Sunday, February 8, 2015

Boy Scouts in Burot Beach, Calatagan

From the trip back in time in the town of Taal, we slow motioned on two tricycle and three jeepney rides to the present: Burot Beach in Calatagan, on the northeast of Batangas. Our camp for the night.



There are no eateries and resorts in Burot Beach, but we were boy scouts: we bought food for dinner and breakfast at the town before heading to the beach.

There are no resorts in Burot Beach, but one of us was a boy scout: he brought his own tent. The rest of us rented a three–person tent for Php 400. We chose our spot under a tree and a nearby table.

There are grilling areas in Burot Beach, but one of us was a boy scout: the person who brought his own tent also brought his cookset and a can of butane. We cooked our dinner and ate on the table that was encroaching in our camping area. (The encroaching table was for rent.)

There is a washing area in Burot Beach, but we were no boy scouts: we didn't have dishwashing soap. The enterprising caretakers though had a little sari–sari store and we were saved.

There is no electricity in the area, but we were boy scouts: we brought flashlights and headlamps (and extra batteries too). This was most especially useful when one had to go to the crude toilets/bathrooms in the middle of the night.

There are open cottages for rent, but we were boy scouts and had set up our tents and so didn't need any cottage, open or otherwise... until it rained in the middle of the night and we had to get out of our partly–flooded tents (ha! fake boy scouts!) and seek shelter.


There is a wide sandy beach, sufficient tree cover along the shore, and a good view of the sunset. We, boy scouts, cleaned up after our early dinner, explored the length of the beach, went for a swim, watched the sky turn orange, and then retired to our tents. It was a nice breezy night and we all succumbed to sleep not long after.


There is a quiet and a darkness in the wee hours, with only the sound of the sea lapping on the shore and an occasional snore from the boy scouts who slept like rocks. But I did not sleep like a rock that night, and woke up at around 3AM to the sound of clanging cooksets. I listened a little more and decided to investigate. I grabbed my headlamp, unzipped the tent, took two hurried steps, and shone the light on the table where we had conveniently and stupidly left our leftovers in a covered–and–handles–folded cookset—it was gone. I tried to follow the sound of the clanging but my headlamp did not spot anything. This boy scout was a bit of a chicken and decided not to venture in the wooded areas out back just for a cookset. I waited til daybreak to tell the owner of the cookset, and then we set off to find it. We scoured the grassy areas and the woods. We eventually found the cookset still in its covered–and–handles–folded state, but with the food inside gone, and with, mysteriously, no marks on the cookset.

How we had left the cookset and how we had found it!
Photo from ebay.com.au

There are no ghosts and monsters in Burot Beach, just dogs. Dogs that know how to snatch a cookset (that had handles folded) from the center of the table, without leaving teeth marks. Dogs that could open a cookset and eat what's inside it, then leave it covered again. Dogs that we imagine had used its front paws to grab the cookset and ran away on its hind legs. Dogs that are smarter than these so–called boy scouts.


Expect these Expenses:
Tricycle from town to Burot Beach Php 150 (per tricycle)
Entrance fee per person Php 65 (day trip) / Php 130 (overnight)
Tent rental Php 400 (3–person tent)



Around the Northern Half of Batangas:
Around the Northern Half of Batangas in Three Days
Back in Time in the Town of Taal
Boy Scouts in Burot Beach, Calatagan (you're here!)
Caleruega
What's in a (Business) Name? Treinta y ocho
The Waterfalls of Laurel: Malagaslas and Ambon–Ambon
Lipa, Batangas: Casa de Segunda, San Sebastian Cathedral, Our Lady of Mt Carmel Church
Where and What We Ate in Batangas

A Bit of Cavite in Between:
Wisdom from the Road #23
People's Park in the Sky

34 comments:

  1. The encroaching table was for rent; but we didn't pay. :D

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    1. Tsk tsk boy scouts are supposed to be honest hehehe

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  2. Beautiful beach! And a funny episode on the cookset.

    Usually, among buhaton is 1) wrap the cookset in a plastic bag and place it in our tent's vestibule or 2) wrap the cookset in a plastic bag and hang it on a post or a trekking pole so that dogs can't get it.

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    1. Hello Team Sweetie! We usually do what you do with our food when camping, but that night we simply forgot. X-/

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  3. ADVENTURE TO BUROT BEACH
    i'm sure you can enjoy the beautiful
    white sand the clean water
    you can relax the beautiful place
    Try it Believe it
    just call or text : kuya Romy
    to guide you any time you want
    or tricycle ride to burot beach
    php 150 good for 1 to 3 person
    from public market to burot beach
    contact no : 09266452950

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    1. Bro. I was able to contact kuya romy. I just forgot to ask. Is there a grill available na pwedeng irent?

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    2. Thanks for visiting the blog. There are grilling areas (just don't know if it's free or for rent). I have only been there once so better check with Kuya Romy to be sure as he knows the area better.

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  4. https://plus.google.com/u/0/112665640580850760847/posts....contact this #,,0949-7411-982 for any info to burot beach.and for tryk ride service...thanks....

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  5. Planning to go there in may :)

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  6. Do you still have the no. Po ng care taker of the beach to inquire na din :) since eto ung latest blog na nakita ko for burot beach :)

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    Replies
    1. Hi Chiya. Sorry, for the very late reply. Unfortunately, I did not get the contact number of the caretaker of Burot Beach..

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  7. Same here when we were having our picture taking we left our grilled liempo and fish in the table, and when we were back, the grilled liempos were already gone with only grilled fish left for us. I believe may magnanakaw tlga ng food

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  8. Hi! Good afternoon! Me and my friends are planning to go there next week. The one in your pictures? Is it what it really looks like? Since last year, its a bit of messy and dirty but right now is it all cleaned up already? I appreciate if youll give me a heads up! thanks! :)

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    1. Hi Yigael. Sorry for the very late reply. Yes, that was how it looked like when I went on Sept 2014. I hope you found it the same way I did.

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  9. Hi. Is it okay po ba pumunta na jan this holy week? kasi were going sa burot beach for overnight. Sage kaya ? Since were all girls. And anu po kaya maipapayo nio samin?

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    1. Hi Jane Aileen. Sorry for the very late reply, by now you are probably in Burot Beach or on your way home!! I am guessing Burot Beach would be full during the Holy Week holidays because I heard it's usually crowded during summer weekends/holidays.

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  10. Hello. Confirmation lang. If we will use the grillers, there's no rental fee db? right?

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    1. Hi Maica. Sorry for the very late reply. I don't think (but I am not sure) there's a rental fee for the grillers.

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  11. Magkano ang budget kung private car? Kasama na ang toll ? Ang gas? Kung balikan lang galing manila .

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    1. 1000 if matipid sa gas ang kotse mo roundtrip na yun.. 175 ang toll fee from nichols/c5 to Sta. Rosa exit if via Tagaytay ka dadaan.. Anyway i think its the closest way to Calatagan..

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  12. Last na punta ko last March di ako nag enjoy.. Daming basura at ang dumi ng paligid.. Pero yung dagat mismo napaka ganda.. Nag beach hopping kami (sand bar lahat halos ng pinuntahan namin) for 120 pesos per person kasama na lifevest.. 10 kami..mthen 3 kids pero 20 pesos lang sila for lifevest. SOBRANG INIT NG TUBIG SA CR AND BATH AREA... SUPER INIT. Pwedeng ipark ang kotse sa loob na halos pwede sa beach.. Ang kahoy na pang bonfire ay 200 pesos per bundled. Bawal kumuha ng driftwood para ipang bonfire.. Kailangan bumili ng 200 pesos na kahaoy sa kanila.. Tables available for 200 pesos... May tindahan na malapit sa beach. 20 pesos ang kape.. :)

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for the additional information Dennis. Too bad we didn't know about the beach hopping :(

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  13. to all tourism when u a plan go to burot beach.. iwill give the all info abouth beaches or inquire me dis # 09366223008 09082372416

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  14. Hello! May I ask if what is the time for low and high tides? Thank you!

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    1. Hi. You may want to check out this link: http://www.tide-forecast.com/locations/Calatagan/tides/latest

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  15. Hello can i ask mgknu ung susunod na 400 na tent??

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