Calaguas Island 2017: Part Two

This is the second installment of our Calaguas Team Building.

We literally spent the whole afternoon in the beach because we took tents for our accommodations that day. I loved the idea kasi never pa kaming nag tent and I was excited for Jami because kids love  bahay-bahayan diba? Jami likes going under kumot and magtatago daw sya. This time, he will have plenty of time to go hiding. Haha! =)

As I said from the first installment, we immediately swim our heart out after we arrived. I was surprised to see that Calaguas Island has a long stretch of white, fine sand.

We walked from our tent to one side of the island with a lot of rock formation. I was looking forward for more photos near those rocks and to go to the other side but Jami was a little cranky at that time, probably tired of our long ride.

After some time, I have decided to clean up before our lunch was served by the organizers. Sorry I don't have photos of the food but I could say na hindi tinipid. It will be served buffet style and if they see that the food is running low, maglalabas pa sila. Our food was also shared by another group (yung mga nakasabay din namin sa jeep) so it was a good thing kasi walang napag iiwanan na hindi nakakain. 

Later in the afternoon, we were told we'll go Island Hopping so we changed back to our swimming clothes. I left my phone in our tent because I was thinking na baka mabasa and we don't have a plastic or waterproof bags to put it on. Yun pala, we won't even swim. Hahahah! I was so annoyed with myself na hindi ko dinala yung phones so we don't have pictures from here on. Good thing, my team mate agreed to take photos of us kung hindi, nganga. Hahah!

This island was pretty close to Calaguas. You have to trek and I could say na mejo matarik sya ng slight. I wasn't wearing slippers during this time kaya nag trek ako ng naka paa.

In fairness, ang sakit nya sa paa. Hahaha!

We were at the highest point of the island and it was so peaceful except na mejo madaming tao that time. Someone from another group went down on the rocky side of the island (left side of this photo). Big rocks + big waves means danger! The girl who went down with her group took pictures in one of the flat rocks tapos biglang may malaking alon so she was dragged and got injured. She was slashed by big rocks on her legs and arms but it wasn't that fatal from the looks of it. I believe they called for a rescue because it will be really hard for her to climb back. Mabuti na lang talaga yun lang ang inabot nya because when you look at the place, sobrang dangerous to go down. So next time, safety first! May maganda ka ngang selfie, tegi ka naman diba?

Our tent

After around 45 minutes to 1 hour, we decided to leave the island and went straight to snorkeling. It was very near Calaguas Island lang. I didn't dare to go down the bangka because it's getting dark. I am also worried with Jami na baka matakot because we will leave him with my teammates sa bangka.

When we arrived, Dinner was served shortly after. Mejo hassle lang ng slight yung pagligo because there's only one poso near our place and since we are a group, mahirap maligo. Although they provided 5 restrooms, yung pagkuha ng water ang slightly challenging.

By this time too, naubusan na kami ng battery ng phone and our power bank wasn't charged 100% so ayun. We have no phones for the night. There's no electricity in Calaguas except at night when they open mobile bars. You can get your gadgets charged at a local store for Php20 per gadget.

Good thing, my officemates allowed us to get our gadgets charged thru their powerbanks. =) 

We slept at around 9pm. I struggled a bit because Jami's so pawisin. He was looking for electric fans or AC but since he got really tired the whole day and the night before, he slept immediately.

I woke up around 5am because it was really cold.

Our breakfast was prepared a little later along with our lunch since we have to leave at 10am. The coast guard advised us a day before that waves will get really huge.

I was still looking forward to go trekking pero our officemates decided not to. I lost track of time and didn't realize that we left the island at 8am. It was a good decision because we were the last bangka to be allowed to leave the island.

The waves were really crazy sobrang tataas talaga. Imagine for almost 3 hours of boat ride, malalaki yung alon na kasabay mo??

As in literally parang gustong tumaob ng bangka. I was so scared pero si Jami, tulog na tulog. Daryl got dizzy and masusuka na daw sya, it rained also while we're in the middle of the ocean! Sobrang saglit lang naman so hindi naman kami basang-basa. Now it make sense why locals sell huge plastic bags before you go to Calaguas island.

By the way, we didn't take a bath before leaving the island since there's a chance we'll get wet during our boat ride. True enough, it rained so when we reached Vinzon, we paid 10 or 20 pesos per head to use the bathroom.

 We booked our bus ride the day we arrived in Daet. We rode the Deluxe Bus instead of the first class because it will leave Daet at 4pm than 9pm for the latter. We paid Php550/head. I recommend the Superlines Buses because the ones we rode on were brand new and malinis.

I would say that Calaguas was quite an adventure and I really loved the place. However, I don't think I am going back anytime soon. Halos malaglag ang puso ko sa sobrang takot on our ride back to Vinzon. My advise is to go there during mid April or May to make sure that the ocean will be quiet.

Total Spending in Php:

Calaguas Package (Tour, Transfers, Tents, Food) - 2,300/head
Bus Fare from Cubao to Daet and vice versa - 1,200/head
Breakfast at Vinzon - 180
Use of Bathroom at Vinzon - 40

The rest are personal spending like snacks and Jami's food.

Laiya Coco Grove Day Tour 2015

Last weekend, My side of the family planned for a weekend day tour in Batangas. The last time we had this was on 2009 pa. They had another outing in 2010 pero hindi ako nakasama kasi kasabay naman ng outing nila Daryl with his friends.

It was my eldest sis who planned the itinerary. After some deliberations thru facebook, we have decided to push through with Laiya Coco Grove. Days before the outing, I have searched online about the resort and found na okay ang mga reviews. I got excited kasi after 2 years, ngayon na lang ulit ako makakatungtong sa white sand with white beach.. Wooohoooo!! =)

We were leaving at around 5 in the morning since day tour lang so we can maximize the time in the resort. It would take at least 3 hours to get to Laiya, San Juan so exact lang ang depart namin from Las Pinas to Batangas.

I have to wait for Jami to sleep before I could pack our things.

Kung hindi, malamang kung saan saan ko na hahagilapin yang mga gamit na yan.

I arranged our things on an overnight bag, Jami's baby bag and another shoulder bag for me.

Since we will be using my sister's van, hindi na mahirap kung mejo madami kaming bag compared kapag nag commute diba? I didn't had trouble waking Jami up even it's not his usual gising pa kasi I carried him then he woke up on his own when he heard his cousins around.

We left our house at 5am. We went straight to my sister's in-laws house to pick them up then we hit the road. Mejo hassle lang kasi the driver went on different friendship route pa na paliko - liko which lead to one of my niece's to throw up agad - agad. hahaha! Aside from that, we took the long road instead na mag short cut. We took a wrong exit in SLEX instead na sa Lipa sana which could have save us some time.

My sister, BIL and his sister and hubby arrived an hour early on our meeting place than us, thinking that they left an hour later. We had our first stop after a very long drive at Jollibee Lipa for a breakfast.

One thing I have realized is that Jami doesn't want to be seated anywhere or with anyone else but me.

Grabe sobrang sakit ng pwet ko sa pagkakaupo. Parang lahat na ng muscles sa tumbong ko ay nagamit.

We had troubles ordering with Jollibee din kasi nagkalituhan na sa orders which wasn't a big deal naman na. It took us an hour and a half siguro before we reached Laiya Coco Grove.

Mejo mabagal din kasi mag drive ang driver ng van. Hehehe.

We arrived around 10am na which we felt na sayang ang oras because we are only until 5pm to roam and have fun so while waiting for our reservations to be confirmed, panay na ang tanaw namin ng dagat at pool. Hehe #excited

My sister managed everything - reservations, checking in and all. Kudos to her it was a breeze for everybody. We were given a welcome drink which tasted like guava juice and I think somehow cooled us down after the long road trip.

After approximately 5-10 minutes, we were ushered to the room that my sister reserved for her 5 month old baby. Sobrang init kasi so it would be very convenient for her to have a room with AC where her baby can stay. Since we are all 17 adults I think, not including the kids, we have decided to stay na lang sa free cabana. Mostly my side of the family stayed out since kami yung mas marami while my sister's in - laws stayed sa room.

We were given a spot super near to their pool and to the beach. What I liked about it is that nature na nature ang dating ng spot namin. The trees became our shield to the super duper hot rays of the sun.

Our spot for the duration of our stay

The view of the beach from our spot unfortunately, hindi daw maganda kasi muddy ang seabed.

View of the pool from our spot

 I was kind of happy with our place in the resort kasi hindi mainit dahil sa mga natural shed from those tall trees. It gets kind of windy din somehow. If I don't have a little tot to worry about, I am sure aantukin ako sa lugar na ito. Ang sarap maglagay ng duyan between trees. =)

Going back, when we were settled down, we immediately dipped into the pool. Wala ng pa kyeme, ligo kung ligo. Given that we felt really tired and jabar na jabar sa byahe, iniligo na lang namin ang lahat. Besides, we were thinking na ilang oras na lang kami sa escape na ito.

Honestly, from this point on, wala kaming pictures of us having fun in the pool. No one bothered to take photos of us talaga. Hahaha! Everyone is busy enjoying the water during that very hot day.

James loved the pool. I had him stay on the kiddie part of the pool which is around his chest. He loves it so much, nakatayo at nakakapit lang on the side pero sobrang happy nya. We brought him sa malalim and tried putting in a vest pero he doesn't like it. Sobrang laki kasi ng vest for him so he cries whenever we put the vest on. Daryl and I opted to carry him all along. Anyway, hindi naman ramdam ang 13kilos weight nya in the water. We also tried to teach him how to kick and he knows it pero hindi kayang lumutang. Hehehe.

I was thinking to enroll him on a swimming course pag mejo kaya na ng budget. I looked around kasi and it costs P5,000 depende sa kung saan ihe held ang course eh.

When lunch time came, we were called na to go to resort's dinning area as their buffet is now open. They served 2 course of ulam, 1 assorted veggie, fish fillet, plain rice and Buko Juice. They also have a gelatin with fruit cocktail for dessert (I don't know what it's called. Heheh). The food was good naman. I enjoyed the buko juice as well but not the dessert parang ang asim kasi due to the fruit cocktail.

We took a rest for a while then we decided to visit the white beach daw. That's where people go swimming on the beach kasi mas ok ang water and all. I just thought na white beach ang harap ng resort and that we can swim there all day. Yun kasi ang naimagine ko. You can also swim din naman sa beach nila however brown ang sand and my siblings said na mejo malambot daw yung ilalim ng dagat. I don't know exactly because I didn't bother swimming in there. Maybe they were trying to tell na muddy sya? You figure it out na lang ha?! =)

White beach tour will be on a different post na lang mga bakla ha? My sister has not uploaded any photos pa kasi during our stay there.

Anyway, the resort stands for its name talaga.. There are a lot of Coconut Trees around which I really loved. =)

They have a mini playground for the kids at the back of that trampoline.

After our short stay sa "white beach", I and James took a shower na. It's around 4pm na din kasi and I want to be ready to leave before it's time. Alam mo naman pag may kids, I have to think about my tots too unlike when I was a single pa. I can swim all day without worry.

We headed again to their dine area for our merienda. They served turon which was really yummy and a pancit bihon which was ok din. In fairness naman sa food, hindi ka na din naman talo. =)

There was this time pa when James fell sa stairs ng isa sa mga tree house dun. He wants to climb up there kaya lang may mga naka occupy that time so pinababa ko. I let him go down on his own and on his last step, he thought na mababa lang ang step, ayun.. nag cross ang feet nya and natumba. Too late for me and Daryl to catch. =( Buti na lang, hindi naman nasugatan ng bongga.

It might be a very short trip for our family but it was so sulit. I hope we could spend a night somewhere next summer. =) We are actually planning for more trips moving forward. =)

By the way, We took advantage of their day tour offer which costs P1,250/head which includes buffet breakfast and snack. P660/head for child and free for infants and tots.

Laiya Coco Grove
San Juan-Laiya Rd., San Juan, Batangas, Philippines
www.laiyacocogrove.com