Tagaytay | Staycation and Food Trip | DIY Travel Guide

In this blog, we did a Tagaytay staycation to relax during pandemic.

We stayed at an AirBnb in Ayala Serin. After check in, we went across Ayala Serin to eat lunch.

Pamana Restaurant, a casual dining restaurant with unique Filipino dishes. We ordered Spicy Tuyo Pasta, Liempo and Crispy Adobong Pusit.

We’ve tried to rate which one’s the best and hands down it was the Crispy Adobong Pusit.

Part of the restaurant is Tsokolateria. A café that specialized in Cacao dishes and drinks. For dessert, we’ve tried their famous Tsokolate Batirol

Food was great but their awesome service made my first time Pamana Restaurant experience even better.

For day 2, we did a little bit of jogging around the parking of Ayala Serin, We’ve tried to jog along the highway but it was not a good idea because there’s no decent sidewalk.

That morning we wanted to try Bag of Beans but ended up in Pamana Restaurant again.

This time we were seated at their open air area with the view of Taal Volcano. Bibingka soufflé partnered with Tsokolate Batirol is perfect for breakfast.

Then, we went to Nurture Wellness Village and availed their Magsing-Irog package. A 60 minute signature massage for 2 pax.

On our last day, we cancelled our exercise because I sprained my ankle. Probably during our jogging session the previous day. Instead, we went and tried Bag of Beans for breakfast. We’ve tried the branch closer to Ayala Serin.  

Here, we ordered Sheperd’s pie, chicken empanada and 2 coffees. Also bought coffee beans for my daily cold brew at home.

Then we walked back to Pamana Restaurant for the 2nd part of our heavy breakfast. This time we ordered; Churros Bites, Longanisa Pasta and Bibingka Soufflé.

After that, we went to Nuat Thai for another massage session for my sprained ankle.

That night, we had a dinner at Breakfast at Antonio’s. One of our favorite restaurant in Tagaytay. Breakfast at Antonio’s serves an all-day breakfast in a casual family dining atmosphere.

If you want to know more about Tagaytay, here are some hidden gems in and near Tagaytay.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT TAGAYTAY

The best time to visit Tagaytay is from November to May. Its temperature is colder than Manila so a visit during summer is ideal to escape the scorching temperature in the city. A visit during cold season is also perfect to experience the foggy weather of Tagaytay.

Tagaytay is open all year round and pretty accessible from Manila. Best to schedule your trip during weekdays to avoid the crowd on weekends.

WHAT ARE THE THINGS TO PACK TO TAGAYTAY

• Casual Wear

• Swimwear – There are hotels with pools.

• Sneakers / Sandals / Slippers

• Protection from the sun

• Jacket

• Tumbler

• Camera / Action Cam

• Universal Adaptor

• Charger

HOW TO GET TO TAGAYTAY FROM MANILA

The cheapest way to get to Tagaytay from Manila is via bus. Go to DLTB Bus Station in Buendia. Take a bus to Tagaytay. Alighted at Ayala Serin bus stop. Travel time is approximately 2 hours.

TAGAYTAY BUDGET AND ITINERARY

The estimated budget for a 3 days 2 nights staycation trip to Tagaytay is around PHP7,500.00. This is based on the activities we did for this trip. See detailed breakdown below:

You can still lower the costs of food since there are plenty of restaurants and fast food chains in the area.

NOTE: Rates indicated above may change

IMPORTANT THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN VISITING TAGAYTAY

• Transportation

  • There are 3 options getting around Tagaytay City without a car.

    • Bus

    • Jeep

    • eTrike

  • Rates vary depending on distance, best to ask the driver or conductor first.

  • You may rent an eTrike for a day tour in Tagaytay.

• Credit Card is widely accepted in Hotels, restaurants and other establishments. Cash basis in transportation fees.

• There are plenty of ATMs especially in Tagaytay Rotunda.

• Signal is not a problem in the place.

TAGAYTAY TRAVEL TIPS

• Tagaytay gets crowded during weekends and holidays. Expect heavy traffic as well.

• Best time to travel to Tagaytay is late night or early morning.

• If commuting via trike (going to Nurture Wellness Village), coordinate with the trike driver the return trip.

• Want to try Nurture Wellness Village, book in advance.

• Do not forget to bring a jacket.

WATCH THE FULL VIDEO HERE

WHAT’S IN MY BAG?

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See you on my next adventure…. Peace!