The Philippines, like most other destinations, has lots of scams and tourist traps. Herewith are some of them in Talisay, Batangas with people taking advantage of tourists for extra moolah not thinking that what they're doing scares tourists away and impacts future tourist arrivals

UPDATED January 2016

Here's an updated budget travel guide for Taal Volcano crater trek/hiking with fares, rates and commute/how to get there information, even tourist traps and scams for travelers/backpackers.

early morning view of Taal Volcano and Taal Lake where fishermen/boatmen wait for passengers to ferry to the volcano island

Going on a trek to Taal Volcano involves this "script"
1. Go to Talisay, Batangas either via Tagaytay or Tanauan
2. Rent a boat
3. Trek to the crater (boil eggs at steaming hot springs)
4. Go back (of course)

Rates:

Boat Rental Rate/Fee: PhP1,500.00 (standard boat rate)
Trek guide: PhP500.00 (good for 6 persons)
Horse ride: PhP450.00 (if you don't feel like trekking)

Beware of these Scams/Tourist Traps:
boat guide fee: PhP500.00
Boat "unloading fee" : PhP50.00 (just a small piece of wood to step on to get off the boat)
Drinks at the crater: PhP50.00 (vendor will tell you that you need to buy one for your guide)
Photography: PhP400.00/picture (they will take pictures but not required to avail)


Other Rates and Fees:
SLEX Toll fee: PhP214.00 (Nichols to StarToll)
SLEX to Startoll: PhP25.00
Startoll Tanauan exit: PhP7.00


Overnight Accommodations:
Balai Sofia Bed and Breakfast PhP1,399.00 (overnight stay)
Club Balai Isabel

Overall budget/cost for a Taal Volcano day tour will be low if you avoid tourist traps and scams

How to Get to Talisay, Batangas

Labels: Batangas, Calabarzon, Lakes, Travel Guides, Volcanoes

Just two away from Manila is this hideaway of the rich and famous, of which Tutubi is neither of rich nor famous, via CAVITex and the new Kaybiang Tunnel connecting the towns of Ternate, Cavite with Nasugbu, Batangas, Pico de Loro is synonymous with the nearby Mt. Pico de Loro well-loved by mountaineers.

Located inside Hamilo Coast of Nasugbu, Batangas is a condo resort development with a hotel and beach club. It has Pico Sands hotel for guests and events (like a planning session attended by Tutubi that's why he was able to gain access to the facilities), weddings, prenups, parties, swimming pool, a beach for swimming, swimming pools, a man-made lagoon surrounded by mid-rise condominiums for sale/lease/rent or member-only use.

Pictures of Pico De Loro, Nasugbu, Batangas:


the lobby of Pico Sands Hotel

the two queen size beds of Pico Sands Hotel room. Room also comes with a 32" LCD TV and cable TV provided by Cignal with several HD channels (but do you go to places like this just to watch TV? c'mon!)

the key card access of Pico Sands Hotel

Pico Bar and Restaurant just near the lobby of Pico Sands Hotel

sample menu for order and pick-up from your room via Pico Bar and Restaurant. The hotel does not have room deliveries. Just an FYI on food prices and menu for budget purposes


the shower has a sliding glass door with shower controls quite far away from the shower. very nice as Tutubi opens the shower but stays away from it to avoid eeither too cold or too hot water

lotus and lotus flowers floating on the man-made lagoon

the placid water of the man-made lake of Pico de Loro is perfect for early morning photo opportunities


Comments/Review of Pico de Loro:

Coming Up:

The beach of Pico de Loro, Nasugbu, Batangas
How to Get to Nasugbu, Batangas

Other interesting places in Nasugbu, Batangas:

Club Punta Fuego
Munting Buhangin Beach Resort
Beach Resorts for Summer Outing

Disclaimer:
as always, this is not a sponsored post. You may get in touch with Pico de Loro for the latest room rates, day tour rates if not posted on Pico de Loro official website.

Labels: Batangas, Batangas Resorts, Calabarzon, Hotels, Hotels and Resorts, Southern Tagalog

Just a very brief stop-over at Asia's biggest church structure in the heritage town of Taal, Batangas, a famous church and shoot location of several movies and TC series (teleserye).

Tutubi visited the place after participating in the annual Parada ng Lechon fiesta in Balayan, Batangas besides buying a katana (samurai sword), balisong, and several cutlery pieces in Barangay Balisong.

Pictures of Taal Basilica (Basilica of St. Martin of Tours) in Taal, Batangas:

the imposing facade of the Minor Basilica dedicated to St. Martin of Tours with a touch of classical architecture.

the interiors of the church with trompe l'oeil art technique creating a 3D illusion to churchgoers, tourists and curious visitors, similar to the ceiling of San Agustin Church in Intramuros, Manila

Tutubi admits though that due to very limited time, he wasn't able to fully explore the place or take better pictures from odd angles. He's sure that he'll go back to Taal town to explore more historical places and heritage treasures of this lovely town.

Notes:

How to get to Taal, Batangas, please see this post:
Mass schedules of Taal Basilica to be posted later, contact numbers for weddings, events, baptism rates and other inquiries, please call their telephone number

Labels: Batangas, Calabarzon, Churches

Right after visiting Balayan town to witness and participate in the annual Parada ng Lechon in Balayan, Tutubi passed by the heritage town of Taal, Batangas to visit the largest cathedral in the Philippines, then short pitstop in the birthplace of the Batangas balisong, the deadly butterfly knife that got its name from the small village of Taal town.

The famous butterfly knife, locally known as balisong, a deadly easily concealed and opened knife wielded to perfection by Filipinos got it's name from the place of its origin: Barangay Balisong, Taal, Batangas.

the famous...err...notorious beinte nueve balisong is 29 inches long. this comes in framed and good souvenir

you can buy kitchen knives, butcher knives, small balisong, keychains, shears, and swords

samurai swords known as katana can be had for as low as PhP500.00. Next visit Tutubi intends to get a kampilan and a kris, native swords of the ancient Filipinos and Muslims of Mindanao

Sample prices of swords, knives and balisong in Taal, Batangas:

PhP500.00 two feet katana (samurai sword) ordinary steel
PhP2000.00 up: samurai swords stainless steel
P2500.00 up: sword replicas those used in Hollywood movies and epic series (The Lord of the Rings, Braveheart, 300, Game of Thrones
beinte nueve (29" fan knives begins at Php300.00 up
ordinary balisong at PhP150.00
kitchen knives also available at PhP100.00 up (stainless steel)
jungle survival knife (Rambo) at PhP800.00 up

Tutubi got hold of the business card of the shop that contains the email address and contact telephone numbers but lost it probably in transit. Intend to re-visit Taal again in the future as it's a pretty town full and proud of its well-preserved heritage.

How to Get to Taal, Batangas:

Commute: buses to Taal, Batangas can be found in Cubao, Quezon City, Pasay/Taft/LRT Buendia and Pasay Taft EDSA Rotonda. Look for buses with signboard Lemery and get off in Taal town (some buses don't pass by taal poblacion so you have to ride a jeepney.

There are also shuttle service/FX to Lemery at Starmall at the corner of EDSA and Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong and at Metropoint Mall at the corner of EDSA and Taft Avenue in Pasay. Estimated fare is PhP180.00

Driving Directions to Taal, Batangas:

there are two routes to Taal, the first is via Tagaytay - Lemery and the other is long path (that Tutubi took to fetch a friend in Tanauan) via SLEx, Tanauan, Lipa. Just follow the main highway on the map of Taal town and you won't get lost.

Related Post:

Swords of Pozorrubio, Pangasinan

Labels: Batangas, Calabarzon, OTOP

Celebrated annually in the town of Balayan, Batangas on June 24th, the feast day of John the Baptist, Parada ng Lechon fiesta has the unique combination of roasted pigs paraded around town on colorful carrozas and makeshift vehicles while people and spectators splash water on one another, some sort of emulation of St. John baptising Jesus before the start in the river Jordan.

Pictures of Parada ng Lechon, Balayan, Batangas
(a bit hazy, taken with an iPhone 4S wrapped in ziplock to protect it from water)

Parade participants and spectators splash water on one another

the float of MacDonalds with yellow and orange baloons

a nice roasted pig with shades hat and wig costume

roast pig pharaoh of Ancient Egypt

Parada ng Lechon:
Schedule of Parade (start): June 24 around 9am (probably after the mass at Balayan Church (Parish of St. John the Baptist (San Juan Bautista)

Travel Tips:

1. If you have your own vehicle, be there early as you will just get stuck in heavy traffic and won't enjoy the celebration.
2. Bring extra clothes as you will get wet, unless you will just witness the parade from afar or inside your car
3. Protect your gadgets with plastic bags or ziplock
4. Recommend a waterproof camera if you have or just use plastic cover/case for your camera
5. Don't get angry when you get wet, you went there so you at least expect to get wet
6. Close your car window, even of the highway, you may be surprised some kids and people splash water on passing vehicles

How to Get to Balayan, Batangas:

If you intend to commute to Balayan, there are buses on EDSA, Cubao or taft Avenue corner Buendia to take you directly to Balayan. There are vans/fx/shuttle service to Balayan on Zamora St at the back of Kabayan Hotel near Metropoint Mall at the corner of EDSA and Taft Avenue in Pasay (fare: PhP180.00) with travel time of about 3 hours via Tagaytay.

Driving directions to Balayan, from Makati, take SLEx then exit at Sta. Rosa, pass by Tagaytay, turn right at the end of Tagaytay - Sta. Rosa road, drive all the way until you reach the junction of the road the either go to nasugbu or Balayan. Turn left to get to Balayan then turn right to Balayan main road.

Other Water Festivals in the Philippines:
Basaan San Juan Water Festival
Salibanda Festival of Paete, Laguna

Note:
pictures taken during parada ng lechon 2012, almost a year of backlog of Tutubi

Labels: Batangas, Calabarzon, Festivals, Fiestas

One of the more expensive beach resorts in Laiya Beach in San Juan, Batangas, Estrellas de Mendoza playa Resort has probably the most number of hotel rooms in the area that can accommodate big company summer outings and even conventions, more than the more expensive Acuatico Beach Resort who also has its own infinity pool.

Tutubi first visited Laiya Beach in 2005, at Laiya Cocogrove, on the other end of the long beach where La Luz is located, the rocky part of the beach yet teeming with corals and fishes good for snorkeling and newbie dive site. This second visit is at the upscale Estrellas de Mendoza Playa Resort which is inside a seaside condominium development.

(Note: there are three photos here, one's taken by Nikki (Nikon D80), another by Ipe (iPhone 4S) and the other by Flare (Cherry Mobile Flare, can you guess which picture was taken by which camera?)

Images of Estrellas de Mendoza Playa Resort:

The infinity pool, cabanas, beach front view from the hotel rool

Review: Estrellas de Mendoza Playa Resort

Facility/Amenities: Relatively new beach resort, nice infinity pool with ever-present lifeguards, spacious parking lot, the main hotel building has a picturesque fountain. The beachfront has brownish slightly coarse sand, the coastline extends about 50 meters during low tide. Beach is safe and shallow for kids/toddlers to play (but of course should always be guarded and have vests for safety)

the placid infinity pool early morning makes a good reflecting pool with some cabanas

Rooms: hotel room high-rise building has an elevator with glass window facing the infinity pool, beach and the sea. Includes one queen size bed and a double size bed. There's a 32" LCD TV and cable TV (note: remote control has low battery in Tutubi's room and erratic cable TV reception. it was promptly replaced. The erratic TV signal was caused by a missing antenna plug, it was "repaired" temporarily by splicing the co-axial cable. Tutubi later found this out that he used the whistle in oen fo his backpack to hold the cable to the jack thereby fixing the TV signal). The bathroom has a nice shower head, the toilet with bidet (nice, they really cater to Filipinos who uses "tabo" to wash their arse). No bathtubs in this expensive room though

the hotel room with a queen size bead and a double size one

Food: serves Filipino food (which should be) in all buffet at the restaurant. Sample menu prices are comparable to
many 5 star hotels in Manila. There are not so good dishes mostly beef. Stand-outs are roast chicken (very tasty), sinampalukang manok (chicken and tamarind sour soup, something Tutubi usually doesn't eat). There are soups, simple desserts, bottomless juice/coffee/ice tea but no salad station

Room Rates:
Superior Room (high-rise hotel, with 1 queen size bed and 1 double size bed): PhP6,000.00
Cabana (poolside, 2 rooms, each with 1 queen size bed and 1 double size bed): PhP16,000.00

Day tour rate/Entrance fee: PhP1,500.00

Watersports/other rates/prices:
Banana Boat: PhP1,500.00/five persons
Jetski rental: PhP4,500.00/hour (now this is expensive, make this cheaper so more people will try)
Bamboo raft rental: PhP300.00/hour
Boat rental (snorkeling, island-hopping): PhP1,500.00 (ten persons) this, again is expensive considering the area was very near the resort and the shore

Estrellas de Mendoza
Contact Number: +63.2.819.6050

How to get there:

Refer to this post on how to get to Laiya, for the best route for private vehicles or bus commute way. Click the following link for a list of Beach Resorts in Laiya

Tutubi is not in any way affiliated with Estrellas de Mendoza nor received freebies of any kind for this review. Please get in touch with Estrellas de Mendoza by visiting their official website or calling their telephone number for reservation, inquiries, parties (wedding debut, et al), summer outing, team building, room rates, promos, discounts.

Labels: Batangas, Batangas Resorts, Beaches, Calabarzon, Hotels and Resorts

Thinking of going to the beach of Laiya, San Juan, Batangas? Herewith is the latest information and the best way to commute by bus going there.

Tutubi re-visited this once secret beach recently and is providing the information should you wish to stay at a beach resort there from the expensive Acuatico beach Resort, Estrellas de Mendoza Playa Resort, Les Caraibes Beach Resort to a private camp site to pitch tent at One Laiya Beach Resort.

the beach front of Estrellas de Mendoza PLaya Resort and One Laiya Beach Resort (Mt. Daguldul on the background)

How to Get to Laiya, San Juan, Batangas:

Click here for an online map of Laiya via OpenStreetMap or see below the street map via StarToll, and the towns of Ibaan and Rosario (the better route than via Lipa) to San Juan

route map to Laiya Beach from Startoll (blue line) via Ibaan, Rosario then San Juan

Driving directions to Laiya, San Juan, Batangas:

Follow this route to Laiya if you have a private car/vehicle:

From Manila, head to SLEx, onwards to South Toll Road 3, to Star Toll and exit at Ibaan/San Jose you don't pass by Lipa City to avoid traffic jam)
Turn left when you see a fork on the road
Turn left again at the corner where Ibaan Municipal Hall and Park stands
Turn right on the next corner (landmarks: after passing Queen Mary Hospital and Ibaan Central School)
After seeing San Juan Municipal Hall, turn right. this road takes you straight to Laiya Beach, now completely paved and concreteunlike a few years ago when it was rough road.

If you're from Bicol or Quezon Province, there's a road in Candelaria, Quezon that connects to Maharlika Highway that is just 30 minutes away from San Juan town

How to Commute to Laiya, San Juan, Batangas:

From EDSA, Cubao or Araneta Center Bus terminal in Quezon City or Alabang, Muntinlupa, the best is via Alps the Bus as it has direct daily trip schedule to San Juan, Batangas (first trip at 3am, last trip at 530pm, 12 daily trips, Fare: PhP188.00). In San Juan, just near the town hall, take another jeep to Laiya/Barangay Hugom (first trip at 6am, last trip at 5pm)

From EDSA, Cubao, Pasay/Taft/LRT Buendia, or MRT Taft/LRT EDSA Rotonda in Pasay, take buses to Lipa, Batangas (RRCG, JAM Liner, JAC Liner, Batangas Star Express, Ceres Tours, KL CNG Bus Transport, DLTBCo.). In Lipa City, take a shuttle van or jeepney to San Juan.
In San Juan near municipal hall, take the jeep to Laiya/Hugom

Via Candelaria, Quezon:
From manila, Quezon City or Pasay, take a bus to Lucena City (JAC Liner, Lucena Lines, DLTB Co., Tritran etc) and request to get off in Candelaria (Chowking) right after Candelaria town proper. Go to the road intersection and ride a jeepney to San Juan Batangas.
In San Juan, take the jeepney to Laiya

From Metro Manila, total travel time is around 3-4 hours, best to take early morning trips going there.

If you're from Laguna (Tutubi's home province), you can go first to SM Calamba, then take a jeepney to Lipa via Tanauan. In Lipa, take the van or jeepney to San Juan then another jeepney to Laiya as described above.

From Labo, Batangas, Tutubi saw jeepneys going to Laiya/Hugom, San Juan but the schedule is not regular and people sitting on the top load of the jeepney

a boat that came from...Laiya? near the mangrove forest (bakawan)

Fares/Fees/Rates:

EDSA, Cubao to San Juan bus fare: (Alps the Bus only): PhP188.00
Cubao to Lipa bus fare: PhP132.00
Buendia to Lipa bus fare: PhP124.00
Bus fare from Cubao to Lipa City: Php132.00
Lipa to San Juan van fare: PhP70.00
Lipa to San Juan jeepney fare: PhP45.00

San Juan to Laiya jeepney fare: PhP35.00
San Juan to Laiya tricycle fare: PhP60.00
(note: the return trip Laiya to San Juan town proper last trip is around 12nn, confirm this when you're there)

bamboo raft rental: PhP300.00/hour
banana boat ride: PhP1,500.00

List of Beach Resorts in Laiya Batangas:

Acuatico Beach Resort
Balai Laiya Resort
Blue Coral Beach Resort
Casa Dolores Beach Resort
Estrellas de Mendoza Playa Resort
Kabayan Beach Resort
La Frondosa Beach Resort
La Luz Resort
Laiya Austria Beach Resort
Laiya Cocogrove Beach Resort
Les Caraibes Beach Resort
Marulai Beach Resort
One Laiya Beach Resort
Palm Beach Resort
Playa del Sol Resort
Playa Taramindu Beach Garden Inn
Sabangan Beach Resort
Sigayan Bay Resort
Tivona Beach Resort
Triple-G Resort
Virgin Beach Resort
White Cove Beach Resort

information on review of resort, room rates, contact number and day tour/entrance fee/swimming pool/infinity pool to be published soon...

Labels: Batangas, Beaches, Calabarzon, Travel Guides

Getting lost really has its rewards wherein you purposely get out of the usual tour itineraries and routes but wander aimlessly looking for something new.

This trip to an old Spanish lighthouse was made possible when Tutubi got "lost on purpose" in Batangas City, looked for a place to eat that's new to him but in the process found himself adrift on the zigzag road to Lobo, Batangas.

When he got to Lobo, he can't find any restaurant, just small town eateries serving usual stuff, he thought of going straight to the old Spanish lighthouse on Punta Malabrigo: the Faro de Punta Malabrigo

From the town proper of Lobo, he asked around for directions and made to turned left near the town plaza then left again to the road going to Laiya, San Juan, Batangas.

It was a route with a view of Cape Verde Passage, gray sand beaches (if not pebbles) and hilly terrain. It was on this lonely road's high portion when the sight of the heritage lighthouse, often portrayed as romatic sentinels of the sea appeared to him.

This is the fifth of the twenty-four lighthouses built by the Spaniards, all of which he intends to visit in his lifetime. Will he be able to visit all? Just keep your fingers crossed! :P

Faro de Punta Malabrigo: Batangas Lighthouse in Lobo town:





Framed: Faro de Punta Malabrigo on approach from the dirt road

Malabrigo lighthouse in Lobo Batangas

This old lighthouse seems to be well-maintained, unlike the other lighthouses earlier seen by Tutubi. It was newly-painted as if it's still wet.

Tutubi wasn't able to get inside to shoot interiors including the spiral staircase of the tower. It was closed, nobody seems to be around. There's a sign that says no picture taking/video without permit from the Philippine Coastguard, the government agency assigned to maintain the heritage structure and navigational aid in this time of the global positioning system (GPS) ubiquity.

There's also a battery of solar cells enclosed in a cage charging the batteries powering the beacon lights at night.

Lighthouses though are popular shoot locations of movies and teleseryes, can you recall which of them were shot here?

History of Malabrigo Lighthouse on the NHI (NHCP) marker

Faro de Punta Malabrigo (Malabrigo Lighthouse) tidbits:

Designed by Guillermo Brockman as a cylindrical brick tower with metal staircase, adjacent pavilion and machine room in 1891

Built by the Chinese contractor Jose Garcia in 1896

How to get to Lobo, Batangas:

if you have a GPS or a GPS app in your iOS/Android devices, set it to these coordinates 13° 35.922N 121° 15.604E and you will it on the hilly portion of Malabrigo road connecting Lobo town to Laiya, San Juan Batangas. A map of Lobo is available here

commute to Lobo, Batangas: take a bus to Batangas pier (choose from RRCG transport, Ceres Transport, Batangas Express, Alps the Bus), Fare to Batangas is PhP175.00 from Cubao.

In Batangas, just right after the end of Startoll, transfer to a jeepney going to Lobo town.
In Lobo town, you may take a tricycle or a jeepney going to Laiya (infrequent trips, best is the trike)

driving directions

best to have a car to get there, it's just SLEx, Startoll then left at the end of Startoll, follow the zigzag road going to Lobo.

In Lobo town, turn left then left again on the road going to Malabrigo

Other romantic lighthouses visited by Tutubi so far:
Pasig River Lighthouse
Corregidor Lighthouse
Capones Island Lighthouse
Cape Bolinao Lighthouse

Labels: Batangas, Calabarzon, Lighthouses, National Historical Landmarks

So many inquiries in the past on the nearest beach resort to Manila and suggested beach resorts for company summer outing or team building activities but as always, Tutubi does not recommend specific beach resorts as he has no favorites nor even hidden affiliations. You can opt not to do the usual company outing ocular inspection to check beach quality, food tasting, amenities, and overnight room accommodations, just take note of these tips and suggestions.

UPDATED: March 2014

Herewith is only a general recommendation per area though there may be pockets of beaches that don't fit per Tutubi's description with estimated travel time out of Metro Manila and only land travel is considered i.e. no islands nor boat/ferry rides much more airplane rides (for those rich and generous companies)
Beach resorts in Cavite: travel time around 2 hours (even less due to Cavitex)

Tutubi visited Lido Beach Resort in Noveleta, Cavite without much expectation and he's right. The beach there is dirty as it's part of Manila Bay, you can even fish garbage out of the water. The sand is black and usually turns-off most city dwellers looking for a white beach in Cavite. The best beaches in Cavite are those at the southernmost tip of Cavite province with several high-end resorts like Puerto Azul (visited by Tutubi sometime in 1998), Caylabne Bay Resort, Boracay de Cavite

Beach Resorts in Bulacan: Travel Time: around 2-3 hours

not much is known about beach resorts in Bulacan due to it's also part of Manila Bay so if you can find them, expect them to be dirty and unfit for swimming. Bulacan though boasts of several nice resorts with wave pools.

Bataan Beach Resorts: travel time around 3 hours via NLEX

The beaches of Morong Bataan is inside Manila Bay, not that dirty as quite far already from Manila but the sand is fine gray. Reason why it's not that famous. The beaches of Bagac town (where Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar the resort of old houses is located), on the other side of Bataan Peninsula has white sand and good enough for human activities.

Batangas Beach Resorts: travel time varies from 3 hours to 5 hours

In Batangas province you have so many choices from Nasugbu (the nearest to Metro Manila via Tagaytay) but doesn't have real nice beaches and shoreline for swimming.

The much hyped Laiya Beach in San Juan is quite nice but not quite as raved by other people. On one end of the beach is fine sand bit murky and on the other end is the so-called La Luz point, a rocky part where it's nice to snorkel. In between the two is a short strip of fine white sand. Tutubi visited this in 2005 when the popular and pricey Acuatico Beach Resort with it's nice infinity pool is not yet built.

the nice part of the white beach of Laiya, San Juan, Batangas

Lobo Beach resorts, visited by Tutubi in summer of 2012 (unposted yet) does not offer very good beach too as the beach is full of pebbles (but not the same as those in Luna, La Union). They offer great diving experience though as you can see Isla verde from a distance, said to be one of the best dive sites in the country. Calatagan has also has nice beaches while Anilao town has mostly dive resorts catering to scuba divers.

The once famous Matabungkay beach in town deteriorated with too many balsa (bamboo rafts) parked on the shore that make swimming difficult and sometimes dangerous

munting buhangin beach with munting visitors

Nasugbu beaches hold promise with fine sand of Munting Buhangin Beach and nearby beaches where you can see Munting Buhangin Beach Resort, Punta Fuego, Canyon Cove and others.

Quezon Beach Resorts: travel time 4-5 hours

Parts of the beaches of Quezon Tutubi has visited include Sariaya (his first beach experience in "19forgotten" has dark gray sand but the area is good for swimming. Same in Atimonan town but the waves may be a bit dangerous. Up north in the towns of Real and Infanta, the beaches are gray sand, sometimes rocky, and with huge waves as they're facing the Pacific Ocean. The town of Pagbilao has nice white sand beaches though but there may not be enough beach resorts rooms and overnight accommodations for large companies.

Quezon has many islands too with fine white sand beaches that many bloggers hype to be like Boracay (usually exaggerated accounts) and also the southern towns are unexplored by Tutubi.

Zambales Beach Resorts: 3 to 5 hours travel time via NLEX-SCTEx

not so crowded and tourist-infested, the beach of Pundaquit, San Antonio, Zambales

Here you have lots of choices though may be quite far already for some companies. Subic Bay has nice resorts including the once popular White Rock and the pricey Marina Lighthouse Resort. Most of Zambales shoreline has black sand or fine gray sand like those in Pundaquit, San Antonio (where you can have nice yet pricey resorts like Punta de Uian)Pundaquit is the gateway to Anawangin Cove and Capones Island.

Pangasinan Beach Resorts: travel time 4 to 6 hours via NLEX, SCTEx

the backpacker-friendly Patar beach in Bolinao, Pangasinan

Pangasinan is a large province. there are many towns with pockets of nice white sand beaches sandwiched between those with gray sand. Western Pangasinan boasts of nice beaches of Anda, and Bolinao and Tambobong White Beach in Dasol town. In Bolinao beaches you can choose Ilog Malino for safe beach for family outings and the backpacker-friendly Patar beach has fine slightly brownish red sand. Pangasinan also has historic beaches in Mangaldan and Lingayen (where resorts like El Puerto Marina can be found) which played silent witness during the liberation of World War II. The Hundred Islands in Alaminos boasts of several beach resorts for overnight accommodations, some with cheap room rates, even dormitory-type rooms for the budget conscious (but usually without official websites nor any published telephone contact numbers)

Lingayen beach is typical Pangasinan and Zambales: fine gray sand with waves suitable for surfing school

La Union Beach Resorts: Travel time of 5 hours or more via NLEX, SCTEx (but expect this to shorten once TPLEx is completed)

La Union boasts of nice white sand beaches but they're actually popular for one thing: surfing. You can find beach resorts in the towns of Bauan and San Fernando (where the expensive Thunderbird Poro Point is located)

Further up north, lies Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte (where Pagudpud resorts await) that are too far away for most Manila-based companies to consider for summer outing. Not much nice white sand beaches in Ilocos Sur except Sabangan Beach in Santiago, Ilocos Sur (as Tutubi was able to scour most of seaside towns of Ilocos Sur) and probably other towns north of Vigan (unexplored by Tutubi)

Santiago Cove: a hidden treasure of Ilocos Sur, a white sand beach without the crowds

Lastly, if our company summer outing came too late for summer and into the rainy season, you can check out Pansol hotspring resorts in Calamba, Laguna where you can swim to your hearts content without getting out of the hot water due to freezing cold when out of it. :)

This is not a definitive list as Tutubi has yet to fully explore all of them. He may have left out some nice places or gave comments that don't agree with your own.

Labels: Bataan, Batangas, Beaches, Bulacan, Hotels and Resorts, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Luzon, Quezon, Zambales

The venue of his company's planning session was held at this premier resort club located in Talisay, Batangas that's a very good jump-off point to Taal Volcano Crater Trek


Club Balai Isabel: Resort in Talisay, Batangas:

a typical balai at club balai isabel named after national heroes, particularly those from Batangas province

the hotel room where Tutubi stayed at is in Balai Malvar, with two double size beds, hot and cold shower (no bath tubs, bidet not tabo), a kitchen/mini-bar, and a 32 inch LCD TV

Tutubi saw two swimming pools, one is this large one near the lakeshore. Due to lack of time, Tutubi wasn't able to swim here, just took a few minutes to take pictures before they departed back to Manila

early morning view of Tall Volcano and Taal Lake where fishermen/boatmen rait for passengers to ferry to the island inside Taal Lake where the crater is located. Note that the crater-like feature is not actually a crater. Taal Volcano has many craters but not this one

Club Balai Isabel Review and Comments

Club balai Isabel room rates are not cheap, prices of accommodations run in to more than PhP5000/room. Buffet food served to Tutubi deserves no raves bordering on rants where they can't even serve good crispy tawilis. People are courteous too. Restaurant bar is available only up to 12mn, something Tutubi's group do not want for they usually stay way beyond 12mn.

It's best to go there via SLEX, Startoll route rather than risk the steep curves of Ligaya Drive in Tagaytay.

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Just contact Club Balai Isabel directly for promos, discounts, latest room rates and list of facilities plus inquiries on meetings, conventions, day tour rates, corporate parties, events and weddings (this is the venue of the wedding of Oyo Boy Sotto and Kristine Hermosa, gossiped some people).

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If you've visited Club Balai Isabel or visited an event where you left your business card or contact details at agents of Club Balai Isabel, expect a call text from their marketing officers that you "won" free accommodations in Club Balai Isabel or Boracay and even abroad, it's a marketing scheme to avail of club memberships plus RCI memberships for timeshares. it's not a scam but you need to attend a 90 minute presentation where they'll persuade you to sign up on the spot due to a promo valid on that day only.

Tutubi got one of these calls but turned it down for he already knows the "modus operandi" of the marketing people, besides, he has not time to attend and go to their office on Makati Avenue

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Related Posts:
Taal Volcano Crater Trek
How to get to Tagaytay

Labels: Batangas, Batangas Resorts, Calabarzon, Lakes, Volcanoes

After a day's work in Batangas City just in front of SM City Batangas, Tutubi asked for interesting places to visit in the capital city of Batangas province and was lead to Batangas Cathedral, formally known as Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception

here are just two pictures of Tutubi's very brief visit to Batangas Cathedral (taken with an Iphone 4) before going home to Quezon City.

the bell tower and half facade of Batangas Cathedral, limited angle of the iPhone plus obscured by trees

interiors with ceilings adorned by trompe l'oeil paintings similar to San Agustin Church in Manila

Short history of Batangas Cathedral (told on the NHI marker)

1581 founded in honor of the Immaculate Conception
1601 stone foundation for the stone church
1693 built convent with artillery
1851 demolished and re-built
1948 elevated as Minor Basilica

Mass Schedules of Batangas Cathedral (posted at the front of the Batangas church, picture not posted here)

Mondays to Saturdays
5am, 615am 7am, 6pm

Sunday Masses:
445am, 6am, 715am, 830am, 945am, 11am, 430pm, 530pm, 7pm

For weddings, baptisms, and other inquiries, just call Batangas Cathedral's
Contact Number: +63.43.723.1484.
Batangas basilica

Related Posts:

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Lipa, Batangas

Star Toll

Labels: Batangas, Calabarzon, Churches, Visita Iglesia

Locals, when asked about their own place, can only be of two types-- informative or the clueless. Tutubi asked his officemate about the famous Tanauan bibingka, some kind of cheese bibingka of Tanauan famous pasalubong sough after by tourists and visitors but was rather clueless. He asked another friend from Tanauan recently and pointed him to the place with pinpoint accuracy.

Tita's Delight Bibingka is a variant of the cheese bibingka of Tanauan, soft and fluffy, not unlike bibingka galapong. It's more of a cross between Vigan Royal Bibingka and egg pie in texture and taste.





Tita's Delight Bibingka and Pastries
Address: #19 Akle St.
Mt. View Subd., Tanauan City, Batangas
Telephone Number: +63.43.778.1735
Contact Number: +63.915.992.7025
Location details: at the back of Daniel Mercado Medical Center
(beside Aling Denang's Bibingka and Cassava. There's also famous Aling Atay's Bibingka at Tanauan public market)
Coordinates: N14 04 47.6 E121 09 04.2

Prices of Cheese Bibingka:
Extra Large: PhP570.00
Medium: PhP370.00 (about 10 inches diameter, 1.5 inches thick)
Small: PhP240.00
Oval: PhP150.00
Mini: PhP70.00 (about 4 inches diameter, 1 inch thick)

Btw, Tutubi's friend actaully lives a walking distance from Tita's Delight Bibingka and pastries shop, just at the back of Daniel Mercado Medical Center (DMMC, sarcastically called Dito Maya't-Maya Charged). It's probable that Tutubi asked the wrong question thus got the wrong answer. Asking around Tanauan City didn't do much but there's always the joy of finding something fantastic after having a hard time looking for it-- the joy of discovery!

You might also be interested in these:

Vigan Royal Bibingka
Original Buko PieBibingka Galapong
Vjandep Pastel

Labels: Batangas, Calabarzon, Pasalubong, Specialties

If you're going to Lipa City or Batangas City, why not go on a food trip adventure to the land of the Ala Eh Batanguenos and sample their famous Batangas lomi, Batangas bulalo and goto batangas. This short post is about Tutubi's recent trip to Batangas City where he passed by Lipa to again eat at the lomihan in Lipa City: LBN Lomi House, just beside Bee Gees Lomi Hauz (past Tia Celeste's Eatery) and across LBN bar and Grill on J.P Laurel Highway in Lipa City serves a bowl of lomi at only PhP45.00 per order.

LBN Lomi serves generous serving of lomi with meatballs, bola-bola, posk slivers and pork liver and comes with a dip of calamansi, soy sauce and chili. The first time Tutubi saw the lomi years ago, he though his small "bodega" can't accommodate the extra heavy lomi meal but he was able to finish it.

LBN Lomi serves lomi that's filling and cheap at phP45.00/serving. best served with a dip of soy sauce, calamansi and chili

Two of Tutubi's close office friends, one from Tanauan and the other from Lobo, cite LBN Lomi Hauz and the other lomihan inside Lipa City public market as favorites. Another recommended lomihan is MGM lomi in front of Days Hotel just near SM City Batangas.

The best lomi in Batangas, according to Chef Gene Gonzales, featured in his Manila Bulletin article has these places, yet to be tried by Tutubi:

"Megalicious - is on the main highway right past SM Hypermart . This nipa hut structure beside Mega subdivision underneath some tall trees has a very provincial feel. A giant bowl of rich flavored lomi thickened by eggs with home-made quekiam, meatballs, pork slivers, and topped with lots of crushed chicharon and hard-boiled egg is served with a side dish of toasted garlic and fresh shallots. A dip of soy sauce, calamansi, and chili complete this 65-peso bowl that is good for two.

Emjaykas - Also located right past SM Hypermart and Eternal Gardens Memorial Park on the main highway, Emjaykas also serves a delicious Batangas-style goto with a variety of offal cuts and a generous sprinkling of fresh sliced scallions. Their lomi has a strong full flavored broth and also quite liberal on the topping with whole chunks of chicharon and eggs. This lomi, I believe, is best eaten with chili, patis, and calamansi which highlights the powerful caldo base for its soup stock.

Jhorjanes - There are two outlets, one at the very end of the Batangas exit of the Star Tollway, and the other in front of the Batangas Sports Complex. The dark shiny lomi has quail eggs and homemade meatballs with slivers of pork and also a generous topping of chicharon. The flavors are balanced and subtle in style rather than their more up front competitors."

In Ibaan, Batangas, there's reportedly a lomihan serving lomi with pigeon meat adding unique twist to lomi caldo (stock)

Tutubi will be back in Batangas for sure and will definitely try to sample these best batangas lomi in the future in addition to the quest for the best batangas goto and best batangas bulalo. :P


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list of recommended lomi house, lomihan and eateries/restaurants (mostly frugal) in Batangas (to be updated when Tutubi finds time to access his GPS where he stored the coordinates)

LBN Lomi House
J.P. Laurel Highway, Lipa City (between Startoll Malvar Exit and Lipa City proper)
Coordinates: 13°58'14"N 121°10'0"E

Labels: Batangas, Batangas Restaurants, Calabarzon, Filipino Food, Food Trip, Frugal Food Find, Southern Tagalog

A multi-awarded spa and restaurant in Asia and claimed by some as the best vegetarian restaurant in the Philippines, the detoxifying menu at the Farm at San Benito in Lipa City, Batangas has not your usual vegetarian menu that doesn't try to imitate meat and dairy food using alternative ingredients. Instead, they use natural ingredients and locally grown, organic produce in their vegetarian menu offerings.

Tutubi's initial breakfast at the Farm at San Benito consisted of kapeng barako ng Batangas with no creamer but using coconut milk and muscovado sugar to sweeten.

For a sample menu of The Farm, not much words will be offered here but a few pictures will do the talking...

fresh tropical fruit platter: watermelon, pineapple, mango, melon and papaya
fruit salad on a buco shell

breakfast cereals with coconut milk (there's no milk at The Farm, not even dairy products)

vegetarian menu at the farm, food imitation is not common there. the coconut bacon is an exception

a "best seller" taco sandwich to Tutubi's peers, mostly carnivores, who generally disliked food there

vegetarian mushroom burger, bread and salad

arroz caldo for breakfast, one of two times Tutubi was able to eat rice in three days stay there. again, no meat nor eggs but great tasting for such a common pinoy fare

vegetable salad with a not so common salad dressing

salad with pomelo and cashew nuts

dessert that looks like ice cream but alas, there's no milk, just coconut milk

So how would Tutubi review The Farm at San Benito's food? It's no secret that Tutubi's no food critic and he's not into a detoxification diet either but the vegetarian cuisine at the famous place earned his mixed review. He liked some food them like the arroz caldo and taco salad, but he's really not into rice-less days. Worse were his officemates who are mostly carnivores, even tried to sneak out of the spa resort just to be able to sample the famous Batangas lomi that Tutubi partook earlier in anticipation of the veggie diet.

On their way to back to Manila, Tutubi's group had coffee at Cafe de Lipa then dined at Rose and Grace restaurant in Sto. Tomas for the usual bulalo, crispy pata and other sinful food that looked like they've never eaten meat for a year!

The vegetarian food at The Farm at San Benito may be a toast of food critics but it's not for general public, only for those looking for a complete detox and detached lifestyle with no meat, no smoking and no alcohol for a few days.

Labels: Batangas, Batangas Restaurants, Calabarzon, Southern Tagalog