BATANGAS: Bauan - Chasing Sunset at Sampaguita Beach

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If you read my first article how we got here, you would definitely think to go back home early. For the sake of love of sunset, I checked the internet what time I can catch this beautiful hour.. It was 6:05pm.

My father said... what!?? he was so anxious on the decision and thought I took for granted our safety. 

Still I waited for the right time. Everybody's gone! we were just the family left at the beach.. My parents were worried then.

6:20pm and the king was on the horizon. What a lovely day, my father was keep on shouting.. "now it's perfect, take as many photos as you want then let's go". I continued and still managed to swim afterwards without thinking the cliff that might end our lives later on!..haha

No worries though coz I was able to make this post, haha. Traversing through that cliff during that night made us kinda nervous, but it's ok coz there were street lights on one side of the path and we were moving slowly. If you are not a professional driver, please do not do the same. Safety first.


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BATANGAS: Bauan - Sampaguita Beach, The White Beach At The End Of A Roller Coaster Mountain!!

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Nowadays, people were raging to plunge into beach water due to summer ultra magnetic heat and to relax from too much stress from their work. Most of beach getaways can be smoothly reached via airplane, long straight/curvy highways via car or up and down waves of sea via boat. But for this week's escapade, we climb a mountain just to reach a beach at it's foot! Yes! but not with our feet but with our car.

Upon searching the internet which beach in Batangas aside from affordable, have a serene view, uncrowded, clean and have white sand and blue waters, I found Sampaguita Beach at Bauan, Batangas. Since Batangas is the most accessible getaway from Manila and Cavite, this province is a great place to explore.

Since I just found few write ups for this beach, which made me more interested, I decided to try and explore it since I was planning to have a beach day outing during that week with my family. We went there by car via Tagaytay-Lemery road, not the usual way for most people. Most of the time they took Star Tollgate way especially if you are commuting from Manila to Batangas city. After jotted down the important details and landmarks to remember, we finally reached the corner in Bauan where we have to enter to reach our destination.

Unluckily, they are fixing that path and closed it for public. So we had to go back and passed a different path going there, much longer and confusing one. Ran for few miles and saw mountain in front of us.

We noticed few houses along and saw jeepneys passing on the same path we're driving. It was like one way. The road is made for two but the size is for one. We had to stop every time we saw vehicles approaching till we reached the mountain area. The uphill road was so steep and narrow you will feel like you gonna fall on the cliff every time your car make every sharp turn. That made us all nervous yet so excited. What a roller coaster ride!

The thrill doesn't stop there. At the almost top of the mountain, we had to descent  on curviest curve road and stop every time we were approached. Woohoo! A roller coaster ride down!! We were just lucky to have a great driver then. I suggest you hire someone who's professional and had experienced through this kind of situations.

After that mountain, clear, turquoise waters, semi-white sand and cold breeze from the mountain welcomed us. Just right for this scorching hot summer. Plus it was not crowded, perfect place to reflect and relax.

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BATANGAS: Calatagan - Burot Beach Starfish Treasure

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The thing I really I love and enjoyed at Burot Beach Calatagan Batangas were the starfishes. They were so cute and plenty. Yes, really plenty you can see them anywhere in turquoise waters of the beach.

It was so fun to collect them as you get in and out the water and put them all together. It was so so cute. I guess we got 20 of them. Don't worry, beach guard will not refrain you from doing that, just be sure not to take those at home.

Starfishes has 5 rays with small circular black protuberance on it. It has also a crown-like projections at the center of their body. As I look on them, it has different sizes some were bigger than others. But the thing I notice was that the bigger the starfish is, the brighter orange it has.

Up close you will see it's ray's skin margins more of a mermaid than a fish. It feels rough but not sharp to touch. It's body and rays were kinda hard but becomes a little softer to its end it tend to twirl eventually. It has no odor because it is still alive, just smell of sea water. Others say that if you want to make it as a house display, you have kill it by taking it out from the water and dry it under the sun. Then the stinky fishy odor comes out.

How will you know if it's really alive? Well aside from it has soft feeling on its endings upon lifting them out, sometimes you can see their rays twirled around under water. If  you inspect them and reverse on its bottom side, you will see what they called starfish's tube foot. They were like pinkish-red tubes slowly coming out from the grooves of its rays.

This creature really made my beach experience different and I know you also want to try it out!

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BATANGAS: Calatagan - Burot Beach Review, Itinerary, How To Get There, Things To Bring, Considerations, Budget And Expenses

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Planning for a beach escape doesn't have to be perfect. It also doesn't mean  you have to trust it all in your instincts and luck, you have to see a guide or at least have an idea to avoid untoward incidents. Here's my Burot Beach essentials you might want to check out.

REVIEW

Burot beach is one of underdeveloped beaches at Calagatan Batangas. If you are looking for a cheap white sand getaway, this beach might be perfect for you.

The sand were not so white and fine compared to Bora and Gallera however beach front and water was clean. There were also lots of great sites for photoshoots.

Accomodation

Since it is not yet developed, there were no rooms and very nice cottages around. They have a simple small cottages that you can rent. However you can bring your beach or camping tents to lessen your expenses and can find better spots near the beach water!

Food

There were no restaurants aside from the mini store near the guard house so its better to bring your own food and condiments all you need when you got here, unless you go back to the town and buy for things and food you need.

ITINERARY
Since we came from Dasmarinas Cavite, I will just start my itinerary in our place.
* Took travel by car

2:00 ETD Dasmarinas
3:30 ETA Nasugbu Junction
5:00 Calatagan Public Market
6:00 ETA Burot Beach

HOW TO GO TO BUROT BEACH
By Car
From Manila you can drive through Coastal road to Tagaytay rotanda. Right turn then straight ahead till you reach Nasugbu Batangas junction, you can see Caltex gas station on your left.

From there, drive straight ahead till you reach a fork after passing sugar refinery of Central Azucarera Don Pedro (CADP) on your left. Turn left and continue till you see Sto. Domingo church (on your right side) and Petron (on your left). Turn to M. Apacible street (one way on your right) just in front of the church and pass road along public market then enter second street on your left.

Watch out for the welcome arch of "brgy. Tanagan" so you can look at your right side to turn right at the second waiting shed street. You will pass a rough road with few areas cemented, rice fields and empty lots and you reach intersection, turn right. Once you reach a sugar cane field, turn left and approach a private property gate way going to the beach. Just talk to the securityhow your driving license and you're in.

By Public Transpo
Just ride a bus bound to Calatagan Batangas and ride a tricycle at the public market to take you to the Burot Beach. Landmark would be Sto. Domingo Church.

THINGS TO BRING
As a group
Tent
Cooking set
Eating utensils
Lamp
Food
Water for drinking and cooking food

Individual
Clothes
Mosquito repellent
Sunblock
Toiletries


CONSIDERATIONS
1. No electricity - Remember to charge all your gadgets before going to the beach.

2. Few comfort rooms and shower rooms - Take note that there is only 1 shower room and 1 CR each for males and females. During peak season, expect long lines after beachineering.

3. Sea urchin alert - Be mindful that this area has plenty of sea urchins especially in rocky and deep portions of the beach. Few cases of stings were noted. Don't worry there's a huge area for swimming. They were fat from you unless you look for them.

4. Seafood rivalry - Most people who stayed overnight ran out of food thinking that next day would be fine, someone will came and sell sea foods to them. Unfortunately, everybody's mentality was like that so the moment fish boat came everybody's were like zombies approaching the boat. Lucky if it's not peak season. And the tasty fish you were day dreaming was gone. You have to go out the beach and went back to the public market and buy it approximately 45 minutes.

5. Respect starfish - The thing I really love about this beach were the starfishes. Actually they were plenty of them! You can get them, take some pictures and be amazed. Sadly, I saw people throwing it in the air like a toy. Isn't that rude? Just consider that these creatures were alive. They are not just figurines placed on the beach.


EXPENSES AND BUDGET

P130 - Entrance fee (Peak season, P120 if not)
*Drivers are free of entrance fee.
P1000- (If you travel by car) Fuel for Dasmarinas Cavite-Burot Beach-Dasmarinas
P386 - (If you travel by Public Transpo) Calatagan Public Market-Pasay
P200 - (If you travel by Public Transpo) Tricycle Calatagan Public Market-Burot Beach-Public Market

Optional Expenses
P200 - Table cottage. *Because you can pitch your own tent for free.
P70   - Torch rent
P50   - Grill
P300 - Tent ( Good for 2-3 persons, dome type)
P50   - Mineral Water Galon
P10   - Per 3 pcs. condiment (onion/tomatoes/kalamasi)
P50   - Halohalo
P100 - Emergency Lamp (battery-charged)

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BATANGAS : Calatagan - Burot Beach: Cheapest White Beach Ever!

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It's summer time and everybody's crazy going to beach and have some fun! People look for the best spots they can visit and have their best experience ever. However some people prefer to have just simple and quiet vacation.

If you are planing to have a white sand beach, on a budget, simple and quiet getaway, try Burot beach at Calatagan Batangas.

Burot Island is actually a semi-private beach "for me". Semi because it is privately owned by Mr. Henry Sy, owner of SM and soon to be develop but they allow however public to visit and enjoy it.

I was able to discover this place via internet which fit our budget since we're going to pay for the whole family, nice yet affordable and quite near Dasmarinas and Manila. When we arrived the place, it never disappointed me.

Upon arrival we paid for the entrance fee and table. I never missed the chance to ask why it is called Burot beach, it really sounds weird and funny. "Kuya bakit tinawag 'tong Burot?", guard answered me, "Kasi Burot". I laugh and asked again, then he replied, "kasi Burot to, nasa Brgy. Burot." Ah... and "burot" becomes word of the day. "burot.. burot.. burot". Actually it was funny because everyone was saying the word, even those at the other tables. haha. You will surely experience it too!

We spend overnight stay there and found out that we were so unprepared. We never thought that this beach would be so "survival'. No lights, no electricity, no other facilities as others have. Exciting right!? Because of this, we paid for some additionals like torch, grill for cooking and drinking water. Don't worry they have comfort rooms and shower rooms for different genders.

Honestly, I never imagined there could be a white beach at Batangas because most of it were black. Waters were clear and combination of turquoise and navy blue. You will not see any trash around, very clean and peaceful. You will also notice a forest near the beach front were you can pitch your tent or park your car and have simple basketball and volleyball court near the guard house.

Definitely this white beach is worth visiting for for the whole family. Clean waters, beautiful place and affordable. Here's copy of possible expenses you might have here.

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