Rainy days can really put a damper on anyone’s travel plans. Storms and floods turn all thoughts of road trips and out of town capers into hours of cocooning, entire weekends spent sprawled on a couch watching TV or taking comfort in endless snacking.
If you’re craving something a little more adventurous (not to mention with some healthy side effects to counter those comfort food calories), here are a few things you can try out in the metro.
Relax at a Water Spa. Thoughts of the beach and swimming are probably farthest from your mind when the storms hit. But at Ace Water Spa, you and your friends can relax in hot herbal pools and soothe aching muscles in this hi-tech hydrotherapy spa.
The huge spa complex has more than 20 unique fully automated jets, while the hot pools have natural herbs for a relaxing aromatic experience. The spa uses ultrasonic jet systems to massage specific areas of the body. Combined with heat, it removes excess oils and other non-essential materials from the skin and body which results in better blood circulation and healthier skin. For a cool workout, try walking against the current of the Lazy River, which covers the length of the pool or try standing under the artificial waterfall that blasts streams of water full force. There’s also a special kids’ area with fountains and a slide, so you can leave the kids to play while you’re enjoying your spa experience.
Ace Water Spa. Open daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. 399 Del Monte Avenue, near cor. Banawe St., SFDM, Quezon City. Tel: 367-8040 to 41 and United St. cor. Brixton St., near Pioneer, Pasig City. Tel: 451-1111. Rates: P550 for adults, P250 for kids. Bring proper fitted swimming attire (beach shorts not allowed) and bath towel. www.acewaterspa.com.ph
Indulge in healthy cuisine. The next best thing to going to another country is indulging in its cuisine. Namaste Indian Restaurant near Burgos Circle at The Fort serves authentic Indian dishes that use fresh ingredients and spices, which are said to be very good for one’s health.
According to restaurant owner Komal Khanchandani (who also operates Swagat Indian Restaurant in Makati), aromatic spices commonly used in Indian cuisine (including cumin, coriander, turmeric, mustard seeds, red chili, ginger, cloves and cardamom) have a host of health benefits. The cozy restaurant serves a wide range of Indian vegetarian, non-vegetarian and halal options. Natural spices, like those found in the mutton masala (P290) and chicken coconut curry (P200) have a heating effect on the body and stimulate digestion, circulation, and the release of toxins. Others dishes have a more mild and calming effect like the refreshing coriander rice (P140) and strawberry lassi (P80). If you’re still feeling too lazy to get out of the house, Namaste offers delivery and catering services within a limited area, perfect for various occasions.
Namaste India. Open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Unit 1A Kensington Place, 1st Ave. cor. 29 St., Burgos Circle, Crescent Part West, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. Tel: 403-6088, 0917-8649729. Dishes range from P100 to P300. Swagat Indian Cuisine. 119 FCC Building, Rada St., Legaspi Village, Makati. Tel: 752-5669. www.swagatindiancuisineph. com. Delivery and catering accepted.
Try “exer-gaming.” If you’re already at the mall, why not hit the arcade center with the kids and try out some of the more active exercise games like basketball, virtual skateboarding, boxing, shooting games or Dance Dance Revolution?
Alternatively, you could invite friends and relatives over for an afternoon of fun virtual sports like boxing, tennis, bowling, baseball and golf, which can actually help burn calories. Several newer consoles use motion controllers like the Wii wand, PlayStation 3 Move and Xbox 360 Kinect. The Wii Fit game comes stocked with a balance board and various strength training, aerobics, yoga, and balance games that can help people lose weight. Highly rated fitness games include Wii Fit Plus, The Biggest Loser and Just Dance.
Timezone has 24 branches in Metro Manila. Open daily during mall hours. Powercards range from P99 (standard) to P500 (ultra pack). www.timezone.com.ph. Power Station has branches in Rockwell and Shangri-La Plaza Mall. www.qpowerstation.com.ph
Scale some walls. If you find going to the gym boring but find that you still want a total body workout, consider indoor wall climbing. It’s a challenging sport that can be enjoyed by almost all ages. As it demands coordination, endurance, strength, flexibility, and balance, calories burned while rock climbing can rival many other workout routines, including running, cross-country skiing and bicycling. It’s also a fun activity that the whole family can enjoy. Aside from having a good climbing and bouldering area, Centro Atletico also has 10 rubber badminton courts and a weightlifting and gym area, for those who want to try other indoor sports.
Power Up. 690 Tandang Sora Ave., Old Balara, Quezon City. Climbing fee: P150 plus equipment rental. Centro Atletico. 25 West Road cor. North Road, Cubao, Quezon City. Open daily, 2 p.m. to 12 midnight on weekdays; 12 nn to 8 p.m. weekends. Climbing rates are P170 for adults plus equipment rental (P40 for climbing shoes and P30 for harness). Tel: 412-7480.
Get some Laser Tag action. Just like paintball and airsoft, Laser Tag is a simulated shooting game minus the outdoors. Instead of playing out in the field with pellets, the game is set in a futuristic indoor arena and uses a combination of sensors, laser technology and customized software to tally scores. Players carry special guns and wear specially designed vests with sensors which can detect who “tagged” you in the game. At the end of the game, a tally sheet will be given with each player’s statistics.
Though regular games last only 15 to 20 minutes, you’ll be surprised at the workout this game can bring, as it requires you to dodge quickly around the arena in order to tag your opponents and avoid getting hit. The special lighting effects, music and ambiance all add to the futuristic feel and can bring out your inner action star. Unlike paintball, getting tagged doesn’t hurt at all, so this activity is considered safe for kids. Lazer Maxx also accepts reservations for parties, team building sessions, and company tournaments.
Regular rates: P170 per person on weekdays (Mon-Thurs) and P190 on weekends (Fri-Sun) for 15 min. game. Lazer Maxx Laser Tag Arena. Eton Centris Walk cor. Quezon Blvd and Edsa (Tel: 441-1958) and Lazer Maxx Greenhills Shopping Center. LazerXtreme. Market Market in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig (Tel: 856-6469) and Alabang Town Center (Tel: 403-9071). Open daily 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays and until 10 p.m. weekends. https://lazerxtreme.com.ph.