As our motorized outrigger breezed through the western Batangas coast of Calatagan away from Manuel Uy Beach, we passed several now-familiar coastal landscapes on the way to our morning destination. We had passed this way before not more than two months ago. Years ago we would expect to encounter the same half-submerged sandbar surrounded by clear, transparent waters we last saw in February.
Much of the Philippines is currently feeling the effects of an unusually hot dry season with heat indexes in some areas reaching an alarming 53°C. The latter figure is classified as extremely dangerous and could result in heat stroke for some people. (Four people had already died from heat stroke in Pili, Camarines Sur recently.) As a result, we had to think twice about going to a beach in Calatagan, Batangas to accompany a nephew here on a short vacation from his work overseas.
A walk through the streets of Taal town will not be complete without visiting the interiors of some of the ancestral houses there and what is regarded as the biggest church building in the Philippines. In previous visits we stepped inside two of the more well-known houses in Taal. During our latest visit we made sure to tour the insides of a few more and got a pleasant surprise at one of them.
It is named after one of the Philippines’ deadliest and most active volcanoes causing many people to think that it is located near Taal Volcano and right on the shores of Taal Lake. At least that was on our minds during our first visit to this town years ago, only to discover that there are other cities and towns in Batangas that are nearer to the volcano than its namesake town.
We had scarcely settled into our seats on a balmy Thursday when our sea taxi broke the mid-morning silence at Edna’s Beach and Campsite. Swiftly motoring across the mildly turbulent blue waters, we were soon on our way to our first destination. In less than 15 minutes we found ourselves in the middle of a vast sandbar, with patches of white sand rising slightly above a now calm, crystal-clear turquoise sea.
We’ve had the beaches of Calatagan, Batangas on our bucket list for some time but it was only late last year that we finally got to visit one. Despite its proximity to Metro Manila, it was only in recent years that it had begun to draw more visitors to its nearly white sand beaches.
Ever since we visited distant Cape Bojeador Lighthouse in Ilocos Norte years ago we have always been intrigued by lighthouses. Not so much by the picturesque landscapes they often find themselves in or in the panoramic coastal views they provide but by the history that accompanies them. The Malabrigo Point Lighthouse in the town of Lobo, Batangas province is no exception.
The vast majority of the beaches we have visited in the Philippines are those of the white or creamy white sand variety. These happen to be our inclination. Preferably fine, white sand supplemented by crystal-clear turquoise waters. So, when the idea about visiting a pebble beach in Batangas province came up, we immediately shot it down.
It was named after a type of native bamboo roof that locals used during the Spanish era. It also used to be a barrio of the large and then-influential town of Balayan. But Calaca became a separate municipality in 1835 and eventually the site of a large coal-fired power plant during the 1980s. That was just about everything we knew about this small city on the shores of Balayan Bay in Batangas.
It was designed as a retreat center, a scenic location offering serene spots for contemplation that eventually became a popular spot for weddings. And so we headed off to the Caleruega Retreat Center for an appointment with nature in a pilgrimage setting. We were hardly expecting to encounter scenic views that looked more like a Tuscan countryside rather than a hilly locality in a tropical country.
Whenever talking about heritage or ancestral houses in the Philippines, our thoughts invariably turn towards the municipalities of Vigan (Ilocos Sur), Silay (Negros Occidental), Pila (Laguna) and Taal in Batangas. For a long time, however, we did not realize that a town hidden in the shadows of Taal and less than 30 kilometers away was for a time the more prominent town in Batangas and in that part of the country.
Originally, our Nasugbu cove-hopping foray included Bituin Cove and the slightly more distant Kayraang Cove. While exploring the former, however, our curiosity brought us to an adjacent beach cove we had not encountered among the blog posts we visited in our research about this place. And what a pleasant surprise Agapeng Cove turned out to be.
Nasugbu in Batangas province has numerous hidden coves housing white or beige sand beaches and crystal-clear waters teeming with marine life. In years past while flying back to our former home in Metro Manila we would look outside the plane window and spot these white sand coves arrayed all over the western coast of Batangas. Last week we decided to take a closer look at some of them at ground level.
Nasugbu is the largest municipality in Batangas province with large tracts of land still in their natural, unexploited state. Lying along the northwestern coastal part of the province, this sizable town boasts several white and beige sand beaches and coves. While a number of these have seen massive development in recent years with names such as Punta Fuego, Canyon Cove, Kawayan Cove, Hamilo Coast and Pico de Loro, many are still relatively pristine and hidden from prying tourist eyes.
We have not been to a beach in nearly seven months, but with the end of the habagat or southwest monsoon season recently we were on the lookout for a break in the weather to resume our beach bumming. When that came a few days ago we headed out for a beach in Calatagan on the western coast of Batangas province.
We’ve been meaning to visit a beach – any beach – for the last two months. But October and November are still well within the rainy season here in the Philippines. November is also notorious for bringing some of the worst typhoons in living memory. We were almost resigned to wait until December before hitting the beach, with rainy weather dominating the last 2 months.
On the way to Nina’s uncle and aunt at their retirement home in Hacienda Escudero in Tiaong, Quezon, we embarked on a short side trip to two adjoining towns for our coffee fix amidst the usual views of Taal Lake and Volcano. Although outside Manila, the first destination along the way – Tagaytay – was just an hour and a half away from home. That meant an easy and relaxing drive.
Majority of the time when looking to dine near a nature destination not too far from the urban jungle of Metro Manila, we head out to Tagaytay City in Cavite province. Along Tagaytay Ridge are numerous cafes and restaurants that offer panoramic views of Taal Lake and Volcano in the adjacent province of Batangas.
January 13, 2020: Taal Volcano erupted yesterday at 2 PM Manila time belching steam, ash and small rocks. Evacuation of the towns and villages around the lake is now ongoing.
We’ve been to Taal Heritage Town in Batangas three times before but we always seem to stumble into something we’ve missed the previous times we’ve visited. Nothing much has changed the last time we came over but this time we made sure to tour the interior of one of the more famous residences here and... Continue Reading →
The Shoestring Diaries 
Unfortunately, it is. Thanks for visiting! 😊
Mirador Heritage and Eco Park must be real tourist magnets, but I also like your description and photos of the…
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That will be it's downfall I think, unless some sort of restrictions are in place. People just destroy places, sometimes…
Thank you! Just hoping it stays that way since this beach has been receiving loads of visitors in recent years.