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