La Luz Beach Resort in Laiya, San Juan, Batangas
The corporate grind can be too soul-consuming, and sometimes, the only way to replenish what seemed to be lost is to wander off somewhere far. It’s a good thing I got lucky with my office mates. We seem to all have that thrust for beach-side vacation. Hence, to aid us into rejuvenation, we scheduled a trip in Laiya, San Juan, Batangas. All of us nominated a beach, and we ended up with Blue Cove. Unfortunately, it was fully booked, so we searched for an alternative. That’s how we ended up with La Luz. It sounded like a second option, but we were glad we ended up here.
In this blog post, allow me to share some snippets of our rejuvenating weekend.
From Makati to Laiya, San Juan, Batangas
We rented a van (that fits 9-11 people) for ₱8,000. The fee is inclusive of the driver who took us to and fro. To set off our journey, majority of us met in the place where our stress built up -- Makati. Then, the rest of the group were picked up in SLEX, since we needed to have stopover anyway for some quick lunch.
The travel time inclusive of the stop over was approximately 4.5 hours. Upon arrival, we were offered some complimentary refreshments and then we paid the remaining balance for the accommodation (plus the mandatory ₱1,710 each for the buffet pass covering Lunch, PM snack, Dinner and breakfast). Afterwards, we were escorted by the staff to our room.
Premier loft in La Luz
Since there were 8 of us in the group, we availed the largest room which is the Premier Loft with a rate of ₱6,760 per night. We were charged additional ₱360 for the extra bed we availed. The total for accommodation was ₱7,120, so if we divide that by 8, that would be P890 each person a night.
By the way, the food here was also something to fall in love with. Nothing fancy, but expect them to possess that comforting goodness we always look for in a Filipino cuisines. The merienda, however, was not as awesome as the rest, and in fact, it really flopped. So, that was an exception.
The loft had this cabin-like appeal mixed with native Filipino elements (i.e. nipa hut feels). Beds were more than decent. They were comfortable enough to cradle us to a peaceful slumber.
The toilet and the shower room are separated into two rooms giving us more convenience.
The air-conditioning unit seemed new which explains the cool temperature in the room. However, the air doesn't circulate that much on the loft. Luckily, it gets better at night, though it would be better if La Luz can devise a way to help the cool air reach the loft better.
After I scouted the room, everyone started settling down as we readied for some beach-action!
The lush beauty of Tayabas Bay
We were in awe of the magnificent beauty of the beach. The sands were relatively fine, and the water had this vibrant blue. Trees of different type cover the entire vicinity making each breeze very refreshing, as if each wind slowly heals.
Vintage-like photos
Now, if you are hopping into the race of beautifying your Instagram, then La Luz will definitely give you a nice lead. The photos come up with a semi-vintage look. All thanks to the sepia-toned sands, and faded (yet still vibrant) blue waters. Yeah, the photos really come out all well be it in DSLR or a mobile phone. Astounding!
For non-bandwagoneers (those who are seduced by the allures of the digital world), you’ll be all refreshed up with the serene and peaceful environment. You’ll hear the rhythm of the waves, as you ogle over nature’s beauty. No filters required. Just pure natural beauty. You can even just to bask under the glory of the sun, or just to chill in one of the “tents” here.
There also a handful of activities you can enjoy here in La Luz, including volleyball (which is free) and other water sports activity (which you need to pay for). List of rates will be provided upon check-in.
It felt liberating when we were there on the beach of La Luz. There was some sort of magical barrier within the resort that cast out worries and anxieties. In other words, there was peace.
Breaking the not-so-good impression about La Luz
To be honest with you, when I browsed some photos of La Luz before we sealed our decision, I initially had doubts. It felt like the resort was "too simple" and lacked a trace of "luxury", but I was completely wrong. This "simplicity" brought elegance to the place, and I couldn't help but fall in love.
Forging relationships
It was really refreshing being here. My soul wandered off a bit, and along with it came a wave of rejuvenation. It was a time to really focus on the friendship we were able to build even just for a short period of time. Most of us just known each other for less than 6 months, but we’re cool. Personalities jive, though may not be completely smooth, but it was enough for us to be at great harmony. I really would want more of this, to see the dynamic characteristics of everyone.
If you happen to be there during the weekend, they hold a mass there on every Saturday evenings. It's always nice to be grateful of the blessings (and even trials) that come our way.
Anyway, the rest of our night was spent knowing other another level deeper, as we shared some stories about the past, present and even the future. This further boosted the spirit of camaraderie that allowed this trip to only be rejuvenating but also enriching.
Allow me to share this last photo we took before we left La Luz. Smiles on our faces clearly show how much we enjoyed our stay here in the resort.
Check out the quick guide below for the summary!
La Luz Beach Resort Quick Guide
Things to see/do: Enjoy the quiet beach life as you rejuvenate the mind, body and soul; water sports are also available for the adventurous ones
Budget needed: approximately ₱3,750 per person for 1 night inclusive of the transportation cost, accommodation and food
Is it wander-worthy? Yes. It's a refreshing vacation place to be where you can really charge up to restore back your zest
How to get there: It's best to reach the place via private vehicle. You may use the attached map below for your convenience:
Thank you for taking the time to read the post! I hope you found this somehow helpful. I would love to hear from you, so please do drop some comments.
