An hour or two away from Subic is Bataan whose historical background is something Filipinos should definitely experience to fully appreciate.
For historical tours, Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar is a staple.
Owner Jose L. Acuzar, who hails from Balanga, Bataan, managed to acquire a 400-hectare land in Bagac that is only an hour away.
With a passion for collecting antique pieces and art, he was offered pieces of an old home in Cagayan Valley, but pieces weren't enough for him. Instead, he decided to take it in its entirety.
He rebuilt it on the 400-hectare lot and this began what many people know today as Las Casas.
It wasn't until 2010 when it was first opened to the public. In that long span of time, Acuzar gathered artisans and craftsmen, and tediously learned the art of preservation by meticulously dismantling, relocating, and rebuilding ancestral homes on the lot.
As of writing, Las Casas now has 63 houses — 41 of which are original and 22 are a combination of replicas and archival houses.
During the media familiarization tour, we stayed at Casa Irosin located on Island 2, which is Las Casas' private island offering.
Keeping up with the old Filipino theme, the room itself is like something off of history books with its wood floors, old school shutters, wooden beds, and dim warm lights.
For dining, the resort and heritage site houses various restaurants offering different cuisines. We dined at Café del Rio which is also the resort's newest dining hub.
Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar is located at Pag-Asa, Bagac, Bataan.
For inquiries, call +63917 872 9361, +63915 851 9098, and (02) 88333-333 loc
116-117, or email reservations@lascasasfilipinas.com.