Did you just buy a house and lot for sale in Laguna? Lucky for you because you’re all set for summer—you’re conveniently near popular summer destinations of South Luzon! Laguna belongs to Region IV-A, collectively known as CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon). Unlike when you’re in Manila, you have to spend more than four hours by bus to reach any of these five locations.
Thanks to SLEx (South Luzon Expressway), the travel is made easier ever if you’re either from Manila or from any other point of CALABARZON. Did you know that by April 1 of this year, SLEx will be switching to RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) stickers? As reported by PhilStar Global, once the RFID system is fully implemented, the motorists of SLEx are going “to enjoy cashless or electronic toll collection as the old e-pass system is set to be phased out next month (April).” No queue on tolls, just a breezy journey towards your destination.
In other news, the engineering design of Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX), according to Manila Bulletin, already started last July 2015 and it is expected to finish this year of the same month. Based on their timeline, the construction will be completed on or before 2020. Currently, the travel time from Laguna to Cavite is approximately three and a half hours by bus. We’ll just have to wait by 2020 and find out if there’s a difference once CALAX is finished.
As we’ve mentioned earlier, CALABARZON is one of the popular summer destinations in Luzon and also the place where you can spend the Holy Week. Imagine a looong weekend of four days straight! It is not too often we have such lengthy vacation so it is wise to plan ahead. Why the rush? Expect an influx of passengers, so make sure you book a ticket days or even weeks before Maundy Thursday.
Are you still undecided which sights to visit? You may try creating an itinerary based on the list below:
Laguna
Travel time from Manila is two hours (by bus) or two-and-a-half-hour trip (own vehicle).
Sights to see:
Pagsanjan Falls – also known as Cavinti Falls or Magdapio Falls, earned a “Certificate of Excellence” from TripAdvisor’s set of reviewers.
Villa Escudero – another TripAdvisor’s “Certificate of Excellence” awardee and features a waterfall restaurant, the AERA Memorial Museum, and a chance to sail a bamboo raft.
Lake Pandin – located at San Pablo City, where you could take lunch not beside a falls but on-board a balsa (bamboo raft). You have to book in advance because they don’t entertain walk-in guests.
Batangas
Travel time from Manila is two hours (by bus) or four hours (own vehicle).
Sights to see:
Lake Taal – if you skip this tourist spot on your itinerary, it is as if you’ve never been to Batangas. Put this on top of your bucket list or miss out on the spectacular view of the lake and the little volcano.
Milea Bee Farm – be one again with nature and with the bees.
Manabu Peak – or ‘Mataas na Bundok’ is located at Santo Tomas and only a two-hour climb. The hike is worth it because the summit area is covered with a colorful garden overlooking the Batangas Mountains.
Quezon
Travel time from Manila is six hours (by bus) or five hours (own vehicle).
Sights to see:
Borawan – once you’ve set foot there, you’ll feel you’re in two places. One is Boracay, because of its fine white sand and Palawan, because of its rock formations.
Cagbalete Island – it is another Boracay look-alike, where you can enjoy the scenic seascape and tranquility of the island.
Jomalig Island – instead of white powdery sand, this island boasts a golden shore and aquamarine waters teeming with rich marine life. Snorkeling, anyone?
Did we miss something? Yes, and that would be Cavite and Rizal. We’ll reserve these two on our next post just before the Holy Week starts. The more options, the better, right?
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