The Visita Iglesia refers to one of the Filipino Catholics' popular traditions of visiting at least seven churches during Holy Week on Holy Thursday and Good Friday. Many do it as part of their "panata" or sacred vow.
This Visita Iglesia was especially designed to take the scenic Laguna Lake loop.
Instead of doing the "Visita" on a Thursday-Friday, decided to skip the crowd and go on a Saturday trip. This proved to be a wise decision as most of the churches were empty (except for the Padre Pio church, which is a well visited Catholic pilgrim site) better for self-reflection and more solemn prayers.
We left Taytay Rizal at 6am towards for a quick detour to Santo Tomas Batangas. Although not part of our original itinerary, we have always wanted to visit Padre Pio Church, so decided to pay it a visit (our first stop).
~ It is more commonly known as the Padre Pio Shrine. The Church is dedicated to one of the most revered saints of the 20th century, Padre Pio is a known stigmata and believed to have interceded in the healing of many sick devotees.
This place is massive and crowded. I think we were blessed to have arrived early before people started flocking in. We ate breakfast at one of the food stalls that proliferates the area.
This church is historically considered as the oldest Roman Catholic church in the Province of Laguna. The original parish was erected by the "Aplaya (Laguna lakeshore)" in 1571. The church was transferred to its current location in 1804 but destroyed during the Japanese invasion in 1945. The church was rebuilt in 1953.
Based on history, when the Franciscans started to evangelize in the area established "Villa de Pila" and built the first church out of cane.
It is said to be the first Antonine parish in the Philippines and is dedicated to Saint Anthony de Padua. Saint Anthony de Padua is the patron saint of the poor, of sailors and fishermen, of priests and travelers, a protector and guardian of the mails, and wonder-worker.
It is the oldest church in the country under the patronage of Our Lady of Guadalupe and is home to the Our Lady of Guadalupe whose image is a gift from Mexico.
This church was built by the Franciscans in homage to Saint Mary Magdalene. She is a known follower of Jesus and was a witness to His crucifixion and resurrection.
More commonly known as Tanay Church, the construction of the present church started in 1773 and was completed 1783. In 2001, it was declared as a National Cultural Treasure Church by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts. It is also chosen as of the seven Jubilee churches of the Diocese of Antipolo.
It was built during the Spanish period in the country, with stones from a hill called Kay Ngaya; lime from the stones of the mountain Kay Maputi; and sand and gravel from Morong River. This is by far my favorite of all the churches we have visited today.
This church is dedicated to Saint Jerome, the patron saint of translators, librarians and encyclopedists, In his lifetime he has translated biblical texts into Latin from Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek.
It took us roughly 8-9 hours to finish the entire course. We arrived in Taytay at about 330pm. It was a day well spent less the hassle of traffic and crowd.
We started with a hefty breakfast at The Beach House, Costa Pacifica.
TIP: Try Baler's famous Suman de Baler perfect with coco jam and peanut butter dips with freshly brewed coffee. Suman de Baler is made from organic brown rice.
Today's itinerary is a tour of Baler's famous attractions:
To make the most of our time, we hired a local guide Kuya Nanding. He was our driver cum guide and photographer for this leg of our Baler tour.
Hanging Bridge located in San Luis, it has a wonderful view of Baler Bay.
Ermita Hill is a sculpture depicting the seven families who survived a devastating tidal wave that wiped out the whole municipality in 1735. The surviving families: Angara, Bijasa, Bitong, Carrasco, Ferrera, Lumasac and Poblete made their way to the hill and survived.
Baler Fish Port along the coastline of Cemento Beach
Diguisit Beach is a nice clean beach with picturesque rock formations. This beach is breathtaking like masterpiece paintings in a museum.
Amper Beach unlike the regular sandy beaches, this beach is made of solid rocks. My husband wanted to bring home "buhay na bato" (I am not sure if there is an English translation) and this beach is literally made up of them. The waves at this beach are a lot stronger than in Sabang Beach so be extra careful.
Before heading to our next destination, we stopped by the town proper for a quick lunch at Gerry Shan's Place. The food is nothing special, but considering the price (P250/pax) for a buffet it was okay. Drinks are extra priced. They also have fresh catch "paluto", reasonably priced but not really fresh if you asked me.
Balete Eco-Park is the location of "The 600-year old Balete Tree" towering more than 5-storey high. This tree has been designated at the official "Millennium Tree of the Philippines".
Ditumabo Falls a.k.a. "Mother Falls" it takes about 45 minutes of trekking across minor river streams and rocky terrains, which may be slippery at times. It is highly recommended that you come in proper trekking shoes/footwear. Entrance is only P30, but you are required to have a guide which would cost you additional P300. The trek is all worth it.
Souvenir Shopping ~ quick stop at Pacita's. Must buy is their coco jam partnered with their creamy peanut butter. Our driver cum guide helped us get newly made Suman de Baler.
We were back at Costa Pacifica at about 5pm, which is perfect timing to view the sunset at Sabang Beach.
Our last night in Baler...
Until we meet again Baler 💗💗💗
If you missed our Day 1 ~ follow this link: Baler ~ Day 1
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We stayed as Costa Pacifica ~ lovely, lovely resort. Location is perfect for an all just basking under the sun. Good food with A+ service. Highly recommended. For booking inquiries, please follow their website ~ Costa Pacifica Baler.
Our guide Kuya Nanding is an exceptional driver. He is also very knowledgeable of Baler and its history. If you need a tour guide or driver around Baler, you may contact him at 0951-1530540. Do mention where you got his number, tell him from the Spouses from Taytay Rizal.
My husband loves to drive, and I love to travel, and this combined interest led us to our most recent adventure, which is Baler. Baler is 270 kms from Manila, about a 5-hour continuous drive.
Baler is the capital town of the province of Aurora (which used to be part of Quezon until it was separated in 1978).
It is the birthplace of Manuel Quezon, the 2nd president of the Philippines and the 1st President of the Philippine Commonwealth. Founded in 1609 by Franciscan missionaries Baler is also the last bastion of the Spaniards in the country.
Sharing here our 3D/2N stay in the beautiful town of Aurora Baler.
DAY 1
We left Manila at 5am made a breakfast stop at NLEX and reached Baler at about 11am.
The ride was uneventful and surprisingly easy.
As it was still early and check-in is not until 2pm, we decided have lunch at the "poblacion" and drop by Museo de Baler and Baler Church before heading to the resort.
This restaurant is conveniently located across Museo de Baler and the adjacent Quezon Park.
COSTA PACIFICA ~ Our home in Baler.
Hands down one of the best places to stay when in Baler is Costa Pacifica. This resort is owned by the family of the previous Senator Edgardo Angara. Located next to Sabang Beach, this resort is perfect for beach bums and surfing enthusiasts.
We got an Ocean View Room facing Sabang Beach. Sunrise and sunset view are to die for. The waves were pretty scarry though, which is expected of this quaint surfer town.
The room is clean with all the basics needed to enjoy a relaxing vacation. I love that is well lit and that it is literally steps away from the beach.
They gave me a mini-birthday cake which was a beautiful surprise.
My Birthday Dinner was at the Costa Pacifica Beach House. Prices is a bit steep, but overall, I think the price is worth it. There are other restaurants along the "Baywalk" so your options are open.
Yup, I think we over ordered...
We took a short stroll by the Baywalk to watch the subset and decided to call it early.
Do you see pictures and reels of people eating next to a waterfalls while waddling in ankle deep (sometimes knee deep) water?
That place my friend is located inside the Villa Escudero Plantations and Resort. We have been here twice already once last November 2023 and another one pretty recently with my Balikbayan relatives.
Although a day tour would cover most of the activities at the resort, an overnight is highly recommended for a laid back and more-relaxed experience.
Sharing here tips and proposed itinerary for guests who intend to stay at least a night.
LOCATION
Villa Escudero is located about 2-3 hours from Manila (depending on the traffic). Leave at 830am if you intend to reach the resort before 11am in time for lunch at the famous "Labasin Waterfalls Restaurant".
Day tourer may plan to come early for a short trip to the Villa Escudero Museum before heading to the falls for lunch.
I pre-book directly through the Villa Escudero Wed Page. It is fast and easy. They are also quick to reply if you have any questions about the resort.
I suggest you eat breakfast early or simple skip breakfast altogether. On our trip no. 2, we made the mistake of having brunch at SLEX and we were still half full when we reached the resort.
COST
As of this writing a Day Tour costs ~ P1,800/pax (P2,100/pax during special holidays). Included in the rate is the museum tour, carabao cart ride, use of bamboo raft, culture show and lunch by the falls.
Meanwhile, overnight stay is full-board and include dinner and breakfast (both in Filipino buffet style). Cost varies depending on room accommodation + P3,000 per additional guest.
WHAT TO WEAR
Weather in the Philippines is hot and humid, so wear and bring light clothes only. Bring sun protection such as shades, a cap or hat (brimmed hats would be nice for picture taking) and sunscreen (especially if you are going swimming).
If your first activity is lunch by the falls, then you will certainly get wet. Consider arriving in shorts or your swimming attire (if you plan to get really wet). Wear rubber slippers or beach sandals (beach shoes would work too, but I figured it would be such a drag to dry).
ENTERING THE RESORT
Entrance to Villa Escudero is a bit unassuming. From the Maharlika Highway you would be entering a kilometer long dirt road, before reaching the villa's guarded gates. You will then be directed to a nearby parking lot by the resort's reception area.
Check-in is not until 1:00pm, so we left our luggage in the car.
We registered at the reception, and we were given our meal and carabao ride stubs.
If you are staying overnight, you will also be given a room slip (to be surrendered at the Cottage Reception Area) for a later check-in.
Be careful NOT to lose the stubs. The resort staff are very keen on collecting them before meals.
Now off to lunch ~ You have two (2) options in going to the Labasin Waterfalls, you can take the carabao ride or the electric carts. We obviously took the carabao cart ride. My Balikbayans were charmed as they were serenaded on the way to the falls.
LUNCH AT LABASIN WATERFALLS
Get a table nearest to the falls if possible.
Ask help from the waiters who are all so eager to assist guests. Our waiter ("Jojo"),helped in securing a lovely spot for us right next to the waterfalls and buffet table. He also offered to take pictures of our group and imposed on getting 2nd rounds for us, so that we don't need to fall in line again.
Food is pretty basic but is worth the experience. Buko is with additional cost, priced at P50. I tried the mango shake in our last visit, but I didn't like it much.
After lunch, we roamed a bit and headed to the souvenir shop to kill time.
While there, try their homemade ice cream.
CULTURAL SHOW
The cultural show venue, the "Coconut Pavillion" located at the back of the souvenir shop. The show starts at 2pm and is about 1 hour 30 minutes long.
Come early to get good front seats. It could get pretty crowded especially during weekends and holidays.
This is the perfect time to order coffee and turon.
My husband and I were ready to see the show we saw during our last visit. We were, however, pleasantly surprised that they put on a different set. We have seen some of the performances before, but we were not bored at all.
For those who have seen the "Sabong" performance, would easily recognize the star of the show: "Si Puti".The boys would obviously not pass the chance to get a photo with the show's main star.
After the show we made our way back to the parking area to pick up our luggage.
Remember to hail the electric carts (as the carabao carts are not allowed to leave the main resort).
Don't worry the driver will be helping you carry your bags. At the Cottage Receecion
THE ROOMS
We've stayed at Villa Escudero twice.
On our first stay, we booked a "Longhouse Unit (Non-aircon)".
The room is spacious and can easily fit 6-8 pax. There is a bed at the ground floor and futon mattresses on the loft. There is also an outdoor seating area overlooking the garden and the nearby pool. Though not airconditioned, the rooms are well ventilated. Hot and cold shower is also available. The basics are well covered, but I am not sure if there is Wi-Fi (or maybe there is, but we were just not aware of).
If you plan to go on night swimming, the long house units are the closest to the pool.
Our only concern staying at the long house is the lack of privacy. As these are basically row type accommodations, separated by a wall ~ you can almost hear other guests' conversation next door.
LR/TB: Outdoor seating, bed at the ground floor, bathroom, loft and our view
On our 2nd stay, we booked the Executive Riverside Unit (Aircon).
As we were traveling with Balikbayan guests, we got 2 Executive Riverside rooms. The rooms were adjoined by an outdoor patio overlooking the river. The rooms are spic and span. The bed here I think are more comfortable than the ones in the Longhouse. The room comes with complimentary fruits and Wi-Fi. The selling point of the Riverside Unit though is the view.
The executive riverside units were more private, which is perfect for couples.
The only downside is that after dusk bugs could be a bit annoying outside at the patio. But all is forgiven the next day when I woke up to birds' chirps and twitters.
If asked, would hands down choose the Riverside Rooms.
BAMBOO RAFTING
Bamboo rafting is free and perfect to burn off some calories before dinner.
DINNER & BREAKFAST
Have you noticed that all we've done so far is eat and munch? Meals here are like full blown Fiestas. Every meal is like eating as if there is no tomorrow...
If you ever plan on coming and visiting Villa Escudero, be sure you are not dieting. I must have gained a pound or so overnight.
Both meals are served at the "Coconut Pavillion".
We were serenaded before being personally invited for dinner. It was a very nice touch indeed.
Dinner is well thought off, and 100x better than the lunch at Labasin Waterfalls.
Make sure to leave space for their "buko pie". It is far the best buko pie I have had in my life (and I it is not an exaggeration). And have your fill of their delicious buko pie as they don't offer this during breakfast.
Breakfastwas equally filing.
Remember to end your meal with "bibingka" and freshly brewed coffee.
LEAVING THE RESORT
After a hearty breakfast, we took an electric cart to the museum and took photos of the beautiful greenery to last us until our next visit.
Coming from Nagoya, we made a 3 day-side trip to Kyoto. For our last day we made our way back to Nagoya as it is closer to Chubu Centrair International Airport, our departure airport back to Manila.
We left our Kyoto Hotel, "Cross Hotel Kyoto" early and took the Shinkansen from Kyoto to Nagayo (booked via Smart -Ex website).
We arrived at 9am in Nagoya and decided to leave our luggage at our Nagoya hotel, "Ibis Styles Nagoya" before starting today's agenda.
But first, lunch. Lunch was at the Restaurant Brick Age, connected to the Toyota Commemorative Museum building. We ordered the Chef's exclusive.
Welcome to the Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology, the birthplace of Toyota Group.
Here are some interesting facts about the Toyota company, one of the world's well known automobile brands:
Toyota was originally known as Toyoda, which is the family name of the founder "Sakichi Toyoda".
The company which started operations in the 1920s was into textiles.
Their first vehicle was made in 1937 and was meant for war purposes. It was only in 1947 that they started production of vehicles for civilians.
From Toyota Commemorative Museum, we made our way to Sakae since I wanted to see the Nagoya TV Tower and Oasis 21 (a three-dimensional park with glass roof that looks like a space craft).
Our last night in Nagoya and look at what we found ~ Mister Donuts! Hubby has a liking to the "pon de ring" that is bit hard to find in Manila. So far, I have only seen it in Megamall and it is always sold out.
Hey that smile is priceless! Best way to end our Nagoya-Kyoto vacation!
Planning a trip to Kyoto-Nagoya? Check the links below on tips and suggested itinerary:
