San Juan, Batangas | DIY Travel Guide

San Juan, Batangas is a town Southeast of Batangas Province. A tourist destination near Manila. Known for the white-sand Laiya Beach. Did you know that there are other beaches in this town that are hidden?

Aside from its beaches, San Juan, Batangas has fertile land that is why there are plenty of farms in the area. So in this trip, we celebrated my sister’s birthday and visited both, a beach and a farm.

Going to San Juan, Batangas, our first stop was Casa Marikit Ristorante Italiano in Lipa City. A local restaurant that serves Italian cuisine. The restaurant has a cellar-like finish with rustic atmosphere.

All of the dishes we’ve tried were great but not so much for the coffee.

After lunch we drove for another hour and a half to Casa Amara. Casa Amara is a vacation house situated on a hill. It bear a resemblance to Santorini, Greece with its white and blue structure.

Same with my first Casa Amara experience, timing was perfect. We were the only guests that day. Upon check in, we went out to visit the beach. It is a 5 minutes’ walk downhill. The trail is unpaved and steep.

Here you’ll find a secluded beach. The sand is coarse and the beach is covered with shells.

Aside from the view from Casa Amara, what I like most about this place is the marine life. We spent several hours exploring the underwater scene on this part of San Juan, Batangas.

Then, we went back to Casa Amara to enjoy their infinity pool with its un-obstructed view of Tayabas Bay.

The next morning, decided to do more sea exploration. It was a clear sunny day and the tide was high. Perfect time to practice freediving.

Before going back to Manila, we went on a side trip to BUFI Farm in Abung, San Juan, Batangas.

Bufi Farm is a coconut plantation with an ancestral house called Bahay Trinidad. It can be rented out via Airbnb.

What’s your favorite tourist destination in San Juan, Batangas? Let us know in the comments so we can check them out.

PS: Drone Shots c/o Rainier

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT SAN JUAN, BATANGAS

San Juan, Batangas is open all year round but the best time to visit is during summer. This is from March to May. Due to its proximity to Manila, expect crowded beach even during off season.

My recommendation is to schedule your trip during weekdays. Best to avoid long weekends and holidays.

WHAT ARE THE THINGS TO PACK TO SAN JUAN, BATANGAS

• Comfortable clothes

• Beach wear

• Swimwear

• Sandals / Slippers

• Protection from the sun

• Beach mat

• Tumbler

• Camera / Action Cam

• Floaty / Bobber or Floating stick

• Toiletries

• Towel

• Aqua shoes

HOW TO GET TO CASA AMARA FROM MANILA

To get to San Juan, Batangas by car, go to EDSA (Southbound). Exit to SLEX then to CALABARZON/STAR Expressway. Then exit to Lipa City. Take the Tiaong Lipa Road. Follow the P. Torres Street and turn Right to Garcia – Rosario-San Juan-Candelaria Road. Turn right to Laiya Road. Drive straight until you see Alfamart. Turn right to Jasmin Leicht Road. Follow the narrow road. You will see a Casa Amara signage. Total Travel time is 3-4 hours.

HOW TO GET TO LAIYA BEACH FROM MANILA

To get to Laiya Beach by car, go to EDSA (Southbound). Exit to SLEX then to CALABARZON/STAR Expressway. Then exit to Lipa City. Take the Tiaong Lipa Road. Follow the P. Torres Street and turn Right to Garcia – Rosario-San Juan-Candelaria Road. Turn right to Laiya Road. Drive straight until you reach the town of Laiya. Total Travel time is 3-4 hours.

 A detailed directions is shown in Municipality of San Juan Province of Batangas

SAN JUAN, BATANGAS BUDGET AND ITINERARY

The estimated budget for an overnight stay in Casa Amara is Php3,390.00 per person. This is computed based on 6 pax. Also, Casa Marikit budget is not included in this estimate.

See expected costs below:

• Toll Fees

  • SLEX From Alabang to Calamba – Php91.00

    • SLEX

  • SLEX to STAR Tollway – Php25.00

  • STAR Tollway to Lipa – Php50.00

    • STAR Tollway

• Gas – Php1,000.00

• Ecological Fee – Php20.00

• Casa Amara package

  • Family Room Php10,000.00 / 6pax

  • Fullboard meal Php1,600.00/pax

  NOTE: Rates indicated above may change.

IMPORTANT THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN VISITING SAN JUAN, BATANGAS

• Travel Time to Laiya is 3-4 hours.  

• Casa Marikit Ristorante Italiano

  • Banay, Banay 4217 Lipa City, Batangas, Philippines 

  • (043) 312 0454

  • FB: @ @CasaMarikitRistorante

  • casamarikit@yahoo.com

• Casa Amara

  • Brgy. Imelda, 4226, San Juan, Batangas, Philippines

  • 0927 579 7772

  • FB: @casaamara

  • gemma.casaamara@gmail.com     

• Bufi Farm

  • Bufi Farm, Barangay Abung, San Juan, Batangas, Philippines

  • +63 917 546 0440

  • FB: https://www.facebook.com/Bahay-Trinidad-2390834507814602

• Going to the beach from CASA Amara would require a 5 minutes trekking in a steep unpaved road.

• The beach is rocky with a lot of pebbles and corals you may struggle walking barefoot especially during low tide.

• Avoid stepping on corals. Best to crawl slowly up until its deep enough to swim.

• Credit card is accepted but do bring cash just to be sure.

• There are plenty of ATMs in the town proper.

• Signal is not a problem in the area.

SAN JUAN, BATANGAS TRAVEL TIPS

• Skyway is your friend especially on weekends.

• Schedule your trip as early as possible to avoid traffic.

• Book in advance.

• For easy navigation to Casa Amara and Bufi Farm, use Waze.

• There are plenty of resorts in the area. Expect the place gets crowded during long weekends and summer.

• Secure your GoPro when doing water activities. Best to use a floaty, floating stick or bobber with your GoPro.

• Do not leave trash behind.

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See you on my next adventure…. Peace!