Fundacion Pacita | Thoughts, Tales, and Whatnot

Fundacion Pacita is a nature lodge nestled atop rolling hills. It used to be the home studio of renowned artist Pacita Abad.

We visited Fundacion Pacita twice when we were in Batanes. The first time was on our first day in the island since like most Batanes tours, it was included in our itinerary. Seeing this beautiful view made us decide to come back and try its restaurant.

On that first day, we just made a quick tour of its grounds. I loved their blue swing and seats and the colorful tire installations.

I also found a wall decor made of recycled materials, a sculpture of Madonna and Child and wall with graffiti.

There were sculptures too of the Abad ancestors.

We went back to Fundacion Pacita on our fourth day to have lunch. Note that to dine here, prior reservation is required.

Their restaurant is located right at the edge of the main house and on our way there, we passed by its living room, which had an artist profile of Ms. Abad as well as some of her artworks.

True to the place being an artist’s haven, each nook and cranny was tastefully decorated.

Here’s a collage of photos of their restaurant, which looked more like a cosy dining area in a family home than a restaurant.

The view from the corner seats was amazing. I wanted to sit here, but the table was too small for us.

After waiting for nearly an hour, our order finally arrived.

We had the following:

1 Paco Salad Php 140
1 Pork Sinigang Php 410
2 Rice Php 60
1/2 French Chicken with roasted sweet potato Php 410
2 Mango Graham Php 140
1 Tea Php 50
Total: Php 1,210

I loved their Paco Salad, which was the only food I liked. The Pork Sinigang was salty and the chicken was bland (I liked the roasted sweet potato, though), while my mango graham tasted better than theirs.

My verdict? This was our most expensive meal in Batanes, but the most disappointing. To top it all off, the service was super slow even when we were the only diners. It was annoying to wait half an hour for our change, and when it was finally given, there was no apology from the staff.

Good thing my friend and I were entertained by these creatures who became my subject when my friend taught me about macro photography. Pardon my amateurish attempt.

I also found some interesting flora.

Despite the unsatisfactory dining experience, I decided that I will still visit Fundacion Pacita when I come back to Batanes mainly because of the view, which is really stunning.