Japanese Garden and Yamashita Shrine: Picnic Place and Solitary Wonder in Cavinti Laguna

Our last stop in Cavinti is the Japanese Garden along Caliraya Lake .  I had the assumption that this is just a small park.

As we were trying to find a parking slot, I couldn't help but be surprised that the parking was full and there were so many cars parked. 

The Japanese Garden is a memorial park built by the Japanese government in the 1970s in order to commemorate the Japanese soldiers who died during the Second World War which is why you can find the Yamashita Shrine there.

Passing through the convenience stores, we headed on towards the bridge and a huge staircase.  When we got up, we were all amazed at how big the area was! It is roughly 11 hectares in total!

Everything was so green.  Family, lover and friends can easily find a picnic spot.

And, if you continued on, you'll reach a beautiful place with stunning view of Caliraya Lake with the mountain and clouds as backdrop.

If you're in Cavinti Laguna, definitely include Japanese Garden on your destination list.  Bring a camera, some food and spend some relaxing time here.

Japanese Garden
Address	Japanese Garden, Lumban - Caliraya - Cavinti Rd, Cavinti, Laguna, Philippines
Budget Per Person	FREE	Japanese Garden Map
Payment Options	N/A
Operating Hours	Monday to Sunday: (even holidays)

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Layag-Layag Island: 500 Peso Budget Batangas Beach Camping Destination (Brgy. Payaya Nasugbu Batangas)

Before one of my best friends leave for Europe, my friends and I were determined to go on an out of town trip.  They had a lot of ideas for out-of-the-country and out-of-town trips but they were all too expensive for me (being a full-time student).  Lucky for me, my friends were very understanding so they agreed to let me organize the trip so I can pick any destination and activity that I want.  I was locked-in on Batangas as our ideal destination.  It is near Manila and budget-friendly too.  I was considering other destinations like Fortune Island when one of us came across Layag-Layag Island.

Prior to our trip, we tried to search for Layag-Layag Island on Google Maps and even on our GPS Systems but we couldn't find it.

Can you see Hamilo Coast from here?

And the reason for that is that this place isn't exactly Layag-Layag Island but a portion of Brgy. Papaya in Nasugbu Batangas.  We went here by a small fishing boat.  But, you can also reach here by hiking. 

The real Layag-Layag Island is that little hill right there.

The water here is so clear that you could actually see school of fishes swimming near the shore line.

That Obscure-Shaped Rock is a Home of the Black Fish.  Spot it?

However, it is very rocky because this isn't really a public beach.  This is privately owned by the Sy Family who use this area as a sand resource.

This is our sunset view. 

Not bad right?  You can see the sun slowly going down and there's a lighthouse there too.

You can occasionally see ferry ships pass by from Manila or Bataan.  This is also the point where the sea water enters the cove.  So you can see waves crashing and intersecting with one another.

We enjoyed the sea breeze and the beautiful sound of the waves.

One foot steps sink in the sand so it doesn't hurt although not powdery like in Boracay.  We were told by May the sands would again be replenished and it would again be cleaner and less rocky as part of the natural cycle.

This is our morning view.  There's no view of the sunrise but you can see the romantic hues in the horizon.

We also noticed that the tide is lower in the morning.

But, the sea water got back up very quickly.

They were also lots of holes by the beach in the morning.  We spotted small crabs and hermit crab steps on the sands.

Overall, we Travel Tripsters are so glad to have discovered Layag-Layag Island.  We're also lucky enough to be the only group (just 4 of us) camping at the site during our overnight stay.   I'll be posting more about this so stay tuned.

Layag-Layag Island
Address	Layag-Layag Island Brgy. Papaya Nasugbu Batangas, Philippines
Budget Per Person	FREE	Layag-Layag Island Map
Payment Options	N/A

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Bell Church: Taoist Temple Hidden in Baguio City

We were fortunate that the Eurotel Team (see separate entry) brought us to the Bell Church in Baguio City near the borders of La Trinidad.  The temple was quite hidden so we would not have known it if not for them.  

Travel Tripsters Kurt and I were awed by the beautiful structures of the Taiost temple.  We couldn't stop taking pictures as we slowly went upward to admire more of them.

They were a lot of water lilies.  It is so heartwarming to see them.

The Bell Church itself is well-guarded.  Cameras were not allowed inside.  There was also a care-taker who warned people who made noise inside.

Although Travel Tripsters Kurt and I were a bit tired and wanted to rest.  We decided to journey on to the top because they was a sign that says "Bawal Magdate dito" (No dating here).  We were afraid we might be misunderstood to be dating if we stopped at that spot. =p

This was the last building located at the top.  The top view only allowed us to see the houses on top of the Baguio City hills which they call santorini.  

Overall, the Travel Tripsters both agree that the Bell Church  as a Taoist temple is a great way to appreciate the culture and structures in relation to Taoism.  Remember to visit with respect.  =)

Bell Church		Bell Church Map
Price Per Person	FREE
Payment Options
Reservation Required	No
Phone
Other
Bell Church
Border of Baguio City and La Trinidad, Benguet
Transportation to Bell Church
Taxi, Jeepney

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