Summer’s here, and the concern for many city dwellers is how to escape from the city. The default for most is to find a beach destination. Despite the availability of cheap flights to island destinations in the Philippines, including the overdeveloped, overcrowded, noisy but nevertheless popular Boracay, many now turn to places that can be reached within three hours’ drive from Metro Manila.
The improvements on NLEX and now SLEX have made driving to beach destinations all the more convenient and comfortable. Besides, with problems besieging airports like Caticlan, travel times to island destinations can take a whole day.
I took the family to one great beach option recently — Laiya, in San Juan, Batangas. We had been there before, to a resort called La Luz. It was a quaint little place tucked at the end of a rough-unpaved road, 40 minutes from the town proper. We were informed that the roads were now paved and in fact being extended so that eventually Laiya and adjoining beach areas would be accessible also from Batangas City proper via what promises to be a picturesque coastal road.
We chose another resort this time — Coco Grove, whose general manager, Allen Staley, I had encountered before and shared war stories with. Yes, literally war stories. My interest in Manila’s urban history covers the war years and the liberation. Allen was actually interned with other Americans and their families (he was a very young boy) at the University of Santo Tomas until they were freed by Gen. MacArthur’s men. But I digress.
We found getting to Laiya, Batangas, easier this time. While driving down the Star tollway, we noted several large tarpaulins enjoining those wishing to get to Laiya to take the Ibaan exit, which is an exit past the usual place we go out from, which is the Lipa City exit. The sign was posted by ALRO, which we found out later was the new Association of Laiya Resort Owners.
This is great news for local and foreign tourists. This early, while the destination is not overdeveloped, the existing 16 to 17 resort owners and operators have banded together to ensure that Laiya develops properly. Most destinations see organizations late in the game when it is already difficult to change things.
Reaching Coco Grove, the first thing we noticed was the progress on the area’s first big leisure and residential development — Playa Laiya, a joint venture by the landowners of Coco Grove and Landco, the country’s premier leisure property developer (Punta Fuego, Terrazas and Playa Calatagan are some of their previous projects). We found out that the take-up for lots was brisk and that Phase 2 of the development was well underway.
The feeling and physical ambience of Laiya has not changed much. I personally like destinations that still have a lot of space and extensive greenery. The next thing I like about Laiya is something that ALRO has imposed with its member resorts (like Coco Grove) — no loud noise or music after 10 p.m.! Wonderful! All resort destinations should have this as an ordinance.
Coco Grove itself is one of the original resorts and its ambience reflects this, with lots of wide, open spaces, coconut groves (of course) and a wide expanse of beach. The cabanas are quaint but comfortably appointed, with cable television (which allowed us to watch Manny Pacquiao beat that fighter whose face we could not see). Most interestingly, the resort offers tree cabanas for those feeling like modern-day Robinson Crusoes.
Allen joined us for some meals. He gets to know his guests personally as much as he can and is a very hands-on manager, looking at the big picture as well as details like always keeping a pot of brewed barako available or acceding to the requests of guests (like some Japanese tourists who requested sushi even though it was not on the menu. Allen found some fresh tuna, which had just come in).
While at Laiya we visited some of the other resorts to look around for when we take our next vacation. We swung by Blue Coral Beach Resort, Sabangan Beach Resort, Virgin Resort, Balai sa Laiya Resort, Taramindu Beach Garden Inn, Acuatico, and Palm Beach, where we shared a beer with the owner and developer, Marvin Naval.
Naval developed the resort first as a family retreat. When more and more friends and family fell in love with the place, he decided to expand and provide amenities like pools and water sports areas. Today, Palm Beach (otherwise known as La Frondosa) is gaining visitorship from locals and expats based in Manila and nearby provinces.
ALRO is making sure its member resorts follow standards for hotel operations, service and environmental sustainability. It is also projecting its agenda as a stakeholder in Batangas’ development. It is developing a menu of activities and tours of the countryside for its visitors. San Juan town itself is a treasure trove of architectural heritage, as are many towns within a few minutes from San Juan.
The association has only started but the good thing, like I mentioned earlier in the piece, is that it has started early. I would suggest they beef up directional signage leading to the destination from Star tollway (you can get distracted by the plethora of billboards and signs on the road). The association would do well, too, to lobby for more zonal control and environmental ordinances so that the tragedy of Boracay does not hit them.
Beyond ALRO, I do wish that the DOT and the national and regional governments took a more serious look at tourism’s physical development, not just tourism marketing. What use is it to just market the Philippines when tourism infrastructure is lacking, unfriendly or unsafe (sinking boats, short runways, awful airports, bad roads, smelly toilets)? No amount of creatively made ads will matter much if tourists find nothing but shoddy and cramped terminals, re-conditioned buses, potholed runways, karaoke-infested beaches, destinations that flood, have no sewage treatment, irregular power, and unhygienic restaurants.
Our destinations are many, our beaches and mountains addled with problems of security and political warlordism. Most are isolated and inaccessible to foreigners but especially to locals. Batangas is getting there (because it is easy to get there). The rest of the country waits to be opened up and discovered. It is often easier (and sometimes cheaper) to book a three-day/two-night trip to Hong Kong or Singapore than it is to get to Davao or Palawan. When will this all change?
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Feedback is welcome. For information, e-mail ALRO at laiyaresorts.com or look at their You-Tube video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTN4drJef0E. Please e-mail the writer at paulo.alcazaren@gmail.com.