NOTE: Although this recount was written in February 2011, the vacation itself occurred in April 6, 2006. Therefore all of the rates and events are 2006 based.
Way before the sleepy town of Laiya in San Juan, Batangas received a rather delayed attention from tourists and media due to the Ryan-Juday wedding, Jigs and I had the pleasure of exploring its tranquil, unspoiled magnificence during the summer of 2006. I first came to know of this place through a classmate who was planning for a weekend getaway there.
Jigs and I decided to book an overnight accomodation at Balai sa Laiya Resort in light of the many rave reviews it received in TripAdvisor (aside from the fact that it also holds one of the most affordable rates amongst the myriad of resorts in Laiya).
The drive to Laiya is a painstaking 3.5-hours from Manila. Back then, San Juan was the perfect epitome of a small, unpopular province: the whole chunk of road was all brown dirt and stone, and you wouldn’t be able to see a single store or house for miles until the part where resorts are lined up one after another.
But arriving at the beach, you’d immediately realize that the drive is worth it.
We were greeted by a seemingly endless stretch of white sand, coconut trees, pristine blue waters, and warm, accomodating staff with cold calamansi juice in hand. And despite it being vacation time, there were only about 3-4 couples and families (us included) in the resort. The beach, in all its charming quiet splendor, felt like one that we had solely to ourselves.
Balai sa Laiya (as it was then called; I read that the name has been changed to Balai San Juan) sits on the northern side of the 7-kilometer Laiya stretch, which is said to have a better shoreline than the southern part.
The whole Balai property yields a distinct Filipino appeal with native materials studding every corner: rattan hammocks and chairs, tables carved out of Philippine wood, rooms and a makeshift treehouse that are made of nipa and bamboo.
The nipa rooms render a warm, distinct Filipino appeal
The latter is one of our favorite spots in the resort. It’s a small native lounge perched 20-ish feet aboveground, overlooking the shore across. Pillows are provided for inside for those who wish to take a siesta during lazy afternoons.
View of the ocean from the treehouse
One of the best things about Balai is the food. Cuisine is mainly Filipino (although they do serve pancakes for breakfast and pasta for dinner too) and was always abundant in amount and taste, no matter what time of day it was. Their sinigang na baboy is probably one of the best we’ve tasted so far. For a package that consists of overnight accomodation, full onboard meals (all buffet-style) and costs only P1,800+, it was definitely more than what we paid for.
In Laiya, the usual distractions are not excused. There are no TVs, no rowdy bars, nothing that you’ll find in other commercialized resorts. Life is simple and basic around here. Time is of no essence. It slows down at its own pace.
We spent the rest of the afternoon musing, swimming and taking pictures.
There is a big rock formation over at the northern end of the shore (infront of La Luz Resort) that one can climb to have a glimpse of the sea from 10 feet above (Careful, though. The edges are quite sharp.)
Despite it being summertime and that we were only in a fan room, the wind was cool at night and we were sound asleep by 8:30.
We wasted no time the following day. Armed with our disposable underwater cam and a pair of goggles we rented at Balai (P100/snorkeling set/day), we swam briefly at Balai then walked over to La Luz’s seafront right after breakfast. It’s not that we don’t like Balai’s shores, but we found the waters and sand to be the best in La Luz. Although the waves are rougher here and the sand, grittier, it is softer and whiter compared to the brown sands of its rivals. The water is clearer here, too.
Cabanas at La Luz Resort
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| Small octopus |
There were a couple of fishermen who just got back from fishing that morning. They caught some pretty interesting creatures, that’s for sure.
Puffer fish
I don’t know what this is, but that’s one mean-looking fish
Just a few meters from La Luz’ shore is a marine sanctuary where you can see schools of fish, corals and various marine life. At barely a meter deep, the place provides a great snorkeling area without having to go to a faraway diving spot. The view underwater was amazing.
(Forgive me for the blurry pics; digital underwater cams and Dicapacs were not yet in the market in 2006.)
Below are pictures farther up north, behind the rock formation.
Hours went by without us noticing it. It was already nearing lunchtime when we were able to get back to the resort and we haven’t even packed our things yet! It was fortunate that the resort staff was most gracious to have given us 2 more hours to stay after checkout without charging a single cent. Such wonderful people 🙂
Laiya is indeed, a place for the wanderlust. Just a word of caution though: if you’re looking for a place with booze, all-night fun partying ala-Boracay, pick another town. This place is best enjoyed with a good book, stories exchanged over hammocks and dinner, and friends who appreciate relaxation at its most serene state.
How to Get Here:
1) By Car
See detailed directions and map to Laiya below (we got this from the Balai website). Click on the image to view it larger.
How to Get Here:
1) By Car
See detailed directions and map to Laiya below (we got this from the Balai website). Click on the image to view it larger.
2) By Bus/ Public Transportation
At the Cubao Bus Terminal or the Gil Puyat/ Buendia corner Taft Avenue Terminal, board a bus bound for Lipa City, Batangas. In Lipa, transfer to a jeepney to San Juan and ask the driver to drop you off in front of the town hall. Then take a tricycle or jeepney to Laiya.
