Stella Mariz Beach Resort in Bagac, Bataan

• Rates
• Contact Numbers
• How to get to Stella Mariz Beach Resort
• How to go out
• Notes

During my travels I am always on the lookout for resorts that are very close to nature. Resorts that would make me want to stay and relax. Fortunately, when I was a photographer last year for My Life On Board for the Radiation Hill Race they brought me for a brief moment to Stella Mariz Beach Resort in Bagac, Bataan but we only had less than 30 minutes as we needed to get back soon to Metro Manila. On that day I promised myself that when I get back to Bataan I would certainly stay for a night in Stella Mariz Beach Resort.

That promise was fulfilled when I went back to Bataan with only 1,000 Pesos as my budget.

Laban pala ni Pacquiao bukas. Good time to travel. 🙂

— Lakas ng Trip (@LakasNgTrip) June 9, 2012

And I was right! When we arrived in the resort there was only another group in the vicinity and they did not stay that long so we had the whole resort on our own. Yahoo!

We arrived earlier than expected as we got lucky on our way up and down Dambana ng Kagitingan.

Why do I like Stella Mariz Beach Resort So Much?

Minimalist

I’m living in Palawan. To get here I would take a 2 hour van ride to Puerto Princesa, wait patiently for 2 hours on the airport departure area, ride a plane for more than an hour to Metro Manila, then battle the heavy traffic, ride a bus for 2 hours to Bataan, then more commuting just to get to this resort. Of all the hassles of getting here do you think that I would like to sleep on an enclosed room that has the same feeling as my usual room? My answer would be HELL NO!

In Stella Mariz Beach Resort there’s minimal concrete and there’s minimal rooms. Only cottages that are well spaced apart that are made from indigenous materials. But my preferred choice would be camping and if only the weather was conducive for star gazing I would have slept on the table under the pine trees.

[sam id=18 codes=’true’]

Spacious

The cottages are well spaced apart, even the pine trees too. Conducive for exploring and running around.

If you want to be exposed to the sun you could go to the beach. Or if you want to just hide from the sun, sit down and drink some coffee you could just go below the pine trees.

Closer to Nature

Only the CR and cooking area are made of concrete, well the road is made of asphalt. Majority (about 95%) of the resort is covered in sand, rocks and trees. And one thing you should know about me is that I love to walk barefoot and here I could freely walk around with nothing on my foot. I just hope that people would throw their glass bottles properly.

 

Trying to get out of the resort

Our itinerary was for us to get out of the resort around 8AM in the morning. I woke up around 6:30AM and we just sat around, ate breakfast and drank coffee. I said to Maui that I did not want to leave the resort immediately and she also didn’t want to leave soon.

It was only around 9AM that we decided that we would leave the resort. So we lazily packed our stuff then sat down again. It was only around 11 AM that we were on our way out of the resort and I still did not want to leave. I’ll just have to go back again here soon.

Is it all that positive?

Not really, we had a serious problem with ants. When we left some food on the table for a while, ants were already there. Since we were the only guest on the resort we had the luxury of moving from one table to the next. 😛

The truth is I’m not really a fan of white sand beaches that’s one of the reasons why I love the almost black sand at the beach of Stella Mariz.

Author’s Fear

The truth is I am afraid that the resort would change. Or the owner would want to build rooms around the resort that would block the spaces or the sceneries. Or when “maarte” people get here they would say that the resort lacks something because they only have very few rooms.

Stella Mariz Beach Resort is one of my favorite unique resorts that I have visited around the Philippines. It may not have the expensive rooms and comfort of luxury resorts but Stella Mariz Beach Resort has something that cannot be offered by such. It is the homy at the same time closeness to nature feeling.

Stella Mariz Beach Resort Details

Rates

40 Pesos/person	Day tour Entrance Fee
70 Pesos/person	Overnight Entrance Fee (this is what we paid when we camped)
800 Pesos/cottage/night	Open Air Medium Cottage
1,000 Pesos/cottage/night	Open Air Big Cottage
3,000 Pesos/room/night	Aircon Room
5,000 Pesos/room/night	Aircon Room

These are the rates when we visited there. They may change through time. Better to call them or visit them for their updated rate.

Contact Numbers

0999-438-2963 Delia

How to get there

First you need to get to the town of Bagac, Bataan. You can follow my post going to Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar to get to Bagac.

From Bagac, ride a tricycle going to Stella Mariz Beach Resort. This costs around 70 Pesos for 2 persons. Estimated Travel Time is 15 minutes. You may want to pass by the Bagac Km 00 Deathmarch Marker and Philippine-Japanese Friendship Tower on your way to the resort.

How to go out

You may want to request your tricycle driver to fetch you at the resort at your desired time as the walk to the National Highway is a bit far. About 15 minutes on a hill.

But from our experience that would not be ideal as you would be pressured to leave when the tricycle arrives.

When you reach the National Highway, depending on where you want to go you can wait for buses and tricycles passing by. If you want to go to

To Pawikan Conservation Area in Morong, Bataan or Olongapo, Zambales

Cross the National Highway and wait for buses going to SBMA. Tell the conductor where you want to go.

To Balanga or Bagac, Bataan

You may ride the buses passing by to Balanga, Bataan. They will be passing by Bagac.
Or you may ride tricycles passing by and tell them to take you to Bagac, Bataan. Fare is 50 Pesos for 2 pax. Travel Time is 10 minutes.

Schedule of Buses that takes the route Balanga to SBMA and vice versa

First trip: 4AM
Last trip: 8PM
Leaves every hour either from SBMA or Balanga.

Notes

• During Peak Season reservations are highly encouraged.
• There’s a sari-sari store inside the resort. The items sold are the same prices as those outside of the resort. They also sell water here.
  

  Sari-sari store inside the resort

• According to some locals during off peak season the sari-sari store sometimes closes, so better if you buy supplies before going to the resort during off peak season.
• There are times that the water at the beach are a bit rough. Be careful when swimming.

This post is part of my Bataan 1,000 Peso 2-Day Challenge, a series break from my 12 for 2012 Travel Project. I hope this travel guide helps you plan your visit to Bataan.

Follow my Bataan 1,000 Peso 2-Day Challenge

• How much did I spend on our overnight trip to Bataan
• Bataan 1,000 Peso Overnight Budget and Itinerary (Helpful)
  
• Dambana ng Kagitingan (Shrine of Valor) in Mount Samat, Pilar, Bataan
• Stella Mariz Beach Resort in Bagac, Bataan
• How to get to Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar in Bagac, Bataan
• Death March Km 00 Marker and Japan-Philippine Friendship Tower in Bagac, Bataan
• Church of Balanga, Bataan
• Pawikan Conservation Area of Bagac, Bataan