Aside from its stunning beaches and sandbars, secret surfing spots, lush forests and mountain ranges, and remote coves, here’s another reason why you should head up north and visit Zambales.
“Welcome to Happy Sunshine Camp! Once ika’y mag-check-in, mahihirapan ka ng mag-check-out dahil serbisyo namin all-out!”
Have you watched the movie, or even just the trailer, of Star Cinema’s newest romantic-comedy offering, My Perfect You, where Burn (Gerald Anderson), after a dark time in his life, met the overly-animated and stunning Abi (Pia Wurtzbach) in a perfect getaway resort, aptly called the Happy Sunshine Camp? Majority of the film’s scenes were shot on location at Coto Kidz Pool Mountain Resort in Sitio Coto, Masinloc Zambales. Masinloc is a town in the northern part of Zambales, which is about a 4-6 hour land trip from Metro Manila.
Screenshot from the movie’s trailer
HOW TO GO TO COTO KIDZ POOL, MASINLOC, ZAMBALES?
From Metro Manila:
- Ride a Victory Liner Bus going to Sta. Cruz Zambales. This route is available at their Pasay, Caloocan, and Sampaloc terminals. Alternatively, you can also take a Victory Liner bus bound to Olongapo or Iba, and then transfer to a bus going to Sta. Cruz once you arrive at the Olongapo or Iba terminal.
- Ask the conductor to drop you off at Masinloc town proper.
- Ride a passenger jeepney going to Coto. The Coto jeepney terminal is located near RMTU Masinloc and Masinloc Baywalk. The trips going to and from Coto are scarce and scheduled.
- The Coto community is at KM 27 while the Coto Kidz Pool is at KM 28.The jeepney terminal is at KM 27, in front of the community court. From here, you must walk one kilometer going to Coto Kidz Pool Mountain Resort.
- If you want to control your schedule and go straight to Coto Kidz Pool, you can rent a jeepney for Php1, 500 one-way or Php3, 000 roundtrip. Contact Kuya Chris Quiroz (0949 624 1448) or Kuya Gil (09090173589). They both hail from Coto so they will be able to guide you, give you some tips, and talk to the personnel at the checkpoints for you.
- There are three security checkpoints going to Coto Kidz Pool. Prior to this, prepare two copies of your guest list. At the first station, your vehicle will be inspected and you will be asked to leave your names (first copy). The second station will do the same. At the last station, which is the main gate going to Coto Kidz Pool Mountain Resort, you must write your names on their logbook and pay the maintenance fee, which is Php200 per vehicle / group of 10 pax.
Main gate going to Coto Kidz Pool
THE COTO MINES COMMUNITY
Upon entering the mountain resort, we were greeted with the sight of bright, sunshine-y yellow villas. Prior to the filming of My Perfect You, the cottages here were a bit rundown already and were coated in moss green. Star Cinema really transformed the place into a literal #HappySunshineCamp.
But even way before that, Coto Kidz Pool is already a happy place for hundreds of Cotonians who consider this spot as their secret and sacred treasure.
During its glorious days, Coto used to be a booming mining site, where a community of miner families reside. The mining corporation, which handled the operations, built uniform houses for the families of their staff. Some looked abandoned during our visit but I can only imagine how it looked like during its golden days—there’s a church, a basketball court, a wide plaza, schools, and the community’s very own clinic. Today, mining operations have stopped at Coto but there is still a small community there.
HAPPY SUNSHINE CAMP: HOME OF ‘MY PERFECT YOU’
The pool is actually a river stream. At first, I was thinking, “Why KIDZ, and not KIDS?” But eventually, I thought it was a perfect touch to the name of the resort—a nod to the province where it belongs (Z for Zambales).
This secret paradise is tucked away between rolling terrains of lush forests and green mountains and a flowing river that streams farther outside Sitio Coto. Its beauty is raw, rugged, and unspoiled. Being there is like being stuck in an enchanting experience where you allow yourself to become one with nature and its pristine goodness. Everything was just fresh.
Aside from the summer-y vibe of the yellow villas, what immediately caught my attention was how clear the spring water is. We could see right through the depth of the river. It was in the perfect color of aquamarine, bordering into beryl. What made the experience more mesmerizing was the thought that this isn’t man-made—it’s designed by nature!
When it was time to go back, I noticed a few ruins of hanging bridges, which added to the scraggy vibe of the place. There is also an old playground with a swing and rotating wheels. I was wondering where the hanging bridge featured in the film was located. Fortunately, our driver gave us a tip and we were able to find this secret spot. I won’t tell so you’ll have a little adventure finding it once you get to visit Coto Mines.
As I tread along the rusty yet sturdy bridge, I relished the breathtaking view at the bottom. With the summer breeze enveloping me into a relaxing embrace, the jagged mountains around, and the blue green river streaming below, I couldn’t help but think that this was a perfect end to a perfect getaway.
“Once ika’y magcheck out, you can never check back in” – Abbi (Pia Wurtzbach)
“Goodbye from Happy Sunshine Camp” – Abbi
Marienne the Wanderer 