Batangas
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Taal Volcano eruption
The volcano began to erupt in early January 2020, causing ashfall and earth tremors over a wide area. Many areas — including Lemery, Taal and Tagatay — were evacuated and Batangas City had many refugees. As of early March, the alert level has been reduced and most evacuees have returned home. See Taal Volcano for more details. |
Batangas is a province in the southern part of Luzon, the main island of the northern Philippines.
It is the fourth richest province and the ninth most populous in the Philippines. It is also the cradle of the Tagalog culture. Being near to Metro Manila, Batangas is a frequently visited area in Southern Luzon, with its share of resorts and heritage sites. The province is also a growing destination for pilgrimages with its number of Roman Catholic churches as well as various pilgrimage sites.
Regions
Wikivoyage's regions for the province mostly share the same boundaries as the original four legislative districts of Batangas, except for Lipa which is included in the Taal Lake Area as an important hub for that region.
| Eastern Batangas (Ibaan, Padre Garcia, Rosario, San Jose, San Juan, Taysan) Rather a rainy region, this region hosts most of the province's livestock industry. You may see a glimpse of the cattle and poultry industry in the towns of Padre Garcia and San Jose, but you may also relax on the beaches in San Juan. |
| Metro Batangas (Batangas City, Bauan, Lobo, Mabini, San Pascual, Tingloy) Contains Batangas City, the admininstrative, cultural, educational, industrial, and political capital, as well as its suburbs. Not far from the city is Mabini, popular as a diving destination. |
| Taal Lake Area (Agoncillo, Alitagtag, Balete, Cuenca, Laurel, Lipa, Malvar, Mataasnakahoy, San Nicolas, Santa Teresita, Talisay, Tanauan) Its main tourist magnet is the Taal Lake and Volcano, the world's smallest volcano, and the province's symbol. Other tourist draws are the Lipa Cathedral, inland resorts, Padre Pio Shrine, Mabini Shrine and Mount Maculot. Here also lies the city of Lipa, the largest city and religious center of the province. |
| Western Batangas (Balayan, Calatagan, Calaca, Lemery, Lian, Nasugbu, San Luis, Taal, Tuy) Mostly coastal and flat, it is home to beaches and luxurious resorts, colorful festivals, and a glimpse of its colonial past. You may explore the historic town of Taal, or relax in the seaside resorts in Nasugbu, Lian, and Calatagan. |
The whole province is reasonably close to Metro Manila so it gets a lot of Filipino tourists; see Philippines#Holidays for times when there may be too many.
Cities and municipalities
- 1 Batangas - Provincial, educational and cultural capital, and major seaport.
- 2 Lipa - Commercial capital of the province, known for barako coffee and religious sites. It is unoffically nicknamed the "Rome of the Philippines" .
- 3 Mabini - Diving spots not far from Manila
- 4 Nasugbu - Luxury resorts and mountains, as well as a glimpse of the local sugarcane industry.
- 5 Santo Tomas - Northern gateway city, home to a shrine for St. Padre Pio
- San Jose - The "Egg Basket of the Philippines", it is small agricultural town along the old highway between Lipa and Batangas City.
- San Juan - A small town at the border of Quezon, the rural municipality around it has a white beach and a growing number of seaside resorts.
- 6 Taal - a historic town known for its heritage houses, the Basilica of St. Martin of Tours, and its butterfly knives (balisong)
- 7 Tanauan - Hometown of Apolinario Mabini.
Other destinations
- 1 Taal Volcano - An active volcano, noted as an example of "a lake with a volcano with a lake", a provincial symbol, and a recognized natural monument. It is generally reached via Tagaytay in neighboring Cavite province, but the volcano and surrounding lake are in Batangas province.
Understand
Batangas is known for its culture, people, history, and natural beauty, and being 100 km (62 mi) south of Metro Manila, is an easy getaway from all the stress of city life. The province is home to about 2.7 million people, in over 3,100 km2 (1,200 sq mi). It is surrounded by Cavite and Laguna, also not far from the metro, so, this is the next possible destination as you veer south (the next being Quezon).
Batangas is the most visited province near Metro Manila, and the province has everything to offer: beaches, cultural heritage, and nature. Most international travellers visit Batangas on a side trip before heading south, to Puerto Galera, Boracay, and the rest of the Philippines, or north, to Manila and the rest of Luzon. It's rather a shame to just visit the obvious tourist destinations like Lian (Matabungkay), Lipa, Mabini, Nasugbu, Taal, and Taal Volcano, since there is a lot more to be discovered outside the tourist trail. The provincial capital in Batangas City is quite unknown to outsiders, aside for its busy seaport that serves as a transit point for north-south travel by land and sea, but it has religious sites, cultural heritage, and resorts.
The local economy remains agricultural in background, with the sugarcane fields and processing plants in the west and the coconut, coffee, and cacao plantations and livestock farms in the east, but commercialization and suburbanization has begun to penetrate the province, especially from Santo Tomas to Batangas, where agricultural land give way to malls, subdivisions, and industrial parks. A few small towns like Calatagan, Cuenca, Lian and Lobo remains untouched by chain restaurants, but they maintain a vibrant tourist industry.
Batangas is relatively flat, from east to west, with some scattered mountains to the east and west and Taal Volcano in the center. Rainforests only remain in a few small patches, as many has been logged out or burned down. The province's bays and seas abounds with marine life, and is the center of marine biodiversity.
Batangas has a population dominated by Tagalogs, with a significant Bicolano and Visayan minority. Locals are called Batangueños (or Batangueñas for women). Filipino Chinese and Moros (Muslim Filipinos) can be found in the cities. There are a few other foreigners in Batangas, mostly residing in the two largest cities, Batangas City and Lipa.
History
Batangas has been historically inhabited by the Tagalog people before the Spanish colonization, and the present-day province has been historically part of two pre-Hispanic kingdoms, Kumintang (whose name which it lent to two barangays in Batangas City) and a sultanate centered on the town of Balayan. During the Spanish colonization, those kingdoms became the provinces of Bonbon and Balayan, which were later merged.
The Spaniards arrived in the 16th century and founded its original capital at Bonbon (present-day Taal). In 1578, the predecessor of the current province, Bonbon, along with the evangelization and Christianization of the Tagalog population. Bonbon was soon merged with Mindoro, southeast Laguna, Quezon, Marinduque, and Camarines to form a larger province. A devastating eruption of Taal Volcano in 1755 forced the relocation of the capital to an area on the Calumpang River called Batangan (present-day Batangas City). The Spaniards built a trade outpost at Nasugbu, which became an important waypoint for the Manila-Acapulco galleon trade route.
Batangas also led the rebellion against the Spaniards during the Philippine Revolution. While rather overshadowed by Cavite where most hostilities occurred, the province is home to some significant figures of the revolution, such as Apolinario Mabini and Miguel Malvar, who also participated in the Philippine-American War which followed after. Civil government is established in 1901.
Culture
The culture of Batangas is distinctive as it preserves old Tagalog traditions that have disappeared elsewhere, and so, the province is the cradle of Tagalog culture. Many locals live in large households that became rare elsewhere in the Tagalog cultural sphere (Katagalugan), where small families are the norm. The Tagalog dialect spoken in the province has a peculiar accent and preserves some vocabulary that are considered archaic elsewhere.
Batangueños are known as the "purebred" Tagalog, who proudly defend their distinctive culture. They are friendly, welcoming and hardworking, but they can be as fierce as a bull when angered.
The population is overwhelmingly Roman Catholic; religion remains integral in everyday life, locals are noted for their devotional practices, and Mass attendance remains high. All that said, many Batangueños continue to practice pre-Hispanic traditions, such as the rainmaking dance called subli which has been integrated into Roman Catholic devotions.
Climate
Batangas, in general, has a wet and dry climate. Rainfall is infrequent in the dry season for most of the year, but it generally rains frequently in the east, even in the summer months of March to May.
Politics
Batangas is traditionally a politically conservative province, but it has since been divided in party lines, with those in the more east (including Batangas City and Lipa) tending to support the Liberal Party while those in the west lean toward right-wing parties such as the Nacionalista Party, Nationalist People's Coalition and UNA. The political divide further manifests in the differences in lifestyles in the two major regions: western Batangas retain a economy dependent on agriculture, while eastern Batangas has become open to further development.
Tourist information
- 2 Batangas Provincial Tourism Office, Capitol Site, Kumintang Ibaba, Batangas City, ☏ +63 43 702-1466. 8AM-5PM daily.
Get in
By bus
Most of Batangas are reached by bus from the rest of CALABARZON.
From Manila, there are multiple operators, with ALPS the Bus, Ceres/Gold Star, DLTB and JAM Liner the largest. Most departures leave from terminals at Pasay and Cubao, Quezon City, but there are also departures from Parañaque (at PITX, primarily for routes headed for Western Batangas) and Muntinlupa (Alabang).
From Quezon Province, two companies have routes headed for Batangas: Supreme Transport, which plies the Batangas City-Lucena City route with economy class buses, and P&O Transportation, on the daily Batangas City-Tagkawayan route using a deluxe bus stopping only at major cities and towns.
From the other islands of the Philippines, buses take the ferry, with a stop at Batangas port, before continuing onward to Manila via the expressway or through slower routes along the older highways.
By car
There are a number of major roads that lead to Batangas from the surrounding provinces. Batangas City, Lipa and Tanauan lie along STAR Tollway and Jose P. Laurel Highway (Route 4), which serves as the major transport corridor. STAR Tollway is a toll road that serves as the major highway from Metro Manila and Laguna, but is a tolled one, so, if you wants to avoid the tolls, you may take the parallel but older Jose P. Laurel Highway, that is mostly congested in the major cities. From Cavite, you may take the Tagaytay-Nasugbu Road (Route 410/407), Ternate-Nasugbu Road (Route 407), Diokno Highway (Route 410) or Ligaya Drive (Route 421). From Quezon, you may take the Quezon Eco-Tourism Road (Route 422/Batangas-Quezon Coastal Road), or Batangas-Quezon Road (Route 435).
By boat
Numerous ferry routes connect Batangas with Mindoro and the other islands of the country.
- Roll-on/roll-off (RORO) ferries forming the Nautical Highway system serve the Batangas-Abra de Ilog and Batangas-Calapan routes, both taking 2½ hours.
- Ferries also connect with Romblon and Caticlan port near Boracay.
Get around
You can use passenger jeepneys to go to different parts of the province, but you can use tricycles for short trips. Tricycles could take you to the exact place that you want to go because jeepneys have routes like buses do. However, tricycles are small and cramped, and could only comfortably accommodate three passengers (2 if the passenger is over six feet tall).
By jeepney or bus
Jeepneys are the cheapest way to travel around the province, but these make more stops, and are crowded. Buses are a better option when travelling long distances within the province, but most routes only serve the key cities and municipalities.
Starting fare for jeepneys is ₱7 for each passenger for the first kilometre travelled. Senior citizens, students, and persons with disabilities passengers enjoy a discount. The fare schedule (in English) is typically posted inside the jeepney for travellers, although you may ask the driver or other passengers themselves if you are not sure how much you should pay. Many locals, like in most other spots in the Philippines, can understand and converse well in English.
By tricycle
By car
The province has an expansive network of national roads, as well as provincial roads. The STAR Tollway and Jose P. Laurel Highway serve as the backbone of the highway system. You may need to drive a car to reach destinations where public transport is inefficient.
Despite the excellent road network, driving can be a nightmare. Most of the city and town centers in Batangas are built in the Spanish colonial era, with grid-based streets that are not designed for the automobile, and are narrow and congested. Parking is nowhere to find in most city or town centers. In relatively large cities such as Lipa and Batangas City, traffic can be congested, especially in rush hour, just as in Metro Manila. As with the rest of the Philippines, driving habits can be aggressive, that a local driver may suddenly cut through your lane or overtake you dangerously. Motorcycles, tricycles, and trucks are perhaps your primary enemies on the highways, as they will try their way over you and other traffic.
Talk
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Ala-eh! Batangueño eh!
The Tagalog dialect in Batangas has various words that are peculiar to the Tagalog typically spoken in Manila. Here are some common ones:
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The principal language in Batangas is a dialect of Tagalog, which is very distinguishable by its resemblance to Old Tagalog, spoken before the Spanish colonization. Local speakers are noted for a distinctive accent, use of the particles eh at the end of sentences and ga as a question particle equivalent to ba, honorific use of pronouns, and use of words now considered archaic in other Tagalog varieties. People from Batangas that are living in Manila are usually jeered for their supposedly archaic Tagalog.
English is well understood as a second and official language, and is taught at schools and used in official government documents. The Visayan minority speak their native languages in addition to Tagalog and English.
See
- Taal Volcano at Taal Lake.
Having your own Taal tour is easy. Taal volcano tour is an easy trek from the shore of the volcano island to the rim via the regular trail. If you're more adventurous, try also the Calauit trail. This allows one to go down to where the crater lake is and see the volcanic activities up close and personal.
- Fire trees (caballeros), southeast Asia's answer to Japan's famed cherry blossoms, typically bloom during late summer (April) till the start of the rainy season (June).
- Basilica Minor of St. Martin of Tours, located in the Taal section of Batangas, one of the biggest Catholic churches in all of southeast Asia.
- Mount Maculot, a 947-m mountain in the town of Cuenca. The mountain has a great view of the Taal Lake and you can also see the Mount Makiling and Tagaytay Ridge.
Do
The province is very busy during the school vacation between March and June, particularly during Holy Week. The rainy season drench the province beginning as early as May and ending no later than November, but it will not keep you from exploring.
The coastal regions has an active beach and diving scene, concentrated in western Batangas, but if peak season bothers you, there are other seaside destinations as well. Inland resorts with swimming pools, some with slides, are another option, if you want to escape the crowds.
The province provides many destinations for history buffs; most towns have old downtowns with houses and churches deserving a mention. Taal is one major destinations for historical travel, but the mid-sized cities of Batangas and Lipa also provide cultural and historical options.
Buy
- The Barong Tagalog, a type of shirt used as formal wear for men.
- Batangas is famous for the Balisong knife, commonly called butterfly knives outside of the country. They are illegal in many countries, so if you buy one you risk having problems at Customs, perhaps even being prosecuted.
- Batangas is famous for its panutsa (Peanut Brittle), Sinaing na Tulingan (small tuna simmered in a broth of water, rock salt, sampaloc/tamarind, and dried kamias), suman (rice cakes wrapped in banana leaves), and the longganisa and tapa made in Taal Town, the achara of Calaca, and Bagoong of Balayan towns.
- Sweets like macapuno, ube and pastillas are famous in the town of Malvar, particularly the Elsa's Sweet Candies in San Gregorio Malvar Batangas.
- Saplot Batangenyo, Batangas novelty shirts.
Eat
The Batangueños culinary scene is dominated by both Filipino and Chinese cuisine, and the province has its contributions to the Philippine culinary scene, such as lomi, goto, tawilis, maliputo, bulalo and tamales.
What to eat
- Ask the locals about their "kilawin", it is fresh fish soaked in vinegar and acidic juices like lemon, lime, or the local kalamansi, with lots of tiny chopped onions, fresh garlic, and hot peppers, its really good when the fish is still very fresh, as in just caught and straight ahead to the chopping board.
- Fried longganisa and Tapang Taal with Atchara
- Gotong Batangas at Gotohan sa Barangay in Lipa City
- Crispy Pata at The Only Place and The Other Place Restaurants
- Pritong Tilapia caught fresh from Taal Lake
- Maliputo is a delicious fish found only at Taal Lake
- Tawilis is another delicacy - small fishes caught only in Taal Lake
- Pancit Tikyano (red stir-fried noodles) from Letty's in Batangas City
- Hot Chocolate in a roadside stand en route to Mabini and Anilao
- Kapeng Barako, the coffee that made the province famous particularly in Lipa City for its famous Cafe de Lipa (with branches at SM-Mall of Asia, SM City Lipa, Petron Star Toll, Market Market and main office at 032 San Carlos Drive Mataasnalupa Lipa City, opposite to Robinson's Lipa Exit
- Bulalo and Halo-Halo at Almarius Grill in Lipa City
- Lomi Noodles at Lomihan sa Bario in Ibaan Batangas
- tamales of rhemars in Ibaan batangas.
Drink
if you want refreshing drink, try the mura juice with mura meat. its is young coconut juice with the fruit's meat, really good when served very cold mixed with condensed milk for sweetness.
Try Lambanog from San Juan town. It's a local brew from cane.
Sleep
The reputation of Batangas as a tourist destination has resulted in the sudden growth of one-stars, numerous bungalows over the water accessed by boardwalks, with wooden stairs leading down to the sea, and three-stars that are cheap by international standards.
- Lago De Oro Cable Ski Park and Resort, Bo. Balibago, Calatagan, ☏ +63 43 2132006. Facing South China Sea, Lago de Oro Beach Club is in Balibago, in the town of Calatagan. The first cable wakeboarding park in the Philippines. The beachfront resort offers cable television, refrigerator, and a mini-bar in their rooms. They also have a balcony/deck.
Stay safe
Temperatures don't reach beyond 37 °C (99 °F), but the heat index can soar. Always have sun protection when on the beach. Weather is very changeable during the hot dry and wet seasons, and it's possible to be sunny and rainy within the same day. Heavy downpours are common, but flooding is less of a concern. Typhoons are possible to hit Batangas from June to October.
Roads outside STAR Tollway, in the province are of medium to high quality, but can be narrow, with houses encroaching the shoulder. Driving habits can be unnerving, and motorcyclists are suicidal; many road accident deaths in the provinces are due to impaired driving or dangerous overtaking especially by motorcyclists.
Tricycles are readiliy available from hotels or bars to transport terminals and vice versa in, but watch out for drivers ripping you off; a trip by tricycle from the east and west sides of the Calumpang River in Batangas City, are notorious for scam attempts during evening hours when jeepneys are limited. Better take a jeepney if possible.
Petty crime is rare in the province generally, but watch out when staying in the cities, especially if you look touristy. Pickpocketing at jeepneys is possible during rush hour.
There is risk from Taal Volcano, roughly at the center of the province. Destructive earthquakes are rare, but can happen. In 2017, an earthquake off Mabini has damaged some structures around the Metro Batangas area and some coastal towns to the west, including historical churches such as the Taal Basilica and the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception; the former having masonry falling off its façade and the latter being closed for six months for repairs.
Stay healthy
The key cities and municipalities have good coverage of hospitals and clinics, as well as pharmacies and drug stores. Elsewhere, they are spotty.
Dengue fever is a concern, especially during the rainy season from June to September. Vaccine against dengue is available, but because of health concerns and ongoing controversy, it has been taken off the shelves. Bringing mosquito repellant is adequate.
Stray cats and dogs are widespread in most parts of the province, and rabies is another concern. Antirabies vaccine is recommended, especially when dealing with local animal life.
Heat stroke can be another risk during the summer months, and do not forget to drink lots of water and wear light.
Respect
By and large, Batangueños are conservative, religious, environmentalist, regionalist and relaxed over their Manila counterparts.
Batangueño Tagalogs speak with a distinctive rural twang, often mistaken for shouting or anger. Trying to emulate their accent can be seen as mockery than communication. Most locals can understand standard Tagalog well, but having a grasp of the local dialect can make them smile. English is well understood and spoken by many, but as you veer away from the cities, expect rudimentary English skills, so having at least knowledge of Tagalog can bring you far.
Unlike in other Tagalog areas, kinship titles are less used outside family circles, so, don't always expect your friends will call you kuya (KOO-yuh, "big. brother"), ate (UH-tay, "big sister"), etc., or the other way around. General Tagalog honorifics still applies, despite the dialectal differences. In addition to the distinction between formal and informal "you", ho is often used over po, and the third-person sila ("they") is used as a formal "you".
Local folk still dress conservatively, and being a foreigner can be disadvantageous, unless you stay in cities. Churches and religious sites follow strict dress codes; you may be turned away from Mass if you violate the dress code. Women travellers should wear modestly: a T-shirt or blouse along with jeans or a long skirt, or a sun dress will suffice. Skimpy shorts and miniskirts are discouraged, and in some places, sleeveless tops and dresses are also prohibited. Some locations will provide shawls or wraparound skirts for those who did not follow the dress code. Men should worry less about dress codes, but sleeveless shirts (tank tops, muscle shirts) and jersey shorts are discouraged. Caps and sunglasses are also prohibited.
Environmental protection, especially regarding power plants, is a very sensitive topic in Batangas. Despite all the wealth the province has today, Batangueños continue to value environmentalist views supported by the Roman Catholic Church; right-leaning or denialist views are not tolerated in any way whenever you talk with locals, so steer clear of it whenever someone brings up that topic. And most importantly, respect the province's sensitive environment.
Cope
Visa renewals can be done at the Bureau of Immigration office in Batangas City, minutes away from the port.
Go next
Many travellers transit through Batangas to catch a ferry to another island. Batangas has a large port with ferries going to many places in the Philippines. The boats/ferries called RoRo (Roll-on, Roll-off) usually can accommodate your own vehicles. Schedules change frequently so check ahead of time. Also, the terminal is a focal point for many islands and therefore sees a lot of traffic. Expect longer lines and waiting times especially during public holidays, especially Holy Week. The Filipino culture observes and respects queueing so lines move orderly and quickly.