Canyon Cove Beach Resort Family Day tour

March 30, 2018 Friday in Nasugbu, Batangas, Philippines (Good Friday)

My 24th family outing initiated and of course, usual budget do-it-yourself itinerary from arrival to departure. This trip also served as my nth tour-visit in the province of Batangas. Please take note that I did not perform any advance booking, we just simply arrived there even though it was peak season (Good Friday, summer season).

FAMILY BUDGET DIY DAY-TRIP IN CANYON COVE BEACH RESORT ITINERARY

(composed of 2 adults, 1 senior citizen and 2 children (11-yr old and 5yr old))

0600H ETD Quezon City; Toll Fee 200; Jollibee breakfast 500

0930H ETA Canyon Cove Beach Resort
Entrance fee; 1,000*4 + 860 = 4,860 (discount for senior citizen)
Day Tour Inclusion: Use of beach and swimming pool, PhP300 set lunch.

1500H ETD Canyon Cove Beach Resort; Toll fee: 200

2100H ETA Quezon City; refuel 1,000; Car rental payment for a day 4,500 + 200 (driver tip)

TOTAL BUDGET: PhP 11,960

Canyon Cove Beach Resort Family Day tour

Batangas Pier - Caticlan Port Sea Cruising via 2Go Ferry

5 Days Solo DIY Trip to Best White Sand Beaches near Panay Island

Planning the Panay Island Road Trip and Beachbumming Escapade

The main reason why I did this adventure was to experience the 2Go Ferry Ride going to Visayas archipelago. Fortunately, I availed a promo fare which was booked 3 weeks before the travel date, only PhP943.40 for a roundtrip on a Tourist Class (fully aircondition, free rice meal and free use of blanket/pillowcase). By the way, I don't have a credit card as the online booking required, I only used my BDO ATM Debit Card which has a MasterCard logo and the transaction processed successfully. 

To know more about 2Go Ferry destinations and promos...
http://travel.2go.com.ph/index.asp

Before, route for a land and ferry trip coming from Cubao to Caticlan (Dec. 23-24, 2011):
Cubao - Batangas - Oriental Mindoro - Aklan (traveled on peak season)
1. bus from Cubao Terminal to Batangas Pier                - 1200H - 1630H (4.5 hrs)
2. ferry from Batangas pier to Calapan Port (RO-RO)     - 1630H - 2100H (4.5 hrs)
3. bus from Calapan Port to Roxas Port                         - 2100H - 0200H (5 hrs)
4. ferry from Roxas Port to Caticlan Port (RO-RO)          - 0200H - 0900H (7 hours)
ESTIMATED TOTAL TRAVEL TIME (2011): 21 HOURS for PhP1,100 (4 transfers)

Now, route for a land and ferry trip coming from Cubao to Caticlan (Jul. 07-08, 2016):
Cubao - Batangas - Aklan (traveled on off-peak season)
1. bus from Cubao Terminal to Batangas Pier                - 1600H - 1830H (2.5 hrs)
2. ferry from Batangas Pier to Caticlan Port                 - 2100H - 0730H (10.5 hrs)
ESTIMATED TOTAL TRAVEL TIME (2016): 13 HOURS for PhP463 (2 transfers)

Batangas Pier - Caticlan Port Sea Cruising via 2Go Ferry (lobby inside ferry)

Mt. Makiling (1,090masl) Traverse Day-Hike (Sto. Tomas to Los Baños)

12-June-2016 Sunday in Sto. Tomas, Batangas to Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines

MT. MAKILING TRAVERSE GENERAL INFO:
Entry point: Sitio Jordan, Brgy. San Miguel, Sto. Tomas         Exit point: UP College of Forestry, Los Banos, Laguna
Elevations: Peak 1 (900masl), Peak 2 (1,090masl) and Peak 3 (1,020masl)
Hours / Days required: 5 to 8 hours (local guide is required)
Classification: major trek with difficulty level of 5/9 (roped segments)

Mt. Makiling Traverse Day-hike on wet season is my 2016's 2nd local major day-hike and my 2016's 6th local hike. This adventure is preceded by  Mt. Mariveles Range Traverse Extended Day-Hike just 2 weeks ago.

MY OBSERVATIONS DURING MT. MAKILING TRAVERSE DAY-HIKE;

(1) There are 60 stations marked through-out the course. 30 stations from DENR Station (Sto. Tomas) ascending to Mt. Makiling summit (1,090masl) then another 30 stations from this summit descending to Makiling Gate (Los Baños).
(2) Lunch time can be done in Station 15, Peak 3 (1,020masl) is in Station 18, Summit is in Station 30 and Agila Base is in Station 11.
(3) Roped segments became more challenging starting from Melka Ridge (Haring Bato) up to trail before the Station 18 (Peak 3). It's like rock rappeling and good thing it was still sunny during our ascent or else it will become more dangerous and slippery during rainy hours.
(4) Lots of "limatik" (leech-type) in rainforest area especially in Stations 15 and 30, and descend trail to Agila Base. I have encountered 5 "limatik" on my raincoat/hand which I finger-stroke immediately and 1 full blood-sucked on my right lower leg.
(5) I think there is an average of 8 hours to finish the entire traverse (60 stations) from Sto. Tomas to Los Baños. We did it by around 7.75hours with rain fell hard after we reached the summit; having a very muddy, very slippery, "limatik"-infested trail on descent to Station 1.
(6) Motorbike back ride (habal-habal) can be availed on descent from Station 11 (Agila Base) to Station 1 (Makiling Gate) at Php100 one-way, around 5km semi off-road. This will save you to trek 1.5hr with 10 stations to skip. Jeep is available too for group.
(7) There are only 2 bathroom (1 each for male/female, PhP20 fee) at the Station 1 Makiling Gate so be there as early as possible to avoid the very long queue.

Mt. Makiling (1,090masl) Traverse Day-Hike (Station 30 Peak 2 Summit) 

Mt. Daguldol (672masl) Day Hike with Laiya Beach Sidetrip

03-April-2016 Sunday in San Juan, Batangas, Philippines

MT. DAGULDOL BASIC INFO:
Jump-off: Brgy. Hugom, San Juan, Batangas
Elevation: 672masl
Days / Hours required: 1-2 days / 5 hours (local guide is required)
Classification: minor trek with difficulty level of 3/9

Mt. Daguldol Dayhike + Laiya Beach Side trip...

Budget 750 Inclusion (Van service cubao-san juan-cubao, Beach entrance fee, Registration fee, Local guide fee). This trip was an organized event posted in https://web.facebook.com/groups/CLIMBER.Philippines/.

MT. DAGULDOL DAY TOUR ITINERARY:

3:00AM Meeting at Jollibee Farmers Plaza Cubao 

3:30AM departure

7:00AM ETA Brgy. Hugom, Jump-off, secure guides and prepare for trek

7:30AM start ascent

11:00AM ETA Mt. Daguldol summit, lunch time

12:00PM start descent

3:30PM resume trek then go to beach

5:00PM ETD Laiya Beach 

08:00PM dinner food trip (lomi)

11:00 PM Manila

BUDGET COST: PhP750 (fixed rate) + PhP150 (snacks/miscellaneous) = PhP900

Mt. Daguldol (672masl) Day Hike

Mt. Taal Volcano Trekking, a Bakasyonista Day Tour

February 08, 2013 Friday

* trail is very easy to follow especially for fun-hiker
* very dusty with approximate 45 minutes at normal pace going to the crater
* no guides are required and pack foods and drinks is a must

* part of Batangas province land

Mt. Taal Volcano is the second most active volcano in the Philippines with 33 historical eruptions. All of these eruptions are concentrated on Volcano Island, an island near the middle of Taal Lake. Viewed from Tagaytay Ridge, Taal Volcano and Lake presents one of the most picturesque and attractive views in the Philippines. It is located about 50 km (31 mi) south of the capital of the country, the city of Manila.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taal_Volcano

ITINERARY :
0900H ETD Aircon bus at EDSA - Pasay, at the back of Sogo Hotel (78)
1130H ETA Tagaytay, dropped-off to people's park tricycle terminal; lunch
1230H ETA Brgy. Talisay, tricycle (150); boat rental, 6 passenger max per boat, (1,500)
trek to crater, face mask (30)
1330H ETA Taal crater lake; photo-ops
1530H ETD Taal crater lake
1630H ETD Brgy. Talisay
1730H ETA Tagaytay main road; dinner
1930H ETD Tagaytay, aircon bus bound to Buendia (85)
2200H ETA Buendia
TOTAL EXPENSE: PhP1,843

Mt. Taal Volcano Trekking, a Bakasyonista Day Tour

This is Batangas when I visited

important note (batangas):
Batangas is one of the most popular tourist destinations near Metro Manila. The province has many beaches and is famous for excellent diving spots including Anilao in Mabini, Matabungkay in Lian, Punta Fuego in Nasugbu, Calatagan and Laiya in San Juan. Batangas is also where Taal Volcano, one of the Decade Volcanoes is located.
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batangas

LAIYA BEACH, SAN JUAN

june 30, 2010
wednesday

laiya beach, san juan