Summer is here! And summer means endless fun at the beach!
TeamHernandez has decided to discover some of the family-friendly destinations near Metro Manila. Check out our AdvenChar in Blu Roze, Lipa; Lobo, Batangas; Nuvali, Sta. Rosa; Hacienda Sta Monica, Lipa; Sky Ranch, Tagaytay.
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| Breakfast first at McDonald's Before Heading to Aquaria Beach Resort! |
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| Almost There! |
- It's far. It'll take you around 3 - 4 hours of travel time from Makati to reach Calatagan, Batangas.
- It's big...I think. Aquaria is at the heart of Calatagan, 2 barangays from the municipality. And the municipality? Several more from the Arch of Calatagan.
- It's quaint. We fell in-love with Calatagan right away! Looking for Calatagan was fun because of the rustic scenery along the way.
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| Colorful Cotton Candies! |
We also visited the church and the local park on our way home. You can say Charley loved the rural life!
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| Sto Domingo Parish Church. We're fortunate to have attended the Mass here. |
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| Riding the tricycle while waiting for Mommy buy drinks from a local Sari-Sari Store |
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| Charleybear enjoyed the "free field trip" along the way! |
Finally, we reach Aquaria. Once you're in Calatagan, you won't have a hard time looking for it. Just ask the locals and follow all the signs.
What We Love About Aquaria Beach Resort
- Child-friendly Amenities
There are lots of pools in Aquaria! The children's pool is huge and shallow enough for Charleybear to wade on her own. There were waterguns and mini-rides, too. This was where we stayed most of the time. Locker and bath houses were conveniently located near the pool, too.
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| Believe me, the resort was filled with guests, but we never felt it! |
Adults and older children can also enjoy the 3-story giant slides! Tempting, but we didn't try those since Charleybear was enjoying the children's pool so much.
The beach was just a walk away, and there were beach activities you and your little ones can enjoy or pay for a reasonable price. That weekend, there was a Kite Festival so kids enjoyed making and flying their own kites!
- Food!
There was a corkage fee of Php100/head if you're bringing your own food and drinks. You could also grill by the beach as you watch your littles frolic on the sand.
We decided to just try their resto since grilling and watching a hyped-up toddler and her cousin weren't exactly picturesque. This proved to be an excellent option since prices as The Sands were very reasonable. We had sinigang (which you can request for your level of "asim-kilig"), chicken pork adobo, rice, juices, and a liter of softdrinks for less than Php700! Serving was also more than enough since we were able to take home our leftovers.
- Fees
As of this writing, Aquaria only allows Day Tour which is Php 800 for adults and Php 400 for kids 4ft and below. You also have to pay Php 30 per head for an environmental fee.
Tables and chairs can be rented for Php200 which you could have by the beach. It's shaded so you don't have to worry about getting sunburnt. There are other fees for the cabana, parasols, and lockers.
There are also other beach activities you can enjoy like snorkeling, jet ski, and banana boat rides!
Overall
We loved our day trip at Aquaria Beach Resort. We would have loved it if they offer overnight accommodations so we could truly enjoy the beach at night.
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| Happy guests! |
How to Get There from Metro Manila
Take the Southwoods or Sta Rosa Exit. Go straight to Tagaytay Rotunda along Tagaytay-Nasugbu Highway. When you reach the Palico Intersection, turn left to Balayan-Calatagan. When you reach the Municipal Hall, turn left to Apacible, then drive away till you see Aquaria Beach Resort.
Aquaria Beach Resort
http://aquaria.com.ph/discover.php
Batangas is our go-to place if we need R&R, will check Aquaria next time.
ReplyDeleteI have checked this place before, but was put off by the lack of overnight accommodations.
ReplyDeleteGlad that you guys had fun
ReplyDeleteWe love Aquaria! So many interesting activities to do there and the water is nice also.
ReplyDeleteLooks fun!!
ReplyDeleteBatangas is really home to different resorts and beaches! There are so many to discover, good thing you discovered this one. I look forward to having our family time in one of the resorts there!
ReplyDeletethere is pleasure rural life brings. It keeps you grounded and also appreciate life better. Looks like you all had a great time there.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a great resort! Usually sa Laiya lang kami pag feel namin mag-beach, next time we'll try to visit Calatagan din. :)
ReplyDeleteHappy to see family vacations in different provinces. :) Haven't been to Aquaria. It looks inviting seeing the beauty of the resort and good food. Tamang tama we're searching for a place for vacation. Bakasyon sa tag-ulan. :) Thanks for sharing this!
ReplyDeleteI agree Calatagan is too far :) never been to Aquara sa Stillts pa lang but the place is so nice kaya worth it na din travel
ReplyDeleteFor me, resorts with pool and beach are the best! We haven't been to Aquaria before. Will keep this place in mind for our future family outings. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteBeen to Aquaria twice and we still enjoy the place coz it's clean and yes, the sea is just footsteps away.
ReplyDeleteWe have never been to Aquaria before but that sounds like a great place to visit. Looks like you guys had tons of fun during your visit.
ReplyDeleteWe passed by Aquaria a number of times at sabi namin sa sarili namin we'll try it one of these days.. hanggang ngayon di pa rin namin na-tatry.
ReplyDeleteLooks like oodles of fun! We seldom go to the south since we live in the north but I read somewhere that Calatagan is home to numerous resorts. I sure hope to visit this place one day.
ReplyDeleteI've heard about Aquaria resort some time ago and it looks like a nice resort for families. The pools are huge and inviting.
ReplyDeleteI was gonna ask about overnight accommodation since driving to and from Batangas is a NO-NO for us. LOL. I like the kite-making activity :)
ReplyDeleteIt looks like an awesome destination for my next adventure!
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