Weekend getaway at Laiya, Batangas

February 18,Saturday, at around 2am in the morning, my friend and I decided to take a break from 'reality'. We were so stressed at just about everything, that we headed south and decided to stay there for the weekend. Good thing another friend of ours lives somewhere near there and gave us some instructions on how to commute from Manila to Laiya, Batangas.

this is how we got there :)
Photo taken: here, here, here

We left Manila at about 4:00 am. The good thing about it is that there is no traffic. The bad thing is, we arrived so early at San Juan that there are no jeepneys or tricycles yet going to the beach. So, we decided to go the wet market to buy food for grilling. Syempre, pag may beach dapat may ihaw-ihaw! ;)

We bought some squid, Hotdogs, Bangus, and vegetables (pang stuff in the Bangus) 

Since we are on a budget (Php 2,500 per person), our plan is to find the cheapest room and just cook/grill the food ourselves. Let's see if we are able to achieve our goal. ;)

We arrived at the beach at around 8:30am. We walked by the shore and checked out the prices of each hotel. And boy! were we surprised at the room rates. Well, actually, most are not that expensive if you plan before hand (like checking out websites or asking out friends). But, since we were so unprepared, we find it a bit pricey. 

So, we walked and walked until we reached the farthest hotel/ inn along the shore -- Taramindu. 

It was the cheapest room we could find. Php 3,500 a standard room for 4 persons. (check out their rates here.) 

The lady at the reception was so friendly and accommodating. Maybe she saw in our reactions that we wanted a cheaper price. So, she asked an employee, to take us to the area at the beach where there were cheap cottages/ rooms for rent. 

The employee taking us to that area of the beach
Yup. I'm one-handedly taking pictures while riding a motorcycle. Crazy but fun! :)

The area was crowded because the price is indeed cheap (Php 1,500 - Php 3000 is the price of a cottage).  But we were a little worried of the environment. There were a lot of guys who were drinking (alcohol in the morning?!) or looks drunk. Lol. Since we are both girls, we settled for the safest choice-- we went back to Taramindu. :)

Photo from http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3618/3615647571_a7688e32f4.jpg

Photo from http://ballsandblush.com/weekend-drive-to-laiya/

We were asked to stay in their huts, while they were fixing the room. 

Welcome drinks
Our "luggages" --puro office bags kasi hindi prepared. Lol.

Is Php 3,500 worth it?

- a standard bedroom good for 4 

-airconditioned room

-has 2 beds 

-has own toilet and bath (with shower) 

-has a TV with DVD player 

-consumable food 

-you can use your debit cards 

(but when we came the machine was offline.boo!)

-no pool 

-no internet/ wifi 

-check in time 10 am

-check out time 1pm next day

The sky telling me that I am at the right place at the right time :)

my friend playing with a hermit crab while waiting for our room

After waiting for about 20 minutes, finally, our room! :)

I wasn't able to take a photo of the room itself, but I hope you can still picture it out in your mind

They have a DVD player!! and you can borrow DVD's at the front desk! :) how cool is that! ;) The bathroom is clean. It has clean towels and tissue paper. My only problem is, the shower is kinda broken. :( It makes a 'growling-sound' when we use it, and only drops of water come out. But you can still use the faucet. They provided a pail and a dipper so we can still take a bath properly. 

Now let us go to the food. This is what I love most about the trip. The food was sooooooo delicious!! I am not exaggerating! The have big servings, they serve it fast, and they serve it with smiles on their faces (well, most of them,especially the one who grilled the food we bought). 

Sinigang na Hipon
I must say, na natalo nito ang luto ng Mama ko! ;)

Liempo

 After lunch we walked by the shore, swam a little, and watched the sunset on top of a huge rock. :)

Dinner time! :)

Grilled Squid 

Grilled-Stuffed Bangus

 We finished our dinner at the cottage and watched sky lanterns take-off from the shore. 

Then it's movie marathon time! :)

First up, is Hachiko. My friend fell asleep at the middle of the movie, while I am already crying already :( The loyalty of that dog is so touching. Imagine, going back to the same place everyday, just to see your master arrive. This dog waited even if his master never came-- despite the weather and all other circumstances. :( Whats sadder is that, it is based on a true story. 

As a result, I had chinky and puffy eyes the next day, which is why I decided to hide it behind this sunnies. Bought it at the palengke for Php 50. Not bad. ;)

We enjoyed the water, the sun, and the sand all morning. :) The waves were not so wild and the water was not so deep. Everything was just perfect. 

Pringles for breakfast, and some grilled hotdogs too. Haha. Agang-aga junkfood agad! 

Then this is what we ate before checking out.

Chicken Adobo

Then came my hatest part of the trip: going home. Well, we have to go back to reality --to our very annoying brothers, numerous house chores, and very stressful work. I am not complaining though. I understand that life is not all about relaxing and enjoying, mostly it's about the problems and challenges. :) I think two days off is enough to reward yourself. 

Hope you can visit Laiya, Batangas and stay at Taramindu Inn! :)  

It is good for people who want peace and relaxation without overspending. 

Feel free to comment, ask, and share your experience! :)

NOTE: All pictures are taken by me unless stated otherwise.