TRAVEL: Day Tour at Tagaytay

Tagaytay City is part of the CALABARZON Region. Just an hour or so drive away from Manila, Tagaytay is one of the commonly visited places for leisure, picnic and relaxation. The Taal Volcano is just one of the beautiful sceneries that can be viewed from overlooking spots in the city.

*details in this post are based on own travel experience

Date/Duration
October 01, 2011 (Day Tour)

High Level Itinerary

1030-1200		From Manila to Tagaytay
1200-1300		Lunch at Mano's Greek Taverna
1300-1800		People's Park in the Sky, Picnic Grove, Mushroom Burger, Starbucks for overlooking
1800		Pass by Mr. Moo's for pasalubong

Accommodation

None, since this is a day tour

What to do

sight-seeing, overlooking, picnic, foodtrip, horseback riding, photoshoot, zipline & cable car, spa, chillax

Where to go

Picnic Grove (entrance: 50Php; parking: 35Php) - Just by staying at Picnic Grove, tourist can already enjoy their stay in Tagaytay. There are several things to do here, and it would take some time before one can completely go through the whole place. There are cottages for rent, a lot of picnic and overlooking spots. People would offer horseback riding for a fee (I think around 150-200Php). You can go on the Eco Trail and breathe fresh air. Try the zipline or cable car. Food stations are everywhere. And there's also the fish spa which we weren't able to try.

People's Park in the Sky (entrance: 15Php; parking: 20Php) - We drove uphill until we reached the entrance gate then walked all the way up! It was a bit foggy when we visited and there were some drizzle which resulted to even colder breeze. The view from the top was exhilarating. Not much to do but just to enjoy the view. The Taal Volcano is even visible from here on a foggy day.

Mano's Greek Taverna (200-300Php) - This is where we had our lunch. Ambiance-wise, it doesn't seem well maintained, but the food were great and of big servings. We had Saganaki (200Php), Mousaka (300Php), Greek bread (60Php), and for dessert, Yogurt with Honey (140Php). It was a fulfilling Mediterranean meal for an affordable price.

Mushroom Burger (50-100Php) - A great merienda place, though you can also have your lunch or dinner here. Interesting how tidbits of mushroom were blended with grounded meat to make a patty! If you're looking for a beef burger alternative, this is a must try.

Specialty/Souvenirs

Mr. Moo's Fresh Milk and Kesong Puti (100-200Php) - I'm not a milk fan but I really enjoyed the freshness and creaminess of Mr. Moo's milk. Be sure to grab some Carabao's or Cow's milk before going back to your home town. Also available in Strawberry and Chocolate flavors.

Fresh fruits are everywhere. You may also have some Colette's Buko Pie on your way home.

Other comments

Since Tagaytay is a great place for picnic and leisure, be sure to check the weather before going. We went on October and it is a bit rainy. Good thing we have a car and brought umbrellas with us as well.

*pictures taken using silkenhut's camera