Because long beach trips are impossible with families with infants, we just settled for a day at…read morethe waterpark with some of our friends last weekend. We had our (una at) huling hirit sa tag-init at WaterCamp Resort in Kawit, Cavite. The place was okay, it was a big waterpark (I like saying that word because it reminds me of the movie Grown Ups) with adult and kiddie pools with slides, and a wave pool. The shower rooms were clean and relatively well-maintained considering there are a lot of people coming there. Guests can choose to stay in tables or cabanas according to their budget and there are several areas for grilling, so families can definitely bring their baon, or order from the restaurant inside (which I wasn't able to try, unfortunately). I liked that the place is very family-friendly; it's ok to swim in t-shirt and shorts (as long as there's no metal) and they're very strict about prohibiting alcoholic drinks in the vicinity. I had a slight issue about breastfeeding my four-month old baby in the cabana, but I'm pretty much used to nursing in public by now. The entrance fee was reasonable (240 for adults, 210 for kids) for the place is big with lots of amenities. My daughter had the BEST time swimming there. She just swam and swam until she was too tired and fell asleep. She was so happy that I think an hour drive going to the place is absolutely worth it.

The rooms are huge and well airconditioned and comes with a tv and a bathroom with decent water…read morepressure. They all have a seaside balcony and has a regular key and a deadbolt. There are not many rooms in the whole resort so you can expect to be helped fast. They accept cash and major credit cards. A HUGE plus is that I checked in at 9am - waaay earlier than regular check in hours obviously and later than the regular checkout time by half an hour or so but since the resort was relatively empty when I stayed, they had no problem with it and did not charge me anything extra. I had also booked it for a day earlier than I meant to, and it was difficult trying to get in contact with them, but I emailed them and they changed it with no hassle as well! There is a decently large staff working the resort and many of them speak conversational english. The dining building has filtered water, tea, and coffee available at all times. They will also serve buffet style lunch or dinner (500-600 pesos) and a la carte smoothies and food as well, and the buffets were hit or miss for me but the a la cartes were great! There are a lot of flies out there so the flies sort of eat the food with you.. you are free to take the food inside to your room though! The staff is also constantly asking to make sure you are enjoying your stay and sort of hovers to check that you dont need anything else. By the water they have a dive shop where they rent out gear and provide boat service. (also great photo op location for the sunset). A downside was that when we I was getting tanks from them, they used tanks labeled NITROX but had regular air. Some of the tanks were not super recently inspected either. No bueno. But we tested it before using it to confirm that it was okay,, but I guess things are pretty lax in the philippines. Overall a great stay!

A HIDDEN GEM! A must go retreat for family, big groups, honeymooners, quick getaway, etc! Only less…read morethan 3 hour drive from Manila. The road going towards the resort is so narrow. You would not think this didn't go anywhere! We actually tried booking through Airbnb but they only limit it to sixteen people; or I think Airbnb's requirement. The representative told us to communicate through Facebook instead as we needed a big group reservations for 30 as their description on Airbnb stated they can accommodate up to 30 people! Easy reservations with them via phone and the best place to go so far since visiting the main island! The resort has their own farm of fruits and veggies so everything is fresh and depends on the season; they can only make certain meals during the season. Food is pretty decent. We reserved the villa for our stay called - 'Sta. Teresita Villa' where it has its own private infinity pool. The villa has its own kitchen, two and half bathrooms and two bedrooms. It has great views! It was so awesome! We all didn't want to leave!! We also rented additional rooms that had outdoor jacuzzi's. You can order set meals for 5 or 10 or ala carte. Just to let you know, if you are used to American portions, you may have to order more than average. They have fresh buko drinks, too. They plan to add a zip lines in the resort. I can't wait! Tips to remember: - Weather is still very warm here so don't over dress. OK, I mean HOT and humid! - Bring bug spray especially during rainy season. Bugs are huge here!! Bring slippers! - pools have overhead covers so even if rained on, you can still swim. Bring waterproof camera bags. - No wifi except in the lobby. Free wifi. 3G goes on and off within the resort so good luck! No use coming here if you are working! - It's easy to use Waze to get here but leaving, make sure to start the Waze while using the wifi in the lobby or it won't turn on till a few km's out! Remember how you got there. - They do accept credit cards. - Bring snacks or drinks as their snack bar is limited. - Make sure to explore the resort, their crops and their pet snakes! - They do have a few blackouts. - Wake up before sunset to check out the lake and mountain views! Bring your good cameras! Also, love the weather in the morning! For my 650th review, I am dedicating it to Noni's Resort! Staff were very accommodating and super friendly for our big group! Prices were pretty good for our staff and what was offered. I will definitely recommend anyone to check them out and stay for a quick weekend getaway! You won't regret it! [69/100]

75 miles from the International airport, this can be a long drive in Manila's traffic. Once you get…read morethere though it felt like a real slice of hidden paradise. We were greeted by really courteous staff. From the security guard, front desk to the room attendants, it was great customer service. Three meals a day were provided and it was a feast. Usually 4 dishes plus the mandatory rice for each meal was more than enough for us. Which says a lot after a whole day of swimming in the ocean. WIFI was free and reliable around the resort. 2 hours of kayaking came free with our package as well. Accommodations were separate cottages having 1-2 rooms.The rooms were spotless and offered a very nice view of the ocean. There was AC but with the configuration of the windows along with the multitude of trees in the location, you could just leave the windows open and really enjoy the cool ocean breeze. The rest room was shared per cottage but it was well maintained and clean as well. Massages were available in-room. I personally did not avail of it but my sister did and seemed to enjoy it. The beach was clean and the water was very clear and warm. Perfect for swimming any time of the day. Overall, if you want to go to a great beach with modern facilities, it is well worth the road trip.

This family-owned resort is the perfect place for a weekend getaway with family and friends. It's…read morejust a short 1.5hr-2hrs drive away from Manila, making it very easy to get to. Awilihan can be rented for the entire day or for overnight stays. The place can comfortably accommodate 30 people (max). The rental fee is already inclusive of the use of the house (airconditioned rooms with beds, pillows and showers), the pool, sports facilities (badminton, basketball and billiards) and the use of their pool. You can opt to bring your own food or order food from them for a reasonable fee. The entire place overlooks the Taal Lake and there's always a nice cool breeze, making it the perfect relaxation spot. I have taken my family and friends here and all of them love the place so much. Once you enter, you immediately feel comfortable. The atmosphere is very relaxing and homey and it just makes you want to lounge around. Although there's no beach to swim in, their swimming pool is enticing enough to make you want to jump in one you see it. I love how the whole place is secluded... away from the traffic and the noise of the city. I always recommend this place to my friends and family because you really can't go wrong with Awilihan! It really is paradise!

If I could rate this place a 0, I would. To start off the maintenance is terrible. This "resort" is…read morenot as appealing as the photos show. As well as the workers and owners had the audacity to threaten to MURDER my friends and I when we refused to pay 365 pesos for ONE hour. I definitely don't recommend ANYONE to go here. We were all very scared and worried. We even had to call the cops. They don't deserve to stay in business. CLOSE DOWN THIS RESORT

My college barkada introduced me to the brilliant idea of renting a beach house in Tali and staying…read morethere for the weekend. We would usually scour the internet for great houses that are rented out by the owners, and then we would leave on Saturday morning and head out to Nasugbu. What's great about these places is that they are fully-furnished, and some of them have great stuff, too! I have gone on such weekend trips to Tali exactly six times, and every time, my friends and I have rented a different villa. You know, just to keep things fun and exciting. We have stayed in really creepy and haunted places, and we have also stayed in really awesome, very well-maintained houses. I just love how we don't have to bring anything anymore, since most of the beach houses are fully equipped with great stuff that you can use for cooking. I love preparing food for my friends because I hate seeing them endlessly bingeing on crap food like chips and stale pizza, so we always pool our money, stop by a supermarket in Tagaytay and then shop for an entire weekend's worth of food and groceries. The villas in Tali are usually fitted with nice stoves and a fully-equipped kitchens, so preparing meals in a jiffy is such a breeze. You don't have to worry about food going bad either, since there is usually a fridge where you can keep stuff fresh. Most of the time, though, the best beachhouses are actually still a couple blocks away from the shore, so you would really have to walk or drive just to enjoy the beach. Moreover, there isn't really much of a "beach" to enjoy, because the shoreline is actually pretty short, just a small cove that is partially sheltered by the surrounding bay. It is also advisable to make sure that you have all your supplies and sundries before you even go inside the gated community, because going out for groceries is such a hassle. There isn't any well-stocked store for miles. This is a pretty nice place to just hang out with friends. If you don't have snazzy memberships in nearby Punta Fuego or Pico de Loro (Hamilo Coast), this is not too bad an option if you just want an idyllic weekend getaway.

Tali is a popular seaside resort community in Nasugbu, Batangas, about 2-3 hours away from Manila,…read morejust a short distance from Tagaytay. The place is a private subdivision so you need to have a homeowner with you or at least advisement from wherever you're staying. It's not totally private though! You can go online and just look for beach house accommodations, since many of the residents there already put up their own houses as B&Bs or inns for those who want to go to Tali Beach. It's a really nice place, like how you'd wish it would be if there were beach cities in Manila, hahah. Not overly developed either so it's pretty peaceful. Here, you have a whole village full of summer houses and instead of the regular playgrounds or village parks, they have a beach! However, the beach here isn't exactly fit for swimming. It's rather small, rocky, and full of corals. There's no long, wide stretch of sand where you can lie down and sleep or sunbathe. But they do have gazebos and small open spaces to hang out in with the water splashing about beside you. If you wanna go swimming, better go back to your accommodation. This is why most houses there have swimming pools already. People like to do water sports around there though, so don't be surprised to see boats and jet skis in the houses inside the village. It's also normal to spot people just casually kayaking and standup paddle boarding all around. There aren't really any organized water sports services, you just do it on your own. Of course, there's also the popular Tali cliff jump you have to try at least once! They have great, clear blue waters that you can dive safely into and then you just climb back up easily through the big polished rock boulder beside the cliff area. Just be careful not to touch the sharp rocks/corals by the side of the boulder! Only grab the ropes by the ladder area.

TL:DR Unspoilt paradise with white sand beaches, crystal clear water that's great for diving and…read moresnorkeling, and not crawling with tourists. Don't expect modern luxuries. Just enjoy its natural beauty. We've done some island hopping/exploring in Occidental Mindoro, mostly off of San Jose, like Grace Island and White Island, but have yet to venture beyond San Jose. We decided to venture out this trip and hired a van (₽7000 for the day) to go to Sablayan and take a boat from there to Pandan Island. Our first stop was the Ecotourism Office located next to the plaza. This is where you can get information and book your boat and stay if you're heading to Pandan Island and Apo Reef Natural Park. You'll need to pay an environmental fee per person here. They'll also assign you a boat once you decide what kind of boat you want to take. We went with a Glass Bottom boat (Queen Ella). Our boat stopped at various places close to Pandan Island to look at Sea Turtles, Corals and different kinds of fish. Really amazing! Some places were really deep and some we were only a couple of feet from the corals. The water is so clear, you could see the sea turtles if you look to your side on the water. Once we got to the island, we chose the table next to the hammock and paid for our picnicking fee at the bar. There is a day use fee per person. I forgot how much but you can look at pandan.com/prices/ for all the fees you need to pay. The water temperature was 82°F or 28°C. It was perfect. Not warm and not cold. We stayed in the water for a few hours playing and swimming! We got there around 9 am and although there were overnight guests staying in the cottages and day trippers like us, this part of the island was not crowded. Most of the tourists here are Filipinos, Europeans and Australians. This is not Boracay thank God. I hope it never gets transformed into a Boracay and I don't think it will be because it is a protected marine sanctuary. We saw a lot of divers going out to the open sea to dive. You can get your PADI certification here if you want. This island has no electricity, so it's definitely off the grid. I would totally love to stay here a couple of nights. The cottages are only a few steps from the water! It'd be the ultimate relaxation. My husband and I have camped and backpacked in remote places in the high Sierras so a stay at Pandan is luxurious compared to that! The island has a restaurant and a bar! You're also close enough to Sablayan that you'll be able to get Globe LTE here. My brother in law had Smart LTE and they couldn't very good cell reception here. The food on the island is not that great (even the Filipino food), so I suggest you bring your own food. We brought a big jug of water, empanadas, halaya, snacks and other stuff. We bought 2 young coconuts from the bar (50 pesos each) and that kept us hydrated. We tried the boneless Bangus and it was just okay. My sister did not like the Tosino. Bring your own food! Apo Reef (the second largest contiguous reef in the world and the largest one in the Philippines) is another 3 hr boat ride from Pandan, so you would really have to stay there overnight if you want to see it. Stop by Pandan for a few hours to cool off or stay overnight and then head to Apo Reef. I'd love to be able to do that on another visit when I have more time here.

I have to say , this place, after Covid , is pretty empty. There's just a few visitors including…read moreour group. I was with a bunch of senior citizens (sisters, bro in law and Ricky my late cousins hubby) except for me that have to pay full price. I believe it was 2500 P and 2200 p for senior discount. I have no Idea how much it was in $$$ but my sister told me that it's about 45$ full and 39$ senior discount lol. I think that's reasonable coming from California where most of everything are inflated. When we got here , there was a little bit of miscommunication, I guess my sister , who has been here before prior to Covid , they were able to use the credit card. Today is cash only lol. We barely have enough cash since my sister assumed that she can pay for all of us with her card. Anyway once we got here, this place is gorgeous. Deep in a jungle of Laguna. They have warm spring water pools. The main one up by the front had 3 pools , with tiny small falls. It was warm water but the trees shaded us from the sun so the water wasn't that warm. We also hiked to the hidden falls. It was quite a walk from the front. On the way to the falls there were more pools. One was the hidden pool and I believe the other was called hidden pool . Anyway the walk was brutal but fun. Up and down trails with cemented stairs steps. I really enjoyed coming over here. The fee came in with lunch and merienda. All in all . I have a great 5 star experience from the ppl that have greeted us to the ppl that was assigned to make sure we're safe. PH

Nice getaway from Manila, I only went for the day when my family was visiting and I would say it's…read moremore than enough to look around. Entrance was 4000php which I thought was a massive exaggeration for what you get! The walk through the vegetation is really nice but the waterfall at the end was not too impressive! I was also expecting the springs to be warm which they weren't and it was full of families and kids. Not the place if you want to tan in the sun as there are no beds or seats around the springs but I still took some nice pictures and was happy to leave the city for the day :)