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MASASA 2019

MASASA BEACH RESORT, TINGLOY BATANGAS

Only three for four hours of travel from Manila. Masasa is one of the most accessible beaches. On top of that, it is also among the cheapest. 

HOW TO GET THERE
  • First, ride a bus going to Batangas Grand Terminal.
  • For around 180 pesos, you can ride the Alps Bus Liner from Cubao. On the other hand,  you can either choose the  DLTB Bus Liner or the Jam Liner from Buendia. The fare is around 160 to 170 pesos.
  • Then upon arrival in Batangas Grand Terminal, ride a jeep going to Anilao Port or Talaga Port. The fare is 37 pesos. Anilao port is usually used during the Amihan season from December to around June. While Talaga Port is mostly used during the Habagat season.
  • Lastly, ride a boat. Before riding the boat, don’t forget to pay the environmental fee of 30 pesos at the boat dock.
Note:
  • When riding, you have two options. Either ride a boat to Tingloy Port or directly to Masasa.
  • Travel time to Tingloy, Batangas is shorter compared to Masasa because Masasa boats have a lot of stopovers. Moreover, there are only a few boats going directly to Masasa.
  • Fare to Tingloy, Batangas is 80 pesos while fare to Masasa is 100 pesos.
 Boat Schedule:
  • The first boat leaves at 9 am while the last trip is around 3-5pm.
  • But during peak seasons,  the boat can leave as early as 7 am once the boat is full.
  • As for the last trip, it can be as early as 2 pm when there are lesser tourists.

If you chose Masasa, the boat will directly bring you to Masasa port which is a 15-minute walk from the main beach. To get to the beach, you can either walk or ride a small boat for 25 pesos per head. One boat can accommodate as many as 5 persons.

If you chose Tingloy, you still have to ride a tricycle going to Masasa beach. The fare is 20 pesos per head.

Keep in mind that the tricycle won’t bring you directly to the beach. You still have to walk for 10-15minutes.

WHERE TO STAY

  • NANAY ROSIE

I’d recommend Nanay Rosie’s. They have kubos and private rooms. Plus they have a campsite.

Camping fee is 120 per person. This includes free use of the bathroom, water from the deep well, and electricity. Furthermore, you can use the gas stove and kitchen utensils for 150 pesos per person.

Nanay Rosie’s place is just two mins away from the beach. It is the nearest accommodation to Masasa beach.

Contact Number:  0919 686 4368 / 0995 986 3780

  • TITA PRECY

Or you could check Tita Precy’s. Camping for one night is 150 per person. You get to use their cooking utensils for free. This accommodation is the nearest to the Lagoon.

Contact Number: 0949 836 3279 / 0915 663 7669

THINGS TO DO IN MASASA

  • Snorkeling

I highly recommend you to snorkel. Snorkeling gear + life vest is rented at 100 pesos per person. Make sure not to drop your gear in the ocean. One of my friends paid for his equipment when he lost it.

Snorkeling in Masasa is one of the best experience I’ve ever had. Just a few meters from the beach and around 5 to 10 meters deep is a snorkeling paradise. I saw corals in different colors, shapes, and sizes. Be careful though; there are also sea urchins that come in different sizes. Eeek.

There were tons of colorful fishes, too. Some fishes glare at you while others are just plain oblivious to your presence. They looked so funny.

The best part about our snorkeling experience? I had the once in a lifetime experience of swimming with a pawikan. It was diviiiiine.

  • Island Hopping

Island hopping is another fun experience. The rate is at 1500 pesos. The boat is small, but it was able to accommodate the five of us.

It’s better to start at an earlier time around 6-8 Am to avoid the sun’s intense rays. The boat doesn’t have a roof, and the tour is 1 to 2 hours long.

Our first stop was Sombrero Island. The caretaker collects an entrance fee of 500. We did not have any cash since we weren’t informed that there would be a fee. Sad to say, we only had a glimpse of the island.

Sample Itinerary

Day 1
05:00 am – Manila to Batangas Grand Terminal
8:00 am – ETA in Batangas Grand Terminal
8:30 am – Jeepney to Anilao
9:30 am – ETA in Anilao Port/ Talaga Port
10:00 am – Boat to Tingloy/ Masasa
11:00 am – Set-up Camp
11:30 am – Lunch
01:00 pm – Swimming, Snorkeling, etc
06:00 pm –Dinner

Day 2
05:00 am – Wake up, get ready
06:00 am – Breakfast
07:00 am – Island Hopping
09:00 am –Hike to Mag-Asawang Bato
11:00 am – Lunch
12:00 am – Pack up, get ready
02:30 am – Boat back to Anilao
03:00 am – Jeep to Grand Terminal
04:00 am – Ride a bus back to Manila

Breakdown of Expenses

As a result, here is our list of costs when we went to Masasa beach. Our group consists of 5 people.

  • Bus to Batangas Grand Terminal: Our starting point is Sto. Tomas, Batangas, our fare is P70
  • Batangas Grand Terminal to Anilao Port/ Talaga Port:  P40
  • Boat to Masasa: P100
  • Environmental Fee: P30
  • Camping Fee: P120
  • Snorkeling: P100
  • Island Hopping: P1500 / 5 = P300
  • Foods: P100
  • Boat to Anilao: P100
  • Anilao Port to Batangas Grand Terminal: P40
  • Bus to Sto. Tomas: P70

TOTAL: P1070

Overall

In conclusion, Masasa beach is one of the cheapest and most beautiful beaches I have seen. But with the influx of tourists, there is also an increase in garbage littered around the beach. The place is degrading slowly.

With this in mind, when you get the chance to go to Masasa beach, please take your trash with you. Most of all, let’s preserve this paradise.

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