Waterpark Resort in Cavite Relaunched

VILLA EXCELLANCE BETS ON POST-PANDEMIC RELAUNCH TO CAPTURE CAVITE’S TOURISM REBOUND

TANZA, Cavite — Perched along the shoreline of Tanza in Cavite province, a sprawling waterpark resort is banking on an ambitious post-pandemic makeover to position itself as the premier leisure destination for Metro Manila’s day-tripping families.

Villa Excellance Wave Pool and Beach Resort, originally built in 1990, closed temporarily during the COVID-19 pandemic before being acquired by Caliv Resort and Development Corporation under chief executive Carlo Antonio Castro. After seven months of rehabilitation and modernisation works, the resort reopened on May 1, 2022, as a rebranded waterpark complex.

The transformation represents a calculated gamble on the rebound of domestic leisure tourism in the Philippines, where travel restrictions had shuttered resorts across the archipelago for much of 2020 and 2021.

Located in Sitio Postema, Barangay Sahud-Ulan, Tanza — roughly 90 minutes by road from Metro Manila — the resort now operates eight swimming pools, including three wave pools designed to simulate ocean swells, an infinity pool overlooking Manila Bay, and themed children’s pools.

The wave pools have emerged as the facility’s marquee draw, offering visitors a controlled ocean-like experience without the hazards of open-sea swimming — a selling point that management says resonates strongly with families with young children.

Accommodation options range from beachfront cottages and standard rooms to premium villas capable of housing eight to ten guests, along with glamping and jacuzzi villas for higher-spending clientele. The resort also offers day-tour packages with rentable cottages and cabanas for guests not staying overnight.

On the dining side, the complex hosts four food and beverage outlets, including Casa De Excellance, a beachfront restaurant serving Caviteño and Spanish-inspired cuisine, the Boardwalk Bar and Grill with open-air bay views, and Galley Cloud Kitchen, an in-resort food delivery service.

Weekend programming — including live performances, Zumba and yoga sessions, volleyball tournaments, and night swimming with live music — is designed to extend visitor dwell time and drive repeat traffic.

Beyond leisure, the resort is marketing itself as a corporate and events venue, with banquet halls and open spaces targeting team-building activities, weddings, conferences, and seminars.

The dual positioning as both a family resort and an events facility reflects a broader trend among provincial resorts seeking to reduce dependence on weekend leisure traffic by capturing weekday corporate bookings.

Villa Excellance has branded its offering around the tagline “waves of fun for everyone,” signalling management’s intent to compete not just on amenities but on accessibility and scale — a pitch aimed squarely at an emerging middle-class travel market increasingly willing to spend on domestic short-haul getaways.