Calatagan may not be that famous when we speak of beaches in Batangas, nor a favorite choice for weekend fun. But that was a few years ago. Surprisingly, it slowly rose to fame. Some of the now famous beaches here are the Stilts Calatagan, Aquaria Water Park, Lago de Oro Cable Ski Park & Resort, and Little Boracay to name a few.
amazing Little Boracay
Every year, our team, the Finance Team is yearning for a once-a-year company outing to rejuvenate our minds from everyday tasks (rush, urgent, important but not urgent, name it we have it! haha!). For this year, everyone favored the nearest resort, Shercon Resort and Ecology Park situated in Mataas na Kahoy in Batangas with the anticipation that it will provide a sublime respite for each individual.
the 11 pocket pools, the famous pool in Shercon Resort
Mt. Batulao is one of the few mountains that are already famous for climbers way back then. It stands at 811 meters with the difficulty of 4/9. It is a minor climb and will take two to four hours to reach the summit. As you walk on the open trail you will be awed to see the stunning scenery of rolling slopes, natural landscapes, and picturesque views of Batangas.
after seven months of rest due to my surgery, I am back to one of my favorite activities
As I turned 46, we diverted the usual family beach getaway by being a kid again at Gingerbread House in Alfonso, Cavite. But my brother wanted to swim and so I recommended Masasa Beach in Tingloy Island, Batangas. Just last summer of this year, there has been much bustle about this beach and I was curious to find out for myself what this raving is all about.
the unique and beautiful Tawil Rock Formation as we passed by during our island hopping
One of the favorites and famous hiking destinations near Metro Manila is Mt. Maculot situated at the heart of Cuenca in Batangas. It has three focal destinations: the Grotto (510 MASL), the Rockies (706 MASL), and the Summit (930 MASL). For the venturesome trekkers, they choose the traverse trail which will start at the Rockies to Summit and ends at Grotto (4/9 difficulty). Some choose the Rockies only (3/9 difficulty).
Standing near Buwis-buhay spot of The Rockies
Considering the distance and its charm, we chose Laiya Coco Grove Resort in Laiya, Batangas for the Finance Team outing this year. A lovely sunny day and glistening waters are what we need after a busy month of filing Income Tax Returns (ITRs). It’s time now to rejuvenate our bodies and freshen up our minds from tons of paper works. And so, off we go for another fulfilling summer getaway!
the creamy white sand of Laiya Coco Grove
After summiting Mt. Pulag, my very first memorable major climb in 2016, here comes another exciting adventure as 2017 came in. Together with my office mates Janice, Rodett, Cyrhine, Lenie, and Pauline, we will embark on a thrilling and easy climb to Mt. Talamitam which is said to be the younger sister of Mt. Batulao as both have the same terrain. This is located in Nasugbu, Batangas with a height of 615 meters above sea level.
we were followed by a dog on our way to the grassland with Mt. Talamitam looming in the background
When my sister abroad went home for a one-month vacation with her family, she told me to look for a nice beach for a water escapade. My brother who is based in Singapore came home too for a five-day vacation. This is indeed an exciting reunion with my siblings especially with my sister who got so busy with her work since they migrated to California for almost three years now.
grainy sand makes the water clear… that is in Laiya in San Juan, Batangas
Mt. Gulugod Baboy in Anilao, Mabini, Batangas is frequently recommended for neophyte climbers. It is an easy climb with a picturesque view of Janao Bay, Batangas Bay, Balayan Bay, Tingloy Island, and Sombrero Island. With its minor difficulty of 2/9, this mountain which stands at 525 meters above sea level is one of the favorite destinations of mountaineers.
The pastoral view paid off the trek.
I had known about Burot Beach, way back in 2008 when my former office mates spent a summer getaway here. I was on another occasion so I missed a generous amount of opportunity to spend a quiet weekend getaway in a place, devoid of a crowd and to where sunset offers an obstructed view of a breathtaking sea. This is formerly Elizalde Beach owned by an affluent family, the Elizaldes.
finally at Isla Burot