Batam, Indonesia

October 19, 2013
Batam, Indonesia
One-Day Tour

I was staying in Singapore for my yearly semestral break tour and I decided to go to Batam, Indonesia. The trip would not have been possible without the help of my friend Marian Gomez. She was the one who booked the tour at the below-mentioned travel agency. 

Kabayan Travel PTE LTD
304 Orchard Road # 03-26 Lucky Plaza Singapore 238863
Tel 6836 6768-69 / 6732 2511 / Fax 6836 6770 / Email: kabayan@singnet.com.sg

The cost of the tour was 59 SGD.

Assembly time for the tour was 7:15 am at Harbour Front Prima Ferry # 03/47 to collect our boarding pass. We checked our respective boarding passes for the name and details. 

There were four of us who joined the tour, namely: Marian, Maricel, Sheena Marie and I.

We were booked to board the Prima Ferries. Everything was in order and we were excited to go!

After that, we passed the immigration at Departure Hall at Level 2.
We passed the immigration in SG and went straight to the boarding area. We waited for 30 minutes before we were allowed to board the ferry.

We departed from SG to Batam Island by a high speed air-conditioned ferry. Along the 45 minute journey, we cruised along the islands of Riau Archipelago.

Upon arrival at Batam Centre Ferry Terminal, we passed the Indonesian immigration and custom clearance. We were greeted and escorted  by our tour guide named "Sastra" to our air-conditioned coach and proceeded to our scenic tour of the Batam Island.

Our first stop for the day - Chocolate House.

Then, followed by the 1st Factory Outlet (where one can purchase branded clothes like American brand Polo Ralph Lauren).

After, window shopping, we went to another spot - Souvenir House & Local Market (where one can purchase fresh food stuff, some local dried food such as Ikan Bilis, Udang Kering, Kerupuk Belinjo).

The best part of the tour was the Go-Kart Center.  The track is 395 meters in length, has 9 turns and 6 straights with access speed of more than 50 km/h.

We had to pay an additional 15 Rupiah for the kart for only 15 minutes. It was fun!!!

It was past 1 pm SG time when we went to Golden Prawn 555 Seafood Kelong Restaurant (12:15 Indonesian Time). The place is built with wood and bamboo along the seashore. It serves Indonesian traditional local seafood with a nice view of north eastern coast of Batam Island (from left to right: Sheena, Marian, Maricel and I).

Vihara Maha Duta Maitreya

After our sumptuous lunch, we went to Thoa Pek Kong Chinese Temple and Vihara Maha Duta Maitreya.  

The first temple is what they call as the small temple and second temple is the biggest and famous Chinese temple in Batam where one can pray for happiness and harmony!

After the temple visit, we proceeded to Batam Shopping Mall (the biggest shopping mall in Nagoya town which is famous for its souvenir shops, massage parlors, coffee shops, food courts, karaoke, hotels and restaurants).
We bought t-shirts, key chains, ref magnets.

Last part of the tour was the traditional Javanese Massage.

We had a one-hour massage and after that we went back to the Batam berthing area.

It was 6 pm Indonesian time (7 pm SG time) when we boarded our ferry back to SG. A one day-tour filled with happy and unforgettable memories of Indonesia!

Wonderful Indonesia! =)

Tanauan City (My hometown)

Dawn at Tanauan City

Lying on the middle part of the tourist spots in Batangas, Tanauan City is bounded on the north by Calamba City, on the east by the town of Sto. Tomas, on the south by towns of Malvar and Balete, and on the west by Taal Lake and town of Talisay.

Simply stated, Tanauan City is my hometown and I am a proud Tanaueno!

And let me show you the tourist spots in Tanauan.

Apolinario Mabini Shrine 

The Mabini Shrine is located in Barrio Talaga is about 7 kilometers from the city proper of Tanauan.  On the left side of the museum, you can find a mock-up house of Apolinario Mabini’s natal residence. The house is made up of light materials like nipa (palm tree leaves). (https://plus.google.com/100192096398713033128/about?gl=ph&hl=en)

Jose P. Laurel's Birthplace and Memorial Library

Jose P. Laurel Memorial Library is located in A. Mabini Ave., Tanauan City, Batangas. The site keeps the personal property of the family of the late President Jose P. Laurel which now serves as a historical site and a public library.

Old Municipal Building and and Museo ng Tanauan

Formerly, the Municipal Hall of Tanauan, now it houses the Museo ng Tanauan.

View of Taal Lake 

Taal Lake occupies so many towns in Batangas, and Tanauan City is one of those places. The lake can be seen in Barangays Banadero, Gonzales, Wawa, Maria Paz and Wani-Wani. Best spot is in Barangay Wawa.

Calejon Falls 

One of the best spots in Malvar but the site of the falls covers both the City of Tanauan and  the town of Malvar. The falls can be seen in Tanauan in Banjo West and in San Gregorio in Malvar. (https://plus.google.com/117122023820699773894/about?gl=ph&hl=en)

St. John, the Evangelist Church (city proper)

St. John The Evangelist Church is known as one of the best pilgrimage churches in Batangas aside from Taal Basilica, Lipa Cathedral, Balayan and Calacca.

Mannie Barradas Airstrip

If you enjoy skydiving and flying, then this is the spot for your pleasure and adventure. Located in Barangay Talaga, Tanauan City, Batangas or 10 minutes away from the city proper.


Tanawan Hills

Or simply relax and enjoy nature at Tanawan Hills in Barangay Talaga.

Parade of Lights

And enjoy the bright and colorful lights of it festivity in the parade of lights.

Accommodations / Lodging

The Park (Bed and Breakfast) Contact No. - 043-784-7992 (city proper)

Tropical Breeze (Hotel and Resort) Contact Nos. 043-702-4847 / 0927-955-6242

                                                         0923-322-5053

Hacienda Daraza (Hotel and Resort) Contact Nos - 047-778-5354 / 

                                                                                                       0917-328-2011

Nearest tourist spots in Tanauan City

1. Gen. Miguel Malvar Shrine (Sto. Tomas)

2. Padre Pio National Shrine (Sto. Tomas)

3. Rizal Shrine (Calamba City)

4. Taal Volcano (Talisay)

5. Metro Turf (Malvar)

6. Lipa Basilica (Lipa City)

7. The Farm (Lipa City)

8. Tagaytay City

Malvar, Batangas

In between Lipa City and Tanauan City, lies one of the rising towns in Batangas - the town of Malvar.

Here are the tourist spots in Malvar, Batangas:

Alulod, Bulihan, Malvar, Batangas

From the town of Malvar, you can hire a tricycle for P250-300 and go to Bulihan, Malvar, Batangas. Once you reach the CDO factory, you are just 30 seconds away from the alley leading to the jump-off point. 

Once you reach the Bulihan Water Point Corporation, then you have to travel by foot. The descending trek is good for 12-15 minutes depending on you pace.  

There are available cottages once you reach the spot. You do not need a guide to find your way. Entrance fee is only P30.00.

There are two-man made pools which you can enjoy. And there is also a falls. The view is just overwhelming!


Calijon Falls, San Gregorio, Malvar, Batangas

From Alulod, another tourist spot in Malvar is the Calijon Falls. It will take you only 15-20 minute drive from Alulod to reach the jump-off point.

The jump-off point is in Bessie's Store. And the trek is again descending for 15-20 minutes. You have to be very careful of your steps. The trail was destroyed when village people cut the coconut trees due to a pest that had been killing the coconut trees.

The Calijon Falls is one of the premiere tourist spots in Malvar, Batangas. You do need a guide to find your way but it is a lot safer and better to have one. 

Metro Turf Race Track (San Pioquinto, Malvar, Batangas)

If you enjoy horse racing, then, you will definitely enjoy the town of Malvar. The race track is situated near the boundary of Tanauan City and Malvar.


Lima Park Hotel

And the best place to stay is at Lima Park Hotel.

Youtube links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Scz6mEjZcQM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiQkGDoA914

Sto. Tomas, Batangas

The first town in Batangas using the South Super Highway is the town of Sto. Tomas. The next stop is my hometown, Tanauan City.

Batangas is known for a variety of tourist spots. The town of Sto. Tomas lives up to that reputation.

Here are the tourist spots in Sto. Tomas.

Gen. Miguel Malvar Shrine

According to history, Gen. Miguel Malvar was one of the first Filipinos to have joined the revolution against the Americans and the last General to have surrendered to the Americans on April 16, 1092.

The shrine is in the town itself and behind the shrine is the Municipal Hall of Sto. Tomas.

Talon Falls, San Vicente, Sto. Tomas

From the town of Sto. Tomas, it will take you only 5-10 minutes to reach Cabaong Bridge and then hire a tricycle ride to Talon Falls for P50.00. 

The river itself is good for swimming, picnics, and nature tripping.

From Talon Falls, take a 10-15 minute hike and you will reach - Lagaslasan.

A couple more steps and you will reach - Tag-araw Resort.

There are numerous river resorts or spots in Sto. Tomas but this resort offers one of the best places for swimming and relaxation.

Contact nos -
0930-275-6304
0939-237-4444








Padre Pio National Shrine (San Pedro, Sto Tomas)

From a small chapel, St. Padre Pio Church has grown into a shrine with the altar bearing a huge crucifix and a painting of San Pedro by Jun Torres.  

Every Holy Week, devotees flock to visit the shrine to reflect and pray at the Stations of the Cross.

 From the town of Sto. Tomas, it will take you only a 15 minute drive to reach the Shrine or if you are commuting, you can alight at San Pedro, Sto. Tomas, Batangas and then hire a tricycle for only P40.00.

Three Water Falls in Batangas in One Day

Last September 1, 2013, I went to three water falls in Batangas.

I am from Tanauan City, Batangas. And the first stop was Talon Falls in San Vicente, Sto. Tomas, Batangas. From my place to the spot, it took me only 20 minutes using my motrocycle.

Next stop was the Alulod Falls in Bulihan, Malvar, Batangas.

The descending and ascending trek was tougest! It took out most of my energy.

From Tanauan, another 20 minute ride and half an hour hike.

The last stop for the day was Calijon Falls in San Gregorio, Malvar, Batangas.

From Alulod, it took me only 10 minutes using my motorcycle to reach the jump-off point and another 20 minutes to the falls.

It was really fun going to these water falls in Batangas! =)

Mt. Talamitam, Nasugbu, Batangas (Rainy Season Trek)

Mt. Talamitam, Nasugbu, Batangas

There are four (4) mountains in Batangas which are famous to trekkers/mountaineers and the mountains are Pico de Loro, Mt. Maculot, Mt. Batulao and Mt. Talamitam.

And I have decided to explore them all!

August 26, 2013

PAGASA forecasted that the low pressure area (which eventually developed into a tropical storm at the end of the day) was already in East of Virac, Catanduanes and all the weather forecasts in the internet forecasted moderate rain for the day.

But those weather forecasts did not stop me!

I even invited my friends to join me in my trek but I guess they wanted to enjoy the holiday that day. I was a lone trekker that day.

Anyway, I woke up as early as 3:45 am and got my bacpack and boarded a jeepney ride to Calamba, Laguna. It was freezing cold that day!

I did not even bother to take a bath... It was really cold that day.


How to get there

1. From Coastal Mall, Paranaque, board a bus going to Nasugbu, Batangas. It is a 2-3 hour trip depending on the traffic. Fare is around P120.00. Alight at Sitio Bayabasan, Barangay Aga, Nasugbu Batangas or it is popularly called Kilometer 83 (near the school). 

2. The other way of going there is via Calamba, Laguna.

The terminal of the van is in SM Calamba, Laguna. The fare going to Tagaytay is P70.00. Alight at Olivarez, Tagaytay City and then board a bus or jeepney going to Nasugbu. The jeeney fare is P38.00 and the bus fare (aircon) is P46.00.

Jump-off point

The bus ride is less than 30 minutes. But the jeepney ride is almost an hour. So it is alot better if you take the bus. Alight also at Kilometer 83 or in Barangay Aga.

From the marker, you are 20 steps away from the jump-off point to Mt. Talamitam.

You can hire your guide either at this spot or at the registration area. 




Guide fee - P300 / Night trip - P500
Registration fee - P20
Swimming fee at the river - P20

The Trail

From a variety of blogs in the net, I learned that the trek is good for 1.5 hours to 2 hours. But the trek that day was different. It rained the night before my trek which made the trail muddy and slippery and it rained on the actual trek!

Registration Area

Contact numbers

Registration Area - 
0949-924-0867

Guide (Lougie)
0909-281-2304
0938-982-8368
0912-725-5751

You will pass two (2) bridges along the path.

The first one is cemented. 

And the other one is made up only bamboo. Quite slippery but that is part of the thrill and adventure!

My guide that day was named Louigie and he told me that the old steel bridge was destroyed by a flash flood and the bamboo bridge was intentionally destroyed due to safety reasons.

It was a good thing they built this new bamboo bridge, otherwise; we would have crossed the river that day.

Well, I never experienced dehydration that day. But the rain was too much and the path was really slippery and muddy. It took me almost 2 hours before reaching the summit.

There are two (2) ways of going to the summit. Either through the center trail (as shown by my right hand) or the long and winding trail (as shown by my left hand).

Ascending we chose the center trail. The trail was a bit perilous, tiring, and gives you a quick ascent to the top. While the second trail is longer and filled with cogon grass.

I was at the base of the mountain when I was given (for a couple of minutes)  the view of the top of Mt. Talamitam. It was foggy, raining and cloudy that day.

After 1 hour and 47 minutes, we reached the top and it was still raining. And it pays to have your waterproof camera while raining. The horizon was covered with clouds.

After resting for thirty (30) minutes, I decided to descend.

The descent was worse than ascending. Usually, the descent is good for an hour but due to the slippery road, it took us almost 2 hours.

I was trying my best not to lose my balance. But a couple of times I slipped and fell flat on my ass.

I laughed so hard and those slips added to the fun!

Finally, I arrived at the bamboo bridge! It means I am ten minutes away from the starting point.

My feet were covered mith mud and I could barely walk.

Mt. Maculot has different terrain compared to Mt. Talamitam. Mt. Batulao is almost the same as Mt. Talamitam. When I climbed Maculot, I had a terrible hangover. While in Batulao, I suffered cramps. This trek I had a very muddy feet! hehehe

And so, I washed my feet at the river. Water was so cold. During summer, water is crystal clear and you can take a swim or a bath at the river. But today, washing my feet would be enough.

I enjoyed the trek at Mt. Talamitam!

Good thing I decided to do the trek, no pain, no gain!

Youtube links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fjxBBDQOhQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grA0gAYFISo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fjxBBDQOhQ


Related Links:

Mt. Maculot -   http://junvillegas.blogspot.com/2012/11/two-mountains-in-one-day-mt-maculot-and.html
Mt. Batulao - http://junvillegas.blogspot.com/2013/05/mt-batulao-and-backpackers-our-4th-trip.html
Mt. Makiling - http://junvillegas.blogspot.com/2012/11/mt-makiling-trek-and-itinerary.html
Mt. Pinatubo - http://junvillegas.blogspot.com/2012/11/mt-pinatubo-trek-capas-tarlac-trail.html
The Neophyte Trekker - http://junvillegas.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-neophyte-trekker.html