stone units.

When it is finished, it will consist of two rooms separated by a customized divider and an outside patio that will serve as a receiving and a dining area. It also has is own kitchen and common toilet for convenience. The walls are made of bamboo for natural ventilation and with pawid roofs as a shade from the heat.

Interiors and design are made one at a time so it is slow work, but we think when it is finished, this unit will be a place to relax as a group, with an air of class and elegance.

Rates will be PHP500 per person per night, which we hope is very affordable and reasonable for group bookings, given the design of the unit and the access to the facilities.

This new unit should help us to cater to the increasing demand for group activities, especially on the summer vacations.

Mid Year Group Outing

 Its the midyear already and despite the start of the rainy season, visitors still arrange their booking and reservations with us.

And what a nice way to open the season with an island boat tour, a 2-3 hours boat ride which include a boat rental and tour guide.

Meet Ms. Yhona Eugenio and her team mates.  They had their group outing at the resort for the first weekend of July. This is to celebrate the birthday of their friend Grace.

After having their lunch and a quick rest, they changed into their swimming outfits and climbed onboard to our humble vessel.

First stop will be in San Agapito, where we swam the serene blue waves and sank our feet in the white sand of the Sawang area. 

Amidst the vibrant crimson horizon where the sea meets the sky, we cant help but to admire the beauty offered by God and nature.

After the relaxing dip and photo ops, we headed to the peaceful own of San Andres. We did a little trek to see the caves, have a chat with the locals and visited the lighthouse.

Upon the cliff where the lighthouse stand, we have a great view of the Philippine sea as well as the Batangas mainland. It was breathtaking.

We also visited the Long Beach (Mahabang Buhangin) which is known for its virgin white sand. This is where we spend most of the time doing our water actvities.

And for the final stop, we dropped off the Isla Verde Tropical Friendly resort for snorkeling and diving. This will be the final stop to enjoy the view of the golden sunset, that marks the beautiful end of a remarkable day.

Truly this is one unforgettable experience they will treasure as evident in their pictures.

Thank you Ms. Yhona and friends. We hope to see you again xoxo

Islaverde Tropical Friendly Resort - 2019 UPDATE

This is our first blog post for 2019 and we would like to apologise for not updating our blog since last Christmas.  A lot has been happening and we are constantly trying to improve our facilities and complete maintenance and repairs.

It is the middle of 2019 already at Islaverde Tropical Friendly Resort, and our Habagat (monsoon season) is approaching again.  This is a popular time here as guests try to escape the heat and humidity of the city for a few days in a place where they can take a walk in the shade, or simply rest and relax around our lovely island paradise.

Since we started building our first two kubos in 2013, our thoughts have been to try to make a place where people can come to relax, but to try to have enough facilities, but still keep the price of a holiday affordable for average working people.

So we decided to have kubos as our main accommodation, with some stone units for people who want to stay in rooms that have a little more of a hotel style.  Later, because some guests wanted to camp, we added our camping ground.

Our biggest problems have always been that we have no electricity connection to the mainland grid, and we often have bad cellphone reception no matter which provider.

We began with only a few batteries for our electric power, charged by two solar panels and a diesel generator for emergency.  At first the electricity only powered Tess' Cafe and it was difficult for people to even charge their cellphones.  Now we have added more rooftop solar panels and our aim is to try to have some electric power to all stone units and kubos.

Trying to keep the resort looking attractive means that gardening and horticulture is an on-going chore here.  The grounds are leveled up in places and new plants and flowers are bought to highlight and accentuate the tropical feel of our resort. It gives this fresh ambience and natural touch that we hope will let you embrace every gift that Mother Nature has to offer.

We regularly retouch our kubos are and they are varnised with an earthly brown colour. Something that will appeal to the homely, yet traditional feeling and vibrance.

Interior designs are also added for comfort and relaxation. All this is done while trying to keep out accommodation rates at a reasonable price, so ordinary people can afford an island holiday.

At various places on the resort you will find some open swing cottages.  As part of our maintenance, we have given them an avocado green shine, something that stands out better in the crimson light. These cottages have become a popular outdoor place for guests to sit and take in the sunset views across the water, or just as a spot to relax away from summer heat.

Because snorkeling in the coral reef at the resort has become so popular, we purchased additional snorkeling gear for rent to cater to the growing needs of guests who want to enjoy an underwater adventure.

Everything about a resort is a work in progress and we are opening ourselves to more changes and improvements. It is because we want to serve our visitors better so that we hope you can have an even better experience and leave with a smile.

Hope to see you soon!