Last week, my family went to an unplanned 4-day DIY backpacking trip to one of the biggest beach coves found in Nasugbu, Batangas. Although we book a 2-night stay at Villa Espinoza ahead of time, we didn't expect ourselves to extend our short family vacation to another night at another resort in Calayo.
ABOUT CALAYO
Calayo is a fishing village in Nasugbu that draws visitors looking for a serene getaway. Sandy Calayo Beach has calm, shallow waters, and the lush hills of Sitio Hulo offer scenic views.
Laid-back beachfront resorts overlooking the West Philippine Sea feature restaurants with local seafood specials. There are also unpretentious shops and eateries along Calayo Road.
Note: Calayo Beach I am pertaining on this article is the exact beach cove in Brgy. Calayo, NOT the Calayo Beach Resort which is a resort accommodation in Calayo.
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OUR CALAYO BEACH EXPERIENCE
It was a sunny Wednesday when we start our trip from PITX. A dispatcher advised us to wait for the next trip before 10am. We had our breakfast at the terminal and got some of useful things we can bring with us for the trip.
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| Drop off Brgy. Looc |
It was past 12nn when we arrived in Brgy Looc, a neighborhood in Nasugbu where you can rent a tricycle going to Calayo Beach, Punta Fuego or Pico de Loro.
From Looc, we took a 10-minute tricycle ride to Sitio Hulo in Calayo for PHP150.00. Sitio Hulo is part of Brgy. Calayo which is under-developed as of our visit. The roads there weren't paved yet as compared to the may town area in Calayo.
Upon entrance, we were welcomed by the local tourism official who asked us to pay for PHP20.00 environmental fee. After that, our driver took us straight to our accommodation.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN CALAYO
Here are some of the important things to remember when you visit Calayo Beach:
- The sand in Calayo is fine and white when dry but brownish when wet.
- The whole beach is kid and pet-friendly.
- There's no ATMs in town. But some of the stores offer Gcash cash-in/cash-out.
- There's not big market for commodities but there are some convenience stores or sari-sari store in the area.
- In case of emergency, the nearest hospital is Ospital ng Nasugbu which is about 30 minutes drive (15km) from Calayo.
- The whole beach is very long, you can take a walk, take a boat ride or hire a tricycle service.
- Lastly, signal for cellular networks is very weak. Globe is totally zero coverage while Smart is at weak-average signal strenght. Both of our accommodation have wifi.
WHAT TO PACK FOR CALAYO
Here are some things you might consider bringing with you for your day tour / adventure:
- Stylish face mask
- Water container/tumbler to rehydrate
- Sunscreen for skin protection
- Goggles for swimming or snorkeling
- Stylish Swimsuit / Rash Guard
- Roundie Beach Towel
- Sun Blocking Shawl
- Travel backpack / luggage
- Reusable vacuum storage packs
- Selfie stick
- Waterproof phone case
- Acion cam
- Camping tent
- WiFi kit
- Power bank
Shopee is my go-to app for things I needed like the ones above. If you'd like discounts and vouchers, you may get the best offers here:
Before traveling, you might want to check the live weather forecast and updates to make your trip even easier and safer for you. You can also get the latest report for land traffic in Metro Manila and major parts of the Philippines.
WHERE TO STAY IN CALAYO (Resorts to Book)
We actually planned to stay at Pamana Beach Resort a month ahead to our travel dates. But for some reasons, their rooms for couple are already fully booked even on weekdays. So we looked for other options. There we found Villa Espinoza on Facebook.
@morefunwithjuan Take me back.. 🏖️ #IMFWJ #JuanInBatangas #travel #Philippines #Batangas #foryou #fyp ♬ Heaven Is A Place On Earth - Countdown Singers
Villa Espinoza is a resort located in Sitio Hulo. It's not a beachfront resort but it is just a few steps away from the beach. Aside for its availability, the reason we chose Villa Espinoza among other resorts nearby is because of its pools and glamping huts.
It was our first time to stay at a glamping hut. Since we are not into camping, glamping is a nice choice for us. The hut has double-sized bed and air-condition - good thing because it was really hot especially during noontime.
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| Glamping at Villa Espinoza |
ACCOMMODATION RATES
Room rates at Villa Espinoza starts at PHP3,200 for couple.
After 3 days and 2 nights of staying at Villa Espinoza, we decided to extend our short vacation and booked another night at Sand Bar Eco Beach Resort located in Calayo town proper. Compared to the first resort, Sand Bar doesn't have pools.
The whole place is covered with trees and installed IG-worthy and selfie-perfect spots. Plus, the resort is beachfront and near the main street where businesses are seen around.
Room rates at Sand Bar Eco Beach Resort starts at PHP2,000 for couple.
HOW TO BOOK A STAY
Both of our accommodation are booked via Facebook chat or messenger. You can search their names on Facebook or click these link: Villa Espinoza / Sand Bar Eco Beach Resort
CAMPING IN CALAYO
In terms of camping, there are resorts that allow tent-pitching for PHP150.00 and up. You may ask your accommodation if they allow it prior to your travel.
WHERE TO EAT IN CALAYO
Food in Calayo is not a problem! Yet you must consider the higher prices of the products here.
For example, a cup noodles that is more or less PHP30.00 in Metro Manila or other places, costs PHP50.00 in Calayo. I don't know if that is for visitor or tourist's price. Just ready your budget if you don't have plan to bring your own food.
We don't usually bring food for our travels except for some candies, chocolate bars and crackers. On our first night, we had our early dinner at Sandy Lum's cafeteria. There, they offer "silog" meals, lomi and gotong Batangas.
We were craving for lomi but since they were closing early on Wednesday, we didn't get a chance to try it there (not until our last day at Villa Espinoza).
Instead, we ordered some of their silog meals. Sandy Lum is another beachfront resort in Calayo which is a 5-minute walk from Villa Espinoza.
The next day, we had our breakfast from the same place before we hit the beach for swimming. At noon time, we decided to try Hideout's Seafood Cajun. The staff from Villa Espinoza offered Hideout's menu and have the food delivered to us for a fee. Hideout is a restaurant near the entrance to Calayo (Sitio Hulo).
@morefunwithjuan Seafood Cajun 🦀🦐🦑🦪 #IMFWJ #CalayoBeach #Nasugbu #Batangas #fyp #fypシ ♬ Yummy - IFA
Other food we had we bought from Villa Espinoza's in-house store.
During our stay at Sand Bar Eco Beach Resort, we had all our food (dinner and brunch) from the resort. Apparently, the owner of the resort is related to Hideout's owner, that's why we got the same menu we had from stay at Villa Espinoza. However, the meals are cooked inside Sand Bar Eco Beach Resort.
There, we tried their grilled liempo and calamares. They may not be good for a heavy dinner but their good with beer. The follow day, we ordered sinigang na baboy for brunch. That one was good and got plenty of soup (sabaw).
We also had "pika-pika" (cheese sticks, kwek kwek and gulaman) for merienda somewhere in the town near Kumpares, their version of Andok's or Baliwag.
THINGS TO DO IN CALAYO
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| Water activities in Calayo |
There are plenty of things to do in Calayo, here are a few of them:
- Camping and glamping
- Water activities (kayaking, banana boat, water tricycle)
- Island and beach cove hopping (starts at PHP2,000.00 up to 10pax per boat)
- Snorkeling and fish feeding (starts at PHP5,000.00 up to 10pax per boat)
- Chill by the beach and stargazing
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| A nice day at Calayo Beach |
If you have more time and enough budget, you can take a side trip to Loren Island, the one you can see in the middle. A bangkero will bring you to the island for 20-minute boat ride.
HOW TO GET TO CALAYO BEACH
As mentioned earlier, getting to Calayo beach is easy-peasy even if you plan to travel by public transportation.
Bus company like St. Gabriel Bus Express Inc. offers daily trips from PITX to Nasugbu. It will only take you around 2 hours from Paranaque to Nasugbu vice versa given less traffi jams and a few stops along the way. Fare is PHP170.00 one-way.
You have two (2) drop off points in Nasugbu:
- You can drop off Brgy. Look then take a 10-minute tricycle ride to Calayo.
- Or drop off the terminal in Nasugbu town proper then hire a tricycle to bring you to Calayo.
First option is faster. But if you are looking for a side trip or a nice place to eat Batangas cuisine, you may want to take the 2nd option.
If you are bringing your own vehicle, no problem, there are spacious parking spaces in the resorts we stayed at (and other resorts, too). If you don’t have a private vehicle, you can rent a car or van here.
SAMPLE BUDGET BREKDOWN
- Bus from PITX to Nasugbu (Brgy. Looc): PHP170.00 per person
- Tricycle to Calayo: PHP100.00 to town proper / PHP150.00 to Sitio Hulo
- Environmental Fee: PHP20.00 per person not including kids
- Food: PHP100.00-PHP150.00 per meal*
- Accommodation: PHP2,000.00-PHP3,000.00 per night for TWO*
- Tent pitching: PHP150.00
- Going to Loren Island: PHP2,000.00 per boat
- Kayaking: PHP500.00 per hour
- Banana Boat: PHP300.00 per person
*Amounts may depend on your budget and spending
It was really a simple yet fun experience for us.
ALSO IN BATANGAS
- 25+ Tourist Spots in Batangas You Shouldn't Miss to Visit (Weekend Getaway 2-3 hours from Manila)
- 30+ Best Beach Resorts in Batangas (2-3 Hours Away From Manila!)
- CALATAGAN: Travel Guide to Beach Camp & Resorts in Batangas (Itinerary & Budget)
- 10 Anilao Beach & Dive Resorts to Book in Mabini, Batangas
- LAIYA: Guide to the White Sand Beach in San Juan, Batangas
- MATABUNGKAY BEACH: Resorts and Floating Cottages in Lian, Batangas (Travel Guide)
- FANTASY WORLD TRAVEL GUIDE: The Abandoned Disneyland Of The Philippines (Lemery, Batangas)
- TRAVEL GUIDE: Malabrigo Beach and Lighthouse in Lobo, Batangas
- PORT OF BATANGAS: International Port for Cargo & Passenger Ferry Schedule & Terminal Guide
- McDonald's Drive-thru Branches Open 24 Hours in Batangas (with Location & Operating Hours)
IMPORTANT NOTE: The rates, contact details and other information indicated in this post are accurate from the time of writing but may change without IMFWJ's notice. Should you know the updated information, please let us know by leaving a message in the comment box below.
WHERE TO STAY IN BATANGAS
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