The luxury of lakeside living

Global-Estate Resorts, Inc. (GERI) is developing The Hamptons Caliraya, highlighted by an 11-hectare lakeside residential village, a marina club, resort hotels and a commercial district.

MANILA, Philippines — When people are asked of their ideal places to live, the answer is always “by the water.” There is something about waterside living that is just so serene, relaxing and luxurious, and yet the water also gives one so many options for an active lifestyle.

Imagine living by the lake, where swimming, boating and water sports are just literally outside your door; where dinners are under the canopy of a forest, and your alarm clock is the sounds of nature waking you up every day.

We’re lucky that in the Philippines, we’re surrounded by water — and one so near Manila is Lake Caliraya.

The Hamptons’ clubhouse will be open to non-residents as well, so golfers and fishing enthusiasts can use its facilities, which include dining outlets.

There were two things that surprised me the most about visiting Lake Caliraya for the first time. One is how absolutely beautiful the lake is, and that this place that’s so loved by fishing sportsmen and women is manmade; and two is that it’s so relaxing being on the water — only a three-hour drive from Manila — no flying necessary, except perhaps your drone to take videos of the landscape from above.

One of the country’s biggest real estate developers, Megaworld, through its subsidiary Global-Estate Resorts, Inc. (GERI), is building its second “integrated lifestyle community (ILC)” development in Lumban-Cavinti, Laguna, surrounding Lake Caliraya.

Called The Hamptons Caliraya, the 300-hectare residential, leisure and recreational community surrounds the lake and has views of Mt. Banahaw in the distance. It’s lakeside living like no other, where every day is a life lived luxuriously in nature like only The Hamptons can design. 

Lakeside lots will have their own docks while fairway lots will have a view of the 18-hole golf course.

In the ‘80s and ‘90s, Caliraya was seen as one of the most desired places for a second home, in no small part because of the placid emerald lake teeming with freshwater fish, and a golf course. Then Caliraya was overtaken by other towns, such as Tagaytay, which are also within driving distance from Manila.

As other places have become congested, Caliraya has been for the past years experiencing a resurgence in interest as more people want to do watersports and fishing over the weekend. And who can resist owning a lakeside house?

It’s the right time for such a development. Attuned to what homeowners want, GERI is putting Caliraya as one of the leading destinations by developing lakeside residential villages and villas, a town center, two 18-hole golf courses and a clubhouse, and a marina club that offers a wide range of water sports activities such as boating, jet skiing and kayaking, as well as a shophouse district and resort hotel district.

The Hamptons Caliraya will be highlighted by The Hamptons Village, an 11-hectare lakeside residential community with lots ranging from 500 to 1,800 square meters. This means you can design your weekend home to your own aesthetics, whether it’s a modest-sized  home or a sprawling mansion. Whatever the size or architectural style — whether it’s Zen or American or modern tropical style as we saw on our tour of the lake — you know it’s going to be a showstopper sitting on the banks of the lake.

The development’s key highlight is Lake Caliraya as the community revolves around the lakeside concept

Lakeside lots will have their own docks while fairway lots will have a view of the 18-hole golf course.  Plus, the entire development will have views of Mt. Banahaw in the distance.

The Hamptons will have a Marina Club inside the development and a clubhouse nearby. What’s great about the marina is that not only residents but also sailing enthusiasts and yacht and boat owners can dock their boats there all year round. The same goes for the clubhouse, which is open to non-residents. Golfers who go to Caliraya can use the facilities  of the clubhouse between rounds or entertain friends in the restaurants.

Here, one can live luxuriously every day, The Hamptons way.  “The development’s key highlight is Lake Caliraya as the community revolves around the lakeside concept, inspired by the Hamptons in New York, which has become a major vacation spot for America’s elite society. Aside from having an exclusive, upscale residential community, The Hamptons Caliraya is envisioned to be another tourist destination in the south,” says Glenn Heraldo, vice president for sales and marketing of  Global-Estate Resorts, Inc. (GERI).

Two districts will be developed for residents and non-residents to enjoy Caliraya. One is the resort hotel district where guests from Manila and neighboring provinces can choose a boutique hotel to stay for the weekend; and second is a commercial district inspired by East Hampton’s Main Street. The inspiration is literally a street in the heart of the Hamptons in New York, a shoppers’ paradise that mixes name brands as well as one-off boutiques, cafes and restaurants geared toward the laidback lifestyle of  New Yorkers’ fave vacation place. The Hamptons in Lake Caliraya will offer the same kind of vibe, atmosphere and choices — lazy weekends by the lake that include sailing and golf, shopping and hanging out by the coffee shops and restaurants. 

Two of the existing private homes on Lake Caliraya. Many are designed in local style and with thatched roofs. Caliraya has long been a favorite place for a second home for families looking for a getaway that’s far enough from Manila but doesn’t require flying.

GERI, which handles tourism and leisure estates around the country, has allocated a whopping P8-billion to develop The Hamptons Caliraya in the next 10 years.

On our boat tour of the lake, locals told us about Lake Caliraya. Yes, the lake’s manmade, which kind of shocked me because of its size — 10 square kilometers, encompassing the three towns of Lumban, Cavinti and Kalayaan.

Made during the American period and designed by an American army engineer, it was created by flooding the Cavinti Valley of Sierra Madre to generate hydroelectric power for Metro Manila. By doing so, they also created partly submerged land area that resulted in small islands.

It was a relaxed afternoon of looking at pretty lake houses and “islands” that dot the lake. We spotted some truly wonderfully designed homes that we wished we could take a look at inside. 

Then again, The Hamptons Caliraya is making that possible for everyone who’s ever dreamed of having a romantic lake house.

The hanging bridge on the lake is popular for those who come for team building. Companies and offices often choose Caliraya for such activities because it offers facilities to accommodate large groups.

Like many have realized, taking a breather out of the city is key to a balanced, healthy life. So #MoveOutGoSouth for that.  

 The Hamptons is the 23rd in the developer’s expanding portfolio of townships and integrated lifestyle communities across the country, six of which are being developed by GERI in Boracay, Tagaytay, Cavite-Laguna, Las Piñas City and Antipolo.

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For more information on The Hamptons Caliraya, call 0917-799-0123 or email thehamptonscaliraya@global-estate.ph, and visit https://www.facebook.com/thehamptonscalirayaph/ for more details.

Visit the author’s travel blog at www.findingmyway.net. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @iamtanyalara.