Looking for a quick beach escape from Manila? Check out Masasa Beach in Tingloy, Batangas which is only 3-4 hours away. Arman and his friends recently went on a trip here including a Manta Ray Dive Wing Experience! For some reasons I have been posting the best beaches in Batangas which I never planned at all. It just so happen that I keep on stumbling great travel guides to the beaches of Batangas lately.
The beach of Masasa isn't as gorgeous like that of Caramoan or Boracay or Palawan but for a city rat who is in dire need of sun, sand and sea, Masasa Beach is the answer! Ideally, Masasa beach can be best enjoyed during midweek because there are only very few tourists at these times. The beach is quiet and its best for anyone looking for relaxation.
It may appear surprising given the fact that it's only half - day away from Manila, Masasa beach still prides its torquoise water. One can really enjoy swimming at the beach and walk along the shore to let the time pass. This isn't mentioned in may travel blogs about Masasa beach but yes, there are many rock formations that you can see when you walk further on the island.
Tips, reminders and suggestions
- Some parts of the beach is rocky. Wearing aqua shoes is recommended.
- Electricity (running from 12 midnight then 6am - 11 am) is not a problem because some accommodations have solar panels and generators.
- There are no established restaurants so it is best to buy food in the Talaga port.
- Masasa beach is blessed with lots of live corals, turtles and fish even up to this days that global warming seem to be an every day topic. There are huge urchins as well but these are on the deep side so don't worry
- Take note of the schedule of boat rides or else you rent a private one which is expensive. From Mabini, last trip is 4pm. From Tingloy, last trip is 1pm.
- Love mountains as well?There are two waiting for you to climb if you got ample time to spend - Mount Mag asawang Bato, Mount Pinagbanderahan and Mount Gulugod Baboy.
- Overnight camping is NOT allowed. Tents can be pitched until 7pm only.
- There's an environmental fee worth Php 30
Please see below a DIY itinerary to Masasa beach from Sta. Rosa, Laguna:
Day 1
- 08:30AM - ETD in Complex, Balibago, Sta. Rosa, Laguna (via UV Express Van going to Batangas Pier)
- 08:30AM - 10:00AM - ETA in Batangas Grand Terminal
- 10:00AM - ETD in Batangas Grand Terminal (via Jeep going to Talaga Port)
- 10:00AM - 11:00AM - ETA in Talaga Port, Mabini, Batangas
- 11:00AM - ETD in Talaga Port, Mabini, Batangas (via Boat going to Tingloy Port)
- 11:00AM - 11:45AM - ETA in Tingloy Port
- 11:45AM - ETD in Tingloy Port (via Tricycle going to Transient House)
- 11:45AM - 12:00NN - ETA in Samboy's Transient House
- 12:00NN - 01:30PM - Lunch
- 01:30NN - 02:00PM - Preparation
- 02:00PM - ETD in Transient house (via Service Boat going to Masasa Beach)
- 02:00PM - 02:10PM - ETA in Masasa Beach
- 02:10PM - onwards - Leisure time (Swimming/Photo Ops)
Day 2
- 05:00AM - Wakeup time
- 05:00AM - 06:00AM - Breakfast
- 06:00AM - 07:00AM - Preparation for Island Hopping
- 07:00AM - ETD in Transient house (via Service Boat going to Masasa Beach)
- 07:00AM - 11:00AM - Island Hopping (Sombrero island (sight seeing only)/Cave/Lagoon/Snorkeling)
- 11:00AM - ETD in Lagoon
- 11:00AM - 11:30AM - ETA in Samboy's Transient House
- 11:30AM - 12:00NN - Preparation
- 12:00NN - ETD in Transient house
- 12:00PM - 12:15PM - ETA in Tingloy Port
- 12:15PM - 01:15PM - ETA in Talaga Port
- 01:15PM - ETD in Talaga port (via Jeep going to Batangas City)
- 01:15PM - 01:35PM - ETA in Crossing
- 01:35PM - ETD in Crossing (via Tricycle going to The Sicilian Reef Resort)
- 01:35PM - 02:00PM - ETA in The Sicilian Reef Resort
- 02:00PM - 03:00PM - Preparation
- 03:00PM - 03:15PM - Manta Ray Dive Wing Experience
- 03:15PM - 04:15PM - Preparation
- 04:15Pm - ETD in The Sicilian Reef Resort (via Tricycle)
- 04:15PM - 04:35PM - ETA in Crossing
- 04:15Pm - ETD in Crossing (via Jeep)
- 04:35PM - 05:30PM - ETA in Diversion Road
- 05:30PM - ETD in Diversion Road (via Jeep)
5:30PM - 06:00PM - ETA in Batangas Grand Terminal
Expenses:
Php 130 Pesos - via UV Express Van from Balibago, Sta Rosa going to Batangas Pier or 165 Pesos via Bus from Cubao going to Batangas Grand Terminal
Php 37 Pesos - via Jeep from Batangas Grand Terminal going to Talaga Port
Php 30 Pesos - Environmental fee
Php 80 Pesos - Boat fare from Talaga Port going to TIngloy Port
Php 140 Pesos (47 Pesos per head) - Tricycle fare from Tingloy Port going to Samboy's transient house (good for 3 pax)
Php 300 Pesos - Transient house fee (good for 5 pax)
Php 350 Pesos - Food expenses per head
Php 350 Pesos - Island Hopping expenses per head (good for 5 pax)
Php 140 Pesos (47 Pesos per head) - Tricycle fare from Samboy's transient house going to Tingloy Port (good for 3 pax)
Php 80 Pesos - Boat fare from TIngloy Port going to Talaga Port
Php 8 Jeep fare from Talaga Port going to Batangas City Crossing
Php 30 Pesos - Tricycle fare from Batangas City Crossing going to The Sicilian Reef Resort
Php 200 Pesos - The Sicilian Reef Resort Entrance fee
Php 500 pesos - Fee for Manta Ray Dive Wing experience (good for 15 minutes)
Php 30 - Tricycle fare from The Sicilian Reef Resort going to Batangas City Crossing
Php 30 - Jeep fare from Batangas City Crossing going to Diversion Road
Php 8 - Jeep fare from Diversion Road going to Batangas Grand Terminal
Php 165 - Bus fare from Batangas Grand Terminal going to Cubao
1. Ate Carmen and Kuya Ruben Transient House
Rate: unspecified
FREE: use of videoke, utensils, stove et ctera
Assistance: organize island hopping, snorkelling, trekking et cetera
Contact nos: 09265224463 / 09757157232
2. Ate Ched’s Transient House
Rate: Php 300
FREE: use of kitchen (gas stove & utensils), bathroom
*Electricity: 12hrs (with personal generator after brown out)
*Bring own foods and drinks
*Pwede magpaluto kung nais
3. Ate Borly Menia Songco & Maam Irene Menia Manongsong Transient House
FREE: 24 hours electricity(solar&generator), boat transfer going to Masasa Beach and back to the transient house, own use of CR, utensils
Contact numbers: 09081966763 / 09175490916 / 09155265981
4. TEACHER BENNY'S TRANSIENT HOME
Near the beach just 2-3 mins walk
No need to ride a service boat or tricycle
Rate: Php300 per head per night for transient
Offers:
8 rooms with fan, 4 bathrooms & cr, with standby generator in case there's brownout, free use of gastove and kitchen wares, with grilling station, free use of videoke
Contact numbers: 09178048427 / 09997762755
Don't leave Batangas without doing a Manta Ray Dive Wing experience via The Sicilian Reef Dive Resort.
You pay Php 500 for 15 minutes and additional Php 50 for additional 5 minutes.
Here are a few Tripadvisor reviews of previous guests:
Positive "A very cozy and private dive resort away from the commercial resorts that line up the famous dive destination south of Manila. The first thing you notice is the calmness of the sea and clear water along with the rich corals and marine life that take sanctuary along its coastline. This resort brags about its unique Manta Ray boarding . For 15 minutes one can experience gliding under the water seemingly like a manta ray .
The brainchid of the resort owner, Mr. Eric Umali , who painstakingly studied and improvised a unique gliding board attached to a moving jetski, one can enjoy the beauty of the underwater for a small fee . Fishes and corals abound within a few feet of its coastline and don't blink because chances are you will come across a sea turtle playing around and some dolphins paying an occasional visit.
I love this place for its privacy and serenity. Come alone, with a partner or with your office staffs for a company team building. There are enough rooms to accomodate everyone. And yes, learn to scuba dive or simply frolic or snorkel. Everything is possible here. Surely not my last! " - familymanManila
Negative
Nothing was as advertised. It was more like staying in a family's storage unit. The rooms open into a small porch area where you are "supposed" to enjoy peace and quiet while watching the ocean, but it was full of junk and construction equipment and workers sawing very loudly. There were no lounge chairs or huts or hammocks, and even at the beachfront, no where to sit or hang out, just piles of metal and wood.
Unlike their website says, there was no parking. You had to park on the road and carry your stuff about 5 blocks through a narrow maze of houses. Restaurant on site? No, there was a small kitchen with only 2 choices for breakfast and 3 choices at lunch. However, though the choices are few, the food tasted very good and was cheap, only 150 for grilled squid or buttered shrimp. The owner and employees are very nice and tried to be helpful. Internet didn't work so he let me use his phone to call a dive shop and when i complained politely about the noise, he asked his workers to stop the electric saw while we were having lunch. They don't have a dive shop on site, they will just call a guide for you for 2800 pesos but i went down the road a short distance and paid 1500 for a dive at Anilao Backpackers. Also, there was no way to swim in front of the resort because it was thick with trash. No hot shower, which you usually get anytime a room is priced over 1500 in the Philippines. This was more like a very low class backpacker hostel at price of a full hotel with lots of false advertisement.
Since there was no where to "hang out" and swim or enjoy the serenity of the ocean, we went 2 km down the road to Anilao Beach Club and for a day entrance of 750 pesos (which can be used toward meals at their restaurant with many, many choices) we could hang out there for the day. I discovered their overnight rooms were the same price (2500 pesos for 2) as Sicilian Reef, so we will stay at the Beach Club in the future- it has aircon rooms, hot showers, a nice grassy field with lots of lounge chairs/umbrellas and nipa huts and free use of all of it including kayaks, board games, etc. and parking right there by the rooms, and a calm (usually) bay for swimming (though not more coral in front, you can kayak to where there are corals across the bay).
We decided to put both the two sides of the reviews, to be fair and transparent to our readers.
More photos
Finding an over the weekend getaway for Manila dwellers is as easy as taking a bus for a few hours and voila, you're dream of having a sunkissed skin is achieved without taking a flight.
More beach / resort accommodations in Batangas
All photos and tips are credited to Arman.You can follow me on Instagram here and him here. This is a crowdsourced DIY travel guide. We recommend to please plan your trip responsibly.
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WHERE TO STAY IN MASASA BEACH, TINGLOY, BATANGAS
1. Ate Carmen and Kuya Ruben Transient House
Rate: unspecified
FREE: use of videoke, utensils, stove et ctera
Assistance: organize island hopping, snorkelling, trekking et cetera
Contact nos: 09265224463 / 09757157232
2. Ate Ched’s Transient House
Rate: Php 300
FREE: use of kitchen (gas stove & utensils), bathroom
*Electricity: 12hrs (with personal generator after brown out)
*Bring own foods and drinks
*Pwede magpaluto kung nais
3. Ate Borly Menia Songco & Maam Irene Menia Manongsong Transient House
FREE: 24 hours electricity(solar&generator), boat transfer going to Masasa Beach and back to the transient house, own use of CR, utensils
Contact numbers: 09081966763 / 09175490916 / 09155265981
4. TEACHER BENNY'S TRANSIENT HOME
Near the beach just 2-3 mins walk
No need to ride a service boat or tricycle
Rate: Php300 per head per night for transient
Offers:
8 rooms with fan, 4 bathrooms & cr, with standby generator in case there's brownout, free use of gastove and kitchen wares, with grilling station, free use of videoke
Contact numbers: 09178048427 / 09997762755
Don't leave Batangas without doing a Manta Ray Dive Wing experience via The Sicilian Reef Dive Resort.
You pay Php 500 for 15 minutes and additional Php 50 for additional 5 minutes.
Here are a few Tripadvisor reviews of previous guests:
Positive "A very cozy and private dive resort away from the commercial resorts that line up the famous dive destination south of Manila. The first thing you notice is the calmness of the sea and clear water along with the rich corals and marine life that take sanctuary along its coastline. This resort brags about its unique Manta Ray boarding . For 15 minutes one can experience gliding under the water seemingly like a manta ray .
The brainchid of the resort owner, Mr. Eric Umali , who painstakingly studied and improvised a unique gliding board attached to a moving jetski, one can enjoy the beauty of the underwater for a small fee . Fishes and corals abound within a few feet of its coastline and don't blink because chances are you will come across a sea turtle playing around and some dolphins paying an occasional visit.
I love this place for its privacy and serenity. Come alone, with a partner or with your office staffs for a company team building. There are enough rooms to accomodate everyone. And yes, learn to scuba dive or simply frolic or snorkel. Everything is possible here. Surely not my last! " - familymanManila
Negative
Nothing was as advertised. It was more like staying in a family's storage unit. The rooms open into a small porch area where you are "supposed" to enjoy peace and quiet while watching the ocean, but it was full of junk and construction equipment and workers sawing very loudly. There were no lounge chairs or huts or hammocks, and even at the beachfront, no where to sit or hang out, just piles of metal and wood.
Unlike their website says, there was no parking. You had to park on the road and carry your stuff about 5 blocks through a narrow maze of houses. Restaurant on site? No, there was a small kitchen with only 2 choices for breakfast and 3 choices at lunch. However, though the choices are few, the food tasted very good and was cheap, only 150 for grilled squid or buttered shrimp. The owner and employees are very nice and tried to be helpful. Internet didn't work so he let me use his phone to call a dive shop and when i complained politely about the noise, he asked his workers to stop the electric saw while we were having lunch. They don't have a dive shop on site, they will just call a guide for you for 2800 pesos but i went down the road a short distance and paid 1500 for a dive at Anilao Backpackers. Also, there was no way to swim in front of the resort because it was thick with trash. No hot shower, which you usually get anytime a room is priced over 1500 in the Philippines. This was more like a very low class backpacker hostel at price of a full hotel with lots of false advertisement.
Since there was no where to "hang out" and swim or enjoy the serenity of the ocean, we went 2 km down the road to Anilao Beach Club and for a day entrance of 750 pesos (which can be used toward meals at their restaurant with many, many choices) we could hang out there for the day. I discovered their overnight rooms were the same price (2500 pesos for 2) as Sicilian Reef, so we will stay at the Beach Club in the future- it has aircon rooms, hot showers, a nice grassy field with lots of lounge chairs/umbrellas and nipa huts and free use of all of it including kayaks, board games, etc. and parking right there by the rooms, and a calm (usually) bay for swimming (though not more coral in front, you can kayak to where there are corals across the bay).
We decided to put both the two sides of the reviews, to be fair and transparent to our readers.
More photos
Finding an over the weekend getaway for Manila dwellers is as easy as taking a bus for a few hours and voila, you're dream of having a sunkissed skin is achieved without taking a flight.
More beach / resort accommodations in Batangas
- DIY TRAVEL GUIDE TO MANUEL UY BEACH RESORT IN STA ANA, CALATAGAN, BATANGAS
- DIY ITINERARY & TRAVEL GUIDE TO VIRGIN BEACH, SAN JUAN, BATANGAS
- AQUARIA BEACH RESORT IN CALATAGAN, BATANGAS BLOG REVIEW
All photos and tips are credited to Arman.You can follow me on Instagram here and him here. This is a crowdsourced DIY travel guide. We recommend to please plan your trip responsibly.
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