November 11 is the feast day of Taal’s patron saint, Saint Martin de Tours, and a good time to visit if you want to observe the town’s old traditions. On the feast day the locals hold the Luwa, a religious ritual that sees four young boys reciting a eulogy in verse as an offering to the patron saint.
But if you don’t make it to the Luwa, don’t despair. Taal is just a few hours from Manila. Time your visit on a clear day and start your trip with a trek up Taal Volcano.
Batangas is located some 110 kilometers south of Metro Manila, or about two to three hours travel time from the capital city. It’s part of Luzon and bordered to the north by the province of Cavite and Laguna, to the south by Verde Island passage, to the east by the provinces of Quezon,a nd again, Laguna. Its west faces the South China Sea. Its 316,580-hectare land is of rolling terrain while the rest is mountainous and hilly.
Book Club Balai Isabel, on the shores of lake Taal in Talisay town, if you’d like a view of Taal lake and volcano. The resort is furnished with Philippine hardwood furniture, colored Moroccan-style lamps with ornate metal work and stained glass panels, and surrounded by fruit trees and pocket gardens. It has an infinity pool and a spa suite offering reflexology treatment. Published room rates start at P2,800 (about US$62) for the casitas to P16,800 per night for the four-bedroom lakeshore villa.
If you like it intimate and cozy, there’s the seven-room Casa Cecilia Heritage Hotel with its Spanish-Mediterranean architecture and a patio overlooking a garden gazebo, a popular place for weddings. A room here costs P2,200 per night with free breakfast for two.
For budget travelers there’s Casa Punzalan, an 18th-century ancestral home converted into a lodging house run by the Taal Heritage Foundation. It has four-post beds, a wide staircase, and expansive views of Taal Basilica Each of the lodge’s three fan rooms can take in two guests and costs P500 per night. Two air-con rooms are also available for P800 and P1,000 for double occupancy.
Located along the highway in Brgy. Butong is Little Bridge Resort, a 2.5-hectare property that houses 22 air-conditioned hotel rooms, six air-conditioned cabanas, an apartment with three fan rooms, 20 kiosks and mini open-air cottages. Hotel and cabana units average from P3,000-P3,500 per night. It has a five-lane swimming pool and a children’s pool.
The province’s main attraction, Taal Lake, is a freshwater lake located within a cauldron formed by Taal Volcano’s eruptions. At the lake’s center is Volcano Island, where the active Taal Volcano sits. In the distance is the ghostly outline of Mount Maculot.
You can get to Volcano Island from Talisay located in the north central area of Batangas by boat in about 30 minutes. From the island, the only way to get to the upper rim of the volcanic crater is by horseback. The ride takes about 30 minutes, accompanied by a guide who rides with you and holds the reins. You can also walk up the crater, but this takes about an hour.
Tho volcano’s previous eruptions have created a lake within its crater, which is what most tourists come to see on the island. Wisps of smoke coming out of the slope remind us that Taal is still an active volcano. The horseback back from the crater’s rim to flat land takes 20 minutes. All residents in the island maintain houses in the lakeshore towns, where they scurry to cover whenever the alert level is up.
From the sleepy town of Talisay on the northern end of the province, a scenic drive going halfway around Taal Lake will take you to the town of Taal on the southern side. The uphill climb towards Tagaytay and downhill cruise in the general direction of Lemery in Batangas show various angles of the volcano.
September 21st, 2009 at 3:58 pm
Batangas as the Province begins with Sto. Tomas town from Metro Manila and is only an hour or so away (except for the heavy traffic being caused by the new skyway extension project). It is Batangas City / Pier / Port which used to be 2 1/2 hours away… but with the Opening of the Star Tollway from Sto. Tomas travel time has been reduced to 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
To go to Talisay, you don’t have to use Star Tollway, just follow the old road and turn right at the Tanauan City junction.
To get to Taal, you have to exit Star Tollway at Lipa City and turn right at the junction with the sign for Cuenca-Alitagtag-Taal.
One can also use the Star Tollway all-the-way to Batangas City, turn right at the Bolbok junction and proceed to use the San Pascual-Bauan-Alitagtag-Sta. Teresita route.
One can also reach Batangas via the Tagaytay-Cavite road. In the Tagaytay rotunda, you have to turn left towards the Palace in the Sky, in the vicinity of Picnic Grove, there is a right turn going down the mountain to Talisay (beaches)-Tanauan.
After the San Miguel Company Conference Center, there is a left turn going to CanyonWoods / Fantasy World. If you follow that road down-the-mountain, you will reach Lemery (beaches), turn left to get to Taal-Lemery and turn right to get to Balayan-Calaca-Nasugbu-Tuy.
You may also reach Lipa City / Laiya, San Juan (beaches) by following the road-to-Lucena. In Tiaong, there is a right turn to reach Padre Garcia-Rosario-Lipa City.
There is another right turn in Candelaria which will bring you to San Juan (Laiya beaches) -Rosario-Ibaan-Batangas City.
So Gas Up and Explore !!!!