6 Breathtaking Batangas Locations You Shouldn’t Miss

Wazzup Pilipinas!

As is the case with most popular tourist destinations, one may think that there’s a limit to Batangas’s charms. But the fact is, no matter how many times one may travel to the province—only a few short hours away from Metro Manila—there are many chances to see it in a different light.

The appeal of visiting Batangas goes beyond stepping foot on one beach, offering prayers in one church, or snapping photos in one heritage site. Here, there’s a little bit of everything for everyone. First-time visitors and returning tourists alike can enjoy the province’s wealth of biodiversity, natural resources, and culture if they add more stops to their Batangas itinerary.

If you’re planning a trip soon and need recommendations, here’s a roundup of six sites that are guaranteed to take your breath away. Head to these locations to experience the singular beauty of Batangas province!

Anilao, Mabini

Anilao is considered one of the “scuba diving capitals” of the Philippines, and it is also home to many a famed Batangas beach resort. Clear ocean waters and stunning reefs aside, what drives Anilao’s tourism sector is its diving courses. There are classes and expeditions tailored to different levels of diving experience, which makes Anilao the ideal vacation spot for both beginning and intermediate divers.

How to Get There: From Metro Manila, you can take a public bus bound for Batangas City, go down at the bus terminal, and take a jeep to Mabini to Anilao Port. Alternately, you can travel to Anilao by car, or ask your chosen resort if they offer a shuttle service.

The View: Both above sea level and below it, your view in Anilao will be a feast for the eyes. While diving, you’ll encounter schools of colorful fish, vibrant coral reefs, and perhaps even a shipwreck site or two.

 

Laiya, San Juan

For a more laid-back group, there’s the Laiya strip of beaches in San Juan. If you mean to go to Batangas with a loved one on a romantic getaway, you can splurge on premium accommodation. If your goal is to swim, work fresh seafood on the grill, and knock off a few cold ones with friends, there are budget options there as well.

How to Get There: You can simply drive to San Juan, or you can take the bus and get down in front of San Juan’s municipal hall. There, you will be able to find jeeps and tricycles to Laiya.

The View: Beach revelers will enjoy soft sand, verdant coconut trees, and sparkling green-blue waters. It is the perfect scene for watching sunsets, partaking in romantic dinners, or stargazing.


Taal Volcano, Talisay

The mighty Taal Volcano has been named among the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth’s Interior’s (IAVCEI) list of “Decade Volcanoes.” But even if you aren’t an earth scientist, you’ll be wowed by the natural scenery in Taal. The sand is marked a vibrant red in the Red Lava Trail, and the greenery seems endless all the way to the summit.

How to Get There: You will need to take a boat ride to get to Taal Volcano Island. Once there, you will need to register at Taal’s Tourism Office. From then on, you can hike up the trail or you can pay a guide to take you up on horseback.

The View: The weather may be hot, and the trail may be exhausting for some to complete. But once you reach the Taal Volcano’s viewing deck, the optics will be worth it. Take a picture or two as a keepsake of the moment.


Taal Basilica, Taal

Also known as the Minor Basilica of St. Martin of Tours, the Taal Basilica is a landmark site in the heritage town of Taal, which many people have campaigned for inclusion into the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is the largest Catholic church in all of Asia with such an ornate façade, it is likely also one of the most beautiful as well.

How to Get There: To get to the Taal Basilica, you can either drive or take the public bus to Lemery, Batangas. Get off at the Flying V station, where it will be easy to catch a jeep to Taal town.

The View: Batangueños are very much rooted in their Catholic faith, and the legacy of that faith is on show in the Taal Basilica. One need only to glance at the soaring arches, sculpted columns, and detailed visages of the saints in the Basilica to know that the Holy Spirit has been at work here for five centuries.


Fortune Island, Nasugbu

Fortune Island in Nasugbu never fails to fascinate visitors. Once the locus of development work for a luxury clientele, Fortune Island is now a curious mix of rolling cliffs, historic sites, and abandoned structures like the crumbling Parthenon-style ruins. Tourists who want to do something out of the ordinary can go cliff-diving, visit the museum built for the Spanish warship the San Diego, or stage a photo-op by the ruins.

How to Get There: The most efficient way to get to Fortune Island is to ride a bus to Nasugbu, take a tricycle to Fortune Island Resort in Barangay Wawa, and rent a boat from the mainland to the island proper. Be forewarned, however, that the waves here can get very strong.

The View: Every photo that you take here will tell a unique story. If you’re up for it, you can experience thrilling vertical drops, haunting scenery, and powerful currents at Fortune Island.


Malabrigo Lighthouse, Lobo

The Malabrigo Lighthouse is one of 24 lighthouses built by the Spanish to guide their maritime journeys. As luck would have it, however, the portmanteau of malabrigo means “bad shelter” in Spanish. That’s because Malabrigo Point was no safe haven for ships and small boats, and many had met their deaths there. Nevertheless, the striking Malabrigo Lighthouse is a well-preserved structure, and it was declared a National Historic Landmark in 2006. Visitors should go here early in the day in order to beat the heat.

How to Get There: Ride a bus to Balagtas Junction in Batangas, switch to the jeep that goes to Lobo Jeepney Terminal, ride another jeep to the Lobo town proper, and take a tricycle to the Malabrigo Lighthouse.

The View: Outside the Malabrigo Lighthouse is a picturesque view of the blue waters; inside, you can appreciate the old woodwork refurbished with a cheerful paint job. The lighthouse lives up to its landmark reputation.

This is just a taste of the views you’ll be able to achieve; come upon these wonderful sights, and many more, on your next trip to Batangas province!

Benefits of Essay Writing Services

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Essay writing is not the easiest task for many students. It requires a lot of research, and there’s hardly time for such arduous work after school. What’s more, you have to collate all ideas into a structured paper and you might not have these skills. Essays are thus a major cause of stress among college students but there’s a way to avoid this. The best essay writing services such as WriteMyPaper123 now offer professional, affordable, and reliable writing assistance.

This article highlights the benefits of essay writing services for all students. Read on to learn more.

Time-saving

In college, time is a scarce resource. You have a lot of academic tasks to complete in class and afterward. It is tough to find the perfect balance between social life and academics and this stresses most students.

When you have an essay to write, it means foregoing your favorite hobbies and missing out on social activities. Luckily, an essay writer can save you a lot of time by augmenting your research materials. They can also work on the entire paper or help with any section that you cannot complete.

Easing Stress

Assignment overload is one of the main causes of stress in school. Many students say they fear to work on assignments and can’t focus on other things in life. Homework stress can affect your performance in class and also your social life. Working with an essay writing service can save you such problems.


College stress is now a big problem with assignment overload being the major cause

If you have problems dealing with your essay, you might experience stress psychological effects of stress such as depression, anxiety, cognitive functioning issues, lack of appetite, among other problems. When you use an essay writing service, you avoid such psychological problems and it is easy to enjoy your time in college.

Top Quality Essays

The best thing about working with an essay writing company is that you only get the best quality essays. These professionals have academic training in different fields and they deliver the best quality work for clients. Whatever your essay topic, you will find a qualified writer to work with online. If you have always struggled with poor grades in your writing work, it is time to find the best essay writing service.

24/7 Support

When working on an essay, it is easy to get stuck along the way. When this happens, you need immediate assistance to meet the deadline. This is where the best writing services come in handy. These companies offer 24/7 writing assistance and there’s always a writer ready to help you.

Multiple writing resources

In addition to the best essay writers, there are other invaluable writing resources you can find online. These include free sample papers, topic suggestions, writing tools among other things. You can talk to your writer on live chat any time of day or night any time you need assistance.

Working with an essay writing service gives you peace of mind and helps you achieve a balance between life and studies. You can deliver a high quality work essay within the tightest deadlines without suffering any stress.

Food Start-up Leogano Carves World-class Breads to Suit Filipino Taste

Wazzup Pilipinas!

I could never end the week without eating bread. Whether it's in the morning for breakfast, or during snacktime in the morning or afternoon. Sometimes, I find myself eating a whole pack even after dinner, or even in replacement of dinner. With sandwich spread or not, bread remains another staple food, aside from rice, for our family, yesteryears and present days.

This is why I was thrilled to be a part of a media coverage opportunity as a brand recently held their grand opening in conjunction with a baking seminar/workshop featuring a Japanese Master Baker. You could see the expertise clearly showcased as he swiftly creates different kinds of bread offerings during the day. The only setback was he needed to have an interpreter to translate his Japanese instructions to English and/or Tagalog. There was surely a lost in translation somewhere during the presentation.

What was uplifting was the chance to taste and bring home some bread creations that were available for our scrutiny. They all looked so good it was like we feel it woukd be a waste to eat the artistry away. So I only consumed two kinds of breads, and just brought home most of every kind so I coukd share it with my loved ones. It is always more pleasant and heartwarming to share the blessings especially when they are fine food from Leogano.

Below is the official press release from the event:

Leogano Food Corporation is building in the Philippines communities of healthy and picky eaters through breads. From ovens, flour and bakers, the company crafts no less than quality breads: crispy to the touch, fluffy-soft upon bite and hearty and guilt-free meal.

“We define what a delicious bread is by our customized process. Our flour is made in France, our ovens are hand-built and designed from Germany, our bakers are trained by a Taiwan-based master baker. That’s how we ensure quality control on our dough and baked goods,” Leogano CEO Nelson Ong says.

Taiwan-based Japanese Chef Tomohiro Nogami, who has also served breads fresh off the ovens of culinary haven of France in his 34 years of baking, personally demonstrates the art of basic bread making to Filipinos.

“I carefully observe their hands and feel, toss their dough to tell if it was properly knead and rolled. One can also tell if the dough is ready for baking by simply feeling the temperature of the dough. After the basics, I prepare a development plan to gauge and upgrade their skills,” Nogami says with the help of an interpreter.

With only a few customers on the list for now, Leogano in every step strives to offer world-class quality in its three product lines: French flour, bread and equipment.

Staying true to the company’s conscious production, cardiologist and Leogano President Susana Ong certifies its flour as organic or chemical free for all its breads, including loaf, dinner rolls, Kaiser rolls, croissant, baguette, ciabatta and ensaymada.

“As a doctor, I’ve seen many patients getting ill from cancer, stroke and diabetes because of lifestyle habits like eating pesticide-laden foods. With my visit to France and the popularity of bread in Taiwan, I realized Filipinos can also eat handy, palatable and healthy breads. We are now consuming more Western foods, but that shouldn’t mean we must stop being healthy,” Dr. Susana says.

Leogano makes this easier for their customers in households, hotels and restaurants with their frozen dough and par-baked bread which is 90-percent cooked.

“We created these products because we want to make quality breads available to all Filipinos. This is the reason why we also focus on delivering goods instead of putting up shops where only people nearby will be reached,” Nelson says.

To promote Leogano breads, the company is also distributing freezers and ovens that its electrical engineer CEO helped build. Unlike commercial ovens, Chef Nogami says Leogano ovens- the artisans’ modern stone ovens keep its temperature even when opened.

Despite proven tools and recipes for delectable breads, Leogano under the guidance of Chef Nogami finds more ways to stand out. The company believes the Filipino market, as in Taiwan, may soon crave bread in place of rice.

“We continue to innovate according to the taste of the Filipino market. In Europe, they prefer tougher bread, but Filipinos like it soft. We are investing in research with France and Taiwan to develop more palatable, but less chemicals and affordable breads---from ingredients to processes,” Dr. Susana says.

Leogano plans to share these discoveries through e-commerce so they can have their products delivered directly to Filipino homes. The company says it is eyeing delivery services from mobile-based applications.

The company is also keen on partnering with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority to train more students in baking as a foundation to whip up breads out of the ordinary.

“To ensure freshness and distinct taste, we incorporate the dough recipe from Chef Nogami, teach techniques to Filipino bakers, allow customers to share in our baking experience with our frozen dough and par-baked bread. These are the combinations that put the soul into our food,” Nelson says.

Leogano Foods Corporation (LFC) is a Philippine-based company that specializes in the production, distribution of quality bread and pastry products.

For more details, visit http://leoganofoods.com