Visiting the province of Batangas will always leave any travelers in awe. It’s located on the western side of Luzon in the Calabarzon region. Because of its proximity to Manila, the Philippines’ capital, at only 100 km away, Batangas has consistently been the go-to getaway vacation destination for people from the city.
The province has hundreds of different attractions for visitors to enjoy. Batangas is blessed with awe-inspiring and diverse landscapes that would keep visitors wanting to see more. Its most famous attraction is Taal Volcano, one of the world’s smallest volcanoes, situated near the middle of Taal Lake.
Batangas has plenty of more natural attractions to offer. It’s also home to some of the most pristine beaches, the best diving spots in the country, and rolling mountains with great hiking trails.
The province is also incredibly rich in history and culture. Settlements have been established in the land since pre-colonial times giving Batangueños a rich heritage worth protecting.
Today, Batangas is a thriving province with highly urbanized areas, unique municipalities waiting to be discovered by travelers, world-class accommodations, breath-taking natural wonders, and unique local delicacies.
To find out more, here are the best tourist spots in Batangas.
1. Laiya
Laiya, or more specifically Laiya-Aplaya, is a barangay in the Municipality of San Juan in Batangas that is famous for its long stretches of pristine white sand beaches. These beaches are comparable to some famous beaches in the country and in the world. The waters bordering the shores of the beaches of Laiya are clean and cerulean blue. Visitors can do water sports, swim, or simply relax on the sand.
Image by La Luz Beach Resort via Agoda
There are several gorgeous stretches of pristine white sand beaches in Laiya, with some more developed in others. This gives visitors the choice to stay in luxury accommodations to more budget-friendly ones, many of which stand beachside with a gorgeous view of the water. CHECK THE BEST BEACH RESORTS IN LAIYA HERE
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2. Anilao
Anilao is a barangay in the municipality of Mabini, right on the northern coast of the Calumpang Peninsula. Although it doesn’t have the white-sands of Laiya with its stiff and rocky shores, Anilao’s hidden treasures lie beneath the water.
Anilao. Photo by Desmond Williams on Unsplash
Anilao is the birthplace of scuba diving in the Philippines with its abundance of marine life and coral reefs. The barangay is visited by worldwide travelers just to experience its diving spots, the diversity of which can attract beginner and expert divers alike.
Since its hidden treasures are no longer a well-kept secret, diving has been a hugely popular activity in Anilao with the majority of its resorts offering diving classes and guides. CHECK THE BEST RESORTS IN ANILAO HERE
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3. Calatagan
Calatagan is a claw-shaped municipality comprising the entirety of the Calatagan Peninsula. The municipality is oozing with history with evidence of the land being occupied by ancient settlers during pre-colonial times. Several archeological finds were unearthed in Calatagan.
Photo by Adrian Rios on Unsplash
History buffs will jump at the chance to visit Calatagan. The Spanish left its noticeable influence in the municipality. There are several colonial-style homes standing and well-preserved in the town.
It’s also home to one of the oldest lighthouses in the Philippines, Cape Santiago Lighthouse. It was first constructed in 1890 and the 51 ft red and white bricked lighthouse is still in operation to this day.
What’s more, Calatagan boasts to have pristine white-sand beaches, great resorts, and rich diving spots which are less crowded than other places in Batangas.
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4. Mt. Maculot
Mt. Maculot is a major hiking destination in the town of Cuenca. Travelers would hike up this famous attraction in a province of famous natural attractions to get a panoramic view of Taal Lake that’s directly adjacent to the mountain. Traversing up and down this 947 meters tall mountain is a challenge, especially to first-time hikers.
It’s me.
But the rewards are entirely worth the challenge. There are three main destination points that hikers set as their goal when climbing Mt. Maculot: The Rockies, The Summit, and The Grotto.
The Rockies is a 700-meter tall volcanic rock formation that’s said to be part of Taal Crater’s caldera rim. It’s the first and easiest destination up the mountain and provides the best view of Taal Lake.
5. Mt. Batulao
Another popular hiking trail in Batangas but not as challenging as Mt. Maculot is Mt. Batulao. The mountain is an inactive volcano located in the municipality of Nasugbu. It’s a popular hiking spot for day hikes, especially for beginners. The mountain is 693 meters tall and is mostly covered in vegetation.
Credit: Wikipedea, Biag arnel (Creative Commons)
Climbing up the mountain will give amazing views of the surrounding area after just a three hours climb. Beginners can hire guides from the municipality but it’s still possible and climb up the mountain independently. Although there are still some challenging but manageable trails up Mt. Batulao.
Mt. Batuloa’s name is said to come from the Tagalog words bato (rock) and dilaw (yellow) in reference to its color during sunrise.
6. Taal Heritage Tour
Batangas is a province that’s steeped in history at every corner. Ancient lighthouses, colonial-era houses, and turn of the century architecture are common and well-preserved attractions in the province.
Credit: Wikipedia (Creative Commons)
For history enthusiasts, the heritage town of Taal is the best place to be. To get the best bang for your buck, go on a Taal heritage to view and learn about the town’s many historical attractions.
Taal Heritage Town was once the capital of Batangas and many of the wealthy upper-class Filipinos during the Spanish era called it home and built their ancestral homes in the town. The majority are impressively well-preserved and gives admires a glimpse of the past.
Other historic buildings that will feature on the tour are the Basilica de San Martin de Tours and the Hall of the Municipal Government in Taal.
7. Nasugbu
The municipality of Nasugbu is at the northwestern-most tip of Batangas provides the best outdoor and cultural attractions to travelers. By land area, the municipality is the biggest in Batangas with much of its terrain dominated by mountain ranges and left at its undeveloped natural state. This opened an opportunity for adventures for hikers and mountain climbers.
Credit: Pico Sands Hotel via Agoda
Mt. Bulatao and Pico De Loro are two of the best examples of popular trekking and climbing sites in Nasugbu. The popular picturesque Caleruega Church also sits atop a hill that entails a difficult upward journey if you don’t have a vehicle.
Nasugbu is also blessed with beautiful beaches with crystal clear waters and plenty of islands on its coasts that are more than worth the visit.
8. Tingloy, Batangas
For travelers who want a more secluded vacation away from crowds, the Municipality of Tingloy is the best place to be in Batangas. Tingloy is the only municipality in Batangas that is separated from the mainland located two nautical miles off the southern end of Calumpang Peninsula. Tingloy consists of the main island, Marikaban, the smaller Caban Island, and a handful of surrounding islets making it a popular place for beach hopping tours.
Masasa Beach
Most of the beaches and islands are left uncommercialized making it a haven for travelers wanting to walk the unbeaten path. For mountaineers, the Mag-Asawang Bato hiking area gives access to two of the highest peaks in the municipality giving those who conquer it a panoramic view of the entire island.
READ: Masasa Beach in Tingloy Blog Post
9. Isla Verde
Isla Verde, also known as Verde Island, is officially part of Batangas City but can bring a welcome escape from the busy city life. It will take an hour’s boat ride to reach the island. Once there, travelers will be transported away from the commercialized city life and into the laid-back back-to-basics tropical island paradise.
Credit: sabby adventures
Most of the island is still highly uncommercialized with only a few resorts here and there. The island’s most popular beach is Mahabang Buhangin Beach, located on the north-west coast.
But Isla Verde is internationally famous for what lies beneath its waters. The biodiversity of marine life made the island a popular attraction for international divers and is described as the center of marine biodiversity.
10. Lipa City
Located on the eastern side of Taal lake, Lipa City is an urbanized area of Batangas and the most popular to visit out of the four cities in the province. The city offers travelers the opportunity to be immersed in Batangueños cultural heritage just by doing a quick exploration of the city.
Credit: Wikipedia Commons
Lipa is steeped in history which can be easily felt and seen through its many well-preserved historic sites and magnificent Spanish-era churches. The Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Sebastian, a 220-year old cathedral and convent, and Casa de Segunda, the beautifully preserved ancestral house of the Luz-Katigbak family, are two noteworthy attractions in the city.
The food scene is also something to boast about in the city. Travelers shouldn’t miss out on restaurant and farm tours.
READ THE BLOG POST: 15 Best Tourist Spots in the Philippines
11. Malabrigo, Lobo
The coast of the municipality of Lobo lies the historic Malabrigo Point Lighthouse, also known as Faro de Punta Malabrigo. This historic lighthouse is one of the working lighthouses in the Philippines. It’s created in the Victorian design by the Spanish engineer, Guillermo Brockman in 1891. Construction was done by Chinese contractor Jose Garcia and was completed and was first lit in 1896.
Credit: TripAdvisor
Today, the lighthouse is one of the main landmarks of the municipality of Lobo. Its famous brick cylindrical tower and red roof still operate using more modern equipment, guiding seafarers to safer navigating through the Verde Island Passage.
Visitors of the lighthouse will be transported back in time during the Spanish era due to its architecture.
12. Mt. Gulugod Baboy
Batangas has always been a mountaineer’s province of choice for climbs with its mountainous terrain. It’s also perfect for first-time hikers and trekkers. One of the most popular mountains to climb for beginners is Mt. Gulugod Baboy, locally known as Mt. Pinagbanderahan. It’s located in the Municipality of Anilao.
group pic. Photo Credit: Ramon Acuzar Obmerga of Tara Kahit Saan Travel Group
To be more specific, Mt. Pinagbanderahan is a mountain range made up of verdant rolling hills. Mt. Gulugod Baboy is one of its three main peaks and is the most popular for beginner climbers. Rising to 525 meters above sea level, the peak gives a gorgeous panoramic view of the municipality.
The hike up to the peak only takes up to two hours at a normal pace with only gradual increases in slopes.
READ: Mt. Gulugod Baboy Day Hike
13. Caleruega Church
The Caleruega Church in Nasugbu has already been mentioned but it deserves a spot on its own on this list. Sitting atop a hill, the church doesn’t have that much history (built-in 1995) to it compared to other churches in Batangas but its popularity stems from its scenic and tranquil grounds. This makes the church a popular spot for retreats, weddings, pilgrimages, and visitors who just want peace of mind.
Credit: brideworthy.com
The most photographed landmark of the church grounds is probably the Transfiguration Chapel, the beautiful red structure with a brick tower.
Exploring the grounds will provide a tranquil experience even for the non-religious. There are several walkways, sculptures, fish ponds, and other points of worship on the grounds that visitors can come across.
14. Taal Volcano
The defining landmark of Batangas is Taal Volcano. Taal Volcano is classified as the second most active volcano in the Philippines and because of its recent eruption in January 2020, the volcano is left closed to the public.
Photo by Eric / Creative Commons
Despite its dangerous nature, there’s no denying that the Taal volcano makes for a remarkable view. Its location near the middle of Taal Lake makes for a postcard-perfect image. Prior to the 2020 eruption, Taal volcano once held a small lake in its crater with a small islet named Vulcan Point Island.
Today, visitors can only view the volcano at a safe distance. There are several high points in and around Batangas that provide an amazing view of Taal Lake and Taal Volcano.
READ: Taal Volcano Story
15. Fantasy World
Located up north in the municipality of Lemery, Fantasy World is an abandoned theme park that’s open for the public to explore. Fantasy Worlds was constructed to be the Disneyland of the Philippines but was left abandoned due to financial problems. The entire theme park is basically a huge medieval castle and a scatter of non-operational rides here and there.
Credit: esquiremag.ph
There’s not much to do but visitors have often found bright spots in the abandoned theme park with great photo opportunities.
You can climb the castle tower for a great panoramic view of the area. More beautiful views can be seen by crossing a hanging bridge leading to a treehouse. For those up for it, costumes can be rented for a little bit of roleplaying in a medieval setting.
