Beachbumming in Masasa, Tingloy, Batangas

The shoreline of Masasa. A cave is visible at the far right.

There's nothing not to love about Masasa Beach. Hidden in the peaceful island-town of Tingloy in Batangas, this beach is largely untouched by commercialization. There's no entrance fee, and you're free to roam around and do as you please. The shoreline is made up of white sand and broken corals. The corals found not far from the shore are great for snorkeling. Too bad we didn't have an underwater camera, but I'd say the corals are even more varied and colorful than those I saw in Calaguas. Two prominent features of the beach are the cave (which makes a great shelter from the sun, visible in the photo above) and the rock formation which was turned into a stairway (perfect for photo ops!).

Boat ride!

Plenty of food around!

At the mini-"cave"

TRANSPORTATION
To get to the beach we had to take a bus, jeep, boat, trike and did a short trek:
1. From JAM Liner in Buendia, we took a bus to "Diversion". Travel time: 2.5 hours, Fare: P125
2. From Diversion, we took a jeep to Talaga Port. 30 minutes, P30. There is a market near the port where you can buy provisions.
3. From there, we rented a boat for Tingloy Port. 1 hour, P2200, round trip. Here's our boatman Kuya Eddie's contacts: 09297824731. We were only eight, but the boat's capacity is ten.
4. From Tingloy Port, we took a trike for Masasa. P15, 20 minutes.
5. Finally, we made a short trek across a rice field, and settled on the cave, which luckily, was not occupied that day.

On our way back:
1. Trike from Masasa to Tingloy Port, P15, and boat tide to Talaga Port.
2. From Talaga Port, we took a jeep for the Grand Terminal. 35 min, P40. We were told that the last trip by jeepney from Talaga Port to the Grand Terminal is at 6:00 PM, but we boarded a jeep way past that (around 7PM).
3. At the Grand Terminal, we boarded our bus of choice (there are trips to Alabang, Cubao, etc.)

A FEW MORE TIPS
1. The beach is open to the public, so nobody does the maintenance or anything. Expect trash from locals and campers.
2. The waves were strong on our way back, I thought the boat would sink or turn on its side. It was scary, traumatic experience. Bring life vests, if that would give you peace of mind. Besides, you can use them for effortless snorkeling.
3. The best corals are not actually found on the beach itself, but on the port, just sitting a few inches from the breakwater! Do explore these if you're not in a hurry. My friends spotted a few sea urchins here and on the beach, so be careful.
4. Don't fall for trike drivers who will tell you that you need to take trike to the "bayan" (townproper) where you can board a jeep for the grand terminal. Jeeps DO pass by Talaga Port, just wait and be patient.
5. There's a poso in Talaga Port where you can rinse off and use the comfort room for free.
6. The best time to take a dip is during low tide in the afternoon. The sea recedes, and even if we were 8-10 meters aways from the shoreline, the water is only neck deep. Here, the sea floor is sandy, not unlike the rocky part close to the shore. It's also easier to reach the corals during low tide.
7. Masasa is pronounced with an stress on the last syllable and no glottal stop, as in "talaga" (really). Be ready for the thick Batangueno accent. Quite a charm, actually, and very easy to pick up.