Coastal Charms: Discovering Batangas’ Best Beaches
Batangas is a rural paradise renowned for its beautiful islands and stunning beaches, making it an ideal destination for a beach day or a delightful trip with family and friends.
If you’re planning a day trip or seeking a break from Manila to reconnect with Mother Nature, we’ve got you covered with this curated list of the best beaches in Batangas.
1. Manuel Uy Beach
Address: Calatagan, Batangas
For adventurous beachgoers who love camping out in the open, Manuel Uy Beach in Calatagan is the perfect destination.
The beach is one of the closest beach camping spots near Manila, just a couple of hours away from the city. It’s home to lovely cream sands and crystal-clear waters that make you feel like you’ve been transported to another world.
Camping is also a breeze since the beach has a decent amount of bushes and huge trees that create the perfect shade for your tents. These trees line the beachfront, so you can enjoy watching the waves up close in the comfort of your tent.
Pro tip:
If you fancy a more rowdy environment with tons of watery fun, visit Aquaria Water Park, which is located right beside the beach.
2. Isla Verde
Address: Verde Island, Batangas
Isla Verde is one of Batangas’ most well-known beach destinations for both locals and hardcore beach bums alike, and it’s easy to see why.
The beach is a long looping strip of white-sand beauty surrounded by an abundance of tropical plants and trees that provide excellent shade. That said, the island is quite big, which makes it great for long walks where you just enjoy the peace and quiet.
If you ever tire of swimming — though we imagine you won’t — we suggest taking a walk around the island. It offers numerous beautiful vistas of other islands in the area, where you can observe plenty of boats sailing along the waters.
Pro tip:
The Isla Verde Passage is known as the “Center of the Center of Marine Biodiversity in the World,” making it one of the best places to go snorkeling in the country. Here, you’ll encounter a variety of colorful fish, corals, and sea anemones.
3. Masasa Beach
Address: Tingloy, Batangas
Contact: 0995 924 0909
Operating hours:
- Monday to Friday and Sunday: 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Saturday: 6:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Right off the coast of Anilao is Tingloy, known for its lovely beaches such as the beautiful Masasa Beach. This semi-white sand beach is a good destination for anyone looking to avoid heavy crowds of tourists while enjoying some peace and quiet.
Although the beach isn’t as low-key as it used to be, it’s still a spot worth visiting if you enjoy long walks and nature-tripping. It’s also another great beach camping site in Batangas, albeit not as developed as places like Manuel Uy Beach.
What we love about this beach is its water quality, which is clear enough for you to watch all the fish swimming around you if you decide to go for a boat ride.
Pro tip:
Despite being underdeveloped, there are still a number of resorts close to the beach, such as Sunset at Aninuan Beach Resort, where you can stay if you decide that camping out by the waters isn’t your thing.
4. Mang Oscar’s Beach
Address: Mang Oscar’s Beach, Tingloy, Batangas
While you’re in Tingloy, another beach you should consider visiting is Mang Oscar’s Beach. In short, it’s basically like Masasa Beach’s younger brother, as it also boasts clear waters and white-sandy beaches, but it has much lower tourist counts.
Pro tip:
Near Mang Oscar’s Beach is a place called Kapatingan, which has shallow waters and a large natural pool formed by rocks that protect you from strong waves. It’s a great place to relax and offers a good change of scenery.
5. Anilao
Address: Anilao, Batangas
Anilao is one of the most popular and visited beach destinations in Batangas. This coastal town is home to numerous resorts, dive centers, and a variety of activities that will keep you busy for days on end.
The place offers beaches with picturesque views of nature, snorkeling spots, and coves that will give you quite the adventure. Though the beaches here don’t have white sand, its underwater ecosystem is something to marvel at, as it’s rich with colorful marine life.
Pro tip:
One of the best things to do in Anilao is to go island hopping to Sombrero Island, which is teeming with natural pools and coves, perfect for any adventurous beachgoer.
6. Laiya Beach
Address: Laiya, San Juan, Batangas
Laiya is one of the well-developed beaches in Batangas that offers a plethora of fun activities. Its proximity to Manila and the multitude of resorts along its coasts provide a variety of options for both luxury and budget getaways for the weekend.
This tropical paradise is renowned for its cream-sand beaches that feature beautiful sights along with clear, calm waters that are ideal for swimming. You can enjoy water activities like jet skiing, banana boat rides, and even fly fishing if that’s your thing.
Pro tip:
One of our favorite activities here is to embark on a fun hike at Mt. Daguldol. This mountain offers both a breathtaking view of lush landscapes and fauna, as well as a scenic vista of the sea.
7. Calayo Beach
Address: Nasugbu, Batangas
Calayo Beach is a charming summer hotspot in the fishing village of Calayo. Unlike other beaches in Batangas, this beach boasts light brown sand and waters that are a mix of green and blue — they’re still clean, so don’t worry.
The beach is a delightful place to take a dip, and its waters are also quite gentle compared to other beaches on this list. We also love how it serves as a gateway to Bituin Cove, Pulo Island, and a variety of other natural wonders in Batangas!
Pro tip:
We suggest taking a picture of the sunset during the late afternoon at this beach. Since several islands surround the beachfront, you can snap a unique photo of the sun rising right beside one of the islands, which is quite a rare sight to see.
8. Pulo Island
Address: Pulu Island, Nasugubu, Batangas
Pulo Island, also known as Pulo-pulo locally, is an exciting beach that may not seem like much until you explore its cove and sloping beaches.
The island is home to a small cove, where most people come to relax, as it’s less rocky and more shallow than other parts of the island. Beside the cove is a beach with coarse cream-colored sands that perfectly complement the island’s blue waters.
Pro tip:
At the end of the island is a small islet with many trees and tropical plants. It’s one of our favorite places to take a picture because it makes a cute backdrop.
9. Bituin Cove
Address: Calayo Rd, Nasugbu, Batangas
Contact: 09452159476
Bituin Cove in Nasugbu, Batangas, stands out as one of its pristine sandy pockets that can be found all along the coastline; it is hard to miss. It’s a great place to go swimming, as the cove ensures the waters are calm.
The cove is a little farther than most beaches around Batangas, half an hour’s drive from Nasugbu’s town center. Still, we believe that it’s worth a visit, especially if you want to see a cove surrounded by a unique blend of light brown sand and shingles.
Pro tip:
If you’re looking for a fun activity, we recommend feeding fish with your friends. You can even ask a boatman to take you to a fish-feeding spot in the deeper parts of the water for a more intense experience with schools of fish.
10. Bauan
Address: Bauan, Batangas
While Bauan isn’t really a popular beach spot, it’s got tons to offer in terms of beautiful beaches and marine life. The area has many dive spots where you can delve into the depths and hang out with the fish.
Binukbok Viewpoint Resort is one of these famed beaches in Bauan that’s known by people in the know for its lovely beaches and unique water activities. They even have cottages and nipa huts where you could stay overnight if you’re up for it.
Pro tip:
You can take diving lessons in Bauan. In fact, you won’t have a problem finding someone to teach you, as there are diving schools all around the area.
11. Fortune Island
Address: Fortune Island, Nasugbu, Batangas
Fortune Island is famous for its Greek-inspired columns, ruins, and statues that make you feel like you’re in Crete.
The island has white, sugary sand you’ll feel on your feet as you step onto the island. Its waters are also perfect for casual swimming or diving, and the best thing is you won’t need to dive too deep if you want to see some fish, as there are so many of them.
One of the unique things about this place is that it’s known for having a one-of-a-kind view of the night sky. People have claimed it’s a great spot to practice astrophotography, as you can sometimes capture an image of the Milky Way.
Pro tip:
For adrenaline junkies looking for a cheap thrill, you can go cliff jumping at Fortune Island. You have the option of jumping from 15-ft, 30-ft, and 40-feet-high rock edges.
12. Malabrigo Point
Address: Malabrigo, Laiya Rd, Lobo, Batangas
The beach in Malabrigo is quite unique since its shoreline is made of pebbles and stones instead of the usual sandy grains you’ll commonly see in Batangas.
The real magic of the place is in its wildlife. Since it’s one of the more secluded and low-key beaches, you can often find fish swimming nearby, and on rare occasions, you might even see some stingrays around the area.
Pro tip:
If you’re a history buff, make sure to visit the Punta de Malabrigo lighthouse nearby. It’s one of the few lighthouses in the Philippines with Victorian architecture built during the Spanish era.
13. Matabungkay Beach
Address: Matabungkay Beach, Lian, Batangas
Matabungkay Beach was “the” spot way back in the ’50s til the ’90s, where you’d find lots of people hanging around and families crowding the beach during summer outings.
The beach itself is famous for its light gray sand that transforms into a white-sand beach when sunlight starts to hit it. Matabungkay Beach is also renowned for its iconic floating bamboo cottages that you can try out for a fee.
Pro tip:
If you’re tired of swimming, we recommend having a game of beach volleyball. The sport is quite popular in the area, with lots of beachgoers playing it regularly in random pick-up games.
