Under the pale moon of the south

If you think that the days of Batangas as one of the more popular weekend getaway spots in the island of Luzon has been long gone, think again. A place 115kms south of Manila's got you covered.

Yes, there are other places that can better the beaches of Batangas without you having to travel in some other means than by land. Subic has its white-ish sand. So does Pagudpud up in the north. La Union's got its high waves and its bronze-skinned surfers. Pangasinan has its own share of beaches. Nasugbu, has, well... foamy waters and virtually pitch-black sand.

The ambience in Subic beaches, doesn't quite fit my taste. They are more like public beaches. Sure you get the sun, the sea and the sand... but you also get tons of other people wading in the shore with you. Your privacy is only contained by the roof of your rented rickety cottage.

Pagudpud is like paradise. Its white sand and the view of the South China Sea can easily make you grab for a can of cold beer while grilling some kebab. White sand plus sea plus kebab plus beer is virtually heaven in my book... if you're willing to travel by land for more than twelve hours.

The beaches in Pangasinan are also worth looking into. It's definitely in our must-travel destinations.

Aaah, La Union. The surfing Mecca of the Philippines. I've got the utmost respect for its waves and its surfers. The waves in La Union, expectedly, are quite strong. You can stare at the sea all day long... and that's the only thing one can do -- stare, not swim... nor wade. Unless you're a surfer. The waves and riptides of La Union can easily wreak havoc on a person. The corals can do an Edward Scissorhands on one's back with no regrets whatsoever. I should know... a cousin of mine drowned in the waters of La Union years ago. May God bless your soul, Niño.

The local surfers in La Union are like water ninjas.

We've once witnessed (while we were eating halo-halo by the shore) several people shouting for help as they were trying to fight back riptides. The five (or six) of them were already a bit far out into the sea when someone noticed and heard their pleas for help. The local surfers appeared out of nowhere with their boards and rescued the hapless people in no time at all. Much respect for you dudes!

Nasugbu? Uhhh... hmmm... well, you can stop over at Nasugbu, take a look at its beaches and seawater... then leave immediately. Why? A few municipalities further down south, and closer to Quezon, lies San Juan.

It's got its bevy of resorts and beaches that offer white sand, a clean sea, and a more relaxing atmosphere. The resorts are definitely of the class act. Air-conditioned private rooms/cottages, function halls, play halls, tanning decks, cable-TV, beer, room service... you name it, and they've probably got it. A newly-built resort can even rival some of the establishments in Boracay.

I guess that's enough for the yadda-yadda... on to the pics!

The beach in Laiya, San Juan, Batangas

Bora? Nope... San Juan! The beach at night.

Night-time beach volleyball, anyone?

I just realized that I took more photos during the night than during the day. Well, it was too hot! ^_^

The lamps the line up the fences at Laiya Resthouse.
Have I told you about the ambience thingie?

I can't resist taking this night scene.
Clouds reaching out to the moon-lit and starry sky... golden sand... tranquil sea... a boat silently heading out... beer in hand. :D
This pano I took is probably my favorite photo of all time. ^_^

So, if you're looking for some quick getaway with your friends or that someone special, try out Barangay Laiya in San Juan, Batangas.

BTW, we stayed at the Laiya Resthouse and beach resort during our vacation. Laiya was such a nice place that we came back with another set of friends... a week later. ^_^

Click here to view the rest of the pics.