NOT A DISTANT ALLURE; THE MASASA BEACH

Summer is getting near!!

Have you heard and check Masasa Beach?
Are you willing to travel after knowing this place?

We had our long weekend last Feb 17 to Feb 19 due to Washington's day. Last year I saw that a lot of people are taking about Masasa and it is also gaining popularity from DIY Travel. One day, our feet brought us there! Masasa beach is located in Tingloy, Batangas. Did you know that Tingloy is the municipality in Batangas that is not part of mainland Luzon? If you check the map, Tingloy is like a form of fish silhouette and it's mainland is Maricaban. It's politically subdivided into 15 barangays.

According to legend the name Tingloy, derived from a plant "tinghoy", which no longer found in abundance on the island. Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tingloy,_Batangas

• How to get there:

So there's a lot of transportation that you can find but it depends on your location.

1. Jam liner in Buendia - not sure about the exact fare but maybe it's around 150 to 170
2. DLTB in Buendia - We chose this because it's easiest location for us, our fare is 157 to be exact
3. Alps in Cubao

Travel time: 2 - 3 hours

My view while heading to Batangas Grand Terminal

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• Once you are at the Grand Terminal, you need to ride a jeep heading to Anilao Port. Fare is P40.00

Travel time: 1 hour

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Then from Anilao's Port, if you are planning to buy some stuff or anything. I suggest that you register first and pay the environmental fee (P30.OO pesos).

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Once your boat number called you need to get in right away so you will comfortable with your seats because it's 1 hour travel time. Fare is P100.00 pesos

Heading to Masasa.

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Masasa beach is located in Barangay San Juan in the town of Tingloy, Batangas. They say that this is a hidden paradise of Batangas. It becomes popular because of newly discovered tourists attractions. The beach holds a pristine and sparkling water. It has a great waterside experience and a good place to unwind. We're on a budget since this is just a quick getaway so we need to budget our P2,ooo pesos each during our stay in Masasa. Before we went there, we checked different sites and a contact person. We had a contact named Mark, he is friendly though, he was too busy and so he didn't accommodate us well during that time. Every transient is fully booked so some of the visitors asked permission to slept on the beach shore using their tents. Today, it is no longer allowed to spend overnight through tents at Masasa Beach.

Our struggle was real on our first night in Masasa. The people there are friendly and hospitable. They're very accommodating when it comes to their visitors. Since our contact was too busy, his younger brother was the one who guides us where to stay. Sadly, our transient did not meet the agreed service and conditions. There are only two rooms available and we had our fifth wheel so he didn't want us to take the rooms. We asked the owner if it's okay if we will find another room/transient that we would be more comfortable and she said yes. So we put our bags down and rest for a minute or two and then, tried to find another transient. During our search, we kept on talking and giving some jokes to our fifth wheeling. And he punched a joke "Basta mga p*ta kayo dun na ako matutulog sa plastic na upuan, bahala kayo dyan." So we laughed at him and agreed with him. We didn't know that the caretaker on that transient is the cousin of the owner where we currently staying at. Everything went well and we came back to our transient but the owner of that house was too cold to us. She didn't even talk to us anymore and she kept on insisting that she will find another room for us. Our contact person came there in the middle of the night and asked us what happen so we don't have any idea what's going on. The owner cried at him and she kept on pushing us away. She doesn't want us to stay there anymore. Mark informed us that something happened, so the cousin of the transient owner went to her and told her that we're going to move on their transient because of what they heard from us which is our fifth wheeling name Arn will going to sleep in the chair. The transient owner told us that they have an association and this is just a small community so she's worrying that she might be suspended because of us because since one of our friend will go to sleep in that plastic chair. We explained our sides that it's only a joke and were willing to stay on her transient at least one day. Sadly, she doesn't accept us anymore. We're so tired during our first night and we need to find another place.
Lesson learned; Elderly in Tingloy is very sensitive when it comes to a joke. So watch your mouth. Know their culture when you are going to visit their place.

Luckily, Nanay Nita let us stay on her house. They also have visitors so we need to stay in one room during our first day. So were looked like sardines in a can though that's fine because Nanay Nita's transient is cold. Did you know that their electricity provider is Batelec? So they only have a specific time when the electricity will be supplied from 12 PM to 12 AM. So the loving husband of Nanay Nita woke up during 12 AM to turn on their generator. Our transient cost as P300.00 per night each.

Let's take a walk and discover what's with Masasa;

• This is their source of water, some of the houses are not getting enough water especially if your house is too far from that station.

• POSO/ Artesian Well - this is their tool to fetch a water.

• And this is where they place their bangka.

Did you know that last year, April 4th of 2017 had an earthquake and based on the record of Phivolcs, the epicenter of the 5.5 earthquake was located 7 kilometers northwest of Tingloy, Batangas. They suspected that the caused of the earthquake is the movement of the Lubang fault. And that's the reasons why there land field has a cracked.

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OUR ISLAND TOUR :)

• Groupie first before anything else!

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• Things to do in Masasa

1. Island Hopping - There are boatmen who offer island hopping activities for tourists, you can also seek assistance to the transient owner. The standard rate is P1,500 pesos for a group of four.

2. Snorkeling

3. Free Dive - though we didn't go there of the strong waves

4. Hiking - we love to chill and we choose not to.

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• For snorkeling area

• *on our way to the mini lagoon

• my travel buddies

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• Sunset Watching, we don't want to missed this scenic view like this.

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• Our budget meal, Since there's no place here where you can buy raw foods like fish, pork meats and etc., canned goods and longganisa from Cabanatuan saved us. LOL! Nanay Nita offer us as chicken meat and mind you it's too expensive, I think we spend P475 for 1 kl of chicken but we're craving so hard. During our last night and it's probinsya life, so they slept as early as 8PM. There's no other things to do when you get in to Nanay Nita's transient so they bought cards and play until 12 AM so that the generator would run and they can sleep well.

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And Cheers for me since I don't know how to play cards!

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WHERE TO STAY IN MASASA?

• There's a lot of transient house here. Unfortunately, I didn't get the number of Nanay Nita. But here are some names and cellphone numbers that might help you;

1. Nanay Nita Transient

2. Nanay Rosie ’s Kubo – Contact Number: 09196864368 (she's the famous transient here in MASASA)

3. Tita Precy Kubo – Contact Numbers: 09301860200 & 09498363279

4. Ate Mylene Transient - Contact Numbers: Smart: 09217560194 & Globe: 09452159124

5. Tita Nene's Homestay - 09276865760 • 09358054371 • 09109282257

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Things to consider;

1. Before riding the boat heading to Masasa, buy things that you might need in the island. You can buy your foods before heading to the Port. There's no market there where you can buy raw foods.

2. Secure your belongings.

3. Be mindful and be considerate to other people.

4. Be nice and respect others.

5. Be responsible human and save the planet.

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