Beach South End- Author; FOCIIS Photography-

Top 10 Fascinating Facts about Masasa Beach


 

Located at Tingloy, Batangas, Philippines, over the past couple of years, Masasa Beach has emerged as a favourite hideaway among the Manila crowd.

What used to be a best-kept secret has now become a go-to weekend destination, especially for campers.

Although relatively remote, Masasa Beach is quite accessible, even if you鈥檙e taking public transportation.

If you鈥檙e used to switching modes of transportation multiple times in one journey, you probably wouldn鈥檛 mind spending 3 hours on the bus, another hour in the jeepney, and 45 minutes on a passenger boat.

1. For affordability’s sake, you can use public means to get to Masasa beach

Public means of transport- Author; Marek Mazurkiewicz-

To get to Masasa Beach from Manila via public transport here’s how to go about it:

Catch a Batangas City-bound bus in Buendia, Cubao or Alabang. Fare ranges from P140 to P160 and travel time is at least 1.5 hours during off-peak hours.

Buses bound to Batangas City leave almost every hour, 24 hours a day. Avoid Batangas City via Lipa as travel time takes longer.

Get off at Batangas City Bus Terminal and transfer to a Mabini-bound jeep to take you to Anilao Port. Fare is P40 per person and travel time is around 45 minutes.

Note that during habagat season ( a season characterized by hot and humid weather, frequent heavy rainfall, and a prevailing wind), boats to Tingloy depart from Talaga Port which is accessible by tricycle from Anilao Port

At Anilao Port, you can catch a boat to Tingloy. The boat leaves as early as 7 AM and as late as 4.30 PM during peak season. Fare is P80 per person and travel time is at least 45 minutes.

Alternatively, you may charter a boat from Anilao Port to Tingloy or even direct to Masasa Beach where the normal rate is P2,500 one-way for a boat that can fit up to 20 people. Smaller boats for a maximum of four people charges P500 one-way.

If your boat docks at Tingloy Poblacion, take a tricycle to Masasa Beach. Fare is P60 per trike or P20 per person and travel time is 10 minutes. If you dock at Pondohan or Masasa, you can just walk to the beach.

2. It is a perfect spot for snorkelling

Woman snorkeling- Image by PublicDomainPictures from

What鈥檚 the point of going to any Batangas beach if you do not snorkel? Batangas is known for its rich marine biodiversity. Tingloy, in particular, is within the vicinity of the Verde Passage. Here you can discover the beauty of life underwater.

You might even be surprised that you鈥檒l see shipwrecks. Snorkel now and see history unfold before your eyes.

3. If not up to swimming, one can easily choose trekking instead

A man trekking- Image by Hermann Traub from

If you want to experience other activities aside from swimming, why not go trekking to Mag-Asawang Bato?

Mag-asawang Bato is a rock formation that stands on a nearby hill. If you鈥檙e up for the challenge, it takes two hours to complete the trek.

4. There are a number of activities to do at Masasa beach

Photo by Ralph (Ravi) Kayden on

Despite the minimal man-made structure, you can do a lot of activities by visiting Masasa Beach. Here are some activities you can partake in while visiting the place.

You can try watersports, have seafood from food stalls, look for dolphins while at it, take a sunbath, play outdoor games, make sandcastles, watch sunrise and sunset and many other activities.

Take time to explore and something will definitely pop into your mind.

5. It is  a popular tourist destination

Tourists-Author; Wegmann-

After a number of years, Masasa has become a very popular tourist destination. Anyone looking to escape the busy city life chooses this beautiful beach destination in the Philippines.

6. Travelling to Masasa can take a bit of time

Masasa beach- Author; Joshmagtunao-

Masasa is typically bound by boats and has a lot of stopovers. Thus, you may end up spending a lot of time on your way to the place.

Further, there are only a few boats going directly to Masasa. This means that it can take a bit of time to arrive there, especially when you go at a time when the boats are finished.

7. There are specific times scheduled for the boats going to Masasa

Fishing boats at a beach- Image by 馃挌馃尯馃挌Nowaja馃挌馃尯馃挌 from

The first boat leaves at 9:00 am while the last trip is around 3:00 pm-5:00 pm. During peak seasons, however,  the boat can leave as early as 7 am once the boat is full. As for the last trip, it can be as early as 2:00 pm when there are lesser tourists.

With this in mind, it can now be easy to schedule yourself around the timelines, to avoid missing the boats.

8. Its sands are not so beautiful but it is considered the best beach in Tingloy regardless

Photo by Cole Keister on

Until very recently, Masasa Beach was a concealed gem, stashed away from the watchful eye of weekend warriors from Manila. But something this precious is hard to keep secret. As soon as word got out, tourists came in droves, rattling what used to be a dormant town.

Masasa Beach is arguably the best beach in Tingloy, the only municipality in Batangas that is not on mainland Luzon.

Its main island is the fish-shaped Maricaban, off the tip of Calumpang Peninsula separating Balayan Bay from Batangas Bay.

The truth is, the sand here isn鈥檛 as pearly white as what you would expect in Boracay or Palawan, but what Masasa Beach lacks in the brightness of its sand it makes up for in the vibrance of waves.

Its crystal clear, shallow waters give off a beautiful turquoise shimmer, something that will catch your attention even from a great distance.

9. One can get to Masasa via private boats

Boat Rowing- Image by Quang Le from

If you鈥檙e a big group or you want complete control of your time, you can charter a private boat. However, it may be hard to find a boatman willing to take you on a tour at the port.

The usual rate is P4500 per boat which can accommodate up to 10 passengers. You can even ask the boatman to make a stop at Sombrero Island because it鈥檚 along the way.

P.S: Sombrero Island entrance fee is P200 although some boatmen will ask for an additional P500.

10. One can very easily island hop at Masasa

Island hopping in Palawan- Author; Daxster16-

On the beach, you鈥檒l find a small store and next to it is a space where boatmen stay. They take passengers on an island-hopping tour which makes a stop at other spots like Oscar Beach, Tawil Point, Sepoc Point, lagoon, and Sombrero Island.

They use a small boat that can accommodate up to 3 passengers. Island hopping is another fun experience. The boat is small, but it can accommodate very comfortably up to five passengers.

A piece of advice though; it鈥檚 better to start at an earlier time around 6.00 -8.00 AM to avoid the sun鈥檚 intense rays. The boat doesn鈥檛 have a roof, and the tour is 1 to 2 hours long.

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