Osong Ligaw goes to Laiya
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| At Kariton Cafe where they serve one of the best champorado |
Packed with bottles of water, discounted swimsuits, kawaii hats, a camera, and good sense of humour for the lack of good sense of directions, I braved the five-hour trip from Makati to San Juan, Batangas, and return 5 hours after. *grin*
µ Manila to Lipa, Batangas. (The bus ride costs roughly Php 125.00. Actual travel time: 1 hr. 15 min.) Travel time from Buendia, Manila to Lipa, Batangas should not have taken more than an hour had the good Kuya driver of Jam Liner not loitered off a quarter and hour longer waiting for passengers who were still in their pj’s to come. *rawr* You may also check Ceres transport (A blue bus across the street). They share terminals with Jac Liner, which will serve as your landmark actually. Ceres leaves a little faster since they have more costumers I guess. Tell Kuya Driver to drop you off at Lipa Bus Stop.
Anywho, make sure you board the right bus as there are several buses going to Batangas in this station. I took the one that said “LIPA Skyway Calabarzon” as it made all the possible shortcuts possible. Ceres transport, on the other hand, has Lipa-Tanauan. Thanks to the newly-developed SLEX, travel time is actually very short.
µ Turbina Bus stop. Going to Batangas has always been fun as one can see traces of city life transform into something less hectic. Plains of rice fields and coconut trees in place of buildings, buildings, and more buildings were melodramatic. The bus had to make a quick 5 minute-stop at Turbina, Laguna where vendors of all sorts woke the sleepy heads in the bus. After 30-45 minutes or so, I finally reached Lipa bus stop where I needed to take a van ride to San Juan city proper. Some buses opt not to make a stop-over here, especially Ceres Transport. That way, passengers will reach their destination a little faster.
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| Our Cabana - the Movie Here Comes the Bride was shot at this very same resort. One can say Angelica Panganiban and I have shared the same bed.. |
µ Lipa to San Juan. (Fare cost Php60.00. Actual travel time: 1 hr.) White vans going to San Juan were actually parked just a few centimetres from the Jam bus stop. Also nearby was the Big Ben offering clean rest rooms and food stores. Also nearby are Starbucks, Goldilocks, Red Ribbon, 7-11, Max’s, and Jollibee. The van sits 11-12 passengers so I still got to wait since I arrived a little early. Remember to tell kuya van driver where you’re headed otherwise you may end up somewhere else.
~ If you’re claustrophobic - Good luck.
You may tell him that you’re bound to Laiya resorts so he’ll know where to drop you off. You’ll get off at the Market actually. You know you’re near when you see the San Juan city hall and a Church. From your drop-off point, you need to take a little walk to go the jeepney station. This is a good time to take a short tour of the city.
µ San Juan City is actually very nostalgic of the Philippine history. Houses of Spanish designs and architectures rule the city area. Tourists can freely take pictures of, and strike a pose with these houses. Some were even allowed to be explored at your own risk, but I dared not try. The façade was already spooky enough for me, and I could barely imagine myself in it. Be careful, though, locals warned, that since these houses were antique-old, your good camera might capture something or “someone” else. *shiver*
I toured San Juan proper on foot, errr on paw, and did not miss the San Juan Parish church. The church façade reveals of Spanish era architecture and age as it purposely lacks paints or traces of modern renovation. I could not help but marvel at the interior design so much more.
~celebrities Judy Ann Santos and Ryan Agoncillo exchanged vows early at San Juan Parish Church.
I am not pretty sure, but I think I’ve only noticed just one provincial bank with ATM in San Juan City. However, I was able to make a withdrawal from my BPI and Metrobank accounts. The bank charged around Php 10.
µ Cafenio Cafe. Once you’re in San Juan, dare not to miss Cafenio café as well, so there I went. It seems as old and as grand as San Juan itself. Boasting its Batangueño sweet delicacies, this café would surely complete your trip in San Juan. I tried the Kapeng Barako smoothies, waffles Batangas-style, and champorado with tuyo. *Yum*
~ Visiting celebrities also love the place. In fact, I was glad to chance upon Comedy actor, Dennis Padilla, and his family here. They were also enjoying the ambiance and good food here in Cafenio.
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| Because you cannot spell summer without me. |
µ San Juan to Laiya. (Fare costs Php40.00. Actual travel time: 2 hrs.) Of course, a trip to San Juan is not a trip to San Juan at all without frolicking in the white-sand strip of Laiya beaches. From the market, a queue of jeepneys bound to Laiya waited for passengers. Since most jeepneys sit 20-25 passengers, so yes, I had to wait again. Take note that jeepneys to and from Laiya are only available only until 5 pm so plan your trip wisely should you not opt for an overnight stay at the resort.
~Do not mind the very (Super) strong Batangueño accent of the locals. They may seem to be slashing each other’s throat, but they’re actually very friendly. It’s actually an entertainment on board to listen to the locals inside the jeepney. Oh, by the way, the jeepney makes a lot (understatement) of stops since passengers may request to buy breads, fish, fruits, wood, cell phone load, and other things along the way. So if you’re in a hurry, better pack a lot of patience. *sigh*
Remember to remind Kuya driver where you’re getting off. Virgin beach resort is actually very famous in the place so you’ll have no trouble asking anyone around.
~If you wanna sleep, you may want to, but I suggest that you don’t. Enjoy the fresh air and the view of the mountains and the rice fields.
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Virgin Beach Resort. Finally, I made it to Virgin Beach resort in one piece but with lots of road dusts. Virgin resort boasts its really long strip of white sand, cool and ultra clean water, spacious place, delicious food, and very friendly staff. It offers a number of various rooms, cabins, and cabanas. One can set-up a tent as well. We got the bamboo cabana and had a peaceful sleep there. There was no air conditioner nor TV sets in the room - just complete rest and relaxation. You may want to check their website
http://virginbeachresort.com/home.htm for more accurate details on their rates.
~Take note that the staff will offer you drinks, and unless you’re up to more charges, you can take it. Drinks were actually not free of charge. *rawr*
The sky was blue with patches of clouds, the air was fresh and cool, the clean water glitters the sun -- indeed the day was perfect for swimming….and sleeping. *grin* After enjoying the beach, I cannot help but enjoy the hammocks strategically placed under the trees. Indeed, it was heaven.
~ I have read serious complaints against Virgin Beach Resort. Although I think I respect the moderator of the (hate) page, I’ve never had negative impressions of the place nor of the manager. In fact, most of them are really very friendly and accommodating. I was even able to meet the owner himself! He was very friendly as well.
µ Laiya to Manila. Going back to Makati was as easy as how you got there. From the resort, I took a jeepney (it made less stops this time) to San Juan proper. From there, I rode a van to Lipa where I took a bus back to Buendia, Manila. The bus also offers trips to Cubao. Same fare charges apply.
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| From the San Juan Church |
The hardest part of going to San Juan is actually leaving it. It was so peaceful and stress-free making one stay for more. No matter how far Laiya from civilization seems to be, it was all worth it. *grin*
~ Also, if you've used a friend's credit card in booking, you may want to double check the airline's policy on this one. I will tell you more of my horrendous experience with credit card in Singapore soon. 
