Sta. Ana, Cagayan: Costa Carina Beach Front and Food Finds

Our Costa Carina experience was such a good one.  Why? I think everyone knows  exactly where it is. From Tuguegarao City, just tell your shuttle van driver to drop you off to Costa Carina and they will gladly take you there with no fuss.

Getting to Costa Carina is indeed convenient thus very accessible to various essentials spots - eateries, restaurants and bakery, grocery, tricycle, petrol (gas station) and even catholic church.

Rooms of Costa Carina

Beautiful exterior

Costa Carina is a lovely and spacious place. It's clean, organized and close to nature since it's beach front. The owner is very friendly and the staff as well :)  Booking with them is no hassle. They are very accommodating and lenient. 

pavilion./tambayan

parking space, anyone?

Costa Carina doesn't have a restaurant within the resort. But definitely will have very soon. They are currently training potential chefs and cooks. Good news! 

Soon  to open! Costa Carina Resto Bar!

A road trip without alcohol is BORING! (ha-ha). Costa Carina has stocks of SanMig lights. Just ask the reception and they will provide you ice cold beer.
 

Air-con room with two bedrooms (one double, one single) at P2,200.00 per night.

tidy washroom/cr with water heater

good for two at Php1,600 per night.

washroom of couple room

Food finds around Costa Carina

(Note: My concept of restaurant is quite lavish, you know, dramatic lights, mood music, superb interior, etc. In Sta. Ana, it's quite different). 

Since we only had two full days of going in and around Sta. Ana (and that includes Palaui Island), the only chance we had of trying out local food was during our first day and last night.  There are couple of restaurants that satisfied my craving - J & J Restaurant and Blue Plate by Chef Abe.

J & J Restaurant

J & J Restaurant

From Costa Carina, we initially thought going there requires a tricycle ride (kasi naman ang pagkaka-describe ni ate sa reception eh parang ang layo-layo). When the tricycle driver took as there, tawanan!. It's just 5-10 minutes walking distance! (Kaya pala natawa si kuyang tricycle sa'men).

inside J & J

spicy squid at Php180.00 (per serving) good for two

Chopseuy roughly P150.00 per serving

Mixed vegetables

Prices at J & J are reasonable and they serve generously. It was a good lunch. We had left overs kahit gutom na gutom kami :)

Blue Plate

The hunted looking restaurant serves amazing pizza (and i am not exaggerating). Don't be fooled by its weird theme/motif. Chef Abe's pizza is BAM! Try his mango an chicken pizza. I swear. Ang sarap nýa! We also tried pineapple/ham and cheese.

Sorry. No pizza photos. We forgot our cameras! (ugh!)

Chef Abe said that the restaurant is due for renovation. That's a good news :)

So there you have it. 

Related post: 
Palaui: Love on Top