We had our company summer outing in Club East Manila last May 8. Sure, it wasn't Palawan or any other exotic getaway in the Philippines but it was still fun. I had a great time.
In the morning, we had the now customary team building activities. Employees were divided into groups and we competed in a cheerleading competition and a Challenges race. But I'm not going to talk about that ( We won. Let me make that clear in case someone accuses me of avoiding the issue) or the food (which was not that good anyway). That's because I'm going to talk about the place itself.
What about it? As you all know, Club East Manila is a haven in Rizal for all those people who love to take a dip in chlorinated water. It boasts of several swimming pools, each suited for different interests. Apart from the usual cottages, villas and multi-purpose halls, the place itself is already furbished with ample vegetation and sparse shade (to indulge those who want to get tanned skin by walking all day under the sun).
Kiddie Pool. For kids, obviously. Depth is, I think, 2 feet only. Boring, except for the fake miniature waterfalls. The pool itself is a necessary feature nonetheless, especially for families.
Kayak Pool. This is where kayaking happens. All can try the kayak for free (unlike in Paradise back in Davao). But if you're planning to kayak the whole day away, think again. I tried it out with Kit and Ron and we did it only for approximately 15 minutes because the sun was bearing down on us intensely.
Pool-With-The-Better-Than-Nothing-Shade. There is also a pool with a screen shade on top. I'm not actually sure if it's as effective as sunblock but it's still protection. It also sports two poolside basketball rings (one is missing the backboard and, of course, the ring) for those who want to play basketball, water polo style.
Pool and The Big Slide. I like this pool because not only is it big but it has this huge waterslide to top it all off. It's like Water World in Davao once again. I tried it several times during our brief stay and I was probably grinning like a wide-eyed 8-year old kid after every slide. Others had not been so lucky; either they got stuck in the middle of their descent or they simply refused to do another attempt (appealing to fear of heights and other fears). In the far corner of the pool, there are also waterfalls (that was an afterthought).
Racing Pool. We tried this out during the morning games in one of the challenges. It pretty much resembles a rectangular pool for swimming competition purposes. Nothing special here.
Canal? There was also a pool snaking through some concrete pavement adorned with palm tress and shrubs.
Diving Pool. This I tried with gusto. It's a deep pool of a depth of about 14 feet. Along its side is a wall with diving platforms of varying heights.
Big Waves Pool. Now, this is the main attraction of Club East Manila. Artificially generated waves rushing to a sloping concrete "shore". Some people say you could surf in this pool but I doubt that. There are too many people in the area and the depth of the pool isn't that conducive for surfing either (too shallow). The pool is actually divided into two segments: one features criscrossing waves and the other only features parallel waves (am I using the right terminology?). The fun lies in meeting the waves headlong and reenacting scenes straight from the movie "The Perfect Storm".
To sum it all up, Club East Manila was a great experience. One factor which makes it a winner is that there are a lot of things you could do in the place. If swimming is what you're really after, it beats out the beach any time.
In the morning, we had the now customary team building activities. Employees were divided into groups and we competed in a cheerleading competition and a Challenges race. But I'm not going to talk about that ( We won. Let me make that clear in case someone accuses me of avoiding the issue) or the food (which was not that good anyway). That's because I'm going to talk about the place itself.
What about it? As you all know, Club East Manila is a haven in Rizal for all those people who love to take a dip in chlorinated water. It boasts of several swimming pools, each suited for different interests. Apart from the usual cottages, villas and multi-purpose halls, the place itself is already furbished with ample vegetation and sparse shade (to indulge those who want to get tanned skin by walking all day under the sun).
Kiddie Pool. For kids, obviously. Depth is, I think, 2 feet only. Boring, except for the fake miniature waterfalls. The pool itself is a necessary feature nonetheless, especially for families.
Kayak Pool. This is where kayaking happens. All can try the kayak for free (unlike in Paradise back in Davao). But if you're planning to kayak the whole day away, think again. I tried it out with Kit and Ron and we did it only for approximately 15 minutes because the sun was bearing down on us intensely.
Pool-With-The-Better-Than-Nothing-Shade. There is also a pool with a screen shade on top. I'm not actually sure if it's as effective as sunblock but it's still protection. It also sports two poolside basketball rings (one is missing the backboard and, of course, the ring) for those who want to play basketball, water polo style.
Pool and The Big Slide. I like this pool because not only is it big but it has this huge waterslide to top it all off. It's like Water World in Davao once again. I tried it several times during our brief stay and I was probably grinning like a wide-eyed 8-year old kid after every slide. Others had not been so lucky; either they got stuck in the middle of their descent or they simply refused to do another attempt (appealing to fear of heights and other fears). In the far corner of the pool, there are also waterfalls (that was an afterthought).
Racing Pool. We tried this out during the morning games in one of the challenges. It pretty much resembles a rectangular pool for swimming competition purposes. Nothing special here.
Canal? There was also a pool snaking through some concrete pavement adorned with palm tress and shrubs.
Diving Pool. This I tried with gusto. It's a deep pool of a depth of about 14 feet. Along its side is a wall with diving platforms of varying heights.
Big Waves Pool. Now, this is the main attraction of Club East Manila. Artificially generated waves rushing to a sloping concrete "shore". Some people say you could surf in this pool but I doubt that. There are too many people in the area and the depth of the pool isn't that conducive for surfing either (too shallow). The pool is actually divided into two segments: one features criscrossing waves and the other only features parallel waves (am I using the right terminology?). The fun lies in meeting the waves headlong and reenacting scenes straight from the movie "The Perfect Storm".
To sum it all up, Club East Manila was a great experience. One factor which makes it a winner is that there are a lot of things you could do in the place. If swimming is what you're really after, it beats out the beach any time.
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