One Fine Day with Tatay in Tagaytay

Long-distance is never fun.

When my husband is too far away and there is no nanny to help me with the kids, loneliness consumes me...completely. Most of the time, we have “Skype dates” and text or call throughout the day. And whenever he is home, we splurge a little and really spend meaningful time with the kids.

Last February, on Valentine’s Day, he decided to use his work leave for us and explore Tagaytay City!

Tagaytay City has been trending recently because of the newly opened amusement park, the Sky Fun Amusement Park, which is inside Sky Ranch along Emilio Aguinaldo Highway. (Forgive me for the quality of the photos, these were all taken only with my Samsung phone camera.)

We had been planning to visit Sky Ranch, but time and distance wouldn’t allow it. So when the universe gave me this chance, I grabbed it with both hands.

Sky Ranch offers a wide array of dining options that cater to the different cravings of the family. These restaurants are conveniently located right in front of the parking area. One of them is Red Engine Diner, which was featured on KrisTV. Rue Bourbon, Leslie’s, and Dencio’s are just a few of the other options available.

My son was craving Tokyo Tokyo, so we decided to settle there.

 

For a reasonable price of 50 pesos upon admission, you can now explore the whole area. Some say the entrance fee is 100 pesos each, so maybe it was our lucky day.

 

The weather was lovely and chilly in February, so it was really nice to be outdoors. The fee for each ride, I think, is only 50 pesos, which is quite affordable for big families like mine. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to try the rides.

I’m not really a fan of the merry-go-round, as I get dizzy easily. I hope it’s just an eye thing.

 

Pardon our “selfies” galore. This was our moment to shine with my husband or should these belong in the “hall of shame,” perhaps?

  

The whole place is well-maintained, and cleanliness is clearly practiced here. The ambiance is perfect, not too crowded, and the location is ideal for viewing Taal Volcano.

The tall tower on the right side of the photo is the zipline. And no, I didn’t try it out, my heart might have exploded from the overwhelming excitement.

And this, my friend, is the famous Taal Volcano, an active volcano that lies in the middle of Taal Lake. We should really explore all the tourist destinations here in the Philippines, we have gazillions of them! It’s more fun in the Philippines!

After the fun stuff comes the even more fun stuff, hotel hunting!

It’s never easy to find the perfect place to stay, especially when you have kids with you. The lodging should be family- and child-friendly, with squeaky-clean facilities. I’m quite particular when it comes to the cleanliness of the room and bathroom.

Forgive me, but I have a recurring OCD side that has only gotten worse since I became a mom.

We chose Taal Vista Hotel because of its 4-star rating on TripAdvisor, my ever-reliable companion for reviews of places and such.

Since it was peak season, our main concern was accommodation. We were worried we might need to find another hotel, but upon arrival and seeing a half-empty parking space, I already felt a sense of relief. Later, however, we found out from the receptionist that the only available room was a deluxe room costing around 8,000 pesos. It felt like a gift from heaven when we learned it had been reduced to 5,000 pesos instead. Alleluia!

The shower area was separated from the toilet, which was the only downside for me.

The Deluxe Room is a 30-sqm, high-ceiling room with one king bed. Yes, kasya kami!

Tables with white draperies for an added dramatic effect made for the perfect outdoor romantic setting. This romantic dinner and accommodation package costs a whopping 11 to 15k!

 

The grass is definitely greener on this side. What a sweet, sweet life.

 

Since we couldn’t afford this package, we opted for a photo op instead!

I guess people from other countries are quite fascinated by the history of the Philippines, and they were definitely enjoying their stay here as well.

Back then, Taal Vista was just a lodging place like this. Talk about a major throwback!

 Perfect view of the Taal Volcano!

 

The pool is the main attraction for the kids, of course. But as I mentioned earlier, it was chilly, so I was hesitant to swim at first. The water looked very inviting, and my kids nearly plunged right into the pool.

 

Okay, so waiting and being patient was the big dilemma. Fortunately, we were alone in the pool, maybe because it was really, really cold. No soul was brave enough to try the ice-cold pool water!

Complimentary buffet breakfast was served as early as 6 a.m. Since my two younger kids are not heavy eaters, not a big deal, lol. we only paid half price for the buffet for my eldest.

Before we went home, we decided to buy raw honey along the way. Ilog Maria Honey Bee Farm was at the top of our priority list. I heard they get their honey straight from the beehives. Most honey stores around Tagaytay get theirs from this farm, so we thought we might as well visit it directly instead.

I forgot the exact location, but don’t rely on Google Maps directions because they’re outdated, ask the locals instead. The farm, of course, isn’t located along the highway. My husband even thought about backing out when he saw the road leading to it.

The farm was huge. This is the store where you can buy products made from honey, from soaps to shampoos, they have everything! And the smell—God, I love the aroma of the place! It was citrusy, more of a lemony scent. You could even smell the strong lemon fragrance from outside.

Man-made beehives can be seen just outside the store. They have more at the other side of the farm.

 

Welcome to honey haven!

 

This is the path towards the falls.

I bought a shampoo, a lotion, and honey soaps with spearmint for Ayen. They said it can help lessen the itchiness of her skin due to skin asthma. I was surprised that the lotion was a bit watery, and the scent was quite overpowering. It had a soothing, minty feeling when applied to the skin. I also bought lavender soaps with honey and oatmeal.

Raw honey in cute small plastic containers cost around 175 pesos, I think (I can’t find the saved photos. Sad.).

We didn’t go to the falls because it was quite a long walk from here. Next time, though!

If you’re planning to visit Tagaytay City this summer, try to explore other places, and please don’t forget to visit Ilog Maria Honey Bee Farm :)