Of course, trips to Tagaytay and from there down to historic Taal (battling, as we speak, to save its precious ecclesiastical heritage) and the waterside retreats of Nasugbu, Calatagan, and Anilao are great. However, what a lot of people are now discovering is southern Batangas, below Quezon province, which has a string of beaches and coves that rival any in the country.
Lipa is a great base for travelers to destinations in southern Batangas. Its growing number of hotel rooms in resorts like Mt. Malarayat and historic sites in the city make it a primary destination before venturing out to the countryside and the beaches below. There are, aside from the numerous heritage structures and churches in Lipa, a number of natural sites like the popular Tingga Falls, a 30-foot-high falls located at Daang Ibaan with a picturesque pool at its base for swimming. There is also the Bulalacao Falls, also in the city’s territory. If you aren’t head over heels for falls, just take a quick trip down to the southern beach district of Laiya.
We did exactly that. From Lipa, it was not very far to the town of San Juan and from there, to a waterside paradise with seven kilometers of sandy beaches, all of which, thankfully, have not been pummeled by commercialism, cell phone banners or too many people.
We stayed at La Luz, the quaintest of them all and one that was also easy to book through the Internet (www.lalauzresort.com). We had picked it because it looked like the best-designed one from pictures on the net. There is a tendency for so-called "resorts" to be a great letdown because when you arrive at the place, you are greeted by what an architect friend of mine calls "medyoterranean" architecture. This is characterized by details in concrete made to look like wood, concrete made to look like bamboo, funky-baduy furniture in pleather or bad copies of fashionable Cebuano-designed accessories.
La Luz, thank God, was not one of these. The resort was developed from a 30-year-old family estate that was designed for the owner’s 13 children. Opened to the public not too long ago, it has been constantly improving its facilities to accommodate more visitors. The number of guests at any one time, however, is controlled and both overnighters and day-trippers are given their own separate corners of the beachfront. None of the crazy free-for-all beach blitzes here – no rubber tire salvabidas, karaoke (not allowed) or ihaw-ihawtons (the resort provides enough sumptuous meals for all its guests).
The resort, though spartan in its facilities, is well laid-out. The facility’s 19 or so rooms and chalets are spread among large mature trees and palms – all of them preserved. Champaca, talisay, dapdap, Palawan cherry specimens dot the beachfront, along with several species of palms. The heat of the sun is effectively mitigated by the foliage and the numerous pavilions that fringe the beach.
Despite not being run by a large hotel management company (an assumption based on the fact that I saw no recognizable company logo on their signs), the place was impeccably maintained. We got up several mornings at 5:30 to enjoy the sunrise and noted the staff coming out to rake the beach, clean the pavilions, sweep the walks and common areas. No cigarette butts or plastic bags lying around here. The setting was not luxurious in trimmings or accessories, but the cleanliness (along with the simplicity of the resort design) made it as pleasant as a five-star resort.
Aside from the accommodations, the attractiveness of the place is due to the larger natural setting. The waters here lie between the mainland and Verde Island (also part of Batangas, boasting numerous attractions). The snorkeling and diving are comparable to Anilao’s. The drop-off is only a few meters from the beach and farther off, we actually saw dolphins frolicking in the sun. For the land-bound, there are several spots for climbers (comparable, some say, to El Nido walls), hot springs, mountain-biking trails, and waterfalls again (like Lipa).
In between Lipa is the town of San Juan. The place, like Lipa, is chock-full of heritage. The boom, because of barako coffee in the 19th and early 20th centuries, made a lot of people rich and their houses showed it. Just quickly touring the main and side streets led me to over 20 heritage houses and structures like the American-era City Hall.
Southern Batangas, with Lipa as a base, has immense potential for tourism. The Star expressway is a big help, but better infrastructure beyond Lipa would add to the equation. The natural and architectural heritage of the district should be conserved and a master plan drawn up both for urban development as well as tourism. The good thing is that advance planning could stem the tide of crass commercialism and the ravages of unmanaged urban growth. We just hope that not too many people discover the place too soon.
In the meanwhile, back at Lipa, catch the finishing rounds of the Philippine Open at the Mt. Malarayat course.