Beat the Heat and Back to the Beach

After being cooped up indoors for the better part of three months, many of us are raring to go back to sandy shores to enjoy our re-discovered freedom. For that, the pristine shoreline of Hamilo Coast beckons.

For many of us who were confined to the safety of our homes during the enhanced community quarantine, staying indoors at the height of summer was a trial. Even with electric fans, air conditioners, and a steady supply of cold drinks from the refrigerator, we found ourselves craving for golden sand under our feet, sea breezes with a salty tang cooling sun-kissed skin, and cocktails enjoyed with good company beside a sparkling pool. Now, it’s time to relax and wean yourself from the stress and anxiety of the past few months. The health-giving sea breezes south of Manila beckon, along with the hot summer sun that helps knock out infections, to a place filled with activities and sights that are guaranteed to help restore one’s vitality.

A Tale of Modern Nature: St Therese Chapel at Hamilo Coast

The architecture of the different structures in Pico de Loro Cove
 were carefully planned to fuse with the cove's natural
topography and features. 

Hamilo Coast is a place of many stories — brimming from its vast, pristine coastline that opens up to rich marine life and abundant flora and fauna. The stories also traverse from all of the beach resort town’s 13 coves that reach out to the West Philippine Sea: each one as breathtaking as the other. 

As much as it is a showcase of nature’s beauty, Hamilo Coast also presents structures carefully masterplanned to seamlessly fuse with its natural topography and features. Perched atop Hamilo Coast’s maiden community, Pico de Loro Cove, the St. Therese of the Child Jesus Chapel is a sight to behold. The glass enclosure frames panoramic views of the cove and the infinity of sea into an artwork of paradise waiting to be appreciated from afar. The chapel is also a product of sustainable features where solar power-assisted air conditioning units are utilized, and the architectural design is made sure to maximize natural light, adding ambience to an already charming backdrop.

Turtle Hatching Season In Hamilo Coast

The coves of Hamilo Coast are a frequent nesting ground
 of sea turtles –particularly the Olive Ridley,
one of the five species of marine turtles found in the Philippines.

Hamilo Coast, SM Prime’s sprawling coastal community located in Nasugbu, Batangas is home to diverse marine resources. One of the abundant naval species thriving in Hamilo Coast are marine turtles, particularly the Olive Ridley sea turtles. Though they are the most abundant among marine turtle species, they are listed as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) because of the recent decline in the nesting of female Olive Ridleys. 

Just last February 2017, a total of 147 Olive Ridley sea turtle eggs hatched on the pristine white sand beach of Santelmo Cove, Hamilo Coast’s main marine sanctuary. The eggs were laid early this year and were closely monitored by the Hamilo Coast Sustainability Team, until they hatched and were strong enough to swim back to the sea. With its coves as frequent nesting grounds of marine turtles, Hamilo Coast is dedicated to the regular monitoring of these species’ activities as part of its sustainable efforts in marine conservation.