Review: Calatagan Peninsula Resort (CAPOceans Foundation), Batangas

Tranquil afternoon in Calatagan

Resort Review | Calatagan Peninsula Resort (CAPOceans Foundation facility)
Brgy. Bagong Silang, Calatagan, Batangas

I don't know how many times I went back and forth Calatagan to look for a resort that would be perfect for our family summer vacation. Thankfully, I only did it in Google Maps.

My effort proved to be worth it when we arrived in the CAPOceans Foundation facility (now Calatagan Peninsula Resort).

We got there earlier than expected. Upon checking-in, I learned that our room was still occupied by guests from the day before. The resort accommodated us by giving us a smaller temporary room before we could settle into the seaside dorm/family room that we originally reserved.

Before I dive into the details, some basics first:

HOW TO GET THERE

The resort is located on the road leading to Cape Santiago lighthouse. Its green perimeter fence is hard to miss.

Approaching the main gate (shot taken along the main road)

Private car: Drive to Tagaytay (via Aguinaldo highway or Santa Rosa exit in South expressway). From Tagaytay, take the road to Nasugbu, Batangas. Drive straight to Palico junction; from there drive towards the direction of Lian, Batangas. Calatagan is the next town after Lian.

From Calatagan town proper, the resort is about 10 kilometers into the peninsula.

Commute: Take a bus going to Calatagan, Batangas. There are buses in Pasay-EDSA, Lawton terminal, Alabang terminal and Cubao (Ali Mall) bus terminal. From the town proper (where the bus terminal is located), take a tricycle (passenger motorcycle) to the resort.

Travel time is 3-4 hours. See the detailed Calatagan itinerary here.


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RESORT AND BEACH GROUNDS

Yesyes, pleasecomein

CAPOceans (Conserve And Protect Oceans) Foundation's Calatagan Peninsula Resort is located within the Madrigal's span of land in Barangay Bagong Silang. The place is a working facility that overlooks the maintenance of the artificial reef and general waters in the area.

The main gate opens up to a parking lot which can fit vehicles as large as a tourist bus. A few steps away is the main building where the small admin office is located. The rest of the building is dedicated for the multipurpose hall, kitchen, outdoor dining hall and restrooms.

All facilities are available for guests to use. Sit around and enjoy the sound of rustling leaves while checking your email in the WiFi zone main building. Although, there's probably a fee to use the multipurpose hall for an extended period (seminars, team building, and the like).

Across the main building is a row of room accommodations aptly named after different fish species.

The resort's beach line is located further down the property. A cemented path with blooms and tendrils overhead leads down to the shore which is only a few meters away.

Rooms to the left, main bldg to the right

beach coming, turning over rocks haha

It is quite a different scene on this side of the resort. A tall Talisay tree guards the sandy tanning (tambay) area. The water is separated by a low cement wall since their part of the beach is more rocky (corals) than sandy. The dorm-type beach front rooms are located here.

FOOD

Squids at (gasp drool!) P70 per kilo

The kitchen is open for anybody's business (pots, pans, stove, utensils, refrigerator) as long as the place isn't too busy. There are also outdoor grilling stations in the beach area where guests can cook barbecue-style. Calatagan Peninsula Resort is not a full-service resort where you can call room service at the drop of a hat, but when food is concerned, their staff are willing to source ingredients and do the cooking for a small fee.

A tiny sari-sari store can be found across the road outside the resort. It only sells a few basic needs so I suggest you fill up on supplies from the public market in Calatagan town proper (10km away). Another option is driving to the fishing village where fresh seafood and a much bigger sari-sari store can be found. Just drive past the resort and look for the basketball court (about 3 km away).

ROOMS

The resort offers two types of rooms - one for a small group and another for a big group. The smaller rooms are located in the complex beside the main building. Each room can sleep 2-3 guests (up to 5 when additional mattresses are requested). It has 2 beds (1 single, 1 double), airconditioning, a small patio, toilet and bath.

Our temporary room

A single and a double bed, good for 3

The rate is P2,500 for a 24-hour stay (extra charge for mattress is around P400, can't remember the exact figure). The rooms look and smell quite new. The beds are made from wood (not the cheap bamboo types) and I don't remember seeing a monoblock chair around.

Reef pyramid blocks (see them when you go for a dive)

The dorm-type rooms to the left)

Down by the shore are the dorm-type family rooms. Four bunk beds sleeps 8 persons (plus a couple more when you request for extra beds). It is also air-conditioned, has extra ceiling fans, a verandah, its own toilet and bath, and an outdoor shower. I guess I got too busy to take a photo of the room interiors, so just check the resort's FB page for those. For P4,000 at full capacity, it is a great deal (that's around P500 per person). Mind you, other places here charge much more with less facilities.

The neighbor's sandy front

Bring swim booties for the kid

The resort's shoreline is short, but you can always stroll around the neighboring coastlines (shorelines are public property). I admit having spent more time on the shoreline of a private vacation house beside the CAPOceans property because the area has more sand deposits.

CUSTOMER SERVICE

sunset looms

I booked our stay through text and Facebook messaging. The contact person I found in the resort's FB page is Jessie delos Reyes. He was very accommodating, even if I had to re-schedule our booking twice. I didn't get a chance to meet him in person though, because he's pretty busy body. The other contact person in the resort in Jen - she was the one manning the admin office during our stay. She was eager to answer all my questions and even gave her mobile number just in case we need her help around Calatagan.

The place doesn't employ a lot of manpower, but the ones we encountered (cleaning lady, cook, boy helpers) were all really nice. When we ran out of charcoal for our barbeque, a boy helper gave us some leftover ones he previously collected that we can still use. This, and other little things.

MORE TIPS

• The resort arranges diving and snorkeling tours for a fee. Just approach Jessie or the officer in charge for information. 
• The Cape Santiago lighthouse is about a kilometer away from the resort. You can walk or drive there. The lighthouse keeper arrives just before sunset. If you wish to arrange an earlier visit, you can ask the resort personnel to contact the keeper.
• Just a little extra info I want to share with you guys. There's a mini zoo (mostly exotic birds) right across the street. It's a private gated compound (also Madrigal's), so you'll have to ask the caretaker for permission to enter. Inside, you'll find a Kalaw bird, cockatoo, hornbill, love birds, ducks, turtles, civet and other animals I couldn't name.

Here are some more pictures:

Lovely peacock with almost perfect (intact) tail

Is it starfish mating season?

 

low tide in the afternoon

Yoga at dusk: great idea

high tide in the morning

For further information, visit Calatagan Peninsula Resort's FB page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Conserve-and-Protect-Oceans-Foundation-Training-Center/113361678688041

*This is not a sponsored post.