Mountain and Sea at La Luz Beach Resort

Mountain and Sea at La Luz Beach Resort

Laiya, Batangas

La Luz Beach Resort is just one out of the many beach resorts available in San Juan's long coastline. What sets it apart are it's open cottages, being an animal-friendly resort, wide snorkeling area just off the shore, and a resort that's close to a mountain's starting trail, Mt Daguldul.

The sand isn't fine as Boracay, not even close to those of Coron's. However, the color of the sand is comparable to those just mentioned.

If you do not know how to swim, I would suggest wearing a lifevest as the sand beneath the waters are very coarse. The sea floor can suddenly go deep, as how we, Filipinos normally call it as "biglang lalim."

Directions

The resort is accessible via a private ride for an approximately 3 to 3.5 hours of drive via SLEX – Star Toll Way – Ibaan – Rosario – San Juan, Batangas.

Taking a public transport is also amenable. From Pasay, take a bus bound for Lipa City, then take a jeepney ride going to San Juan. From it's last stop, take a trike going to La Luz in Brgy. Hugom.

Rates

La Luz's rates were reasonable, despite being there during a peak season. The trip was paid for by the company I was working in, but I had the privilege and organize the small team event allowing me to note all the expenses availed for the day trip.

 Left: the way to Mt. Daguldul. Right: Open cottege

La Luz's day trip package was among the cheapest there is after carefully calling in a number of resorts. The day trip package was prized at P900 per head, which included a buffet lunch, afternoon snacks, entrance fee, and the use of the resort facilities (beach chairs, cabanas, volleyball, restrooms and dining pavilion). Pets are even allowed in the resort but will require a fee of P450 per pet per day.

 Left: Rock formation nearby. Right: Beach volleyball

Things to Note:

• Day trips require reservation, hence walk-ins are not allowed.
• Day trips are from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM only
• Bottled drinks such as sodas, alcoholic, beverages and other refreshments are subject to a corkage fee, same with meals, except for chips.

Overnight Stay at La Luz

Updated 2014 rates for each air-conditioned room per night:

Standard         3360 max 6 people 2 Semi-double beds
Junior Premier 3360 max 4 people 1 Queen Size bed
Premier           4500 max 6 people 2 Semi and 1 Double bed
Premier Loft 5520 max 10 people 5 Semi and 1 Double bed
Annex             3360 max 4 people 2 Semi Double Beds
Annex Loft 4950 max 12 people 5 Semi and 1 Double bed

* Check-in time is at 1:00 PM and checkout time is at 11:00 AM.

In addition, all guests are required to avail of the P1350 food package per person for an overnight stay. It includes the following:

• Lunch upon arrival
• Afternoon snack
• Dinner
• Breakfast the following day before checkout 

All of La Luz's meals are served buffet style with a minimum of four dishes per meal. Lunch and Dinner comes with Rice, Chicken, Pork/beef/Fish, Vegetables, Soup, and Dessert. Juice and purified drinking water are provided, with all meals served with the famous Batangas Coffee.

Right: The Resort's front desk. Right: Buffet serving area.

Additional meal prices are as follows:

• Breakfast - P250
• Lunch - P450
• Afternoon Snack - P150
• Dinner - P500.

The meals for children 5 and below are free, while kids 6 to 8 years old are charged 50% of the food package, but will still count for the room accommodations.

Source: La Luz Beach Resort

Also worth mentioning is that their restrooms/shower rooms are clean and well maintained. In fact, staff are station at these area, cleans and mops the floor every now and then. Since the resort is quite large, employees are equipped with radios to communicate with their co-workers. Despite being there during the peak season, the staff were extremely friendly and always had a smile on their faces.

Contact Details:

0927 805-3484
0915 298-9960
0998 338-7111

~ CBT

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Zamboanga and Tawi-Tawi: A Journey to the South

Zamboanga and Tawi-Tawi: A Journey to the South

By A. Tan

Day 1: Zamboanga, The City of Flowers

Mindanao, most especially Zamboanga and Tawi-Tawi, is not a popular destination for domestic and foreign tourists. Because of chaos and other “not-so-good” news in some parts of Mindanao, the entire Island was affected, hence became an unpopular destination. Zamboanga City is the capital of Zamboanga Province, and Tawi-Tawi is an Island province of the Philippines located in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) in which will be replaced by the Bangsamoro by 2016. Tawi-Tawi is an hour away from Zamboanga by plane and 5 hours away by boat to Sabah, Malaysia and a few hours away from Turtle Island.

Our journey started by flying to Zamboanga City last August 24, 2013. Yes, it was 2 weeks before the Zamboanga Siege orchestrated by Nur Misuari. And we were so lucky not to experience that chaos that contributed to the poor image of Mindanao.

We arrived in Zamboanga by 1:15 in the afternoon and had lunch at the office together with the branch staff. Since we were still waiting for our other two companions, we went to the popular shopping place called “Barter” to buy pasalubong. Most of the products that they sell are from Malaysia. Since I forgot to bring slippers with me, I ended up purchasing one there.


After our short shopping spree, our Boss brought us to Lantaka Hotel. They said that before Abu Sayyaf started terrorizing the region through kidnapping, Lantaka Hotel is one of the most popular places in the city of Zamboanga. Many international tourists stayed in this hotel. The port of the boat and vessels going to Basilan and other nearby places are located at the back of the said hotel. They even showed us the mountain that they now dubbed as “United Nations” since this mountain is where the terrorist group bring their victims, of all races and walks of life.

Unfortunately, the flight of our two companions was delayed for almost three hours so we just headed to Paseo Del Mar, the popular park in Zamboanga City to grab something to eat and drank some ice cold beers while watching the sunset. Since, there was a curfew in place in the area, we just continued our never-ending-game of waiting for our two companions at Kape Zambo, one of the coffee shops/bar that you will find in the city. They had local bands playing that night and also served my all time favorite “Cali”. Finally, our two companions arrived at around 9:00 in the evening and headed back to our hotel to rest in preparation for our early flight to Tawi-Tawi the following morning.

Day 2: A First Glance of Tawi-Tawi

Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airline only has one morning flight to Tawi-Tawi from Zamboanga City. Although other means of transportation to reach Tawi-Tawi is by Ferry from Zamboanga ports, it is not advisable due to security issues in the area. Seeing uniformed men with their long Rifles doing rounds within the airport premises are a normal sight in the area.

We arrived at Sanga-Sanga airport by past 7:00 in the morning. We were fetched by Kuya Renel and friends. One of the most admirable traits that I notice when we were at the airport is the Tausug Men embracing and kissing each other on both cheeks. It is said that this is a sign of gratitude and friendship in their culture.

I must admit that I initially got scared visiting the area. However, when we started traveling and hearing stories about the place, I got easily relaxed and felt at home.

We stayed at Almari Beach Resort with the majestic view of Bongao Peak (Bud Bongao) and the ocean with a perfect sunset view on the other side. After a short nap, we went to attend a ritual of a Tausug brother and sisters. I learned that the housewife prepared a feast to remember the 7th day from the day of the death of his husband, which was part of the tradition of our Muslim brothers in remembrance of their loved ones who recently passed away. They prepared different dishes and one of the best and unique delicacies that I tasted was “Talimaitum” which was a bit similar to a “beef papaitan”.

Riding in a private van, we roam around Tawi-Tawi. We visited the provincial capitol, the Mindanao State University Tawi-Tawi campus where we were warmly welcomed by their chancellor. We then visited the featured tree with a lot of bats living on it. We also went to the Old Chinese Port or Pier, the first port used by Chinese, Arabs and Filipinos to trade during the  Pre-Spanish period. After which, visited the public Market to buy food and other stuff needed for our three day stay in the province.

We ended the day by attending Catholic mass in the only Catholic Church in Tawi-Tawi. We rode a tricycle from the town back to the resort we were staying in to prepare for our seafood feast.

DAY 3: Bud Bongo and Simun’ul Island, Tawi-Tawi

Bud Bongao is one of the destinations in Tawi-tawi so we didn’t miss the chance to climb the sacred mountain. It took us an hour and 30 minutes to reach the summit and enjoyed the beautiful scenery of Tawi-Tawi.

After our majestic experience hiking the majestic Bud Bongao or Bongao Peak, we headed straight to the port to visit Simun’ul Island which houses the oldest mosque in the country. Using the speed boat together with our Military security and other friends, we headed to Simun’ul Island. After an hour we reached Simon’ UL Island, we were greeted by the local bystanders at the port of Simun’ul, the first thing that we saw are the stilt houses on the island. We went straight to visit the oldest mosque called “Sheik Makhdum”. It was built by Arab trader Sheik Makhdum Karin in 1380 and it is the first introduction of Islam in the country. At the side of the mosque are the Muslim children who were learning Arabic language, because they believe that a real Muslim should know how to read the Koran in Arabic. We also visited the tomb of Sheik Makhdum, the founder of Islam in the Philippines.

At Sheik Makhdum, First Mosque in the Philippines

 

And to experience the pristine islands of Tawi-tawi, we docked in one of the islands in the province and enjoyed its clear blue water, swimming and snorkeling in the seas of this wonderful province.

 Snorkeling in the Clear blue waters of Tawi-Tawi

The last activity of the day was to attend the Muslim ritual of one of the son of our hosts, they prepared a table full of seafood, liquors and good company. We eventually went back to our hotel with a happy tummy.

 Lobsters, sea mantis, squid, tuna and a lot more were served that night.

Last Day: Home Bound

We woke up early to prepare for our early flight back to Zamboanga City, with all the fresh seafood we could carry, and with such good memories of Tawi-Tawi. We made a promise to go back soon and try to visit Sabah or Turtle Island.

Since we still had time before our flight back to Manila, we went back to Barter to purchase additional pasalubong and tried the famous “Satti” at Andy’s Satti. Satti is a beef or chicken on a stick dip in a curry sauce. A bit spicy, it is served with sticky rice. This food is unique to our Muslim brothers and sisters and they usually have this during breakfast.

How to Get to these Places and Some Additional Information

• Take advantage of Piso fares by Cebu Pacific if you are on a budget travel. Although Philippine Airline and Cebu Pacific have a regular trip to Zamboanga and tawi-tawi.

• There are available taxis and Jeepneys that goes around the city. But if you are on a budget, take advantage of jeepneys and tricycle. Zamoanga City is a small city, just ask someone from the area on how to get to places and they will surely give you directions. Although the people speaks “Chavacano”, majority of the population also speaks in Tagalog, as well as in English.

• The only transportation available in Tawi-Tawi is via tricycle. If you want to roam around the place, you can rent a van or rent a tricycle. Tawi-Tawi is a small town and the people there are accommodating. You just have to show your smile and they will gladly assist you.

• Please take note of the curfew in Tawi-Tawi. Establishments close as early as 6:00 in the evening so make sure to purchase all the supplies you need. It is not advisable to roam around the town at night because of some security issues.

• Catholic churches and chapels as well as other places of worship are present in Tawi-Tawi. Catholic churches holds 2 masses only. One in the morning and one in the afternoon.

• Visitors should be sensitive to the culture of the people, make sure that you wear appropriate attire at all times.

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Bongao Peak of Bongao, Tawi-Tawi

Bud Bongao: The Sacred Mountain of Bongao, Tawi-Tawi

By: A. Tan

Standing approximately 314 MASL, Bud Bongao or Bongao Peak is one of the landmarks in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi in Southern Mindanao. Bud Bongao (“Bud” is a local word for mountain) is considered as sacred by the people of Bongao and nearby places. They believe that it has the power to heal sickness and cleanse people from their sins. Bud Bongao’s trail is gradual and anyone, even those who don’t have experience in hiking can climb this mountain.

Together with some friends from the Tawi-Tawi’s environmental office, we started our journey to the holy mountain at 7:00 in the morning. We were advised to bring bananas because our "monkey-friends", whom they believe as the guardians of the sacred mountain, will expect to be fed.

Most of my companions do not hike mountains so the climb took longer than usual. At the middle of the trail, the guardian monkeys were waiting for us. We took out the bananas and gave them one by one. Monkeys in this mountain are very friendly; they will not harm you most especially if you will hand them their favorite food.

 These monkeys welcome visitors who offers them their favorite treat.

Since I am a self-confessed photo addict, I took the opportunity to have my pictures taken with the "guardian monkeys". Aside from the monkeys, you will also see plastic strips tied around tree branches. This is due to the locals’ belief that if you do so, your wishes will come true.

After an hour of hiking, we reached the place where the tombs of the Muslim Imams/ leaders are located. I saw two tombs at the area. We were guided by one of our local friends inside the tomb. With a ten-peso coin in hand, I made my wishes and prayed inside the cloth line surrounding the tomb. Make sure to leave your foot wear behind before entering the area as the practice requires one to go in bare footed.

After paying our respects, we then continued our journey to the peak of the mountain. Upon reaching the summit, we were amazed by the panoramic view from the top. The wide open sea, the airport and other nearby islands including Simun’ul, which we later visited, were just a sight to behold. Our hike took us about an hour and thirty minutes to get to the mountain peak.

 Bird's eye view of the open sea.

The airport runway clearly visible from the summit.

That day is also the national day of protest against Pork Barel Scam. So with our printed posters, we joined our brothers and sisters in the protest while we were at the peak of Bongao. After some picture taking and short rest, we started our descent. We were back at the jump off point after an hour, after which we continued our tour of Tawi-Tawi.

Abolish Pork Barrel!

How To Get There

• Take a flight from Zambonaga to Tawi-Tawi, Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific each have one morning flight.

• There are resorts and some transient hotels in Bongao which usually have more rooms available due to the limited numbers of visitors in the area.

• There are available fast craft and ferries that travel from Zamboanga City to Tawi-Tawi, but please take note that they only have trips 2-3 times a week. It is much more advisable to take a plane since the fare costs almost the same if you will take advantage of the promo fares.

• The only means of transportation in Tawi-Tawi are tricycles. You can just hire a tricycle to bring you to wherever you wish to go.

• There’s no registration fee or guide fee in Bongao Peak, but it is advisable to have someone from the place as your guide. The usual practice of the tourists in the area is by hiring a tricycle driver to take them to the peak as well as accompanying them up Bud Bongao. Extra fees are then arranged.

• Since the sacred mountain is inhabited by troops of local monkeys, do not forget to bring bananas with you as these mountain guardians will surely ask for it.

• Although the locals tie plastic strips on the branches of trees as part of their tradition, local government office most especially the local DENR discourages visitors to do the same. Please always follow the “Leave No Trace” principle in every mountain and in any places you visit.

• And lastly, since Mindanao's religion predominantly practices Islamic traditions, always be mindful of the culture and beliefs of our Muslim brothers and sisters. Wear appropriate clothes at all times to avoid unnecessary attention while you are in the area.

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My Mindanao Adventure

My Mindanao Adventure

By: A. Tan

• Kalilangan Festival of General Santos City
• Lake Agco of Mt. Apo Kidapawan City
• Lake Sebu of South Cotabato
• Gumasa Beach of Glan, Sarangani

Kalilangan Festival, General Santos City

Day 1

We left Manila at 6:55 AM via Cebu Pacific Air and arrived at General Santos City, the Tuna Capital of the Philippines, at 8:45 AM. Before we started our itinerary, we had a short rest at Phela Grande Hotel.

Our first activity is to attend the famous Kalilangan Festival 2014, the 75th anniversary of General Santos City. Kalilangan Festival is a celebration of the history and culture of General Santos City. The street competition that shows the life of its inhabitants namely Muslim, Manobos, B’laans, Tagabilis and other native groups was the highlight of the closing program.

The high regards of the place to its tri people namely Moro, Christians and Lumads strucks me the most. The inhabitants of the city are sensitive to the culture, belief and faith of each other. We had dinner at grab-a-crab restaurant together with union officers of the different campuses of Mindanao State University and then capped the night with a coffee at the hotel.

Lake Agco, Mt. Apo, Kidapawan City

Day 2

On our second day, we left the hotel at 6:30am and arrived at Kidapawan City by 9:00am. While my boss was in a meeting, I went to Kidapawan City Local Tourism Office to inquire and reserve for our Mt. Apo climb this coming May. The local city tourism officer was very accommodating. She even invited me to the Sadawa Festival, a means of promoting the city and the responsible hiking in Mt. Apo.

After my Boss' meeting, we headed to Lake Agco, a sulfuric lake located at the foot of Mt. Apo. I was so amazed with it as it was a lake so hot that I even imagined boiling an egg just by immersing it in its boiling waters. We had a short dip and steam in an area fit for bathing and it was truly relaxing. We traveled back to General Santos City at 3:30pm and reached the area by 7:00pm. We had dinner at Gusteau crab located in front of SM Gensan then headed back to the hotel.

Left: Ago Mahamanoy Mountain Resort Right: The sulfuric Lake Agco

Left: At the Ancestral Grounds of MADADMA. Right: Souvenir shop

Lake Sebu, South Cotabato and Gumasa Beach, Sarangani

Day 3


We headed to Lake Sebu at around 8:00 in the morning aboard a private van. But one can commute from General Santos City to Lake Sebu by riding a bus to Surallah, then taking a van from Surallah to Lake Sebu.

Lake Sebu is one of the best places I've ever seen. One of the best features of the place is the Mystical 7 Waterfalls. We also tried the Seven Falls Zipline, the highest in Southeast Asia for 300 pesos. You can have a copy of your picture while riding the zipline for an extra 100 pesos for soft copy, or for 150 pesos soft and hard copy.


After our unforgettable Zipline experience, we went to falls no. 1, the best falls I've ever seen so far, then headed to Punta Isla to have lunch and try boating at the lake. Since Punta Isla is known for its Tilapia, we tried different varieties of Tilapia available on their menu. We headed back to General Santos City to buy our provisions for our planned overnight in one of the resorts in Gumasa, Glan, Sarangani. After everything was prepared, we proceeded to our favorite resort, Isla Jardin. Unfortunately the resort was fully-booked that night and they referred us to Rosal Resort instead. Rosal Resort compared to Isla Jardin is a bit pricey. I was not convinced at first because 3,300 pesos a night for three pax is quite expensive. But since we didn't have any other option, we took the room that was offered. I thought Isla Jardin was better, but when we explored the place, I must say that it was also a paradise.

Left: Mystical 7 Waterfalls. Right: Punta Isla

Left: Shot taken during the zipline. Right: At Mystical 7 Waterfalls

Rosal Resort offers white sand, bluish and greenish crystal clear water and very calm and relaxing surroundings. Gumasa is a pristine beach paradise that everybody will love and enjoy.

Left: Boracay-like sand. Right: A different kind of sunset at Gumasa  Beach

Clear and pristine waters

We sat on the sand and enjoyed our cold beers. A vendor passed by carrying a huge fish, the kind of which I do not know. Since I was so ecstatic with everything about the place, I took an opportunity to have my photo taken with that big fish. I originally wanted to carry the fish but it was way too heavy for me to do so, therefore I ended up holding it upside down instead with its snout touching the ground. The people there told us that they can still catch these huge fishes in the area which is to me, a good sign that the place isn't exploited yet.

We spent the rest of the night at the shore drinking, chatting and relaxing until we tire ourselves out.

Homeward Bound

Day 4

We woke up a bit late the following morning but still had enough time to swim and walk along the shoreline. We saw a few locals and some foreigners in the area. We headed back to General Santos City to buy frozen tuna as pasalubong. There are so many stores selling frozen tuna in General Santos City, one of which is Citra Mina. Just tell them that you will be bringing the tuna in Manila and they will gladly pack it appropriately for you so that you can have it checked-in at the airport.

After purchasing frozen tuna, we again had lunch at grab-a-crab restaurant and went straight to the airport to catch our 3:00 PM flight back to Manila.


How to Get There and Other Useful Tips:

• From Manila, just take any airline going to General Santos City. It is highly advisable to take advantage of promo or seat sales since air fares to General Santos is one of the most expensive domestic flights.

• From General Santos City, you can take a bus going to Davao City and get off Digos City Terminal. Take a bus going to Cotabato City and just ask the driver to drop you off at Kidapawan City. From here, take a habal-habal (single motorcycle service) to Lake Agco, Mt. Apo. Another option is to simply take a van going to Kidapawan City.

• To reach Lake Sebu, take a bus going to Surallah then van to Lake Sebu. If you plan to stay for a night at Lake Sebu, you can go to Punta Isla. They offer affordable accommodations overnight.

• You can rent a van or commute to reach Glan, Sarangani. From General Santos City, take a van or habal-habal then tell the driver to drop you off at any resorts along Glan (I personally prefer, Isla Jardin and Rosal Resort).

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