Ingelise with husband Hans Pedersen and Mia Nielsen and Lars Ludvigsen first met on the plane on their way to the Philippines. It was their first time to stay at Coco Beach Island Resort and the one thing they found out they had in common was a passion for action and adventure. As soon as they reached the resort, the two couples immediately embarked on their first of a series of tours that would bind together their newly forged friendship.

The couples spent one day paddling a native boat called “banca” where they started in the river of San Rafael and exited in the ocean which takes about one hour to navigate. Doing the San Rafael Jungle River Tour,they were treated to a fantastic scenery of palm trees and forested river banks teeming with wildlife. Along the way, they stopped for a picnic lunch in a native “kubo” where they enjoyed a mouthwatering spread of fish and meat, barbequed right there with fresh tropical fruits and steamed rice served in basket woven plates lined with fresh banana leaves.

The adventurers on their carabao cart ride to Tukuran

The following day, Ingelise, Hans, Mia and Lars went to Tukuran where they saw waterfalls and a clear lagoon and where they had the chance to swim amidst ancient trees, mossy boulders and clear skies. To get there, the couples took a carabao cart ride and had to cross six streams and a bumpy feeder road in Tukuran before they could reach the waterfalls. The lagoon itself is beautiful in its rustic simplicity and deep cool water ideal for swimming. The waterfalls cascading down huge rocks and boulders have created formations that took thousands of years to make and would make any visitor feel just how beautiful Mother Nature. After Tukuran, they proceeded to Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro’s capital and center of commerce and trade where they got to see rice fields and a rice mill.

Lars playing basketball at Talipanan.

Still on another day, the two couples rented the resort’s 4-wheel drive Pajero and went to visit a Mangyan school in Talipanan where they gave away clothes, school supplies and food for the children. They also made a stop at the Stairway Foundation, a non-profit organization caring for street children from various cities like Manila and is managed by Danish couple Lars and Monika. Their last stop was the Ponderosa Golf Club where they enjoyed a breathtaking view of Puerto Galera magnificent coastline.

Enjoying dinner together.

While in Coco Beach, they got to eat dinner at the Touch of Asia Restaurant or TOA. This unique themed restaurant is nestled on a hill and offers a spectacular view of the ocean and on clear, cloudless nights, one could see the flickering lights in the coastal towns of Batangas. At TOA, the couples immensely enjoyed their dinner consisting of Thai spring rolls, beef tenderloin marinated in oyster sauce and coconut powder, spicy chicken in coconut and mango cobbler for dessert.

It was a truly action and adventure filled vacation for both couples and we hope that Ingelise, Hans, Mia and Lars will continue to strengthen their new friendship even when they are back in their own homes.