It’s only March and we can now feel the summer heat. Oh boy, I wonder what will the coming days feel like. On hot days like these, I’d like to relive our beach trip to La Luz Beach Resort in Laiya, Batangas 2 weeks ago. Jeff’s cousin was on vacation, and his only request, take him to the water! We had grand plans for him, since he told Jeff he wanted to go diving that’s why we thought of going to Palawan or Cebu. But his vacation is short and he had to give time for family reunions, we settled for a beach in Laiya, Batangas. I knew La Luz resort will be perfect for our quick beach getaway.
We left Manila on a Friday, we didn’t have any reservations at the resort, after a quick stopover and 3 hours drive, we reached Laiya. But first, all guests should pay the ecological fee at the tourist center.
After passing the tourist reception , it’s still a good 30 minutes going to La Luz Beach resort. La Luz is located at Brgy. Hugom, just be alert on the signs along the road. Thank God for GPS, it’s the first time we were able to utilize it using our phones. Upon reaching the resort, we were warmly greeted at the reception. We asked for their available rooms and rates, they offered to give us a tour first so that we can choose our preferred room. We chose the Premier Room which is just near their dining hall and bar area. Premier Room is Php 4,500 per night, we are 3 adults and 1 child.
The room rate does not come with food, they charge Php 1,350 per pax for the food, Gwen who is 4 years old is free of charge. Php 1,350 covers your lunch, afternoon snack, dinner, and breakfast the following day. In our case, we arrived past lunchtime, so we were able to avail the lunch the next day, before leaving. But we have to check out at 11 am, we just hang out at the cabanas while waiting for the food to be served.
La Luz Beach Resort Premier Room
There are a total of 12 Premier Rooms. Each is air-conditioned and is about 35 square meters with its own balcony. It has an 8 square meter bathroom, with a 3 way design, meaning that the toilet, shower and sink are separate from each other and can be used by different people at the same time. Each premier room is furnished with 3 beds. One bed is 48 inches wide (double bed) and the other 2 beds are 42 inches wide (semi-double), one of which is a pull-out. – taken from their site
I like the separate toilet, shower, and sink area because the area can be utilized by 3 persons at the same time. Pretty useful especially if you’re 6 pax in the room.
There is no TV and ref, the room just includes the basics but who needs TV when you have a big window with a view of the sea that beckons at you.
What to do
From the moment you step out of your room, I’m sure you’ll be mesmerized with the view of the ocean. These pretty bamboo lounge chairs are the perfect spot to sip your fruit shakes while getting your dose vitamin D.
I just want to tell you to manage your expectations when it comes to the sand at La Luz. It’s not sand, it’s pebbles, and it’s not white, it’s dirty white or beige. Gwen was trying to build a castle and she blurted out, “Mommy, it’s not sandcastle, it’s stonecastle!”.
The resort is right in front of a coral reef. You can rent the snorkeling gears for only Php 75, their Tribord snorkeling gear is different from the usual snorkeling gear and it makes you see clearly and breath comfortably under the water. We enjoyed snorkeling because there are plenty of fishes even if we’re just a few meters from the shoreline.
Wear your life vest as the shoreline suddenly drops. Life vests can also be rented at the resort, they don’t have sizes for kids so better bring your own. We always bring Gwen’s Speedo life vest during beach trips.
For the adventurous, they have mountain bikes for rent. You can also hike at the nearby Mt. Daguldol or check out Naambon Falls. Kayaks and jet ski are also available for rent. Jet ski rental is Php 6,000 for one hour. Jeff’s cousin just had to try it.
If the heat of the sun is too much for you, take respite in these native cabanas. I love how the resort uses a lot of bamboo and other native materials. The rustic ambiance is so relaxing. We spent plenty of time in these cabanas, we stayed here till late at night while we ordered drinks from their bar. You can also have your massage (Php 350) here, just tell the staff for an appointment and they will send a masseuse to you. The therapists are from the nearby communities, some are housewives who underwent training and are doing it for extra income to help their family, leave a nice tip too :).
The resort transforms at night, the yellow lighting creates a romantic ambiance.
The Food
As I mentioned earlier, a charge of Php 1,350 per pax is required for the guests. Breakfast is served at 7 am, lunch at 12 pm, merienda at 3 pm, and dinner at 6 pm. Food is decent with a mix of fish, beef, chicken, and pork. At breakfast, eggs are cooked as per your request which I like. And don’t forget their coffee, ala eh…ang sarap!
Drinks at the bar are slightly expensive. Margarita is Php 200, Pinacolada is Php 350, and a bottle of SMB is Php 50. Wilkins distilled water is available at the bar if you have kids who have sensitive tummies.
The service
I’d give a thumbs up for good service. From check-in, there’s a staff available to carry our bags to our room. All of them are courteous and all smiles to their guests. We had a discrepancy on the credit card charges and only found out when we’re back in Manila. Jeff called their Manila office and they promptly coordinated with their staff at the resort. They even sent the scanned copy of the receipts upon Jeff’s request.
Another Laiya beach resort to try: Kabayan Beach Resort
What to Bring
The usual: sunblock, sunnies, music player, life vest for the kids, snorkeling gears (if you don’t want to rent), and your awesome self :p
Mosquito repellent sprays or lotion are a must at night especially if you will stay at the cabanas. We were supposed to sleep in the cabanas during the night but changed our minds because the mosquitoes kept bugging us.
How to go there:
Here’s the guide map taken from their site. Just take Ibaan Exit and continue driving to La Luz. Or better yet, use your phone’s GPS, it’s pretty reliable.
La Luz Beach Resort
Brgy. Hugom, Laiya, San Juan, Batangas
www.laluzbeachresort.com
(02) 726-6687, (02) 726-4977
Awesome post! I remember how there are a LOT of beaches in Batangas that could rival any white beach in the world 😀 though in some way, reading your post made me miss the Philippines a lot! I miss the sun and the beach! I am looking forward to my trip back to Asia then 😀
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We have been wanting to visit La Luz. Are the premier rooms close to the beach area?
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Badet Reply:
March 15th, 2015 at 7:47 pm
Hi Juvy, yes. I think all the rooms are of the same distance from the beach.
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La Luz Beach Resort Reply:
March 16th, 2015 at 9:26 am
Hi, Thank you so much for your interest. All our rooms are actually facing the beach. For any concern/s you may send here your email address or contact number so we could talk all the details over the phone.
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Ses Reply:
April 18th, 2015 at 2:07 am
Can i get your contact number??mag iinquire sana ako..thanks
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Badet Reply:
April 24th, 2015 at 11:56 pm
Hello Ses, nakapost na po yung contact number sa article. Salamat!
I honestly haven’t been to this part of Batangas. The prices are very reasonable, even the rental fees for the recreational activities are inexpensive. I’ll take note of this should I plan on a Batangas getaway with friends 🙂
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Badet Reply:
March 15th, 2015 at 7:46 pm
I was surprised with the rentals din ng snorkeling gear nila. I looked up the Tribord gear they’re renting, it’s around Php 8k.
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Interesting! I will share this to my relatives, they are looking for place to celebrate my ahnt’s birthday. I like that it’s not too far from Manila. Although I’ve been to Matabungkay beach, I think La Luz is closer to Manila. 🙂
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Badet Reply:
March 15th, 2015 at 7:45 pm
Yes Marj, 3 to 4 hours drive is not that far, no traffic naman 🙂
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We’ve been to La Luz once and to be honest, the pebbles threw me off a bit. It’s the kind of beach you need those special shoes for. I do remember the cottages, they were nice. And it’s scary that the shoreline suddenly drops – I find it pretty risky for kids.
Having said that, we do have many friends who like that beach. A couple even got married there. 🙂
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School break na si Gwen? At si Gwen talaga napansin ko ano? Haha! 😉
The last time we visited La Luz was about two years ago. We’re definitely hitting the beach this summer, and Yue can’t wait! 😉
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Badet Reply:
March 16th, 2015 at 11:50 am
Hindi pa, absent sya LOL :).. Ngayon pa lang ang finals nila, late na sila.
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This looks like a pretty nice resort … it does seem a wee bit expensive though. I think I’d consider this if I have the capacity for that.
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Badet Reply:
March 17th, 2015 at 2:37 am
The room price is pretty affordable especially if you’re 6 in the group.
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Decent price range naman pala ang La Luz. I thought super expensive siya. Thanks for reviewing this resort. I will definitely consider it this summer ; )
xoxo
MrsMartinez
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Excited to go to the beach this coming weekend!!! Batangas is definitely the place to go to when you don’t want to travel far from Manila.
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I almost LOL when I read “stone castle”. It doesn’t look that bad in the photos thou! Makes me feel like going for a beach holiday right away.
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Do you think , the room for 4.5k is fair? Why don’t I think it is.. Hmmm.. But definitely the stay is worth it based on your photos.
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Badet Reply:
March 17th, 2015 at 2:36 am
Yes, price is mostly the same with nearby resorts in Laiya.
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Another spot to celebrate my birthday this April. Can’t wait to visit this spot!
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Thank you for sharing this information about their resort. This is really helpful as it’s hard to look for a good beach resort when directly venturing the Batangas beach-resort belt.
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beautiful…facilities were great as well especially the cottages at te beach front 🙂
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I’ve been to Laiya and they do have some fine beaches there. La luz looks like an excellent place to relax with the family.
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So that’s La Luz.. I’ve been hearing that from a friend kasi and she recommended it to us to try this summer. Well, basta beach my kids would love! hehe:)
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this place looks relaxing! i wish i could bring and treat my family here if my budget permits;)
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Di pa ako nakapunta dyan, pero pwede na ang rate! Yayain ko nga sila dyan.
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It looks really inviting despite the dirty white sand. I’ve been hearing about La luz but it’s only now that I was able to read a first hand experience blog about them. Will try to check it out this summer! Thanks for sharing!
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I’ve been to Laiya a few times, but I’ve never been to La Luz. Now I see I’ve been missing out. Haha! Is the road going there nicely paved na? The last time we went there (2010 pa yata), there was a stretch of rough road that we had to drive through. Hehe!
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Badet Reply:
March 19th, 2015 at 12:37 pm
Yes, 95% paved na. The part going down to Laiya’s main entrance na lang ang hindi but construction is on-going when we went there.
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This makes me want to visit this resort. I’m sure it was full of fun. I am more curious on the food. Love it!
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I’ve got lost in your map haha! A lot of friend of mine recommended La Luz to celebrate with your love ones within your budget.
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Badet Reply:
March 19th, 2015 at 12:35 pm
hahaha I’m not good in reading maps too. Good thing the GPS is reliable.
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Am sure Laiya has changed so much since decades ago I last saw it. No resorts then, just raw beaches. Need to visit this place again and see how much has changed.
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I have been to Laiya before but not yet on this spot. Seems to me like an affordable quick getaway! Isuggest ko ito sa team building namin hihi 🙂
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so there’s no diving lessons here? I would settle for snorkeling myself since I don’t know how to swim hehe 🙂 I love their outdoor cabanas. Would love to chill and read a book there 🙂
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Badet Reply:
March 19th, 2015 at 12:34 pm
No diving lessons Dems. I’m good with their cabanas too, coupled with a good book or my phone 🙂
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Haven’t been to La Luz yet but I’ve to Laiya countless times already. 🙂 I love the Laiya beach kasi ang layo mo na ang babaw padin. Hahaha! We are heading to Laiya next month but on a different resort. Will bookmark this for future summer getaways.
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Badet Reply:
March 24th, 2015 at 8:44 pm
Pero in La Luz, mabilis lumalim kaya lifevest is recommended.
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Very helpful post, we have been searching for an affordable but not so “chaka” beach in Laiya area for our summer vacay…Thanks for the well written post, we might consider La Luz beach resort.
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Badet Reply:
March 24th, 2015 at 8:42 pm
La Luz is definitely not Chaka :p
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La Luz Beach resort is a sight to behold! Great place to chill out on hot summer time!
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I’ve been to La Luz once. But it’s been a long time na. The owner, Ms. Rommel was there pa. He was very accommodating. So much had changed since then. I particularly love their cabanas kahit pa the sands aren’t as fine talc as the ones found in Boracay. For someone who lives in the Metro, pwede na yan. at least, it’s not that crowded.
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Thanks for sharing this place! The boyfriend and I are planning on going to Batangas this summer but still have no idea where, specifically, would we be going. I would definitely suggest this to him. Summer, here we come! 😀
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Love the color of the sands. I hope it’s not stony. Last time we were in Laiya, medyo malalaki pa ang stones, sakit sa paa.
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Badet Reply:
March 24th, 2015 at 8:41 pm
It may be uncomfortable to some that’s why you can use sandals while at the beach.
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The resort looks nice though it’s quite expensive for me. The photos look good by the way. 🙂
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Hi pm me the details please. Accommodation/rates/inclusions etc. Thanks 😊
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