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Thursday, August 30, 2012

Backpacking Trip in Tagaytay

While having second thoughts of pushing through with my Tagaytay trip with my boyfriend, the trip still went well with no private vehicle to use, just commuting by bus, tricycle, van/shuttle and jeepney.  It isn't my first time in Tagaytay but I am not so familiar with all the places to visit and restaurants to eat, only a few of it.  Although it is my first time to commute from Manila to Tagaytay, more like a backpacking trip to Tagaytay.  And of course, it's my first time to have this trip with my boyfriend.

It has been raining  for the past weeks and reading from forums, it's raining also in Tagaytay.  That made me think twice in pushing through this backpacking trip.  Nevertheless, we still push through with it since the typhoons were mostly headed north of Luzon.  Because its raining, we opted to stay in a fan room.  I've researched various budget and affordable accommodations which I also posted in my previous blog.  It's a good thing that there are a lot of accommodations to choose from that's why there are still a number of available rooms on my chosen dates, considering it is a long weekend. 

On this blog, I will post mostly the fares and transportation in various destinations in Tagaytay.  The reviews and other details will be posted in the next blog.  

GOING TO TAGAYTAY

Backpacking trip in Tagaytay, we obviously bring along just our backpacks.  We were suppose to ride the bus but I've read that it will take you more than 2 hours travel time since it will pass by Cavite and with lots of bus stops.  My officemate suggested that we ride a van located in a street before Metropoint mall along Edsa-Pasay Rotonda.  The van is going to Batangas but I'm just not sure exactly where and it will pass by Tagaytay City via Sta. Rosa exit.  This will shorten our travel time to just about an hour to 1 hour and a half.  So we chose to ride the van to shorten our travel time.  We arrived at the van area around 11am.  Travel time is about 1 hour and 15 minutes.  The route was through Southwoods exit then to Aguinaldo highway, Silang, Cavite.  Fare is Php 180 per person going to Tagaytay.  But I learned that same fare going to Batangas.

TAGAYTAY PROPER

Mahogany Market
We were not sure where to drop off but I know the van will pass by Tagaytay Rotonda or near Olivarez.  Since its already lunch and we planned to eat bulalo in Mahogany Market (which I'm not familiar with), we thought of just dropping off near that area.  But we were not sure where the van's route is.  So when we saw Mahogany Avenue we already asked the driver to drop us there.  The problem is, how do we go to Mahogany Market?  That's the fun in backpacking trip style.  You just get to ask around on how to go to your destination.  From Petron, we just rode a jeep going to NBI.  We asked the driver to take us to Mahogany Market.  Fare is just Php 11 per person.

Famous Inn / Picnic Grove
One of the cheapest accommodation I found is the Famous Inn, located at Barangay Sungay West, Tagaytay-Calamba Road.  You can read about my review on this accommodation here.  According to my research, this inn is located near Picnic Grove.  From Mahogany Market, the jeepney driver told us to ride any jeep across the market and ask them to drop us at the Terminal.  From the Terminal, there are jeeps going to Picnic Grove and People's Park.  Fare from Mahogany Market to Terminal is Php 8 per person.  From Terminal to Famous Inn/Picnic Grove, fare is Php 11 per person.

People's Park in The Sky
We rested for a while in our room then off we go to People's Park.  From Famous Inn, we rode a jeep going to People's Park.  Same jeep from the terminal is traveling in front of the Famous Inn.  Fare is Php 9 per person.  After People's Park, we'll have our snack/dinner either in Olivarez or near the restaurant row that are famous in Tagaytay.  From the park, there are no longer jeeps available going back to Picnic Grove or Olivarez at 5pm so we just rode the tricycle.  It will definitely be more expensive so we just ask the tricycle driver to take us to Picnic Grove.  Fare is Php 60 per ride.  From Picnic Grove, we just waited for a jeep going to Olivarez.  Again, Picnic Grove to Olivarez, fare is Php 11 per person.

Restaurant Row / Magallanes Square
We had dinner beside Magallanes Square.  We were told that jeepneys are only available until 8pm.  But we finished our dinner at around 8.30pm.  We still are able to rode a jeep from Magallanes Square to Terminal.  Fare is Php 8 per person.  From the terminal, it was only 1 jeep or the last trip waiting for us.  I guess the last trip is around 9pm.  From the Terminal to Famous Inn, the fare is again Php 11 per person.

FROM TAGAYTAY TO MANILA

My boyfriend and I decided to just ride the bus on our back to Manila.  Although at the Terminal, there are vans available going to Calamba and Festival Mall/Alabang.  It was quite hard to wait for an air-conditioned bus going to Pasay MRT/LRT.  Those in the bus stops were ordinary buses and some are going to Baclaran.  After about 20 minutes, we were able to ride an air-conditioned bus going to Pasay MRT/LRT.  Their route is via Cavite, Baclaran, Roxas Boulevard and final destination at Pasay MRT/LRT, at the back of Sogo Hotel.  Fare is Php 78 per person.  Travel time is about 2 hours.

On this backpacking trip to Tagaytay, we don't get to see a lot of tourist destinations since we don't have our own vehicle and our trip is just overnight.  We just visited People's Park in the Sky, Picnic Grove, Our Lady of Manaoag and eat near Magallanes Square.  The fares posted were as of August 2012.


UPDATE: From Manila To Tagaytay

I've mentioned in some comment/reply post that we tried riding a van in Alabang going to Tagaytay.  When we went back to Tagaytay last Dec. 30, 2014, there was no more van there going to Tagaytay.  The vans there were going to Dasma.  So we just went to Festival Mall and ask around for van terminals going to Tagaytay.  The van terminal was located outside of the Pixie Forest exit (Goldilocks).  Van fare is Php 75 each and you will be alighted at Olivarez (along Aguinaldo Highway).  This same location is where the van terminals are going back to Laguna and Alabang.

58 comments:

  1. hello....glad that i found your blog. Im looking for van to nasugbu. Do you have the contact number or name or else about the van terminal beside Metropolitan mall? or the name of the street?
    thank you so much

    Jenn

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  2. hi sis. i don't have the contact number kasi its parang a public utility vehicle. sorry, i also don't know the street pero isa lang naman yung kalye na katabi ng metropoint mall (by the way its metropoint and not metropolitan) if you're coming from edsa going to pasay rotonda. you won't see the van immediately. you have to walk about 200 meters to see the van terminal.

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  3. I googled "what to do in Tagaytay when it's raining" and your blog came up. Thanks for the tips - planning to go to Tagaytay today and it will be my first time. It's raining pretty hard today, so do you think the trip will still be enjoyable despite the rain?

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  4. it depends on what your plans are. if you're after seeing the taal volcano, you might not get a nice view of it due to fogs. but if you're after the weather, it really gets chilly during the rainy season, which is great since its hot in Manila.

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  5. thanks for this post...i am planning the same trip to tagaytay with my husband its our first time

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  6. you're welcome! enjoy your trip :)

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  7. hi. where is the terminal that has vans going to festival mall alabang? thanks

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  8. ^hi. its in Olivarez. near the terminal of jeep/tricycle going to people's park. its walking distance from the olivarez intersection/rotonda. sorry i forgot the establishments around it.

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  9. hello ask q lng kung what tym kau nakarating sa famous inn tsaka wat tym kau nag out tnx

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  10. hi ask q lng po ilang oras kau sa famous inn and what tym kau nag inn at nag out tnx

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  11. hi. we checked it at around 2-3pm then check out the following day by lunch.

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  12. hello, may alam po ba kayong UV VAN na dumederecho hanggang sa Picnic Groove?

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  13. ^from Manila? yung van na sinakyan namin byaheng batangas sya pero sa olivarez ang daan (tagaytay rotonda) so lagpas na sya ng picnic grove.

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  14. Hi i saw ur blog and it helps me a lot.. Hmm its our 6th anniv kc dis week so i decided to celebrate it sa tagaytay.. I dont have any idea how to go there eh kaya im thankful na nabass co ang blog mo.. Thanx ;)

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    1. hi, advance happy anniversary! :) thanks for visiting my site and i'm glad to be of help :) enjoy your trip!

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  15. HI! Mayvan ba kahit weekend? like sunday?
    and wat time kaya ang first trip? Thank you

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    1. van from where po, going to Tagaytay? if so, we went on a Saturday so I guess kahit weekends meron.

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    2. hello.. dadaan kya ang terminal van sa starmall crossing papuntang peoples park sa tagaytay.. thanks

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    3. hi, as far as i remember, yung van sa may alabang going to tagaytay, sa may filinvest sya nag exit then south super highway na.

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  16. Good day! How much would you think ang budget for 2, whole day at Tagaytay. May plan kami mag check-in, area hop and ood trip. Heheh thanks!

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    1. if you're a budget traveler, 3k for 2 will suffice. i think that's how much we spent including accommodation, transportation and food.

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  17. I'm really happy I found your blog. :)
    I have been asking around how to get rom Tagaytay going back to Manila via bus,and none of the people I asked were able to help me.:(

    May I ask, if you know where the bus terminal in Tagaytay is, and what time to I have to be there in the sometime in the evening so I can be back in Manila by at least 10pm to 11pm?

    I hope you could help me with my concern. :D ♥

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    1. Hi. There are buses in Buendia (Makati) bound to Batangas. It passes through Aguinaldo Highway/Olivarez/Rotonda in Tagaytay. From Tagaytay, we just waited for buses bound to Manila along Aguinaldo Highway, near the Rotonda. There's no really bus terminal, just bus stops :) hope this helps.

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  18. Hi. Do you have any idea if there are still vans or buses from Tagaytay to Alabang at night? (Around 9-10pm maybe). Thanks! ��

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    1. i'm not sure for the buses pero sa vans, wala na. when we had late dinner and returned to Famous Inn via jeep terminal in Olivarez, there were no vans available in that area. that's about 9pm.

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  19. hi! ask ko lng sana kng may van terminal b s tagaytay near aguinaldo hiway na papuntang baclaran mrt/lrt? thank u po.

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    1. meron po, malapit sa terminal ng mga jeep ng tagaytay (mga byaheng people's park at picnic grove)

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  20. Hi..wat time yun yung nkita mo yung vans going to festival or alabang Sa olivarez? Do u have an idea til wat time last trip?

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    1. naku, di ko na po maalala pero maaga pa yun, i think before lunch. wala ko idea until what time last trip pero nung nag jeep kami around 9pm sa may terminal in Olivarez, wala na yung mga vans dun.

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  21. hi just want to ask wat particular bus company po may trip to tgaytay? and meron po b sa cubao? thanks!

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    1. naku, i'm not so sure on the name of the bus. but i read that all buses going to Tagaytay now stops at Uniwide Coastal Mall. i read it here:

      http://www.backpackingphilippines.com/2009/03/how-to-get-to-tagaytay-bus-commute.html

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  22. hi ask ko lng po sana kung mag kano ang fare goin to tagaytay from alabang! Thanks in Advance

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  23. Hi po! ask ko lng sana magkano kaya estimated fare sa van from alabang to tagaytay? thanks in advance

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  24. hi,magkano po kaya ang fare sa van from alabang going to tagaytay?thanks in advance po.

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    Replies
    1. may van po kaming sinakyan sa festival mall and ang fare ay Php 75 per person. drop off point nito ay sa may olivarez.

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  25. Hi! Which way po kaya ang mas better and mas mabilis?
    Metropoint to Tagaytay or
    Festival Mall to Tagaytay?
    Thanks po :)

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  26. Hi! Which way to Tagaytay po kaya sa tingin nyo yung mas mabilis and much better?
    Yung byahe from Metropoint or yung from Festival Mall?
    Thanks po :)

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    Replies
    1. proximity wise, i think van from Festival Mall is faster than in Metropoint since SLEX na agad ang labas from Festival Mall.

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  27. San bnda sa metropoint ung fx termnal

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    Replies
    1. Pag galing ka ng Makati or north bound papuntang Edsa Pasay, baba ka bago mag LRT na hagdan, may maliit na kalye dun. i think after yun ng Kabayan Hotel and Chowking/Jollibee. lalakad ka pa paloob dun sa maliit na kalye na yun. i'm not sure lang kund nandun pa rin yun hanggang ngayon.

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  28. Hi. Po saan po kya ms mura mg check in malapit lng po s picnicgroove thanks po... 3po kmi

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    Replies
    1. Mura po sa Famous Inn but don't expect much as it is basic and plain.

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  29. Pano po pag galing ng cubao, plan po ksi namin pumunta ng tagaytay

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    1. I think may mga bus sa Cubao papuntang Batangas. Sakyan nyo po siguro yung papuntang Nasugbu. Or pwede nyo rin siguro itanong sa driver kung dadaan po sila sa Tagaytay.

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  30. Hi po magkano po kya rate ngayon sa econo inn? At mlapit din po ba sya sa mga pasyalan?

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    Replies
    1. hi. you can directly inquire from them na lang po.

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  31. Hello! Would you know kung ano oras ang Bus from Tagaytay to Manila (sa may Taft mag stop)? If 7AM or 8AM kami aalis from Tagaytay, meron na kayang bus? Baka po may idea po kayu.

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    Replies
    1. Hello! Sorry di ko po alam yung schedule ng bus from Tagaytay to Manila. Pero siguro by 7 or 8am may mga bus na.

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  32. hi there! i am planning to go to Mahogany market and buy plants among other things but i will ride the bus going to Tagaytay and then ride a jeep. it will be my first time to go to Mahogany market. I was wondering if the jeepneys will stop directly at Mahogany market or will i have to walk far? I might be tempted (hehehe) to buy a lot and i might not be able to carry those if the jeepney/bus stop is far.

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    Replies
    1. Hi, apologies for the super late response but yes, you need to walk to the market upon alighting from the jeep. not that far naman.

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  33. Hi. I just want to ask kung anong oras kayo nakasakay sa van sa festival mall? thanks.

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  34. Hi. I just want to ask kung anong oras po kayo umalis from festival mall? Is it necessary po ba na pumasok kami sa mall in order for us to reach the termival of vans? thank you.

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    Replies
    1. i'm not too familiar with festival mall pero i think yes, kailangan talagang pumasok sa mall.

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  35. Ask ko lang po, may van pa po ba ng pa festival mall sa olivarez ng mga 6pm or before 6pm.

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    Replies
    1. hi. i'm not sure until what time ang van sa festival mall pero i think before 6pm meron pa.

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  36. Hello po. Ask ko lng po, pano po pabalik sa manila? Saan po terminal mg bus pabalik ng mnl? :)

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    Replies
    1. hello! along aguinaldo po, dun dumadaan ang bus pabalik ng manila. abang lang po kayo dun sa may malapit sa kanto or near rotonda.

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