Getting lost in Masasa Beach - 2018

"Leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but memories, destroy nothing but stress" - Andrei Teofisto

It has been a long preparation and careful thinking where we will spend our summer vacation (i.e. my birthday+wedding anniversary). The first option was Pangasinan but I was too lazy. I ended up asking my friends if they can recommend white beaches near Manila and most of them suggested Quezon, Bataan, Zambales, and Aurora but then I've stumbled upon some vlogs on YouTube about this so-called Masasa Beach and researched the hell out of it.

I saw a couple of sample itineraries but I was not satisfied, especially when a viral post surfaced regarding the condition of Masasa Beach last March 29.

Holy Week 2018 madness in Masasa Beach

Masasa Beach - Holy Week 2018

When it comes to traveling, I tend to do hardcore research and create my own itinerary especially when I'm traveling with my family.

(PRO-TIP: Research and gather as much itinerary as you can, and create a Frankenstein one that suits your budget, time and taste)

I will not go into details about our itinerary as I have already created a separate blog for that (click HERE for our Masasa Beach - Travel Guide 2018).

We left Manila around 5:00 AM consisting of 4 heads. Me, my wife Princess, our daughter Chloe and the national thirdwheel Lem. The travel time is okay as we have reached Batangas  Grand Terminal around 8:00 AM. We've decided to skip breakfast there and head straight to Anilao Port which I think is a good decision because we can buy our stocks and was able to try their famous Batangas Lomi.

Batangas Lomi (PHP40)

We were told by the ticketing personnel that the boat will arrive around 10:00 AM which gives us an ample window time to prepare and check our inventory, also one of them even asked us if we already have a place to stay which we still don't have because of miscommunication with my contact in Tingloy, she gave us a number to call and she also said the price for that transient house.

While we are waiting for Princess and Chloe to finish their Pancit Guisado, Lem and I made our way to the wet market.

Pancit Guisado (PHP50)

They have a great selection of raw products ranging from poultry, pork, beef, and fish. We ended up buying only pork cuts (liempo) for our dinner. We also bought a couple of easy to prepare food for breakfast like salted egg, hotdogs, and corned beef. Since we will be arriving around noontime, we've decided to buy cooked adobong pusit from one of the carinderia and save us the hassle of cooking.

Outrigger boats bound to Tingloy Port

After a couple of minutes waiting and befriending some locals, our ride finally arrives. We were told that the capacity for the boat we are in is 80. There is enough leg room inside and we can secure a spot immediately. It will be a hot and humid 45-minute travel from Anilao Port to Tingloy Port, there are times wherein waves will splash on the side of the boat resulting in an instant shower. Chloe and Princess fell asleep while I keep a keen eye on the horizon since I really want to see Masasa Beach in person.

On our way to Tingloy Port

Before boarding the boat going to Tingloy Port, I have already contacted Lanie (the person referred by the ticketing agent) and gave us instructions on how to get to their place. After setting foot on Tingloy, we just told the tricycle driver our destination (which is Lanie Ilaya) and off we go.

It was the bumpiest 15-minute tricycle ride I had in my life! But in fairness to their tricycle, they really pack some major punch on their engines. Kudos to them!

The winding road to a safe haven - Masasa Beach 2018

When we arrive at Lanie Ilaya Transient, we were greeted by the caretakers. They've also given us a rundown on their electricity schedule (electricity is up from 12PM-12MN then the generator will kick in until 5:00 AM), the best time to go to the beach and etc. They are really nice and kind, one of them even help us prepare our cooked meal and even set the table for us.

After a satisfying lunch, we rested for an hour. All 3 of us took a nap and was shocked when we woke up, Chloe is nowhere to be found, then I was told that she was playing in one of the homeowners kubo with their kids. I called her so that we can prepare for our trip to the beach but she insisted that she wants to stay in the kubo and just play which is really funny because she was able to befriend almost all the kids in that area. They can't help but notice my beautiful daughter Chloe. They are starstruck-ed on how cute and smart she is.

Getting to the beach from our homestay is lighter than our previous tricycle ride, it is almost all downhill but it got scary because some roads have cliffs with no barricade to prevent one from falling. We were accompanied by Julius one of the niece of the homeowner to make sure that we are safe and will stay with us until we found a spot on the beach which really redefines the term hospitality.

It's far and different from the Masasa Beach last March 29, 2018

It was around 2:30 PM when we arrived at the beach. I quickly dive and enjoy the water while they are still setting up our minicamp.

The obligatory sexy back shot - Masasa Beach 2018

Just a heads-up, cell phone reception is very weak in Tingloy, especially in poblacion. Once you're on the beach, there will be a reception but little to no internet connection but why spend time on the internet where you can enjoy the view and the beach?

Our first family beach outing

This is our very first beach vacation as a family, that is why I wanted it to be special and to be celebrated in a special place, Masasa Beach did not disappoint us.

Lem, enjoying Masasa Beach

We stayed until sunset only to realize that we are looking in the wrong direction (RIP timelapse), we just spend our remaining time taking videos and taking pictures of my beautiful wife.

Masasa Beach 2018 couple!

Don't forget to take a lot of pictures and please, clean up and leave no trash behind. There are several trash bins located on the beach.

Don't forget to climb up this beautiful rock formation in Masasa Beach for that Instagram photo

There is also a small sari-sari store in the middle of the beach where you can purchase bottled water, miryenda, lutong bahay, and snacks. There are a couple of boatmen approaching us and asking if we want to go island hopping or snorkeling, since Chloe is just 4 years old and I bet she won't enjoy it that much, we've decided not to do any island hopping for now.

If you are looking for activities in Masasa Beach, aside from the usual island hopping and snorkeling you can also try other activities such as inflatable water playground and banana boat near the sari-sari store. You may also want to bring an underwater camera to capture your moments.

Our pretty daughter - Chloe

We were amazed when two girls (homeowner's niece) fetched us and assisted us in getting a ride back to the house. It was around 6:45 PM when we arrived and they've already prepared our dinner. The good thing about the transient house we're in is that we never feel like visitors, it's like we've known them for a long time and the way they treat us as a family? Speechless! We wash up, prepare our jammies, devoured our dinner, sat on the patio and drink some beer, what a day.

Since they've told us that electricity will be out by 12:00 MN and the generators will kick in after a couple of minutes, we were able to charge all of our gadgets and rest.

The next morning, after having our breakfast, we headed straight to the beach for our last dip. We stayed until 11:30 AM and head back to the house to pack up our things, have our lunch and head home.

Making the most out of our last day at Masasa Beach

Going back to Anilao Port is a different story, I was not able to anticipate that the majority of the vacationers will also take the last trip. We ended up sitting in the most uncomfortable position ever, it was hot and humid and unlike our first boat, this one is smaller and there is little to no legroom. It was painful and I can't wait to reach the mainland as soon as possible.

Even with that disappointing trip back, it was a great experience overall. We get to celebrate my birthday and our wedding anniversary in one of the most beautiful beaches in the Philippines and we will definitely be going back soon!

I love the hospitality of the locals and the way they treat us as one of theirs. The way they live their life, very simple yet relaxing. The ambiance is heaven and earth compared to Manila, why can't the Philippines be just like Tingloy? #sanalahat (lol)

If you are looking for a place to stay in Tingloy, below are the details for our kind host ate Lanie:

• Lanie Ilaya Transient
• +639287407264
• PHP350/head

Please be patient because the signal on where they're located is very weak.

Teofisto Family - Masasa Beach 2018 - WeTravelFearlessly