Tingloy, Batangas is slowly getting recognized because of the sheer charm of one of its beaches, Masasa Beach. The pristine beauty of Masasa Beach has gained popularity through word of mouth from those who have been delighted by its splendor.  Moreover, the proximity of Batangas from Manila had made it as one of the best choices to quickly escape the hectic life in the city.  Its irresistible allure had spread like a wildfire, egging travelers, especially beach lovers to come around.

For me to see what the buzz was all about and since island hopping is so in nowadays, we plotted for a one-day DIY (Do-It-Yourself) escapade to Masasa Beach.  With our bags packed, we hit the road and journeyed to Batangas, full of excitement.

Getting to Anilao (via Bauan)

For directions to Anilao from Manila, read: Bauan, Batangas: A Perfect Budget Weekend Getaway in Il Sogno Resort

At around 5:30 PM, we left Pala-Pala, Dasmariñas, on a UV express van bound for Bauan, Batangas passing through Tagaytay.

Since Cavite is already close to Batangas, we knew that our travel time would be shorter compared to if we were coming from Manila, but that’s what we thought.

It was January 1st that day and passing through Tagaytay, which was a famous tourist destination on a rush hour, was a bad decision. We were welcomed by a very heavy traffic. The supposed to be one to one-and-a-half-hour ride got extended and we were able to reach Bauan, Batangas after two hours and thirty minutes. Yeah, I know, it was quite longer than we had expected.

We’ve spent the night at my boyfriend’s father’s house in Bauan since there were no more available boats at that time that would bring us to Tingloy.

From Anilao to Tingloy

7:00 AM, it was a sunny day; a perfect day to catch some waves. Without wasting any time, we left the house and headed to town or “bayan”. Once we arrived at Bauan town proper, we rode a jeepney bound for Anilao Port. The municipality of Tingloy can be reached by riding a boat from either Anilao or Talaga (Mabini) Ports (depending on the weather).

We chose to ride on a passenger boat going to Tingloy because it is much cheaper compared to renting the whole boat. Travel time was about 1 hour. When we reached Tingloy Port, we rode a tricycle to transport us to the drop off point of Masasa Beach. We didn’t have to wait because they were already lined up by the port.

A Walk through the Rice Fields

After a short ride of about 10 minutes, we had reached the tricycle terminal but it was still approximately 250 – 300 meters from Masasa Beach.  The driver said that vehicles can’t pass beyond that point anymore and we needed to walk down the slopes and through the rice fields to reach the beach, beach, BEACH!!!

The paved road was very steep.  I was already thinking that going down would be easy but getting back up would be a struggle especially with the bags and other stuff that we were carrying.

Halfway through, we passed in the middle of a vast rice field.  The bright shade of green was very calming and so refreshing to look at. We seemed to forget the heat of the sun directly above us as we walked by. We paused for a while and cherished the moment. I thought to myself that it would be awesome to wake up every morning with that kind of view.

A Place to Stay while in Masasa Beach

Just after passing through the rice fields we have reached the beach and started to look for Aling Rosie’s Kubo (Nipa hut).  Most transient homes were on the far-right end of the beach.  Kubo rental is Php 1,000 for an overnight stay, there were two common bathrooms available.  Since we were only staying for the day, we only paid half the price of Php 500.  We put down our stuff, took a quick rest, and ate our packed lunch.  When we have settled in, it was time to hit the beach.

Exploring Masasa Beach

Masasa Beach has quite a long stretch of shoreline.  It may take you a while and a few rests before you reach the other end.

The good news is, since Masasa beach is a public beach, there is no charge for camping, no entrance fee as well!  You just have to be resourceful in finding a restroom for rent near the beach because there were no available restrooms for public use.

We pitched our own tent on the beach side since Aling Rosie’s kubo was a few meters away from the shore.  After enjoying an hour of swimming, picture taking, and exploring the island, we have decided to walk along the left side of the shore to look for the mysterious lagoon but we didn’t find it.

Instead, there we found the jagged rock formations of Masasa beach with grayish-yellowish color that were formed probably a few thousand years ago.

By 1PM, we pushed through with the snorkeling activity. There are lots of “bangkeros” who offer snorkeling for 100/head including the snorkeling gear, maximum of 3 persons per boat.

The Lagoon

We truly believed that there is a lagoon in Masasa Beach so we asked Kuya bangkeros, (boatmen) and yay! He confirmed that there is! We requested for them to bring us there, for an additional Php 100. It was not a fixed price though. It depends on you how much would you like to add. Nevertheless, it was all worth it!

We reached the lagoon for about 10 minutes by boat. It was breathtaking, there were two small lagoons nestled at the foot of a huge rock wall that served as a perfect backdrop courtesy of nature. Sadly, we weren’t able to explore the whole area as much as we wanted to.  Our boatman could not find a steady and sturdy structure where he can tie our small boat that was being pounded by the current. So, we chose to leave early to help him out of the predicament that he was into.

The lagoon can also be reached just by following the tracks on the right end of the beach, passing through the transient homes.  It was already too late when we knew about it.  Oh well, at least we were able to help out a local.

The Sad Truth (We Can Still Do Something)

Man’s intervention with nature is slowly taking a toll with the raw beauty of Masasa Beach.  As it gets more accolades and draws in more visitors every day, pollution starts to creep in.  In general, the beach and its surroundings are still in good shape except for one section of the beach going to the lagoon.  Garbage (i.e. plastic bottles, cans, etc.) were not disposed properly and bonfire fragments were left behind.

According to the local that I talked to, the surge of tourists was recorded last April 2016 during the Holy Week. The total number of visitors went up to 4,500. They got the figures from the stubs that were sold from the terminal fee at Anilao Port.

These numbers had improved the livelihood of the locals, but these number of tourists would also have a huge impact on their source of income if it gets out of hand and their natural resources get polluted.

Even if there are several groups now that are conducting clean-up drives to sustain the tourism in the area, the initiative should start from the locals and us visitors to keep it as it were.

Breakdown of Expenses

Useful Information*Php – Philippine Peso

Arrive early at the port (Anilao), first trip starts at 6AM.

The last trip of the passenger’s boat from Anilao to Tingloy Port is at 4:30 PM, and from Tingloy to Anilao Port is also 4:30 PM.  Boats are not allowed to sail anymore when it’s already dark.

Activities – swimming, snorkeling, cliff jumping, banana boat ride, island hopping, hike Mt. Mag-Asawang Bato, camping or just simply relax along the shore.

There are news now that camping is allowed until 7PM only.  Overnight camping was banned due to an incident with a tourist.  Better to stay in transient homes, Regular rates usually start from Php 150 – 300 / person.  There is power interruption in the island from 10 PM – 12 NN but some homestays have solar panels.

There were no restaurants or eateries where you can order a meal but you can always bring your own food and cook it there, or pay someone from the residents to cook for you.

For a place to stay, get in touch with Aling Rosie.  Her contact number is +63 919 686 4368.

Another homestay you can check out is Carmen and Ruben Mandanas Homestay.  For inquiries, contact them at

+63 997 586 1960 / +63 975 715 7232 / +63 926 522 4463

REMEMBER:

Only take photos.  Collect only memories.  Leave only footprints.  BE A RESPONSIBLE TRAVELER!

Dispose your garbage properly.

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