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Chill out with a colorful splash at Nuvali

By MARBBIE TAGABUCBA, The Philippine Star Published May 17, 2023 5:00 am

On a sweltering summer day, cooling down at the mall isn’t our only option. Every weekend until June 25, the 4.5-hectare Nuvali Lake comes alive again after sunset with the summertime return of the Fountain of Lights water show.

Projected onto three fountains on the estate’s multi-functional, manmade rainwater basin are joyfully abstract depictions of the country’s biggest celebrations from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, the best of our beaches, and the nostalgic fun of Pinoy street games.

Outdoor adventure enthusiasts already know about Nuvali’s 35-kilometer mountain bike trail, its hiking paths, and wildlife and bird sanctuary. If that’s not your style, you can still enjoy the estate, as more conveniences are popping up without spoiling the beauty of nature. You can book a staycation at Seda Nuvali; with its newly opened second tower, they’re sure to have room for you and your family and friends.

The “Larong Pinoy” series of the water show is inspired by Filipino street games and the childlike fun enjoyed by kids and grownups alike in the midst of nature.

The fountain show is perfect for winding down after an afternoon of shopping at Landers or Uniqlo’s biggest roadside store (1,418 square meters of current season and discounted pieces, all in one place). Play at the outdoor park right outside while enjoying a drink from Pickup Coffee.

While there will be concessionaires closer to the lake on weekends, you can sit down and grab a bite from the nearby Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf or McDonald’s newly opened 700th “Green and Good” store at the retail complex along Sta. Rosa Tagaytay Road and Nuvali Boulevard. Now that two commercial lot parcels—East Bloc and Central Bloc—are open for investment, there will be more to come.

There are more al fresco options at Ayala Malls Solenad, a mall that’s not your usual mall. It’s set amid natural environs and feels more like a park. While the Nuvali community encourages walking and biking, residents and visitors alike can take a nonstop P2P bus to Circuit Makati or Glorietta 2 from Solenad.

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It’s part of the estate’s commitment to be eco-conscious and sustainable. Installations as resting spots throughout the estate make walking and biking inviting; they are also artfully upcycled. At the fountain show’s private viewing area hangs a lamp by Junk Not, known for turning plastic waste into conversation waste, made out of discarded snacks and chips wrappers. The benches at the public viewing area are made of repurposed wood from Camp N and other recyclable materials, done in-house by the Nuvali Team.

Junk Not’s Lamp at the viewing area of Nuvali’s Fountain of Lights

If you missed the interactive water show during the pre-pandemic holidays by Tokyo-based digital art collective TeamLab in 2019, this season, you can take in the sights and sounds of a uniquely Filipino summer while enjoying the cool, south-side breeze. It’s a getaway without being truly far away from it all.

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The Nuvali Fountain of Lights water show will run from April 28 to June 25, Fridays to Sundays, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.