Laiya in San Juan, Batangas

set their sights not far down South in search of a destination. With client inquiries and request climbing, the team have had to search another quality Biyahe Lokal beach spot to add in their arsenal.  The place has to be a Biyaherong Barat standard, meaning cheap, but without compromising the beauty of the place.

Before Zambales became a favorite, this province of coffee, lomi , and lots of beaches. We went back to the basics, we went to Brgy. Laiya-Aplaya, more commonly known as Laiya, in San Juan, Batangas.

As a part of the Biyahe Lokal team, I tagged along on an ocular and a logistics review conducted. I might as well take the opportunity to take photos and feature this Batangas beach destination to share to all fellowbarattravelers.

Travel time was cut short due to the interconnection of the South Luzon Expressway and Star Tollway avoiding the busy town of Lipa, Batangas. We took the Ibaan Exit and was surprised with the distance covered in a shorter amount of time. I haven’t been in Batangas in a while so I was surprised the convenience of the merging.

Quick breakfast stop in Benny’s Lomi Hauz at the Pasalubong Center in San Juan

Hot bowl of Lomi overflowing with toppings and ingredients.

San Juan’s streets were beginning to be quite busy when we arrived in town that Wednesday morning. We were in search of beautiful destination but, first we need to get our tummies full for a long day ahead of us so before everything else, we’re in search of a delicious “lomi” which is a popular dish on the eastern part of Batangas. Lomi is made of thick egg noodles on a hot creamy soup topped with meat, liver, egg, kikiam, and sauteed onions and garlic. Expect it to be served about 10-15 minutes since Lomi is prepared upon order.

On the way to San Juan, we passed by numerous Lomi places and we hope to find a nice hefty serving of the Filipino-Chinese noodle dish. We stumbled upon a small eatery asking if they serve Lomi, unfortunately only home cooked dishes were on the menu. However,  she told us that we passed by the Pasalubong Center where Benny’s Lomi Haus is situated. Back tracking a few meters, we reached the place then delighted ourselves with a hot lomi for breakfast.

Morning view from a resort in Laiya.

A few years back, roads shift from cement to dirt as you go deeper at the heart of Brgy. Laiya-Aplaya, but now it’s more accessible, thanks to the well established roads which paved convenience for travelers. Driving to this beach side baranggay is now easier and faster.

To look for the best deals and spots, we hopped from one resort to another to look for a potential spot where our clients will be a 100% satisfied. Safety, service, satisfaction, and security are Biyahe Lokal’s top priorities so we make sure our destination meet our standards.

We ranked the top three resorts that we want to share with our clients and give them options on the type of lodging, facilities, and amenities. Two of our packages varied in room types – one having a semi-luxurious hotel type having a balcony and a loft, while the other is a dormitory type with double deck beds. Both are air-conditioned and have a private bathroom.

Here’s a glimpse of Biyahe Lokal’s Package A rooms.

Package A’s dormitory type room.

This cottage can be an option for Package A but price may vary.

Three (3) queen-sized beds.

Yes, there’s a television but I love rooms with cabinets.

Wide and spacious room for more guest.

Adding a slight touch luxury in our arsenal, Biyahe Lokal’s Package B’s resort offers more privacy and delight with their cottages and amenities. The loft type is also equipped with it’s own private bathroom and air-conditioning, but no television (who need’s the telly in a nice place like this). Here’s what Package B has to offer.

Balcony of the Package B’s premier loft.

First floor.

Second floor.

Retreat from the midday sun under this beach front parasols strictly for Package B’s guests.

Own the beach as you relax under the umbrella.

The team finally finished the first part of their agenda which was the ocular, now the next stage is to look for a place where we will stay for the night. And of course, the Biyaherong Barat way is to look for a cheap place, preferably where tent pitching is allowed then we found this small shack in Villa Sulit. After setting up base camp, there’s nothing else to do but to enjoy the beach. Perks of the job.

Testing the new addition to Biyahe Lokal’s armory.

Laiya’s long stretch of beach was simply just like it was the first time we sat foot in this town. The water was so cool and oh so crystal clear you can open your eyes while swimming underwater. Most of the resorts share the same quality of cleanliness of the beach. However, its popularity was so evident with the number of small resorts all over the beach which is also good for the local tourism. Our responsibility, as visitors, should keep in mind to maintain the cleanliness of their area.

The sun was shining so bright, the skies were blue, the clouds look so soft and fluffy – it was a perfect day for the beach.

Notice how clean, clear and pure the water is.

Though there are many boats parked on the beach, there are still numerous boat-free spots in Laiya.

Well, there you go. Hopefully, you enjoyed this blog as I took you to a quick ride to this pristine beach in Batangas. I haven’t been to this place after a long period but never did I imagined that it still maintained its beauty which is something the locals of San Juan is proud of.

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Now, here are some fast facts that may help you on your trip:

1. To get there the faster way, take South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) to Star Tollway and exit to Ibaan. Turn left upon exiting then head straight. Watch out for the “Turn Left to Blue Coral” sign, wherein you will turn left in a small road. Turn right when you reach Petron, not far is an T-junction then turn left. Heading straight will take you the town of San Juan.

2. You might want to avail Biyahe Lokal‘s packages. Laiya rates start from as low as P2,700.00 per head only for a group of 10. Package includes transportation, accommodation and meals. Learn more about the packages in

3. Benny’s Lomi Haus is on the right side of the road not far once you enter town. The huge serving of Lomi cost P40.00 but if you want an extra large serving, there is a P60.00 Lomi.

3. Like

4. Enjoy and have a safe trip.

  1. March 14, 2012 at 3:40 am | #1
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    congrats on you 20K hits. :) ang ganda ng beach ah. :)

  2. March 14, 2012 at 5:53 am | #2
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    Yes, Ms. Tracy. Super ganda po ng beach and malinis. =)

  3. jellybelly
    April 5, 2012 at 2:24 am | #3
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    What exact beach is this? THANKS ! <3

  4. June 18, 2012 at 9:29 am | #5
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    kainggit naman….
    i always wanted to travel…
    kaya lang i’m not comfortable in traveling alone…
    wala din naman ako mabitbit…
    any suggestions…

    • June 18, 2012 at 9:47 am | #6
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      Hi Jubilee,

      Kung wala talaga, pwede ka namin isama sa mga ina-arrange na trip ng Biyahe Lokal.
      Click the link

      You’ll meet different people, tapos kami na mag-arrange ng lahat from transportation to meals, everything. Para iwas hassle na din sa inyo. =)

  5. Kaloy
    July 30, 2012 at 6:51 am | #7
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    Hi BiyaherongBarat! Nagpplano kami ng girlfriend ko na pumunta ng laiya. Gusto sana namin mag tent lang para mas fun. Pwede kaya dun? Iniisip din kasi namin kung may magagamit ba kaming CR at pati yung safety. Saka mga magkano kaya damage? Thanks! Nice posts.

    • July 30, 2012 at 7:36 am | #8
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      Hello Carlo,

      Salamat sa pag-visit sa Biyaherong Barat.

      ‘Yung pinagtayuan namin ng tent, yung mga budget resort sa Laiya. ‘Yang lugar na yan dun banda sa may Les Caraibes banda, halos katabi lang nun (medyo dulo pa yung Les Caraibes). Pwede kayo makiusap dun na makikitayo lang ng tent. May fence naman at may CR din. Magbabayad lang siguro kayo ng entrance fee or mag-rent na lang kayong table tapos free na yun pagtayo ng tent.

      Tapos may mga malapit na carinderia dun na ok yung food. ‘Di ko lang maalala yung pangalan, sorry.

      • Kaloy
        July 30, 2012 at 3:06 pm | #9

        Ahh ok ok. Nakita ko din yung post mo about sa PARK Real, Quezon. Maganda din yung place, pero ano yung mas pang barat na trip? hehe. Mga magkano kaya magagastos pag nandun na kami at pag may tent kami? Salamat ulit, sir!

    • July 31, 2012 at 12:02 am | #10

      Walang problema, Kaloy. =) Mas mura sa The PaRK kaysa sa Laiya. Although mas gusto ng marami yung beach sa Laiya, kase white sand, mas gusto ko sa The PaRK, kase laid back lang dun. Ok yung campgrounds, safe kayo dun, malinis na CR, may open hut, pwede rin kayo mag-luto (mura seafoods sa Real, Quezon).

      Sa The PaRK, ok din activities, pwede kayo mag-surfing dun (mas mura lessons compared to La Union or Zambales) or paddle boarding, pwede kayo mag-side trip to Balagbag Falls.

      San ba kayo manggagaling? Mag-commute ba kayo or magdadala ng auto? Pagdating niyo sa The PaRK, ito magagastos niyo:

      P50.00 – Entrance per head (overnight)
      P50.00 – Tent pitching fee (kung magdadala kayo ng sarili niyo)
      P300.00 – Food budget per day (Approximate lang kung kakain kayo sa carinderia, pero busog na kayo niyan; kung magluluto kayo mas mura pa siguro)
      P200.00 – Surf board rental

  6. Kaloy
    July 31, 2012 at 5:42 am | #11

    Sa Manila kami mang-gagaling, pero sa Los Banos kasi ako nag college kaya familiar na ako sa Laguna pero di pa ako nakarating sa Real Quezon. Sa tingin ko mag The PaRK na kami, benta sa akin yung ‘laid back’ na sinabi mo. Gusto lang namin mag relax relax. hehe. Maraming salamat, sir! Salamat sa Byaherong Barat. Ippromote ko tong page na to. :)

  7. July 31, 2012 at 6:21 am | #12

    Hahaha!! Thank you, Kaloy. Sana maganda yung panahon ‘pag punta kayo. May sinulat akong number dun sa blog ko na Real, Quezon. Contact-in niyo tapos itanong niyo kung kamusta yung panahon dun. Walang magiging problema kung waterproof tent niyo.

  8. July 31, 2012 at 6:23 am | #13

    Magcocommute ba kayo o magdadala ng auto? Kase kung Manila kayo manggagaling, merong bus na nanggagaling sa Sampaloc tapos diretso na yun, dun na kayo ibababa. Kung magdadala kayo ng auto, mas malapit kung sa Ortigas Ext.-Antipolo-Siniloan route niyo, mas mabilis at mas tipid dahil hindi na kayo magbabayad ng toll gate. Kung sa LB kase kayo dadaan, ang layo ng iikutin niyo.

  9. Kaloy
    August 1, 2012 at 5:25 pm | #14

    Ahh plano kasi namin bumisita ng LB muna then mag real. Anyway. Sige iccheck ko yung bus na sinasabi mo sa Sampaloc. Mag ccommute lang kami kasi dalawa lang naman kami, medyo lugi sa gas pag mag dala pa ng auto. Contact-in ko na lang din yung nasa isang post mo. ByaherongBarat, barat ka nga sa pera, pero di ka barat magreply. Saludo ako sayo. haha.

  10. August 1, 2012 at 5:56 pm | #15

    Hahahaha!!! Salamat, Kaloy. Reply na lang nakakahiya naman tipidin. Mayaman sa reply. Hehehe.

    Nung pumunta kase akong Real, pumunta din akong LB muna, pero nagdala kaming auto kase 6 kami, e. Pero kung commute, mula LB pwede kayo sumakay ng bus o jeep hanggang Sta. Cruz, tapos mula dun sakay kayo papuntang Famy, sabihin niyo dun kayo ibaba sa “crossing” yata tawag nila dun, e. yung papuntang Real sabihin niyo. May mga bus na dun papuntang Infanta o Real, tapos pababa kayo sa Tignoan, sa The Park, di kalayuan yun paglagpas ng tulay pagkadating ng Real.

  11. Sherie
    August 2, 2012 at 1:17 am | #16
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    Was attracted to your name Byaherong Barat :) obviously, we are on a tight budget too.. me and hubby are planning for an overnight stay in San Juan. may makukuha kya dun na 1,000/night?! hehehe Ok na kami kahit hindi along the beach (kumbaga nasa Town talaga) pwede namang pumasok sa mga beach resort paying entrance fee lang di ba? Thank you!

    • August 2, 2012 at 2:39 am | #17
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      Hi Sherie.

      Yeah, mahirap magtravel ‘pag walang pera. Hahaha. Anyway, medyo malayo yung San Juan town proper sa Laiya. Marami mga small resorts sa Laiya mismo, for sure makakakuha kayo ng room under P1000.00, pero siyempre, hindi siya kasing ganda ng mga 1,000 and up.

      Thank you, Sherie, for dropping by. Have a great day.

      • Sherie
        August 2, 2012 at 3:31 am | #18

        hehehe :) yup, was checking the map..malayolayo nga.. may mga blogs na din akong nabasa about inexpensive accomodations :) Salamat sa reply! i also checked your fb. sana may quote din kayo for 2 persons lang. Kumbaga, join mo kami sa ibang group :) Thanks again and have a great day too.

    • August 2, 2012 at 5:23 am | #19

      Yes, tiyagain niyo lang, mag-ikot ikot muna kayo, marami kayong makikitang small lodgings dun.

      Well, mahal kase pag-two persons lang. Ayaw naman namin mamahalan yung mga client namin. Pero minsan sumasama lang talaga sa ibang group. Pinagsasama na lang namin tapos papakilala sa isa’t isa, turns out ok din. They meet new people, new friends, saya din. Kahit kaming nag-o-organize enjoy din kahit maliit lang kita.

      ‘Pag may biyahe kami sasabihan kita or i-like mo yung Biyaherong Barat Facebook Page nag-a-announce ako dun minsan. Just in case free kayo, tara. Masaya yun.

      Anyway, ingat kayo sa biyahe and enjoy. Share niyo dito yung resort na makita niyo para may ma-suggest din tayo sa iba. Thanks, Sherie.

  12. 05082072…
    August 26, 2012 at 3:58 am | #20
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    satingin nyo po mgkano po magastos namin papuntang laiya from manila?
    ilang hours po ung manila to laiya?

    • August 26, 2012 at 7:12 am | #21
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      Depende po sa resort Ma’am. May marami pong mapapagpilian dun. 3 hours lang po from Manila to San Juan.

  13. rose
    August 26, 2012 at 3:58 am | #22
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    05082072… :
    satingin nyo po mgkano po magastos namin papuntang laiya from manila?
    ilang hours po ung manila to laiya?

  14. rose
    August 26, 2012 at 4:01 am | #23
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    paki reply naman po agad ,we have no a lot time,rush po kc

    • August 26, 2012 at 7:13 am | #24
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      I’m really sorry for the late reply, Ma’am. Kakauwi ko lang po kase from Ifugao. Pasensya na po.

  15. August 26, 2012 at 1:35 pm | #25
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    sir ask lang po.. nagpplan kasi kami ng group ko na mag laiya.. 15 po kami and yung budget namin is around 1k each.. meron po kaya kaming patutunguhan nun? gusto sana namin na mag tent pitching meron kaya dun na rentals ng tent or magdadala kami ng samin talaga? thanks for the reply

    • August 26, 2012 at 3:54 pm | #26
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      Sa tingin ko, sa Les Caraibes pasok ang budget na 1K each. Meron silang dormitory type kasya 8 na tao. 2 kunin niyo, tapos luto na lang kayo dun. Try niyo contactin. Pasok yung ganon budgetan dun. By the way, san nga pala kayo manggagaling? Depende yung budget din dun. Either magcocommute kayo o mag-auto?

      • August 27, 2012 at 12:50 am | #27

        sa pasay kami manggagaling sir. ttignan pa namin sir kung san mas makakamura saka di kami magkakasya sa isang van pag commute kami magkano kaya yun?

    • August 27, 2012 at 1:11 am | #28

      ‘Yung mga van usually charge nun, 7,500 per day. Tapos mga 18 seater na yun. At kadalasan, all in na yun, gas and toll. Parang papalo siya ng 500 each. Mas mura yun kaysa magcommute kayo. Mas magastos kung commute kayo, e. Tapos ‘di ko sigurado kung may direct na biyahe to San Juan/ Ang alam ko lang kase, from Manila to Lipa, tapos jeep, Lipa to San Juan, tapos sasakay ulit kayo ng jeep or tricycle papuntang Laiya.

      So advice ko, van talaga. Mukhang mas makakatipid kayo.

  16. August 27, 2012 at 12:54 am | #29

    mas makakamura ba kami kung dun na kami maghahanap sir or pareho lang yun kung kung contactin namin sila then magpareserve?

  17. August 27, 2012 at 1:13 am | #30

    Mas ok maghanap muna kase marami yun, e. Depende sa budget niyo. ‘Yung parang dormitory type na photo, yung may double deck beds, yun yung Les Caraibes. Pwedeng tingnan niyo muna dun tapos hanap hanap kayo from there.

  1. July 6, 2012 at 3:35 am | #1

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