The Foodinista: Batangas Resorts

Tali Beachfront Vacation House, Nasugbu Batangas

Thursday, May 18, 2017

Tali Beach

Tali Beach is an exclusive gated community situated along the scenic coves of Nasugbu, Batangas, around a 2½ hour drive from Manila.

Literally just a few steps from the water, our vacation home is set on a tranquil and very private 2,000sqm beachfront property -- one of seven beaches inside Tali. It is a pleasant retreat from usual beach crowds and the hustle and bustle of city life. A 5-minute walk gets you to another beautiful beach (the Tali Main Beach) and a short 3-minute drive brings you to the famous Tali Cliff.

Tali Beach Vacation House

Their simple no-frills house can normally accommodate groups of 10-22 guests; more if our guests will be willing to bring sleeping bags/tents. The house has 4 air-conditioned bedrooms with a sleeping capacity of about 10-12 guests (or 10-14 with kids). Larger groups customarily use the air-conditioned living room as a sleeping area which can sleep another 5-8 guests. Extra foam mattresses, pillows, and linens are provided for. There is a toilet with shower on the 1st floor of the house, a small toilet with shower on the 2nd floor of the house, and a toilet and shower (with no water heater) on a separate building a few steps from the pool.

Amenities include a new infinity swimming pool with kiddie pool, an equipped kitchen (with a two-burner stove, rice cooker, microwave, cookware, utensils), refrigerator, water dispenser, lcd television with digital satellite, drivers' quarter, gazebo, charcoal bbq grill, and a genset.

2nd Floor Villa

Rates
JUNE TO FEBRUARY (excluding premium dates*):
◦ Saturday
P18,000 per night for 1-14 persons
◦ Friday
P14,000 per night for 1-12 persons
◦ Sunday-Thursday
P11,000 per night for 1-10 persons

MARCH TO MAY (excluding premium dates*):
◦ Saturday
P21,000 per night for 1-14 persons
◦ Friday
P18,000 per night for 1-14 persons
◦ Sunday-Thursday
P16,000 per night for 1-14 persons

Additional guests over 14 people are ₱1,000 each per night..

*Premium Dates
2017: Apr 13, 14; Jun 10, 11; Aug 19, 20, 26, 27; Oct 31; Nov 1, 4; Dec 2, 8, 9, 16, 22-25, 29, 30, 31.

Important Notes (From the Website)

Check-in time is no earlier than 2:30pm. Check-out time is no later than 12:00pm. This is strictly enforced to allow for proper cleaning and preparation for incoming guests.
Tentative reservations are held only for 2 days and are then subject to cancellation if not confirmed.
Reservations will only be confirmed upon down payment of 50% of total rental (70% for 2-night reservations). Balance should be settled at least 7 days prior to check-in date. Payments can be made at our Balintawak, Quezon City office or through bank deposit (BDO or BPI).
There are no refunds for cancelled reservations due to reasons including undesirable weather, for no-shows, and for early departures. Rescheduling a confirmed reservation may be possible in the event of a storm signal number 2 or above officially declared in the Nasugbu, Batangas area during the booked date/s.
Rates are for accommodation only; food and drinks are not served nor sold. Items to bring are (i) bath & beach towels, (ii) personal toiletries such as toothbrush, soap, & shampoo, (iii) beach wear & gears, and (iv) food & drinks for your stay.
Effective April 11, 2017, Tali management/security will start collecting a Tourism Ecology Fee of P20 for each visitor entering Tali Beach subdivision. Proceeds will be remitted to the Office of Nasugbu Municipal Treasurer. Exempted from this levy are Persons with Disability, Senior Citizens, and Filipino children 6-years-old and below.
We only have one house for rent. It was originally designed to accommodate our family plus a few friends. The 4 air-conditioned bedrooms can sleep around 10-12 guests (or 10-14 with kids). Larger groups usually use the air-conditioned living room as a sleeping area which can sleep another 5-8 guests. Extra foam mattresses, pillows, and linens are provided for. There is also a non-air-conditioned drivers' quarter which can sleep 2. We do recommend guests over 22 people to bring sleeping bags/tents as not everyone may fit inside the house.
There is a toilet with shower on the 1st floor of the house, a small toilet with shower on the 2nd floor of the house, a toilet and shower with no water heater on a separate building a few steps from the pool & house, plus another small toilet in the drivers' quarter.
Please be aware that from mid-July to November 2017, there will be construction of new rooms & bathrooms in the covered jetski garage area, drivers' quarter, and the rear of the main house. This will not affect the main house, swimming pool, gazebo, and beach area but there will be construction activity inside the property during this time. Major renovation of the main house is planned for 2018. We are not accepting reservations from October 20, 2017 onward at this time.
Our house rules and important reminders can be viewed at: http://bit.ly/talirules.
A sketch map to Tali Beach via Sta. Rosa-Tagaytay Road can be viewed at: http://bit.ly/talimap.

* All taken from their website

THE EXPERIENCE
I went here for a spontaneous trip with my friends on a weekend. All of us are already working and we haven't seen each other for quite a time already so we decided to go on a quick beach getaway. Batangas is the perfect place to go to because it's just 2 hours away from Manila. We rented Tali Beach for 1 night and we were around 17 pax. The villa is really huge and there's enough space for all of us and I think it can even fit around 20 to 30 pax more. We brought 3 cars with us cause commuting is quite hassle and the community is gated i'm sure they don't allow public transportation inside. The garage is pretty big and can fit 4 to 5 cars.
Check-in time is at 2pm and first thing we did upon arrival is to hit the beach right away!

BEACH
We went for a swim around 3-4pm and the weather was fine. It was low tide so there were a LOT of rocks in the shore that it became hard for us to swim. MAKE SURE TO BRING FLOATERS cause their beach front is not swimmable at all. Even though we are already in the shallow part of the beach there were still a lot of rocks that we kept on walking onto, some of us had tiny scratches and wounds afterwards :(
If it weren't for the floaters we won't be able to enjoy the beach. Good thing we were all fun and crazy so regardless of the situation we were still able to enjoy it, we did some catching up and did random crazy things on the beach. Haha!

VILLA & BEDROOMS
What I really love about this place is the HUGE SPACE. There were 2 bedrooms on the first floor and 2 more on the 2nd floor. The sheets and pillows were just basic nothing fancy, all the rooms were air-conditioned and pretty neat so we didn't have any problems at all.

KITCHEN
We were able to cook and prep our meal neatly, even did some grilling without feeling suffocated cause the dirty kitchen is well ventillated and spacious.
Spending our time preppin' the food altogether was probably one of my favorites.
We really helped each other preppin meals and even used that time to catch up and do chit-chats.
We dined in front of the living room by setting up our own dining area. We did set up mono-block tables and chairs where we ate and grilled our bbqs.

It was a fun vacation overall! I really had a fun time with my barkada. We all felt like we were kids again, free from all the stressors of Manila. If you need a quick weekend getaway, Tali Beach might the perfect vacation house for you!

Batangas

Kabayan Beach Resort, Laiya Batangas (Photo Diary)

Tuesday, May 09, 2017

Kabayan Beach Resort (formerly Laplaya Beach Resort) opened in 1996. As with every other endeavor, Kabayan Beach Resort started small. In fact, it was initially just a rest house for the owners who wanted occasional breaks from the hustle and bustle in the metropolis. The serenity of being in the midst of clear blue waters and fine white sand never failed to rejuvenate them. Eventually, they were encouraged to share their place and provide areas where people can recharge and soothe frayed nerves.

Kabayan started by building two small fan cottages and a pavilion. Not long after, demand for more cottages grew not only from private individuals but from corporate clients as well. Now, Kabayan Beach Resort boasts of 19 well-appointed air-conditioned cottages and a multi-purpose hall for social and corporate requirements such as parties, weddings, seminars, and the like.

Kabayan Beach Resort is a pioneer in many ways. They were the very first resort built along the white sand beach of Laiya, San Juan Batangas. When others followed and built fan cottages as well, Kabayan upgraded their cottages and built air-conditioned ones. Soon after, others followed suit. Still, Kabayan managed to come up with services and amenities that are uniquely theirs —a few of which are: KTV rooms, a television set with cable service at the pavilion and in all of the cottages, a chapel with anticipated mass every Saturday, dormitories and a multi-purpose hall for seminars, a beach side bar, and a swimming pool for adults and children. Needless to say, Kabayan Beach Resort constantly strives to establish better standards of products and service—all for the continued satisfaction of their guests.

Kabayan Beach Resort takes pride in the amenities & activities they have made available for guests’ pleasure and enjoyment. One will always find an activity suited to one’s personal style— whether slow and quiet, or action-packed—because Kabayan caters to the varied interests of its guests.

1. Kayak

Paddle away with our kayaks. All kayaks are equipped with life vests for guests safety. Php200/hour

2. Beach Volleyball

Perfect for groups of friends or sports-oriented families. Sweat it out in any of the two volleyball courts set up on the beach. Php30/hour

3. Playground

Parents need not worry about keeping their children busy. Kids will surely have a blast hanging around at the resort playground

4. Billiards

Guests will not miss one of the favorite pastimes in Manila. One may choose to while away the time at Kabayan's pool table. Php100/hour

5. Speed Boat

Php8500/hour maximum of 4 persons

6. Banana Boat

Php300/head for 15 minutes
(maximum of 6 persons)

7. Flying Fish

Php400 / head for 15 minutes (minimun/maximum of 6 persons)

8. Lifeguards

Kabayan Beach Resort employs two professional and certified lifeguards to look out for guests safety while swimming.
The lifeguard tower is likewise equipped with first-aid kits in case of emergencies.

9. Bandwagon

Ride the water on a giant inflatable.
Php400 per head/15mins. Minimum of 5pax.

Facilities

1. Swimming Pool

A specially designed swimming pool for kids and adults alike. Php100/head
Swimming Pool is open from 7am to 10pm.

2. Parking

Parking. That’s never a problem. Kabayan Beach Resort’s parking lot can accommodate as many as 20 buses at one time.

3. Fast Food

Kabayan Beach Resort takes pride in serving the best food along the stretch of Laiya, San Juan Batangas. In fact, guests from nearby resorts sometimes flock to the Kabayan fastfood to take their meals. This is because aside from being clean and great tasting, prices are extremely affordable.

4. El Kapitan Bar

Another first from Kabayan. This open-air bar is situated on the second floor of the building located right in front of the beach. Aside from the very refreshing and cool sea breeze, the bar shows off a magnificent view of the entire stretch of Laiya. El Kapitan may be rented for functions and private parties.

5. Souvenir Shop & Convenience Store

Take home an item or two to remind you of your stay at Kabayan. Should you forget some personal items, the convenience store is well stocked with items ranging from medicines to slippers, clothes, floaties, and many more.

6. Chapel

This is one amenity that is unique to Kabayan Beach Resort. The chapel, set amidst lush greenery and century-old trees, allows for tranquility while guests are praying. Guests may pray the Stations of the Cross during the Lenten season. Anticipated mass is celebrated regularly every Saturday at 7pm.

7. Multipurpose Hall

Another feature that is offered only in Kabayan. A fully air-conditioned multi-purpose hall that is perfect for seminars, team building sessions, retreats, and other big-group activities.
The hall can seat up to 190 persons, theater style. Provided likewise are the following materials and equipment: whiteboard, markers, overhead projector, and sound system. Management also offers the following free of charge: Hot and cold water dispenser with 5-gallon Agua Vida purified water, whole day free flowing coffee, candies, and one welcome streamer. Should there be a need for resource speakers, Kabayan can refer you to an accredited human resource company.
Php1800 /hour

8. Transport Service

Avail of free van service to and fro Kabayan Beach Resort and Laiya Adventure Park