A Batangas beach resort perfect for stays and dive

When I got an invite from a Batangas beach resort for a two night staycation, I didn’t hesitate. After a few email back and forths, and almost a month after contact and a trip abroad, I was well on my way to spend me time for a southern escape.

Eagle Point Beach and Dive Resort is a three star Batangas resort located near the tip of the Calumpang Pensinsula in dive haven Anilao. It’s a secluded spot that takes you through the forested side of a steep hill and into a beachfront that is a getaway. Primarily, it offers unparalleled diving in one of the world’s best diving areas that is part of the Verde Passage. It’s the perfect resort for staycations where most of its 75 guest rooms offer stunning seaviews. For corporate clients, Eagle Point is also a team building venue and company outing destination as it owns Sepoc Beach Center in Maricaban Island.

Resort accommodation

Since I was alone when I stayed here, I was billeted at one of the seaside rooms at the terrace hotel, one of several accommodations of the resort. The room had an elevated vantage point and at any time of the day, I can just admire the changing sea, the weather, from sunrise to sunset and the drama of lightnings and rain clouds passing through. Or the day to day going ons of people and fishermen as their outrigger boats pass. All these at the comfort of my spacious and fully airconditioned room with a veranda.

Other than the terrace hotel, there are cabanas and cottages distributed around the narrow footprint of the resort. These are ideal for couples, families and groups. There are four swimming pools, two of which are located between the resort’s main building and the terrace hotel. The third at the far end where those staying in cabanas and cottages can have a more private swim. The fourth is a reef pool near the dive center and where you can practice diving. Caveat: there are baby sharks here.

Restaurant and food

While you can have your food delivered to the room, the resort’s main building has a spacious restaurant. It’s well designed, evoking a tropical feel and I love eating by the window for breakfast where you can just languidly dine and look outside admiring the sea. Come late afternoon, be ready to be amazed at the stunning sunset to end your day.

The restaurant offers an extensive dining menu ranging from breakfast, lunch and dinner. It has an interesting array of desserts and snacks too. I loved the salmon on a bed of spinach which was quite sating. The seafood pesto pasta is highly recommended too. Although at the time I was there the calamansi mousse was not available, the resort’s signature dessert, the baked blueberry cheesecake didn’t disappoint. Paired with Batangas barako coffee, perfect. Breakfasts are quite hearty. The tocino was especially tender and delicious, although the color was just a bit bloody red which might be upsetting for some. Also, you should try the crispy bacon, toast and runny scrambled eggs which I love.

Diving and other amenities

This Batangas beach resort is primarily a diving resort. Although there’s no white sand beach here, you need to go to the property’s Sepoc Point beach, Eagle Point Resort offers great diving experiences in several areas around Balayan Bay, at the open Verde Passage and around the island municipality of Tingloy. It has a fully equipped dive center. When I was there though, the weather wasn’t as good and because of the habagat, the sea wasn’t really ideal for diving at that time. For newbies though, you can practice at the dip pool beside the sea.

The resort also offers water sports facilities and tours (like going to Sepoc Point and Sombrero Island).

Overall, I loved staying at the resort. The food is good and they have enough facilities to keep you busy. Besides, you can dive at one of the world’s best diving spots just nearby. But for me, staycations are more of taking a rest and of reflection. Eagle Point Beach and Dive Resort didn’t disappoint.

GETTING THERE: Eagle Point Resort is located in Anilao in Mabini, Batangas. If you have your own vehicle, you can just head to Mabini either via Tagaytay or Lipa taking SLEX and Star Toll and let Waze or Google Maps direct you. Motorbikes can also be adventurous but be safe. Best discount motorcycle helmets are available.

For those commuting, it can be a challenge and takes several rides. From Manila, ride a bus bound for the Batangas Grand Terminal in Batangas City. From their, walk towards the jeepney terminal and ask for the Mabini bound jeep. Because these vehicles will only leave once full, it might take as much as an hour of waiting. Allow as much as 45 minutes to an hour, depending on traffic to reach Mabini. From there, you have two options: upon reaching the crossing with the gazebo, you can take one of the tricycles at the roadside. They charge high, in my case, P300 although if you don’t haggle, it might be higher. The other option is to go down at the Mabini public market and take the tricycle from there. You will be charged P150 if you just get down the highway or pay an additional P50 (total of P200) for the tricycle to take you inside to the resort parking lot. From there, the resort van can fetch you. To simplify your travel, you can arrange for the resort to fetch you.

Thanx to Eagle Point Beach and Dive Resort for the staycation invite.

A shallow pool and the view of the #sea st #eaglepointresortbatangas #batangas #philippines #staycation #langyawtravel

A post shared by Estan Cabigas (@langyawtravel) on Jul 24, 2017 at 5:01pm PDT

Eagle Point Beach and Dive Resort
Ground floor, Cacho Gonzalez Bldg.
101 Aguirre cor. Trasierra Sts.,
Legazpi Village, Makati City, Philippines
Telephone: +63 2 8133553, Fax/Ph: +63 2 8133560
Mobile: +63 9175625223 / 0917-8164950 / 0917-7125024 / 0920-9776694